The Dressage Biomechanics Framework
A simpler, smarter, friendlier, biomechanics-based way to approach the training of your horse and fix the problems you enounter in your training.
Biomechanics is the field that provides the scientific framework to describe the interactions between the horses muscles, bones, joints, dynamic movement, and the rider’s body. The more thoroughly we study and understand the principles that govern the relationships between the different body parts, the easier it becomes to trace surface level symptoms back to their root causes. This makes it easier to find solutions to problems, or to build a ladder of small learning steps for the horse when you are teaching him a new movement. This knowledge helps you in choosing or designing the right exercises for your horse.
"If I don't get the basics right, it will haunt me up through the levels... (This course) made me realise that there were gaps in my knowledge. (It is) difficult to progress without the basics in place." - Susan H.
Biomechanics made Practical
Don't get "blinded by the science" (or blind-sided)!
Learn how to make SENSE of the science and make the science work FOR you and FOR your horse.
It is essential to learn NOT just the theoretical concepts, but also:
- What it means in terms of riding and training
- How (and Why) to look at the Dressage movements and requirements in terms of Biomechanics
- How to use it to accurately diagnose the origin of the problems (so you are not just chasing symptoms)
- And especially how to use it to FIX those nagging problems that keep coming back
Without a good theoretical framework there is always a danger of riding around and groping in the dark, HOPING that someday things will SOMEHOW get better. If you have a good theoretical framework, you can largely take the guesswork out of your riding and troubleshoot with a scientific methodology.
All parts of the horse and the rider are connected with each other and influence each other in complex and interesting ways. Any time you change something in one part of the horse, it will affect his overall balance, straightness, throughness, state of relaxation, and rein contact. Every time you change something in your seat, it will affect the horse’s balance and gait.
What is OFTEN ABSENT is an analysis and explanation of biomechanical causes and effects, and the interconnectedness of the individual body parts of the horse as well as the interconnectedness of horse and rider.
Most riders LOVE the “idea” of training with biomechanics,
but get then get INTIMIDATED, OVERWHELMED, and OVERFACED about how this ACTUALLY works for their horses, in their training, on a day-to-day basis.
It is nearly impossible...
to figure out how to know where to begin, why, and how to do it when you are confronted with the arduous task of deciphering scientific data that doesn't easily translate into practical work you can do with your horse to fix the problems you are facing in your riding today.
The problem is NOT that you don't appreciate or understand the importance of these basic fundamentals.
The problem is that you don't know where to start (or HOW).
And you definitely do NOT want to be bamboozled by academic mumbo jumbo that is designed simply to confuse and diminish you.
(Some people make things overly complicated to make themselves look smarter than everyone else, and to confuse the readers so the readers feel less intelligent than the author and can't argue with them because they don't really understand what they are saying.)
Biomechanics is only helpful as long as it has a practical application and helps you ride better.
If it is l’art pour l’art (art for art’s sake) then it is no longer a means to an end but a nerdy hobby. It becomes irrelevant to the practical horseman. It may be interesting academically, but it is irrelevant to training your horse.
Maybe you’re tired of scavenging
through all the many articles, blogs, videos, and posts online to find answers to the problems you are encountering with your horse.
Maybe you’re dismayed
at the confusing and conflicting information you find. And you have NO IDEA how to apply ANY OF THIS to help your horse.
Maybe you have this FEELING
that there has got to be a better way of approaching the training for you and your horse.
Most riders end up in the cycle of endless symptom-chasing that never really progresses them beyond a certain point, and they keep coming back to the same tired-out advice that just produces more of the same.
Because correcting the symptoms of the problem never fixes the problem.
Every "problem", however, has a foundational cause. We breathe life into the theoretical rigidity of the training scale by looking at it through a functional and dynamic biomechanics-based approach. We break the movement patterns of the horse into the six distinct movement patterns that comprise all dressage movements.
Maybe you know you have GAPS in your training or understanding.
You may have realized that you don't THOROUGHLY understand the basics, or you have found that you are unable to progress because your horse is missing crucial basics.
Maybe you are worried your horse will go unsound
because doing the same thing you have been doing is only going to give you the same results, with unhelpful wear and tear to your horse's tendons and joints.
