“Like the classic deadly sins, the seven deadly sins of dressage presented in this innovative guide-ignorance, timidity, pride, fear, gluttony, impatience, and sloth-wreak havoc on both rider and equine development and training. Calling attention to common mistakes and offering new strategies for avoiding age-old pitfalls, this manual addresses the philosophical issues of incorrect dressage training by examining each vice in depth. Using a touch of humor and sound advice, this guide comes complete with practical exercises, enlightening photographs, and useful information for becoming a better rider and person”–

I wanted to give the important things to the student before they begin the learning process, but still be relevant throughout the entirety of it. Something to inspire in the student a passion for what dressage is: a very old and fascinating subject. And also to remind the rider that the horse bears every mark of it’s previous handling, to temper our force, and not just ambitiously romp around on him. The book is there to remind people that most of the responsibility of learning is placed on the student who wishes to learn, and not the teacher to grind knowledge in. Also, to remind students that we must look back, and not forget the classical body of knowledge.

There is all this argument over technique. The criticism is always About the technique. The technique is not to be criticized, but the bad use or interpretation of it. The technique gets the blame, but the rider has to do the technique. I want people to engrain in their mind that there is nothing new in dressage. When you take the master away from his method, he takes the better part of his technique with him. What’s left behind is for the student to sort out. Try to copy one’s violin technique, or an actor’s manner of speaking, and you will know what I mean. The most difficult thing to attempt is to become someone else, so we must as of necessity find ourselves. Technique is key, but If a person has a propensity to anger, he must discover this block and work on that, because the same technique applied by one person who is filled with patience and serenity in their riding, reaps a different effect, than the same technique delivered with ambition and impatience.

Never shrink from study. By studying we find everything. Study is the practical exercise. All of these exercises require effort. A practical exercise for Timidity is to watch good riders, a good exercise for fear is to try to understand the taming process of the horse. A good exercise for immoderation is to try to be consistent in all your interactions with the horse, and never think that study can replace a good teacher.

“THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF DRESSAGE is a unique and special book,” says FEI dressage trainer/rider Yvonne Barteau. “I have been a collector of equine literature for many years, and this book has earned a spot on the ‘top shelf’ in my library. I have recommended it to all of my students as a ‘must read’ and will continue to do so. Author Douglas Puterbaugh covers vital and important rider information in an entertaining, engaging, and compelling manner.”
What kind of “vital rider information” will you find in THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF DRESSAGE? Check out the attributes Douglas lists as the 10 qualities of a good instructor/trainer—something every one of us should keep in mind as we spend our lives striving to improve our horsemanship and become better partners to our horses.
“Find a good trainer is like finding a good mechanic,” says Douglas. “When you do, embrace him/her because he/she’s the difference between your satisfaction and disappointment.”
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A good instructor/trainer should:

         1. Treat you as an individual and recognize that different personality types require different approaches. He/she should tailor teaching style accordingly.
         2. Evaluate your training goals.
         3. Be well-rounded him/herself. A good trainer is constantly trying to improve in his/her own right—studying, practicing, learning from others.
        4. Help you improve. A committed student taught by a good trainer should experience skills that improve steadily over time—that is, if the trainer is given enough time and the student is giving enough effort.
        5. Work well with you. A comfortable relationship will yield more results than a difficult one. Better to look forward to your lessons than to dread them.
        6. Be able to improve diminished gaits or correct spoiled horses. This is a skill, beyond the abilities of many otherwise capable trainers.
       7. Not be a bully. A trainer should encourage your potential, not discourage your efforts.
       8. Display infinite patience with both horse and pupil.
       9. Never grow tired of repeating things that need to be repeated.
      10. Be inspiring and kind, for even the most talented trainer will find it difficult to instill confidence in his/her students when prickly or unapproachable.

As I’ve learned to be a parent over the last five years, I have often noted—admittedly, not always with joy—the parallels between being “mom” to a son and “mom” to a horse. The constant need for food and poop removal, for example, stands out rather vividly in my mind…

But it of course takes far more than basic physical care to raise a child or train a horse:

We must constantly deconstruct our requests—both the simple and the complex—and translate them into a language our pupil can understand.
We must recognize a “try” and reward quickly and accordingly, even if it isn’t exactly right…yet.

We must constantly monitor behavior in the hopes that a gentle correction early can prevent an uncomfortable confrontation later.

And we must be prepared to be firm when necessary, because the establishment of boundaries and respect for you as leader/teacher/parent is ultimately integral to the safety of the child or the horse, as well as necessary for either one’s success when venturing forth into the world without you.
“Just as good parents find within themselves the strength to correct their child, you have to find within yourself the strength to keep your horse under your authority,” writes trainer and dressage rider Douglas Puterbaugh in his book THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF DRESSAGE. “In both cases, the intent is entirely proper. For his own good, a child must learn to distinguish between behaviors that are acceptable and those that won’t be tolerated. Horses are similar…Like a child, they look to your leadership to show them the right way to do things.”

Douglas says that horses require “discipline with a purpose.” This phrase stands out in that it doesn’t advocate being a teddy bear or a nag or a tyrant. As parents and as horse owners, we must cultivate the ability to correct at the appropriate moment, to sometimes leave our pupil alone and give him time to “figure it out,” and we must always be in control of our temper.

“When your horse misbehaves you have to act quickly,” writes Douglas. “You must get your horse’s attention and immediately give him direction. This should be done firmly but gently because unwanted behavior does not necessarily mean a horse is deliberately misbehaving. It just means he’s doing something you don’t want him to do.
“You must always rule in favor of the horse. You must always be clear about what you want him to do. You must always be clear with your aids, and you must always carefully measure your response. Any reprimand must be proportional to the offense.

 Furthermore, a reprimand is deserved only when the horse knows better and is willfully disobeying….Never reprimand a horse that doesn’t understand something. You want to teach your horse, not bully him. A docile horse will tolerate being bullied, but a noble horse won’t. A noble horse will bully you back. Either way, you lose. You lose the trust and confidence of one that’s sweet, and awaken the doubt and defiance of one that’s a king.”

Again, Douglas’ last point rings true to the parent in me as well as the rider! How often I’ve seen children cower in fear beneath a sharp reprimand, while I’ve witnessed others volley screams until it was the parent who retreated in defeat.

In truth, wielding discipline in the barn or arena is a delicate balance, like so much else we do with horses. It has a necessary place in good training, just as it does in good parenting, but it must always be conscientiously applied, and it must always have a purpose.