A Dressage Perspective

A Physical Therapist’s Journey

Thank you for visiting! Welcome! My name is Robyn Gray. I am physical therapist and I am a dressage rider…. or perhaps more accurately, a student of dressage. My journey has evolved from a growing interest in physical therapy for animals and when I began to understand how the rider impacts the horse, I knew that my training as a Physical Therapist could give me a unique perspective. This may also be a different approach to many since I am coming from a decidedly different background. I am not a riding instructor nor elite rider, I don’t own a horse, nor do I show or compete.

My purpose with this blog is to look at equestrian fitness, presenting multiple therapeutic approaches from a physical therapist’s point of view, to look at riding instruction of the adult novice, and simply to share my experience as I study the sport of dressage.

My mission is to educate the riding community on the role of Physical Therapy and alternative therapeutic approaches that are available to the equestrian and equine athlete. The complexities of the horse-rider partnership require an interdisciplinary team approach, and I advocate this team approach to riding instruction, training, and rehabilitation.

My philosophy…. “first make yourself straight”….. Sally Swift, Centered Riding. I think that sums it up. Many authors identify postural alignment as the underlying key to riding performance. And I have found that there are many approaches to achieving this goal. It is here that I find my role. Assessing these approaches with the eyes of a physical therapist.

I will be posting videos of my lessons and training/fitness program, review books and articles that I am currently reading, and promote continuing education programs that I have personally experienced. In addition there will be access to power point presentations that I have developed addressing various issues of equestrian fitness. I want to leave the reader with an appreciation of the many and varied approaches, to present ideas, and to give my perspective as a Physical Therapist throughout this journey.

So I invite you to join me.

Robyn