Maybe your half-halts don't "go through" or you can't get true bend through the horse's body.
Your horse doesn't respond to the aids well, is phlegmatic, just bends in the neck and not through the whole body, or goes through turns like a motobike that is leaning in (in other words, NOT bending).
When you understand that everything you do in Dressage comes down to different combinations of six basic biomechanical movement patterns, you have the ABILITY to break complicated problems down into simple information that will help you address those problems. When you have simple diagnostic ways you can identify which movement patterns the horse is struggling with, you UNLOCK THE KEY to helping the horse with those movement patterns through targeted exercises which are designed to specifically address and remedy that issue.
When you encounter “symptoms”
of the horse’s inability to bend well such as inverting, falling on the inside shoulder through turns, not swinging well in the back, etc.
INSTEAD of addressing the head of the horse to correct the horse coming above the bit,
INSTEAD of pulling the head to the inside to artificially create the bend,
or INSTEAD OF chasing the horse more FORWARD to try to get the horse to use the back more,
you can test the horse’s responses to the 6 basic movement patterns which will give you crystal clear information about where the problem ACTUALLY is.
It is not that...
😂 the horse's head accidentally got stuck up there and you need to rescue it by pulling it down,
😂 the horse has a deficiency of inside rein in the turns (necessitating you to supply more inside rein), or
😂 the horse is not going forward "enough" (probably).
Instead, the biomechanical reasons are actually that...
💡 the horse is not balanced and aligned well enough yet to come "on the bit",
💡 the horse is not bending effectively through the ribcage, and
💡 the horse is not connected well enough to use the ground effectively in order to swing the back correctly.
No amount of pulling the head down, pulling the neck to the side, or chasing the horse forward is going to improve the horse’s ability to work correctly to the bit, bend through the ribcage, or find the swing of the back!
So, no wonder it never gets better!
But... when you know the key fundamentals based on biomechanics, you can then choose and use targeted exercises which help the horse to develop better balance, rhythm, suppleness, and elasticity in the gaits. As you address these core biomechanical essentials, these symptoms evaporate because the problem has FINALLY been addressed.
This is riding INTELLIGENTLY.
Thomas wrote about this system in his first book, "Dressage Principles based on Biomechanics" (Cadmos Publishing, 2010)
in which he outlined the Universal Basic Principles of Biomechanics combined with classical riding theory as it applies to the individual application to each individual horse. In this book, he outlined the Specific Gymnastic Building Blocks of the System. These basic elements of equine gymnastics can be divided into six biomechanical sub-categories of movement.
We were teaching about these 6 biomechanical movement patterns in our clinics but with only being able to teach a finite number of hours a day, we were limited in the number of people we could help. We had requests from all over the world to come teach clinics, but with a finite number of weekends in a year, we could not accommodate all of the requests.
That is when we decided to develop the system into an online course where we could teach the concepts and method to many riders all at once, regardless of which continent they lived in and regardless of their ability to get their horse to a riding clinic.
✦ The Dressage Biomechanics Framework ✦
A 6-week program that introduces you, step-by-step, to each of the six essential biomechanical movement patterns, to take you from “scrambling to put band-aids over the problems and training gaps” to creatively applying biomechanics-based exercises that accurately pinpoint the cause of the problems and correctly FIX them.
Perfect for DIY riders who want the NUTS AND BOLTS training tools and information.
☞ This is a self-study course. You can do it at your own pace, begin any time.
"This Course is a thorough summary of all the “essential” things that a horse and rider must learn together and provides a crucial outline of all the components of those six items. It is suitable for any rider, regardless of skill or experience. This course reminded me of all the basics and, most importantly, helped me to organize my thoughts on training, teaching or fine-tuning my horses regarding those items. The most important portion of the course for me concerned bending, when it was proper and how to obtain it."
- Terry Reth
"I loved that it was in depth and categorizes the different tasks that need to be involved in each component. I have incorporated it into my daily riding. Oh, I need to halt, what shall I do..... Bending..... how can I prepare.....etc. It's really a great course."
