Communicate with your horse though the Language of Dressage

Melissa worked with horses and riders of different disciplines, demonstrating how dressage training can benefit them. 

 The event was dedicated to helping riders to connect with their horses and in that spirit, the lunchtime entertainment showcased how horses and music go together. First up, the PVCDS Co-chairs performed a Pas de Deux followed by the Palos Verdes Junior Drill Team.   

  This was a very good learning experience. Each of us will be taking the lessons learned in the clinic and continue our exercises in the weeks ahead to make our trail horses more solid in their gaits and transitions.

Ruth Sobeck

 The event featured demonstration riders from multiple disciplines including western, jumpers and equitation who were coached by clinician Melissa Creswick to improve overall suppleness and harmony with their horses. To engage the community, we reached out to non-dressage trainers in the Palos Verdes area and invited them to nominate two riders to ride in the clinic with Melissa (see Letter to Trainers). Seven trainers nominated riders and we filled the remaining spots with prominent equestrians from our community. We choose demonstration riders on a wide variety of horse breeds and disciplines to show that any horse can benefit from dressage. Clinician Melissa Creswick coached each rider through the movements, worked on better riding, improved overall suppleness and harmony and explained to the audience the “why” behind the movements and the benefits to the horse. 

Thank you for organizing this much anticipated event since last year!:) CDS was so generous to sponsor thanks to your application efforts, enthusiam and combined/organized efforts!  I think it was successful in reaching out to lots of interested riders and really also their families in the process of disseminating what dressage (and better reading of horses' body language during exercises) is and can be across disciplines! 

Tiffany Chiu

Trainer

"Melissa's teaching of my Pony Club students was absolutely amazing! She took a difficult and potentially dangerous situation and created a beautiful demonstration of good horsemanship. Using the buddy system, pairing a nervous horse with a calmer one, she gave the audience a memorable example of how to use the horse's herd instinct in the training process. By the end of the lesson the two horses were working quietly together. Through the use of positive reinforcement and horse psychology Melissa kept the horses and riders safe and happy."

Ken Anderson, Trainer

Thank you to PV-CDS and Melissa Creswick for presenting the fun and informative clinic! It was very educational watching the various horses disciplines and riders. I hope there will be more clinics like this!

Mark Watson, Spectator

PVCDS was thrilled about the success of the event, which provided a way to showcase how dressage training can benefit all equestrian disciplines. The event reached close to 100 horse lovers. As an added benefit, PVCDS membership increased and it was a great way to connect the equestrian community in the local area. This quote from trainer, Tiffany Chui sums up the sentiment from the trainers and community. 

Melissa also was the guest presenter at the Palos Verdes Peninsula Horseman’s Association (PVPHA) meeting on Thursday October 14th focused on exercises to better communicate with your horse. PVPHA is a local non-profit organization comprised of riders of all disciplines including western, jumpers, dressage and pleasure riders dedicated to maintaining horse keeping and trails on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Most riders on the Palos Verdes Peninsula belong to PVPHA.

 During the weekend, we offered paid clinics with Melissa on Friday October 15 and Sunday October 17.