Members and Fellow Enthusiasts,
Today we are releasing two new videos, one by Ms. Alizée Froment, Chef D' Equipe, French Pony Team, France, demonstrating and explaining bitless riding during a grand prix reality training session and one from Mr. Axel Steiner, trainer and FEI O Judge, of the USA, focused on proper self carriage expectations and tools to use to gain freedom and expression.
Bitless riding has been a topic of discussion quite a bit over the last year and thus we went to Ms. Froment, to see this in action and better understand what it is about. I asked her the following questions:
- Is bitless riding compatible with "classical" dressage?
- Alizée's response was, "Yes, for sure, as you can see on the video, I'm riding my horses in the same way with or without bridle. Nothing changes. I'm always riding a lot with my back and my legs and as little as possible with my hands, so ... I'm working the same way bridleless ... with just little pressure sometimes on my reins when I need it."
- How often does one work like this and how does it combine with usual double-bridle riding?
- Alizée's response was, "I'm working once a week like that, the rest of the time in simple bridle with a "plastic bit" and just one time before competitions in a double bridle ... Always working in the same way."
- To what extent should the rules of competitive dressage adapt do you think?
- Alizée's response was, "May be we could, for a first step, imagine to give the choice of the riders to compete at grand prix level in a simple bridle, with or without spears, why not?"
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Sincerely,
Reisa Bonetti www.DressageTrainingOnline.com
   
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 Alizée Froment-FRA
Alizee Froment is the French pony Chef d'Equipe and a Grand Prix rider who competes at CDI level. Alizée was educated as a rider at the French National Equestrian Centre in Saumur, France. Since Alizée was two years old she has enjoyed working always with ponies, going for big canters on the fields, cross-country, shows, pony-games, voltige, doing all just for the love of staying "free" with the horses.
Riding dressage horses is her profession. Alizee: "No sooner dismounted from one horse than I am up on the next. It is the daily routine of all professional riders". Sometimes it is essential to break that routine, says Alizee. "It is the reason why one day, when my Grand Prix horse Mistral was saddled and waiting for me, I decided to leave the bridle aside and just puts his head-collar on. I needed to check that Mistral and I were still one. From the first tentative steps, I once more felt pleasure with blood running through my veins, found a taste of freedom and the immense confidence I had in him. More than anything, what came out was an optimal concentration between us, each on the other. In my eyes, dressage is the way toward perfect understanding and absolute harmony and working in the head-collar is a further step along this path. This is why I decided to work all my horses regularly in this way from my 5-year olds to my two Grand Prix horses ".
(video shown at reduced size) New Video- Alizee Froment Rides Mistral du Coussoul Alizee Froment presents Mistral du Coussoul, a Lusitano stallion, in a demonstration of bitless dressage. She begins by working on his suppleness with a low head carriage to free his back, always checking that he is moving off her leg. The shoulder-in, leg yield, and half-pass are performed at the walk and then the trot. The stallion shows excellent stretching without shortening his stride. The four loop serpentine is used to equally use both sides of the horse. In the canter they work the twenty meter circle, closing it in and expanding it out, showing lovely, flowing canter trot transitions. This segment begins with the canter and counter canter with the proper placement of the withers. Alizee explains the advantage of more short walk breaks over a single long walk break. They show a wonderful example of the half-pass at the canter, always giving with the hand. She also explains her use of lateral work. Alizee works on the medium to collected canter transitions, always giving with her hands. This progresses to working canter pirouettes. She gives a great explanation for her plan for the entire work session. When Mistral becomes playful, she uses the small circle and the shoulder in on four tracks to put him back to work. Alizee works again on the four tracks, and then the passage.
 Axel Steiner- USA Axel started riding as a 9 year old in Germany and later attended the well known riding schools of Warendorf and von Neindorff. After moving to the USA in 1961, he competed on his own horses and on horses owned by the US Modern Pentathlon Team until his military duties interfered. He received his first national judges licence in 1968, and was promoted by the FEI to Official status (FEI-O, now FEI Five Star*****) in 1988. Axel has judged in 35 different countries, from Zambia to World Cup Finals, Pan American, and Olympic Games. After retiring from the military in 1988, he has also concentrated on teaching, and is now a much sought after clinician throughout the country. Col (Lt/Col USAF, Ret.) is a long standing member of the USEF Dressage Committee, a judge instructor/examiner, and faculty member of the USDF "L" program. He lives with his wife, Terri Miller, the well known artist and photographer, in the San Diego, CA area.
A Free Sample Mini-Clip of Full Featured Video
(video shown at reduced size)
New Video- Axel Steiner teaches Chrissa Hoffman Mr. Steiner begins the work with DTO's own, Chrissa Hoffman of CFH Dressage, out of Ocala, FL, with the shoulder in and asks for more activity in the hind legs from this young horse. There is an excellent explanation of what walk is appropriate for the level of the horse and why. The pair continues their work in the canter, showing soft half-passes at the canter as well as counter-canter and they develop a better connection through these exercises. They test their connection by riding canter trot canter transitions while asking the horse to keep his carriage. This session shows a great example of the benefits of a turn on the haunches as a training tool. They then continue to the canter, counter-canter and the flying change. After asking for a canter that is more up, Mr. Steiner asks for the trot transition maintaining the elevation requiring the horse to carry himself more.