- Sharon Matthews
In this course, you’ll learn:
POLISH YOUR TRANSITIONS
Skillfully prepare and improve all of your transitions (no more ugly, head in the air, crooked, and embarrassing transitions that make you want to hide in the tack room). Polish your transitions between various movements and gaits (so you cultivate flow and harmony between them).
TIMING OF THE AIDS
The laws of biomechanics dictate that the horse is able to understand and execute each aid only during a very specific phase of the footfall sequence. If the aid is applied at the wrong time, it violates the laws of physics, and the horse is physically incapable of executing the instruction. Give your aids at the exact timing that will have the best influence on the horse (so you’re not just wildly guessing and hoping for the best)
FIND THE FORWARD
Improve your horse's responsiveness to the aids and remove the blockages that are shutting down your horse's movement and PREVENTING your from wanting to go forward.
BENDING AND FLEXING
Understand the bending of the horse and how to use exercises to improve the ability of your horse to bend through his WHOLE body, not just the neck.
BUILD POWER AND LENGTHENINGS
Use exercises that build your horse's power and ability to lengthen the strides.
REMOVE RESISTANCES
Remove resistances by isolating and dissolving blockages in the horse’s body (no more begging the lethargic horse to trot with nagging aids)
TROUBLESHOOT
Troubleshoot any problem, analyse any situation (so that you can eventually be your own trainer and figure out solutions to any problem you or another rider may have)
TURNS AND CHANGES OF DIRECTION
Polish your turns and changes of direction so they are smooth and harmonious (no hiccups).
IMPROVE THE REINBACK
Find out why your horse resists in the reinback, how to improve it, and even make it beneficial for his training.
LATERAL MOVEMENTS
Stepping sideways is one of the six fundamental requirements and can be carried out in many different forms. Help troubleshoot why your horse finds some lateral movements hard, while others are easy, one way hard while the other is easy, and streamline the process of playfully introducing them to your horse.
This is a complete online course with support, feedback, and community. Lifetime access.
6-module program which takes you step-by-step
videos (watch online or download)
audio files (listen in your car, at the barn, or while doing chores)
illustrations and diagrams
All course content videos have optional closed captioning in English.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
BIOMECHANICS THEORY
Biomechanically-based theory components which explain the interplay between the horse's body and the dressage training are spread throughout the entirety of the course. The theory is designed to stimulate your mind and cultivate your understanding. Each theory lesson builds upon the previous module, but they can also be used as a reference library.
GYMNASTIC EXERCISES
Each module has several biomechanically-based gymnastic horse exercises which correspond to the theory instruction, so you are are able to immediately apply the theoretical lessons into your riding, and experience first-hand how they work. Each exercise comes with a PDF with complete instructions outlining what to do, why to do it, and how to do it.
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS
Each horse riding exercise is accompanied by an instructional video in which we expand upon the material in the exercise PDF, showing you where the problem spots are in the exercise and how to address the various problems that can come up while riding it. We also explain how to modify the exercise if you need to make simpler for a less trained horse, or more challenging for a higher level horse.
RIDER DEMO VIDEOS
Almost every exercise in the course has at least one video with footage of the exercise being ridden by a range of horses and riders, with our commentary explaining what is happening and why. This is one of the most important parts of the course because we know so many riders learn best by SEEING the exercise being ridden, and also because there is no better way to understand the gymnastic influence on the horse than to see it in action. You can learn through watching what to do, what not to do, and how to correct the mistakes that commonly occur.
LIFETIME ACCESS
You never lose access to your course materials, as long as we are alive and able to support the course platform (and we hope that is a very, very long time). That means that you can work as fast or as slow through the materials as you wish. That means that if you get sick, tired, injured - you can pause at anytime and come back to it whenever you and your horse are ready for more. It will always be there for you, and so will we. In addition, you will always receive the newest version of the course, automatically.
Take a look at what we'll cover inside the Dressage Biomechanics Framework course....
Module 1: Going Forward
One of the most important requirements of a riding horse is that he is willing to move forward from a light leg or seat aid at any time. This includes up transitions into a higher gait as well as lengthening the stride.
A horse that is what we call “behind the leg” or “sucked back” will be reluctant to move forward, which can quickly become a safety problem for the rider.
