With its roots in Colorado dating back to 2010, Western Dressage has a huge following of enthusiasts.
Recently, the Publisher of Colorado Horse Source magazine Karen Pickering was invited by the Western Dressage Association of Colorado to the Lynn Palm clinic at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Castle Rock. Palm is an AQHA Judge, USEF Western Dressage R Judge, World Champion Competitor and international clinician.
We honor the horse.
Western Dressage Association® of America Mission Statement
We value the partnership between horse and rider.
We celebrate the legacy of the American West.
“It’s about the journey.” – Larry Mahan, American cowboy
Wisdom from Western Dressage World Champion Lynn Palm
How long have you been participating in Western Dressage?
While I don’t ride any differently than I did as a kid, I’ve been competing in Western Dressage since it began.
How can a non-competitive or recreational rider benefit from Western Dressage?
Dressage teaches us to have a balanced seat, and really feel your seat bones. You don’t bounce, and focus on moving with the horse, sitting deep. Overall balance is important in many situations, not just the dressage ring. For instance, a trail rider that looks down when riding can be unseated if something runs out of the woods and startles their horse. When you are off balance you get uncomfortable, you get tight, and you lose your balance.
Suitability of the horse and rider is absolutely the number one most important factor for success in Western sports.
Lynn Palm
What are your thoughts on finding the right horse?
Suitability of the horse and rider is absolutely the number one most important factor for success in Western sports. When you want to learn you buy a horse that already knows what you want to learn. The horse needs to be suited to your goals, and your lifestyle, and affects how much you can participate with your horse. It’s being smart about the process, and putting time into it. I suggest putting three columns on a sheet of paper, including what you like about the horse, what you need to learn to manage about the horse, and what you don’t like about the horse. This can’t be done in a single 5-minute ride. You need to talk to the vet, the farrier, and the trainer. Don’t rush the process.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I want to be well-known in the Western World with Dressage as a professional who always looks out for the horse first, and the well-being of the horse.
For more than 50 years Lynn Palm and Cyril Pittion-Rossillon have provided training for thousands of horses and riders with their dressage principles-based teaching methods. With clinics across the US and abroad, Palm Equestrian Academy exists to provide educational programs that promote the importance of correct rider skills resulting in willing and happy horses. In addition to educational programs, Palm Equestrian Academy produces and leads Winning Ways with Western Dressage and European Journeys.
Improve the rider, improve the horse.
Lynn Palm
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The Colorado Horse Source is an independently owned and operated print and online magazine for horse owners and enthusiasts of all breeds and disciplines in Colorado and surrounding areas. Our contemporary editorial columns are predominantly written by experts in the region, covering the care, training, keeping and enjoyment of horses, with an eye to the specific concerns in our region.