Students Speak Out about lunging

All riders pictured are Erica's students, but not necessarily next to their statement.

With Erica's help I have been able to achieve a more elegant and effective seat. I really feel she has helped open the door for me to move on with confidence into international competition. Her ability to isolate even the most subtle of issues with the rider's position is truly remarkable. Her ability to convey clearly and concisely how and--most importantly why--to make corrections is unsurpassed in my experience riding with top trainers and coaches all over the country.

I consider my work with Erica to be absolutely essential to my success as a grand prix dressage rider. I definitely plan to keep her as part of my "team" as I move toward higher and higher goals in the sport.

--Tami Hoag

2005 USDF Adult Amateur Champion Intermediate 1
2005 USDF Adult Amateur PSG 4th place nationally
2005 USDF Adult Amateur Intermediate 2: 4rd place
2005 USDF Adult Amateur Grand Prix: 3rd place

I started riding as an adult 20 years ago, have no “natural” talent and many fears, but I am a hard worker. Blessed by having several excellent trainers and horses along the way, I have been competing at the FEI level for the last 2 years somewhat successfully. After watching many excellent horses and riders, I have gained an understanding of the beauty and harmony of dressage. I know that I can’t GET that harmony-no matter how HARD I work at it.

Several months ago my trainer posted a sign up sheet for a clinician that was coming to our barn. Her name is Erica Poseley. So, I asked myself, why not??….

Erica has a thorough and educated understanding of the “correct” movements of the horse but her focus is on the POSITION OF THE RIDER and how that allows the horse to perform. Her greatest gifts are her eye and ability to explain. She told me that she wasn’t a naturally gifted rider because of her size (very small) and she had to study to learn how to best utilize everything she did have. She is positive and energetic and is just as happy as you are when you make a breakthrough. Even though she isn’t “working the horse”, you feel the positive change in your horse from your improved position. She is giving you a greater ability to communicate with your horse by eliminating the erroneous messages that improper body positions give.

After each lesson I have taken with Erica I walk away with greater knowledge of how to influence my horse to excel with the use of my correct position. That knowledge of my position carries over to all of the horse’s movements.

Erica is a great gift to dressage riders. I’ve always understood that dressage was hard work. But Erica is teaching me that proper position (as hard as it is to achieve) makes the relationship more harmonious.

Thank you, Erica!!!!!!!!!!

Linda Weiss

	So you’ve been riding for years and you’re done with lunging lessons. That’s what I thought too. I was getting great training level scores (70+) but I was not developing Level 1 performance. When I heard about Erica and her SEAT lessons while lunging, I was suspicious. Do I want to go back to lunging lessons? Actually - I had never had lunging lessons in the first place!! And they sounded boring. But I had been looking for someone to help get me and my horse moved up a level. I decided to try a lesson with Erica. So there I was being lunged, at a walk no less! It turned out to be one of the hardest lessons I had ever had. I could hardly stand when I got off the horse and we had only walked!! I had been told that Erica could “fix” my seat. As it turned out, she fixed my seat, my arms, my legs, my back, and best of all, my and the horse’s focus. She is still fixing us (my horse and me)!! My riding difficulties were compounding my horse’s problems so we where in downward spiral. Now we’re up! We are making progress. We’re about to show again. Thank you Erica. Joy Wallingford
Erica Poseley has been lunging me on my 3rd level horse Movie Star and I have seen dramatic improvements in my dressage seat. With Erica's support and guidance, I am able to change old habits that inhibit my ability to influence Movie. I am more balanced and secure. Off the lunge line, I find that it is much easier to perform the 3rd and 4th level movements that I'm working on. The great this about being lunged is that its fun and actually relaxing! Renee Fehrman
	I purchased a wonderful 3rd level schoolmaster and as a 1st level rider I found out very quickly that I needed help to maintain him. Now Erica rides him at 4th level and with her lessons, I'm now riding at 2nd level. With Erica's encouragement and support my next goal is to show. Erica's philosophy and teaching techniques are straight forward, consistent and from the heart for both horse and rider. I'm a middle school music teacher and I plan to retire next year so I can ride even more with help from Erica! Lee Webber
Over ten years ago, Hilda Gurney recommended that I take seat and position lessons on the longe, and I started to look for someone who would give me longe lessons. It was surprisingly hard. Most instructors just don't want to do "longe lessons." Finally, miraculously, I found Erica Poseley. I've been taking longe lessons from her ever since, and she has done wonders for my riding. She has given me that "deep seat" everyone wants, and taught me to keep my unfortunately made 5'1" body in balance with my horse. As a result of my work with Erica, I'm now able to do what other instructors ask of me - put legs, seat, weight and body where I want them. Instead of making life hard for my horses, I can now help them. I've also watched Erica help many other riders improve. I've watched her teach all levels of rider, from beginner to FEI level, and each one has improved, as have their horses. She has a wonderful eye for the rider's seat and position and is amazing at communicating what she sees so that the rider can improve. I recommend her to anyone who is serious about improving their riding. Jan Martel

