As seen in The Chronicle of the Horse. Written by Eliza Sydnor Romm. Illustration by Susan DiFelice.
“You look like you’re knitting a sweater!”
Pretty sure in riding (especially dressage) that is one harsh insult, intended to invoke the image of someone who is overly busy—hands pulling left, right, left, right. It’s certainly not something we want.
But as a rider, you do need to be creative with the contact, to communicate something to your horse. When I was a teenager, I had the wonderful opportunity to be a working student for Lilo Fore. I thought “good hands” meant hands that were perfectly still, doing absolutely nothing. So I strived every day to have a perfect, unmoving position. My hands were held with fist closed, thumb on top, fist width apart—perfect, right? Except they were stiff as a board, unfeeling, and doing nothing except going against the horse at times. Lilo tried and tried to explain to me what she wanted. And one day, completely exasperated, she yelled at top volume from the other end of the arena in her strong German accent, “Eliza!!! ‘Good hands’ doesn’t mean you do nothing! You must use your hands!”
But I thought we weren’t supposed to use our hands? Only ride from the seat and leg, right? Well …
Dressage trainer Eliza Sydnor Romm and professional artist Susan DiFelice were first introduced decades ago, when Sydnor’s family hired DiFelice to paint a portrait of her horse. Some 20 years later collaborated on a dressage training video for DiFelice’s website Allpony. In this new “Drawn To Dressage” blog series, we will be sharing their most recent collaboration, which combines their talents and shared passion for education and horsemanship to share illustrated dressage training tips.
The Fallacy Of The Push-Button Horse
Eliza Sydnor Romm discusses the misconception that trained horses are easy to ride, likening their complexity to piloting a jet. She emphasizes the importance of mastering foundational skills like balance and responsiveness to handle advanced movements. Romm collaborates with artist Susan DiFelice to share illustrated dressage training tips through their blog series.
Picture The Parking Ramp To Ride Uphill Circles
Eliza Sydnor Romm, a dressage trainer, shares tips for improving riding on small circles while addressing common challenges riders face, such as horses falling onto the forehand. She emphasizes the importance of visualizing a spiral ramp and maintaining proper focus during the maneuver. This content is part of a collaborative series with artist Susan DiFelice.
Meet the 2023 PNHS Program Cover Artist, Susan DiFelice!
Susan DiFelice, a North Carolina native, is a lifelong equestrian and the 2023 Pennsylvania National Horse Show cover artist.
Susan holds her USDF Bronze Medal and is a certified ARIA instructor. Out of the saddle, Susan is a professional illustrator, graphic designer, and web developer for large corporations and equestrian businesses.