Customer Reviews

Pilates for the Dressage Rider

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been wanting this DVD but couldn't commit to the price. I received it as a gift for Christmas and was really excited to get it. I own the Element Pilates for weight loss beginners by Brooke Siler and have been doing it for about a year. This dvd has the same exercises but not as many. I don't really care for the format of the DVD. The longest workout is 17 minutes and is called the advanced work out. It contains all the exercises in what they call the beginner exercises, which is only 10 minutes so you can't really do them back to back unless you plan to repeat the exercises. For me this is a step back in terms of a workout. There is only one exercise that is more advanced than the Brooke Siler video and both ladies trained under the same Pilates instructor, so much of the instruction is the same, but in the Siler DVD you can choose 20, 28 or 48 minutes of exercise and the DVD is a third of the price. I was really hoping to see something specific to riding and dressage, but the exercises done in saddle are nothing more than breathing, twisting and tucking your pelvis. I was disappointed. The production of the video isn't bad but it is not professional either. It seems very amateur. If you have not done Pilates before and you are interested for the purpose of improving your riding this would be an okay into. I just feel that if you have any background already this is not advanced enough.

If you ride and think you may need to start some kind of an exercise program to improve your riding, this is the DVD for you. It covers most Pilates floor exercises and even some on the horse. If you are committed to being a fit rider, this DVD can help get you there. Your horse will appreciate it!
The DVD is nicely done. It's clear, concise and easy on the eye. It takes you from basic moves to advanced ones. You choose which section to focus on.
I highly recommend this DVD. You won't be disappointed.

When I received this DVD, I had been both riding dressage and doing mat Pilates for about a year. I hoped the DVD would be good for a beginner but not too easy. This is indeed the case. The DVD starts out talking about Pilates in general (history and general concepts). Then it gives individual exercises and two home workouts, a shorter and a longer one. The author relates the exercises to riding as much as she can. She also has a segment adapting the Pilates exercises to work in the saddle. The DVD takes safety seriously, giving various exercises and positions for people who have trouble with neck, back, knees, etc.

Anything that can build core strength and flexibility will help in riding, and I feel stronger through using these exercises. There are a few things in the DVD that I hope the author will change in a revised edition, however. In the Basic Pilates workout, it would be nice if she had actually counted out the Hundreds exercise rather than saying, "When you get to 100, stop." It's annoying to have to stop the DVD to finish the Hundreds. In the same segment on the leg circles, there is instruction to circle the right leg but not the left. If you want to finish the exercise properly, you need to get up, pause the DVD, finish the exercise, get up again, and restart the DVD. This is annoying.

These are the only two criticisms I have. I like the inclusion of basic exercises like the Hundreds, but at the same time there are a few that are challenging like Roll Like a Ball. I would recommend this for anyone who wants to get in shape to ride better.

This is an extraordinary book and DVD! I have been riding with back pain for years and searching for a solution; have studied many different methods, exercises, therapies and products in my riding career with limited success, until finding this teaching. What an incredible difference this material has made to me and my horse! We are finally riding in harmony and painfree thanks to these exercises! The information in this book and DVD will certainly help any rider in any discipline become the best rider they can be for their horse!

When I first watched this DVD last year, I thought it was great. I had done very little Pilates previously, so I found the detailed how-to's for each exercise helpful. At the time I rented "Pilates for Dressage" through one of those mail-in horse dvd subscriptions and decided not to buy due to my financial situation. I have now been taking Pilates classes at least once a week fairly regularly for the past three-four months. By no means do I consider myself experienced yet, but I have built enough strength in my core that even the "advanced" exercises in the DVD are fairly easy. I feel disappointed that the workouts are only approx. 10 and 15 minutes. I get much more value out of my classes, which although not focused on riding, include many of the same exercises featured in the DVD. I am now sort of regretting my purchase. I would recommend to all riders interested in Pilates to sign up for classes, where you can benefit from the personal instruction of an experienced teacher. Also, you do need to work out more than ten minutes a day to make a difference!

Great DVD!! It's very detailed & relays to dressage SO much. Love it & I intend to do the exercises every ride.

I was so excited when this came in the mail - I immediately unwrapped it, and watched it on my laptop. I was dismayed to find that the basis for this work is using your abdominal muscles in a tightened state - I'm a singer as well as a rider, and use my abdominal muscles to breathe deeply, which I can't do if they are tightened up.

While I'm sure that the program will increase core strength, I'm not sure it's the program for me.

Good for those new to pilates or those wanting to know which specific exercise will increase the balance and strength for a particular dressage movement. Overall, I'm very happy with this DVD.

This is a great DVD to increase core strength and position on the horse. It is organized in a systematic way. I would highly recommend it.

Easy to understand the moves. Doesn't take 2 hours and works the muscle groups to help my riding. Good riding information too. I wish I had bought it a long time ago.