SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

Sidelines MagazineSidelines Magazine

  • LOGIN
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Flipbook
    • Subscribe Options
    • Order Sidelines Caps
    • Order Individual & Back Issues
  • Marketplace
    • Business Ads
    • Directories
      • Barns, Farms, Trainers & Clubs
      • Equestrian Services
      • Real Estate
      • Stallions
      • Tack & Feed Stores
    • Classifieds
    • Horse Trailers for Sale
  • Advertise
  • Blogs
    • Show World
    • What’s Happenin’
  • Partners
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Employment
0
Thursday, August 04 2016 / Published in General

Discussing Dressage with Shannon Peters

 

Photo by Lahorstman Photography

Photo by Lahorstman Photography

Shannon Peters is a U.S. Dressage Federation bronze, silver and gold medalist, and three-time National Championship competitor. She loves bringing young horses up through the levels, and competes regularly both in Southern California CDIs and other top shows. Shannon is married to Olympic dressage rider Steffen Peters, and together they operate Arroyo Del Mar in San Diego, California. Do you have a question you want Shannon to answer? Send questions to editor@sidelinesnews.com.
How do you first start teaching riders to sit the trot?
I like to start most riders on the lunge, as long as we have a confident, steady lunge horse. There’s no better way to learn balance, elasticity and gain core strength than doing lunge work. Making sure the horse is in a comfortable frame for lunge work, so that the horse is in a nicely forward and soft frame, helps the rider to find the correct balance. Always be sure to have a strap on the front of the saddle. I generally have the rider hang on to the strap with at least one hand, especially if they’re new to lunge work.

What advice do you give students who struggle with nerves before a competition?
Find a positive focus. Asking a rider what they do well in the arena will usually make them smile and softens their focus. We often dwell on the negative, on what we or our horses struggle with in competition, and I find sometimes that’s the thing which makes people nervous. I often ask my riders to focus on one thing that they want to make better in the arena, and strive to accomplish it in that test, and keep building on positive experiences to build confidence.

Do you take your horses on trail rides?
Yes! All of my horses go out on Wednesdays on a five-mile loop. There’s a lot of variety in terrain and footing, so the horses learn to balance on different surfaces. Training them on varied terrain also has such a positive benefit to bone and soft tissue. But most importantly for me is that it keeps them fresh and keen for their work.

How would you recommend redeveloping proper muscles in a horse that’s been out of work?
All of the horses in my program do a lot of cross training, so when a horse is brought back into work, generally they’ll start up again in a varied program that keeps them both mentally interested and physically challenged. Depending on why they may have been out of work, their program would include any appropriate combination of ground work, in-hand work, long lining, cavaletti, hill work and dressage gymnastics. We also are fortunate here to have a HorseGym and a Vitafloor, which are super useful for layups and for general conditioning. Adjusting a horse’s program to their particular needs is vitally important to developing the correct musculature and strength to carry a rider with ease.

What particular dressage principles would you recommend for a hunter or jumper rider to improve all-around riding?
Basics! Remembering the training scale in your daily work, no matter what your discipline, is so important: rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, collection! The first three especially are so important for every horse, no matter what the level, or what discipline. Finding each individual horse’s natural rhythm and creating suppleness through the horse’s body creates the proper contact. Everything starts from there.

Double D Trailers Info

Share this page:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Tagged under: dressage, q&a, shannon peters

What you can read next

Unbeatable Fellers and Flexible
Katie Hiller: Champion of Underdogs – Making Her Way in Dressage with Determination, Perseverance, Patience and Love
Dr. Cesar Parra and His Piaffe-Performance Team Win Big at Dressage At Devon, Prepare for 2013 Show Season

Download Sidelines Digital now from your favorite app store!

Sidelines Magazine - Apple store   Sidelines Magazine - Google Play store   Sidelines Magazine - Amazon store
Update iOS app. Re-download Google Play and Amazon app.

Follow on Instagram!

sidelines_magazine

Sidelines Magazine
Ceramic therapy from SmartPak 😍 “This stylis Ceramic therapy from SmartPak 😍

“This stylish diamond-quilted pad not only looks amazing, but has all the benefits of ceramic therapy that your horse will love. My horse felt great through his back while riding, even with the frigid winter temperatures. At such an affordable price point, this SmartTherapy saddle pad is too good to pass up!”

What product should we feature next? Tag your favorite brands in the comments! 💬

The all NEW Sidelines Selections pages are the perfect place to share your products- featured in the front of the magazine for premier viewing! 👀

Interested in advertising with us? Email advertising@sidelinesmagazine.com 📩
Don't miss this exclusive interview of world-class Don't miss this exclusive interview of world-class clinician, @annekursinski 🤩

Here is a sneak peak 👀

What are the three most important lessons you emphasize to your students?

