# Dressage One Handed?



## Tihannah (Apr 7, 2015)

I've never seen anyone competing dressage one handed and not even sure it's possible if you want to compete successfully.

Have you ridden dressage before?


----------



## Josie7055 (Mar 18, 2016)

I have a couple years ago, but I have never seen one handed either 

Sent from my HTCD200LVW using Tapatalk


----------



## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Riding with both hands is required except in freestyles. There's no 'bonus' for riding with one hand in a freestyle as it's not considered more desirable or advanced than riding with two hands, though if it added to the artistic effect of the freestyle in some way then the scores for choreography or interpretation might be slightly higher.


----------



## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

verona1016 said:


> Riding with both hands is required except in freestyles. There's no 'bonus' for riding with one hand in a freestyle as it's not considered more desirable or advanced than riding with two hands, though if it added to the artistic effect of the freestyle in some way then the scores for choreography or interpretation might be slightly higher.


This is by far my favorite freestyle performance:




Start watching at about minute 6:10. He's totally showboating, and his horse lets him know it, but it's still fun to watch


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Dressage one handed, take up Western Dressage, saw some beautiful one handed tests done last year.....For English, two hands


----------



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I just saw a driven dressage one handed and it was done well.


----------



## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

It used to be the standard, as dressage was training for battle.

Now the closest thing we have to that is polo, which used to be used for soldiers to practice their horsemanship in riding for battle.

There are some beautiful youtube videos of one-handed dressage. I can't find them anymore. I've forgotten the names of the riders.


----------



## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I ended up having to ride one handed in a test at a big show. I didn't mean to, though.

I was riding with Walter Zettl as the judge at C. I was on a mare who had just heard a car backfire near the ring and she freaked. I rode a portion of the test one handed while stroking the mares neck with the other, to try to calm her. I finally got her over her fit and she went back to work. we rode about half the remaining test that way, one hand continuing to stroke her.

I knew that the test was not going to be a good score, after her leap, but wanted to finish and chalk it up to a training experience. I believe you always finish, no matter what, if you can.

When I got my test back from Zettl, I got the expected scores......all except for one. He gave me a 9 on my position on the collectives. Seems he saw what I did and why I did it and appreciated it.


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Well, working equitation is ridden one handed. The training and riding is based on the theories of dressage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrcjg3LqcoQ

And Doma Vaquera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cekh8oL_Ri4


----------



## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Any well trained horse should be able to be ridden one handed, with contact. no big deal, as afterrall, that is how the foundation is laid, even on horses that eventually ride one handed with no bit contact
Certainly, can`t weld a sword, fire a gun, carry a lance , riding with two hands! Battle required that horses could be ridden one handed
However, far as I know, classic dressage is ridden with two hands and contact.
Hense, we have `western dressage, which, along with ranch horse pleasure, became great place for horses that could not be totally rated off of a loose rein, one handed, keeping speed, topline and collection.
By old rules anyway, a horse showing in western dressage, can be ridden at all ages in a snaffle, BUT also allows that horse to be ridden in a curb, either one handed, or two handed
That to me is wrong, If you put that horse in a curb, (not a double bridle ), then you should have to rider that horse one handed, as per how that bit is used correctly, western,


----------



## Partita (Feb 19, 2016)

In the classical school of Vienna, Austria (The Spanish Riding School with the Lipizzaner horses), a finished horse complete in its training can be ridden on the curb only. Snaffle reins are dropped. Much like a finished horse of a vaquero ridden in a spade bit. The whip is also "surrendered" in that it is carried straight up and not in use. This indicates a very highly trained horse that is straight, balanced and on the aids.
But this is not seen in competition, as competition has a set of rules that all riders must abide by. Freestyle rules are a bit looser.

This is a famous photo showing a horse working on the curb only.


----------



## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

Partita said:


> In the classical school of Vienna, Austria (The Spanish Riding School with the Lipizzaner horses), a finished horse complete in its training can be ridden on the curb only. Snaffle reins are dropped. Much like a finished horse of a vaquero ridden in a spade bit. The whip is also "surrendered" in that it is carried straight up and not in use. This indicates a very highly trained horse that is straight, balanced and on the aids.
> But this is not seen in competition, as competition has a set of rules that all riders must abide by. Freestyle rules are a bit looser.
> 
> This is a famous photo showing a horse working on the curb only.
> View attachment 797106


Curious as to why they bothered even holding the whip, if you're not allowed to use it? Why not leave it on the ground? Interesting.

Yes, I definitely think any horse with a high level of training should be able to be ridden with one hand. If they can't, then they are not trained to the level that they are claimed to be at. And yes, I am primarily an english rider myself. To me the end goal would be a horse that you could do a bridleless demonstration with. That to me is highly trained. And I mean a bridleless demonstration in a reining or dressage or similar test, not putzing around the field! :lol: :icon_rolleyes:


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The problem with riding bridleless in dressage is that dressage tests are in fact Training tests - as in tests of the horses training - and traditionally a major part of that training is that the horse willingly accepts the bit - initially a snaffle type bit and then as it progresses further, a double bridle.


----------



## Partita (Feb 19, 2016)

horseluvr, it's not that they are not allowed to use the whip. It is a test and proof of training, not a test with rules in a showring at a horseshow. The horse still wears the snaffle, but it is not in use either. The rider is wearing spurs, but also not using them.


----------