In Module 1 we’ll cover:
- The biomechanical role of "Forward"
- What "Forward" REALLY means (not just going faster)
- Why this is so important for everything else in the training
- The role of transitions into higher gaits
- The role of lengthenings in the training
- How to develop "Forward"
- Common Mistakes and Misconceptions about "Going Forward"
- 2 exercises to help diagnose and correct problems in the horse's willingness or readiness to go forward.
- 2 rider demo videos of these exercises demonstrating them being ridden by other riders with our commentary so you can hear us explain what is going on, why, and what can be done if this happens to you with your horse.
Module 2: Stopping, Half-Halts, and Down Transitions
Being able to stop the horse any time or come back from a higher gait to a lower gait is important for safety reasons, similar to why it’s important for a car to have brakes that work well.
One important training goal is the adjustability of the horse’s gaits, i.e. the rider should be able to lengthen and shorten the strides without speeding up or slowing down. You should also be able to speed up the tempo on a horse that is moving too slowly, or to slow down the tempo on a horse that is rushing without necessarily changing the stride length.
This adjustability is very closely linked to balance and suppleness. An unbalanced horse will be braced and stiff, so the aids won’t go through, and consequently, the gaits and posture will not be very easy to adjust. The more balanced, more supple and stronger a horse becomes, the wider the range of possible stride lengths becomes until the horse can perform seamless transitions between piaffe and extended trot or pirouette canter and extended canter. It is therefore also an indicator of the horse’s permeability for the aids (Durchlässigkeit) as well as his level of training.
In Module 2 we’ll cover:
- The biomechanical role of Stopping and Down Transitions
- The role and importance of being able to Stop in the training
- How this relates to being able to regulate the tempo of the horse
- How this relates to the effectiveness of the half-halts
- Common Mistakes and Misconceptions about Correctly Halting, Half-Halting, and "slowing down" the tempo.
- The role of the rider's seat aids.
- The role of the rider's weight aids.
- How to ride down transitions and halts and how to improve them
- 3 exercises to help diagnose and correct problems in the down transitions.
- 3 rider demo videos of these exercises demonstrating them being ridden by other riders with our commentary so you can hear us explain what is going on, why, and what can be done if this happens to you with your horse.
Module 3: Turning the Horse's Shoulders
Like the first two elementary building blocks, turning is on the one hand a very important skill that even a young horse needs to learn on a basic, pragmatic level early on in order to be steerable at all, similar to the way every vehicle needs to be steerable in order to avoid deadly accidents.
However, perfecting the art of turning takes the rider’s entire lifetime and the horse’s entire career. The manner in which a horse executes a turn says a lot about the quality of his training and his level of advancement.
In Module 3 we’ll cover:
- The biomechanical role of turning the horse's shoulders
- The role and importance of turning the horse's shoulders in the horse's training
- The role of the seat and aids in turning the horse
- Common Mistakes that happen in turns
- The most important criteria of a good quality turn
- How you can meet those criteria with your horse
- 2 exercises to help diagnose and correct problems in turning the horse's shoulders.
- 2 rider demo videos of these exercises demonstrating them being ridden by other riders with our commentary so you can hear us explain what is going on, why, and what can be done if this happens to you with your horse.
Module 4: Bending
Lateral flexibility of the horse’s entire body is a major ingredient in all turns and lateral movements. A horse that is laterally stiff will not be able to turn smoothly or in good balance. He won’t be able to adjust his body to the line of the corner, volte, or circle. This often feels to the rider as if she were driving a big bus or as if she were sailing a very large ship in a small swimming pool. Bending and turning are therefore inextricably linked.
A lack of lateral flexibility forces the horse to get crooked in all turns and lateral movements because he is unable to position his feet on the correct line of travel so that he is forced to either drift with his shoulders in one direction or his haunches in the opposite direction, or both.
A horse that is unable to bend will not be able to perform correct lateral movements, either, because one hind leg will always move away from the center of gravity. In the shoulder-in, it is the outside hind leg and in haunches-in related lateral movements it’s the inside hind leg that will move alongside the body, instead of stepping underneath the body mass, if the horse doesn’t bend.
