DressageArena.org

She needs a good all-round education. Dressage is just flatwork – it should not be that hard, and any horse should be able to do a basic test.

Do you have her started under saddle yet?

Start with simple ground work with asking her to start softening to the bit. I have worked with one mare that loved to do dressage and to get her to be more ‘floaty’ we set up some trot poles and asked her to go over them at different speeds getting her to realize where her feet are and that she can do different things with them, get her to start doing half passes, and square corners just simple things

hope this helped

I’d say start with the 3 main paces, working on keeping her balanced on circles, serpentines, figures of eight. Add lot’s of transitions in while you are working as this will teach her to use her hindquarters and back end.
Start getting her more supple such as riding counter bend, you don’t want to overphase her if she is young so just a few strides riding her flexing her head to the outside will start to encourage her to accept the bit and become more flexible in her neck.
Lateral work once you feel she is balanced enough to take on the basic moves is a good idea – the best place to start would be leg yield then shoulder in. Good luck x

G.
A.
T.

get a trainer

If you have a local chapter of Pony Club join it, it will help you immensely with everything you do with your pony.

If she is under 2 then all your work should be on a lounge line. If she is older this is still a good place to start. Start having her move but change directions often–having her stop while you are in the center and then go the other way but always turning towards you (in the center) to do so. This will help both with her balance and learning to listen to you. Begin with a walk and as she masters the idea move to a trot then canter–do not try initially to make the canter circle too small or she will lose her balance. This will take weeks if she has not been worked before. Remember the idea is to change directions often. You can also do this while leading her by doing circles and half circles and backing her often.

Cavaletti are a wonderful way to work your horse also. You can also trot her on leadline over cavaletti (starting with just poles on the ground) (or if she is older you can ride her over)–make sure that she is straight for 10 yards going into the cavaletti and 10 yards going out of the cavaletti (and straight while in the cavaletti)–read the links below Good luck with your pony.

Look up a dressage trainer.