Maria Cooke Equestrian

Better gaits. Bigger movements. The breeding for dressage horses has improved a lot over the years.

But are riders pushing their horses too fast, because they want to show their horses’ talent as soon as possible to win in competition?

Classical rider and trainer Hélène Arianoff reflects on how riding has changed over the decades, and explains how horses that are 9 appear in Grand Prix dressage nowadays, indicating that the horses likely already compete intensely at a high level before they are fully mature. She says, that for a young horse still developing in its skeleton, if too much is asked of it, too soon, the horse’s body may not be able to continue in the same way over the long term.

🎙️Watch or listen now to the full episode with Hélène Arianoff on INSIDE THE MANÈGE, streaming on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

If you‘d like to follow with subtitles in your preferred language, watch the video on YouTube, turn on closed captions, and select your language in settings. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇹🇮🇹🇪🇸 and more available.

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“There is no more collection.”

Hélène Arianoff shares how the extended trot in dressage competition is now often performed with the horses stiff and overflexed, where the hindquarters are following the forehand, rather than propulsing properly from behind.

She explains that the real extended trot comes from the collected trot, which she says there is no more of, because what she sees performed is not collected trot, but is closer to a working trot.

There is also one competitive rider who stood out to us in terms of softness – can you guess which one? 👀

🎙️Watch or listen now to the full episode with Hélène Arianoff on INSIDE THE MANÈGE, streaming on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

If you‘d like to follow with subtitles in your preferred language, watch the video on YouTube, turn on closed captions, and select your language in settings. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇹🇮🇹🇪🇸 and more available.

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Hélène Arianoff shares how the piaffe in Grand Prix dressage competition has changed over the years – and how softness and collection are now often missing.

She says that back when she was competing in the Grand Prix, riders were penalised for moving forwards in piaffe, and yet now the horses are allowed to move forwards up to 1 metre. She says that this is not truly piaffe, which is performed in place. She explains that what’s shown now often looks like merely teaching the piaffe – but that currently, it’s often taught with force, rather than true collection.

Of course, there are some riders who also show softness — can you guess who she mentions in the full episode?

Want to hear our full conversation about classical riding aids, modern dressage competition, and Nuno Oliveira?

🎙️Watch or listen now to the full episode with Hélène Arianoff on INSIDE THE MANÈGE, streaming on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

If you‘d like to follow with subtitles in your preferred language, watch the video on YouTube, turn on closed captions, and select your language in settings. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇹🇮🇹🇪🇸 and more available.

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Classical dressage rider Hélène Arianoff explains that surrounding yourself with riders you admire is important, because whoever you surround yourself with, their riding is what you tend to imitate and become.

She says, who and what we watch has an influence on our riding; so, if you want to improve, surround yourself with riders who ride in the way that you want to.

What did you think of the new episode so far? Let me know your favourite moments! 🫶🏼

🎙️Watch or listen now to the full episode with Hélène Arianoff on INSIDE THE MANÈGE, streaming on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Watch it on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_u9GaQz9Lc

If you‘d like to follow with subtitles in your preferred language, watch the video on YouTube, turn on closed captions, and select your language in settings. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇹🇮🇹🇪🇸 and more available.

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🐴 “I hope all riders will feel that one day.”

The feeling of being completely in tune with the horse that we all search for.

Hélène Arianoff describes how what she learned with classical riding master Nuno Oliveira helped give her moments of feeling completely unified with the horse, almost like a centaur. She says, what drives her to share what she learned is the happiness she experienced in those moments, which she wishes every rider could experience.

In episode 6, we dive into Hélène’s over 40 years experience teaching classical riding, as she passes on the classical principles she learned with Nuno Oliveira. If you’re curious about how to use light classical aids and how modern dressage competition has changed, don’t miss this episode!

🎙️Watch or listen now to the full episode with Hélène Arianoff on INSIDE THE MANÈGE, streaming on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Watch it on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_u9GaQz9Lc

If you‘d like to follow with subtitles in your preferred language, watch the video on YouTube, turn on closed captions, and select your language in settings. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇹🇮🇹🇪🇸 and more available.

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“One does get used to some things, and starts to think they’re normal.”

Sonja Weber shares how she sees that certain movement patterns, even if they aren’t natural, have become normalised in equestrian sport. Everyone sees them again and again, and if they don’t see anything else, they begin to think they’re the norm.
However, she shares how harmony and beauty can be recognised by anyone – even if, and sometimes especially if, they aren’t involved in the sport.

Want to hear our full conversation?

🎙️Watch or listen to the full episode of Sonja Weber on INSIDE THE MANÈGE, in English or German, now streaming on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

This episode is available in both English and German on YouTube, and if you‘d like to follow with subtitles in your preferred language, watch the video on YouTube, turn on closed captions, and select your language in settings. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇹🇮🇹🇪🇸 and more available.

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Sonja Weber shares how an inverted neck is nothing more than a sunken base of the neck, which must be brought back up through training.

She explains that, as a horse is developed physically through proper training, the topline of the neck builds muscle, becoming both wider and higher. This makes the horse appear taller, and the withers less prominent – and along with the development of the rest of the horse, correct muscling then replaces any previous underneck, and makes the horse’s body appear both more harmonious and more attractive.

Want to hear more about lifting the base of the neck, posture, and biomechanics?

🎙️Watch or listen to the full episode of Sonja Weber on INSIDE THE MANÈGE, in English or German, now streaming on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

This episode is available in both English and German on YouTube, and if you‘d like to follow with subtitles in your preferred language, watch the video on YouTube, turn on closed captions, and select your language in settings. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇹🇮🇹🇪🇸 and more available.

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“If a passage doesn’t fulfill its fundamental principles, then actually it shouldn’t even be called a passage.” – Sonja Weber

In our conversation, Sonja Weber says, dressage exercises and movements should both be the result of the proper development of the horse’s body, and also serve that proper development. These two are interconnected, and the quality of the movements is what matters most in determining whether it can help a horse, or potentially harm its physical development.

Want to hear our full conversation on posture and biomechanics?

🎙️Watch or listen to the full episode of Sonja Weber on INSIDE THE MANÈGE, in English or German, now streaming on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

This episode is available in both English and German on YouTube, and if you‘d like to follow with subtitles in your preferred language, watch the video on YouTube, turn on closed captions, and select your language in settings. 🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇹🇮🇹🇪🇸 and more available.

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Happy birthday to Luis Valença Equestrian Art, an incredible man and horseman!