Lateral flexibility is also the prerequisite for longitudinal flexibility, which means that a horse who is unable to bend laterally will usually not be able to go on the bit or through the back, either.
In Module 4 we’ll cover:
- The biomechanical role of bending
- The role and importance of bending in the horse's training
- The role of the seat and aids in bending the horse
- What is good bend and what is incorrect bend
- The three phases of bending
- The role of S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G in bending
- The role of correct alignment in bending
- The role of flexion of the haunches in bending
- The role of the horse's rib cage in bending
- The role of balance in bending
- The importance of establishing correct bend before riding lateral movements
- Common Mistakes that happen with bending
- A Bending Checklist
- How you can create a good bend
- 3 exercises to help diagnose and correct problems in bending.
- 5 rider demo videos of these exercises demonstrating them being ridden by other riders with our commentary so you can hear us explain what is going on, why, and what can be done if this happens to you with your horse.
Module 5: Sidestepping (Lateral Movements)
Sidestepping develops the lateral flexibility of the horse’s hindquarters as well as the horse’s spine. On the one hand, lateral bending enables the horse to execute correct lateral movements. On the other hand, sidestepping helps to mobilize the horse’s spine and to improve the lateral bend.
The lateral flexibility of the hind legs is the prerequisite for developing their vertical flexibility (i.e. collection). On the other hand, the vertical flexibility of the hindquarters improves the horse’s ability to sidestep.
And you can close this loop by saying that lateral bending is a prerequisite for the development of the longitudinal flexibility of the spine as well as the vertical flexibility of the hindquarters (= the ability to collect), and that conversely the vertical flexibility of the hind legs improves the lateral bend of the spine.
Developing the lateral flexibility of the horse’s hips, shoulders, and spine equally in both directions also occupies a central role in all straightening work.
Finally, bending and sidestepping eventually lead to impulsion and collection. As you can see, everything is closely related.
Sidestepping in the widest sense includes all the lateral movements, but it already starts with leg yields and turns on the forehand in motion. The explanations of the previous paragraphs on bending show how closely related bending and sidestepping are.
For most horses, sidestepping while bending against the direction of travel is easier than bending in the direction of travel. That’s the reason why leg yields and shoulder-in related movements are introduced first, whereas haunches-in, renvers, and half pass are introduced later.
In Module 5 we’ll cover:
- The biomechanical role of sidestepping
- The role and importance of sidestepping and lateral movements in the horse's training
- The role of the seat and aids in sidestepping and lateral movements
- The role of flexion of the haunches in sidestepping
- The inter-related roles of sidestepping, bending, and alignment
- Lateral movements which involve sidestepping and bending against the direction of travel
- Lateral movements which involve sidestepping and bending in the direction of travel
- The role of vertical suppleness in sidestepping and all lateral movements
- Common Mistakes that happen with sidestepping and lateral movements
- 3 exercises to help diagnose and correct problems in sidestepping.
- 4 rider demo videos of these exercises demonstrating them being ridden by other riders with our commentary so you can hear us explain what is going on, why, and what can be done if this happens to you with your horse.
Module 6: The Reinback
The reinback can be very important in practical ranch work or military situations, but it’s also a highly effective gymnastic tool to improve the vertical suppleness of the hind legs, to strengthen the hind legs, to shift the weight back onto the hindquarters, and to increase the horse’s ability to collect.
In Module 6 we’ll cover:
- The biomechanical role of reinback
- The role and importance of reinback in the horse's training
- The role of the seat and aids in the reinback
- Resistance in the Reinback
- 4 exercises to help diagnose and correct problems in reinback.
- 4 rider demo videos of these exercises demonstrating them being ridden by other riders with our commentary so you can hear us explain what is going on, why, and what can be done if this happens to you with your horse.
"This course gives so much direction and purpose to your everyday training. It also teaches you to think outside the box in finding solutions to problems you inevitably encounter along the way, not only to fix your horse, but also you as a rider."
- Claire Taranto
"Gives you a solid grounding in the elements that are needed all through the levels, no matter whether the horse is inexperienced or not, you will need them, always. Made me realise that there were gaps in my knowledge. Difficult to progress without the basics in place. I went on this course and I have many, many years of horse riding under my belt. Realised that if I don't get the basics right, it will haunt me up through the levels."