	"Its like a have a new horse!" "Before I was a heavy handed rider and had a poor seat. Now that I have been training with Erica she has gotten me to use my seat correctly and effectively and in turn this is correcting my asymmetry. My horse is happier and we are now working as a harmonious team." Kim Use Morgan Hill, CA
"Erica has a very good eye for seat and correcting it and to get the best out of you and your horse!!" Judy Force, DVM
	When Erica began working with us, my horse had just been started back to work after a one year lay-up due to chronic back problems. Erica has taught me how to sit properly so that I can influence Quest's movement and promote healthy correct muscle development. Regularly I get positive comments regarding Quest's beautiful neck - and I have to tell then that it is the correct dressage work that created that neck because she certainly wasn't born with it! Julie Creasy
Each time I have a lesson with Erica I feel that I've gotten off a plateau, that my position improves and I am able to influence my horse more effectively. In my last show Hilda Gurney gave me an "8" on my position and effect of the aids. Cynthia, 15 year old Junior dressage rider
	I've been riding my whole life - started with Bonnie Lert as a child and am very competent with staying on a horse but now I have a very nice quality young Dutch warmblood whose problems clearly came from my position and seat. Erica has worked miracles - in 2 weeks of regular sessions, I can now correctly influence him - he's forward and happy and able to progress as I know he should. I'm no longer interfering with his potential. Josie Santa Cruz, CA
As a former hunter-jumper rider, and someone who has been out of riding for almost three years now, I know that the first order of business for my riding is to develop a correct seat. Taking lunge lessons with Erica has been invaluable. Being on the lunge allows me to concentrate on fixing my position so I can be more secure, safe and confident, and eventually, a better and more effective rider. But it is really Erica's unique skill and talent at helping the rider understand, feel and correct their position which makes the goal of riding well attainable, and learning a joy. She has a quiet, effective, and very encouraging way of helping you feel what you are doing, and then helping you to not only correct it, but to understand and maintain a correct position. It is very rare to find someone in the United States who is classically trained in lunging the rider. But it is rarer still to find a trainer who is so talented at teaching and an absolute joy to work with. P.S. Although it is true she is skilled at working with sensitive horses, I am very happy to report it is also true she is also skilled at working with sensitive riders! Lisa Parrella Morgan Hill, CA
	Erica’s “back to basics” approach has had a tremendous impact on me. Over the years, I had developed a multitude of bad habits and was trying to advance my riding skills while I did not have proper body position or seat. I was struggling to be successful. Erica’s method of training allows you to start anew, but it is far from boring. The lunge line lessons, using fun and challenging exercises, allowed me to focus on myself. I soon noticed that my horse was freer in his movement and I could be “quieter.” I felt better about my riding and I was amazed and flattered to receive compliments from other riders and trainers who remarked on the noticeable improvement in my riding. Trish Williamson Milpitas, CA