I have a coming 2 year old that I am planning to jump and/or event in the future, and I want him to have a solid dressage base before I start anything that is not on the flat. I know that I want him to be supple and responsive and do all the things a good beginning dressage horse will do. Now, the problem:

I have no idea what Im doing. I have never ridden dressage before. I rode a former eventer for a short time and that is the extent of my experience. I did barrels before this. I dont want to put 'green on green' with his dressage work, but at the same time, I have to learn too!
I would like to enter him in some dressage tests for fun while Im training to see how he does.

So, do I take lessons on a schoolmaster and then try to teach my gelding, or do I get him training and then try to learn on him????? arg.
ANY help would be welcome. Thanks in advance!!!

I wish someone here was a dressage person. Maybe this post will pick one up. I think dressage is cool. Especially with it background and historical reasons.

But to get those horses to move like that. Well unfortunately I have a hard enough time riding correct as my wife says. But Hey I have had fun for 30 years this way and this is the way I will stay..

I am going to watch this thread... so maybe I can learn a thing or two.. wouldn't that be funny loosing my cowboy hat for a top hat.. or whatever they call those lids.

CD

I would get him training AND take lessons on a schoolmaster Its never a good idea to think that you and the horse can learn from each other, because you cant. Get someone else to train the horse for you if you cant do it yourself. And if you want you can take lessons on a schoolmaster.

But thats only me.

First things first Dressage is training so any/all training is a good thing. Don't get over anxious about showing, he can't show until he's 4. If your not a trainer he needs to go to one. You need to go to one. Read,watch,question- start learning everything. His basics will be balance, straight lines are the hardest so do lots of circles[large then smaller], change of direction,transitions[try by just looking up to get him to either slow or change gaits] and just becuase he is going to be a dressage horse take him outside the ring-sights,sounds,footing. Here is a saying you can use at all gaits -tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock-goes the clock. Say that in your head or outloud his feet will/should hit the ground on the same word consistantly=rhythm,no matter which gait. PLEASE don't try to pull his head in/down to put him on the bit. His outline as a youngster should be very natural, as training progresses his neck/head elevate, and at no point should his face be past verticle-a line drawn straight down his nose should always be slightly in front of that line. Think of a motor in the back[haunches] use the reins only to contain that energy, the more energy you create, if not allowed to flow forward will start to arch up. Sounds technical but really not to hard.Good luck

lol, well, I do ride dressage. Hopefully you'll find this helpfull. While you have him train, see if you can arrange for him to have a partner every once and a while. While I was starting, sometimes my trainer would put me with another person. Its VERY helpful. It will really improve his control at an early age and help with his posture too if he sees someone else to remind him.