"First of all, your position. If you can’t control your position, then have fun trying to control a horse. Your basic equitation. Why we do things. Especially when I’m teaching, to test everyone’s skills that way. So, position and awareness first. 

The other is to listen to the horse. It’s not a one-way conversation. So much about riding is about listening to the horse- and when you ask, and when you’re training, and when you’re wanting to get something done with them- make sure you listen. Are they really understanding it? Are your signals clear? Your aids and such? So that it’s not just a one-way conversation, it’s very important to listen to the horse. 

It’s hard work, but on the other hand, be open to learning. Be open and, as much as you can, enjoy the journey. Enjoy the work. Sometimes, I put people out of their comfort zone when I’m teaching- on purpose- to learn something new and try something different. Be open to that, and at the end of the day, to try and embrace that as well." - Anne Kursinski 

Read the rest at our link in bio ➡️ What's Happenin' blog!

@rutledgefarm #clinic #equestrianlife #hunterjumper #hunterseat #huntseatequitation #equitation #ridingtips #learntoride #ridinglessons #clinician #interview #horselovers #sidelinesmagazine
"If you want to get your foot in the door in the h "If you want to get your foot in the door in the higher level, go and be a working student somewhere and get a job riding. Find a situation where you think it will help you better develop your riding into what you want out of this sport, whether that’s being a show jumper, hunter rider or trainer. 

Don’t worry about how quickly it comes, just focus on working hard and trying to improve every day, and let the good things come to you. I think that some young riders expect too much too quickly. A lot of kids go to work for someone and they want to show right away and do this and that, but when I went to work with Missy Clark, I didn’t show for the whole first season that I was with her." - @darraghkenny 

Read about how the Irish show jumper got his career started in the United States and the risks he took to form his own @oaklandstables and @oaklandstables__west at the link in our bio!

@fouroakscreative #showjumping #equestrian #hunterjumper #hunterderby #grandprix #ireland #irish #equestrianlife #equestrianluxury #warmbloodsofinstagram #workingstudent #workingstudentlife #assistanttrainer #horsetraining #sidelinesmagazine
It’s been said if you need to get things done, t It’s been said if you need to get things done, then Sally Ike is the person to ask. Sally, who started working for the @usetfoundation in 1989, said her philosophy has always been, “If there’s a problem, let’s investigate and fix it if possible.” 

For her lifelong dedication to the equestrian sport, Sally was honored by @usequestrian with the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award. “To be honored by the Federation is huge! It speaks to the extraordinary opportunities I’ve had in so many, many areas of my life. I’ve been very, very lucky!”

Read more about Sally and her contributions to equestrian sports at the link in our bio!

@ushunterjumper @essexfoxhounds #horses #uset #equestrianteam #equestrianlife #unitedstates #teamusa #showjumping #grandprix #jumpers #dressage #hunterjumper #eventing #olympics #horselovers #sidelinesmagazine
Load More... Follow on Instagram

From Our Classifieds Ads

  • Kristin Lee Photography
    kristinleephotography.com kristin@kristinleephotography.com 805-428-3356 @kristinleephotollc

    [Read more]

  • Tara Stone | eXp Realty
    Equestrian & Luxury Properties 908.209.9277/ Tara.Stone@exprealty.com www.TheStoneTeamNJ.com

    [Read more]

Sidelines Articles by Email

Subscribe to Sidelines Magazine Articles by Email

RSS Sidelines Blogs: What’s Happenin’

  • Rutledge Farm Sessions: Anne Kursinski 2020
  • Register Today for the 2021 Pony Up! for Saddle Up! Campaign
  • Circadian Lighting Naturally Enhances A Horse’s Performance

RSS Sidelines Blogs: Show World

  • Nation’s Top IEA Youth Equestrians Head to Perry, GA for Hunt Seat National Finals
  • Muzzy Family/MZ Farms Establish $100,000 National Finals Travel Grant for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association
  • A Masterclass in Kentucky Three-Day Event History from Jane Atkinson

Category

Recent Posts

  • May 2021 – Table of Contents

    Subscribe for just $9.95 or Order Individual Is...
  • It’s Worth the Risk to Focus on Learning

    By Darragh Kenny Darragh Kenny began competing ...
  • Unbridled With Sally Ike

    By Jan Westmark  It’s been said if you need to ...
  • Siblings Keri & Kris Kampsen: High Goals and Overcoming Injury as a Close Family

    By Britney Grover Portraits by Melissa Fuller  ...
  • Tillie Jones: Cheering at College and Down Centerline

    By Ruby Tevis Portraits by Melissa Fuller Tilli...

Copyright © 1987 - 2021 Sidelines Magazine
Privacy Policy · Returns & Refunds Policy · Hosting by Lucian Web Service
· Login

TOP
Get the Sidelines Scoop — your weekly look behind the scenes.Sign me up!