- Susan Haskell
Your Instructors
Thomas & Shana Ritter
Dr. Thomas Ritter is an International Clinician and author of two books (Dressage Principles Based on Biomechanics and Long Reining: From the Beginning through the Levade) with a 3rd one on the Flying Changes coming out soon, as well as countless articles in many publications. Shana Ritter is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist. Together they create and orchestrate the Artistic Dressage online course program with additional help from 5 assistant instructors: Kristen Guest, Marcella Becker, Noor Tanger, Caroline Duff-Riddell, and Catherine McCrum.
Our Exclusive Guarantee!
If you’re not 100% satisfied with our Dressage Biomechanics Framework Course we will offer you a full refund within 30 days, rider’s honor!
That means you can enroll today, and you don’t even have to decide if you’re in for good! Take the full 30 days to explore the materials, bonuses, and the life-changing experience of the special culture in the Facebook Group, and make your decision then. That enables you to make the decision then based on the experience you have first-hand in the course materials, rather than making the decision based on what you don’t yet know.
The Complete Dressage Biomechanics Framework Course
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"I do think this course is a great fundamental starting point for the Ritter experience. It is Ritter 101."
- Carole Cox
"I think that this course should be recommended as the first course. It was well designed and easy to follow. Not overwhelming amount of information as I’ve found in some of the others (just my opinion, not meant as a negative) but when presented with so much info it can be intimidating ... this course was not intimidating."
- Sue Bow
"The course reminded me of things I know but sometimes rushed through. It helps me with exercises and explanations for my horses and my students. I signed up to refresh my knowledge - to become a better partner for my horses and teacher for the students, and because I love the courses. The courses are always helpful, the community that is built is a supportive, safe place to work out your difficulties and share your triumphs. The Ritters have created a wonderfully supportive, knowledgeable platform with their courses."
- Kendle Buffington
“The important thing I have learned from this course is to be a thinking rider and to be more tuned in to my horse. It’s like a tool box you can return to whenever necessary.”
- Kate Peatling
"The course also addressed the small specifics of executing the movements in more depth than is normally taught. I plan to revisit this course periodically as a refresher course on riding basics."
- Robin Whittenbaugh
"This course considers the basic movements of horse with rider, not only for dressage, but applicable for all equestrian pursuits. It is helping me develop my three young horses. I can now go out with a clear plan and exercises to work on their basic moves in a logical and understandable way. This course explains the biomechanics of the horse with rider which I have been seeking for some time."
- Christine Mann
"A very thorough grounding for both horse and rider." It has increased my awareness of how important and effective it is to work on the basics and finding ways to simplify exercises to help my mare understand what I'm asking of her."
- Shirley Owen
"We were lacking a solid foundation. Trainers would tell me I needed this and that but never quite told me how to get there - I was worried that my horse would become unsound from my incorrect riding. I would describe this course as the absolute foundation for any horse. It is the “A, B, C’s” of riding. As we worked our way through we found gaps in training that have been worked on, for example Pumba was dead to my leg for most part and now is improving in his responses. The course helped me to recognize when and where he was blocking the aid and not allowing it to go through. He is bracing less and less as we progress."
- Mary Bogue
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We know you have a busy life, you need time to actually go to the barn and ride your horse so you can implement what you are learning, and you don’t want to spend ALL of your time sitting in front of a computer watching videos every week. Each module should take you no more than, on average, 1-2 hours per week to go through. Of course, we cannot predict the amount of time you spend in the Facebook Group because that is entirely dependant upon how much time you enjoy interacting with the other riders in there.
This course is suitable for inquisitive thinking riders who want to understand how training really works. It is a good introductory course before you take our other larger courses, but it is also a great "deep dive" study into the fundamental biomechanics for riders of all levels and experience levels. It is suitable for you:
whether you are a novice or professional rider.
Whether you are a dressage rider, a jumper, a western rider, or anything else in between.
Whether you have taken every online course out there, or have never taken one before.
