When I was growing up, dressage was relatively unknown in the United States. In my twenties, I found a German instructor who helped me reschool my hunter in this art. My book, Practical Dressage for Amateur Trainers, was published in 1974. At that time, very little material was available in the English language.

It contained two unusual features. First, it had a detailed analysis of the aids based on linguistic principles. It is still the most comprehensive study of this unusual method of communication. Second, it dealt with physical, commmunicative, and psychological qualities separately. In my opinion, this separation is essential for setting training goals and resolving problems. It also introduced the concept of management styles, as applied to horses. This concept has been further developed in my articles on the philosophies of riding.

Since I have to board my horses, I had always begun with horses who were old enough to ride. In this book, I assumed that the horse had already been trained to accept a rider and that other amateurs could use basic dressage to help their horses function better under saddle.

When I got tired of dealing with problems that had been caused by other humans, I decided to start with a foal. When Skan came to me, he was a weanling and a range colt who had never been handled. Taming, gentling, and training him was an educational experience for both of us. A Marvelous Mustang takes him to the point where he discovers he can enjoy playing the riding game. Practical Dressage begins at this point. The foundation work described in A Marvelous Mustang is not discipline specific, but is needed by every riding horse. Sadly, all too often, it is badly done.

In Skan’s training, I used both conventional and unconventional ideas and techniques. The unconventional ones were drawn from what is now called natural horsemanship. To turn my wild colt into safe and well behaved riding horse, my approach combined what worked for me from this field and the discipline of classical dressage. I call my approach, natural dressage.

To get the best results with a horse, his trainer, rider, or handler needs to be able to think like a horse. I wrote Skan’s memoir from his viewpoint to help my readers develop this essential skill.

More information about my published work can be found on my website, www.jladendorf.com.