Craigmont Equestrian Center

"My father, Georg Theodorescu, had a guiding motto that every rider should be aware of: 'A horse doesn’t get collected through hand and spurs, but through exercises.' The correct seat and position of the rider allow lateral movements to initiate the stepping-under, longitudinal flexion, throughness, straightness and suppleness that are all part of the German Training Scale."
~ Olympic dressage rider Monica Theodorescu

Lateral work is an indispensable element of daily dressage training. Monica Theodorescu explains how to determine if your horse is ready for this work and provides lateral exercises you can incorporate into your riding routine.

Click on the link in the Comments below to learn more about the value and purpose of lateral work!

📸 Silke A. Rottermann

I don’t know exactly what 2026 will bring.
But I know this—

2026 is the year of the horse.

The year of slowing down
without falling behind.
The year of choosing depth
over noise.
The year of trusting instinct
instead of chasing approval.

Horses don’t rush into a new season.
They step into it steady.
Aware.
Grounded.

And that’s the energy I’m carrying into 2026.

The year of listening more closely—
to my body,
to my intuition,
to the quiet places
that have always told me the truth.

The year of building trust
instead of forcing outcomes.
The year of showing up consistently,
even when no one’s watching.
The year of understanding
that strength doesn’t have to be loud
to be powerful.

2026 feels like the year
we stop explaining ourselves.

The year we choose what feels right
instead of what looks impressive.
The year we honor the pace
that actually sustains us.

Horses don’t apologize for their needs.
They don’t perform for validation.
They don’t chase what isn’t aligned.

They move when it’s time.
They rest when it’s not.
They trust the rhythm
that’s already written into them.

That’s the lesson.

Let 2026 be the year of the horse—
the year of calm confidence.
The year of grounded growth.
The year of quiet strength.

The year we stop rushing the process
and start respecting it.

The year we remember
that everything meaningful
takes time.

And maybe—
just maybe—
that’s when things finally fall into place.

Here’s to 2026.
Steady.
Intentional.
Rooted.

The year of the horse.

Who's ready for 2026?