Regardless of the breed or kind of horse you ride
Regardless of the kind of tack you use, or whether you use no tack at all
Regardless of whether you primarily ride or do work from the ground (most exercises are adaptable to work-in-hand and at the long-rein, and we are able to suggest modifications when needed)
Whether you are ambitious or wish to take your time.
Honestly, how soon you see results will depend upon how soon you start going through the course materials and implementing it into your daily work.
We begin this course with the foundational elements precisely because we do not want to make any assumptions about what you do or do not know, and besides, nearly everyone has gaps in their education at some point. Therefore, this course is appropriate for you whether you are lower-level and/or just beginning dressage or whether you have been riding for many years. It is so adaptable and comprehensive that it is absolutely suitable for professional trainers who wish to supplement their education, and in fact we have many professionals in our course programs.
You need a horse to ride and a relatively level space to ride in. An arena with adequate footing is recommended but we have had course members who have had success even without a standard “arena” to ride in. In most cases, you can modify the exercises based on your riding conditions and we are able to suggest modifications whenever you need help finding a suitable way to modify an exercise for your situation. Not required but recommended: approximately 20 cones or other arena markers (homemade is fine), a smartphone/video camera/robotic camera to record your rides. You will also need an internet connection and a computer/tablet/smartphone with which to access the course materials and Facebook Group.
You will have instant access to ALL of the materials in Dressage Biomechanics Framework, including the Bonuses.
You can take as much time as you need to go through each module. You have lifetime access to the materials, all course upgrades, and the Facebook Group, so you can work through it all at the pace that best suits you and your horse. You can come back to it at any time, you can start over at any time, and you can pick up wherever you left off whenever you like.
Every single video, audio file, every exercise PDF, diagram, checklist… EVERYTHING is completely downloadable and yours to keep forever.
This course is yours to learn from however it suits you best. Some of our other members are instructors who no longer ride anymore but they use our trainings and exercises to improve their teaching for their students. We have had members join when they are unable to ride due to injury, illness, pregnancy, or life circumstance. It is not a problem. You can study the materials and apply the riding exercises later, etc.
As many of the participants have described it after taking it, this course is like Ritter 101. They say this course should be taken before any of the others, and/or as supplement to any of the others. We don't go specifically into topics such as flying changes, straightness, canter because those are large topics that we cover in their own courses, but we don't shy from discussing those topics within the context of the course. If you want to, for example, improve your flying changes, you will find the building blocks here in this course. Then, if you find you want to work more in-depth on fixing problems with those flying changes, you may wish to consider taking our flying changes course additionally, afterwards.
This is the original "6 Essentials" course with some modifications. If you took the 6 Essentials course, you don't need to enroll in this course because you have automatic access to this course now, with all updates and changes.
Ritterize is a monthly membership with exercises to inspire you along your path, but it lacks the complete and comprehensive biomechanical framework that you will find in DBF. However, if you enjoy how we teach the what, why, and how of each exercise in Ritterize, you will love the Dressage Biomechanics Framework Course.
It is all well and right to get the exercises and theoretical trainings, but what really makes this course work so successfully for the members is the ongoing support through the Facebook Group. Wherever you are, you can come to us with your questions and we will give you fresh ideas, or help you isolate the problem you are dealing with so you can better identify the solution.
You will gain membership in a prosperous and enthusiastic private Facebook Group. Right now we have no live in-person events scheduled, but it is something we would like to include at some point in the future. Of course, you would be notified of any future events, when they become reality.
Yes, absolutely. It isn’t necessary to have a home instructor, but it can be an advantage if you do. We have many members who have regular riding instructors and take lessons, some regularly and others more periodically. In any case, the regular lessons are an advantage because you can get feedback from your instructor on how you are implementing the lessons learned in the course. In most cases, the members in our courses have reported back to us that their instructor helps them go over the course materials and helps coach them through the riding exercises. In several cases, we have then had those instructors join our courses, too, and they work through the materials with all of their students.
Yes, absolutely. In fact, how advantageous that you have the option to learn this way when you have no access to local instruction. You can fall back on the live Q&A coaching sessions and the Facebook community for camaraderie, support, and feedback in the absence of a local instructor.
No other program teaches our framework, our system, our methods, and our exercises. And no other program has the support of Thomas and Shana to give you pinpointed answers to your questions.