Previously Released March Videos
 Dr. Ulf Moller-GER
Dr Ulf Moller was born in 1962, he was one of the great auction riders, producing a string of very expensive horses for the famed Hanoverian Verband auction. Ulf was also the sales manager at the Hanoverian Auction stables in Verden and in 1998 he joined the highly successful private barn, the PSI dressage stables where he is currently the manager under the direction of Ulrich Kasselmann. He has taken the PSI auction to new heights and the PSI horse are most sought after as their auction prices reflect where recently a dressage horse sold for two million euros.
Ulf has a string of very impressive riding achievements. Riding the most impressive stallion, Sandro Hit, he won the best equine of the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses 1999. Also add to Ulf's list of accomplishments, five times Bundeschampion (German Young Horses Championship) from 1999 - 2002, World Champion with 5 year old Don Davidoff in 2000 and placed 2nd in the FEI breeding Championship for Young Dressage horses 2001 riding Placido. (video shown at reduced size)
This is an excellent example of what a good foundation of training looks like in a young, talented mare. She shows relaxation and forward thinking, and they progress to working the counter canter. This is a great opportunity to see what to aim for when starting a horse. __________________________________________________________ Oliver Oelrich-GER
Currently, Mr. Oelrich serves as the young rider team coach for the German national team. He is a master horsemen winning titles such as the National Championships and World Championships for young dressage horses, as well as with the Nuremberg Cup in which he presented to Vice-Champion in 2007. Oelrich is experienced at training young talents as well as a top champion himself. He shows extreme focus and patience in his manner and style, both towards the horses and the riders alike.
(video shown at reduced size)
Mr. Oelrich brings us a beautifully started three year old mare, and shows exercises appropriate to a young dressage horse, Even at the start of her career, this mare works in a relaxed and forward frame, and care is taken to maintain her straightness and reaching into the bit. 
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Previously Released February Videos Shanon Peters- USA Shannon has been an active FEI trainer and competitor for 25 years. She has had great influences throughout her career from "S" judge Debbie Riel-Rodriguez, Nancy Baker and for the past 10 years Obereiter Karl Mikolka of the Spanish Riding School. She has the incredible help everyday now of her husband of five years Steffen Peters, US Olympian.
Shannon loves to both train and teach and finds great joy in bringing her horses from training level to GP, and helping her students do the same. She lives in San Diego, California with her husband Steffen. Some highlights of her competitive career are: - 2005 Reserve National Champion Intermediare 1 riding Luxor
- 2006 USDF Horse of the Year Intermediare 1 riding Luxor
- 2008 Reserve National Champion FEI 6 year Old riding Weltino's Magic
- 2009 4th place US National Intermediare Championships riding Flor de Selva
- Currently competing Odyssey at GP for his first season, Odyssey is owned by Akiko Yamasaki, purchased from Anky Van Grunsven's barn in Holland
(video shown at reduced size) New Video- ResponsivenessMs. Peters asks this horse and rider to have quick responses to the aids and to make each application of the aids count, while having a forward thinking hand. They use the sidepass to half-pass to make the horse quick off the leg.
(video shown at reduced size) Shannon coaches a lovely Grand Prix stallion, helping the rider produce more quickness in the hind leg while maintaining a light contact and carrying himself. Exercises are demonstrated to aid in producing the quickness.
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2009 and 2007 FEI Young Rider World Cup Rabobank Talent of the Year. The Rabobank Talent Plan, which supports upcoming equestrian athletes in The Netherlands, is in its 11th year and it is the first time that a rider has won the title twice. Holder of 7 gold and silver medals in the European Juniors and Young Riders Championships and 3 Medals at the World Championships Young Riders, Lotje has more medals for her age than any other Dutch rider! Popular trainer and clinician, Lotje is beginning to take the international scene by storm! (video shown at reduced size)
New Video-Lotje riding Equitop Torrecelli, Intermediaire/S Level Lotje starts out emphasizing the importance of tempo control and begins by checking the aids. She moves into the canter, going forward and coming back, getting the relaxation over the back and slowly beginning to work in getting bend and suppleness. Next she works with the counter canter, ensuring she has straightness and utilizing the outside rein to achieve this. When her horse pulls and becomes heavy she asks for bend and relaxation again. Next she works on the flying changes, by preparing with the counter canter, she counter flexes a small amount and move his front end slightly to the outside of the track, this helps his hind pushing leg be a little more inside the track, giving it the space it needs to jump through in the change. Lotje is seen really focusing on the forward and back within the canter, making sure she has that access at all times, which is really important for accomplishing the harder work their about to move into. She stresses the importance of not moving against your horse, but with him for optimal harmony. New Video-Flying Change Set Up Tutorial Lotje takes you through each step of her mental preparation to show how she prepares and sets the horse up for a successful flying change. __________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________
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