Yes! In fact, you won’t be the only one. We have a growing community of non-traditional horses and riders in our courses. It is a melting pot where everyone finds common ground through the love of the horses, the passion for learning, and the ability to apply the principles and exercises regardless of the breed of the horse, background of horse or rider, or the preferred equipment to use.
Family members in the same household can share an account and individual access to the Facebook Group. Just email us at [email protected] to get their FB Group access approved.
You can access everything with an internet browser, however there is a free app for the course content which enables you to easily navigate the course materials on your mobile device.
Perhaps it will be even better than you expect! But nevertheless, if you are unhappy with it for any reason, we have a 30-day full money back guarantee.
We cannot guarantee success. That is up to you. There is no quick-fix method to anything. You still have to show up, study, and implement what you learn. But knowledge is power and the more access you have to knowledge and tools that WORK, the more you increase your chances of success. As far as satisfaction with the course, we have a 30-day money back guarantee. Try it and see if you like it for 30 days before making your final decision.
Yes, many! We have riders who have used this system to finally transcend being stuck at one level for many years, despite trying every solution that came along and then being frustrated and defeated that it didn’t work. We have had riders who have used it to take their horses from green to FEI. We have had riders who have never been able to find a learning style that worked for them who have told us it is like we are speaking their language and how grateful they are to finally find someone who can answer things in a way they can FINALLY understand.
You can do this course however it suits you. There is no obligation to do this any particular way.
Just email us at [email protected] .
Click the button right here. Select your payment plan and currency preference. You can pay in full, or select a payment schedule. Then enter your details and payment info. You will receive an email with your login information and a link to the course platform where you will find further instructions. You will also then receive instructions on how to access the course materials and join the Facebook Group.
Yes! This was just added for the 2020 course. All of the course course content has closed captioning as an option on all of the videos.
The Complete Dressage Biomechanics Framework Course
One Payment
Normal Price = €250
€125
🐴 Complete Course Materials (Valued at €500)
🐴 Downloadable Audio Files
🐴 Lifetime Access
* Other Currencies Available (USD, GBP, AUD, CAD, NZD, and ZAR)
3 Payments
Monthly Payments
3 x €125
🐴 Complete Course Materials (Valued at €500)
🐴 Downloadable Audio Files
🐴 Lifetime Access
* Other Currencies Available (USD, GBP, AUD, CAD, NZD, and ZAR)
12 Payments
Monthly Payments
12 x €15
🐴 Complete Course Materials (Valued at €500)
🐴 Downloadable Audio Files
🐴 Lifetime Access
* Other Currencies Available (USD, GBP, AUD, CAD, NZD, and ZAR)
Are you ready to learn how to apply Biomechanics to the Training of your Horse?
HERE'S THE TRUTH...
The internet is full of all sorts of conflicting information.
For as many truly HELPFUL and CORRECT pieces of information you find, there is just as much information that is hard to understand, deliberately confusing, or outright incorrect and harmful.
You NEED a solid framework you can follow that gives you the NUTS AND BOLTS of what you need to know, why, and how to apply it NOW (not is some theoretical far off future) to your riding.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED...
If you have been frustrated by the gurus and experts who make the subject matter SO THOROUGHLY COMPLICATED that you walk away feeling dejected...
IF YOU HAVE A SUSPICION...
If you have the sneaking suspicion that there are gaps in your understanding or your horse's training...
IF YOU'RE FEELING A LITTLE LOST...
If you are feeling a little lost about where to start or how to fix the problems in your training...
IF YOU HAVE WONDERED...
If you have started to wonder why the same problems seem to come back again and again, with no significant and lasting improvement…
THEN LET US ASSURE YOU...
the only reason it has not worked for you YET is because you needed to find a concise framework that breaks everything down simply and clearly and gives you the tools to do something with it. The breakthroughs you have been waiting for are just around the corner!
We’ve broken the entire system down and explained each component in a way that will empower you to go try the exercises with your horse, because you FINALLY UNDERSTAND how they work on the horse's body and in the context of your horse's Dressage training.
Let’s get started.
- Thomas and Shana
