What Dressage Is, and What Dressage Isn't - An NF+ Masterclass with Mette Larsen
Release Date: 06/04/2025
Seeing Horses Differently: Lessons from an Equine Ophthalmologist Part 1 — Dear Horse World, it’s Dr. Dennis Brooks (Sponsor Total Feeds)
Dear Horse World
When you meet Dr. Dennis Brooks, you understand why horse people around the world talk about him with a kind of reverence. He is one of the most influential equine ophthalmologists of our time, the OG of horse eye care, yet what makes him unforgettable is not just the medicine. It is the heart behind it. In this episode, Dennis takes us inside the world of horse eyes with the clarity of a teacher, the soul of a storyteller, and the honesty of someone who has spent a lifetime caring deeply for horses and the people who love them. You will learn • Why Dennis became the original pioneer of...
info_outline
Dressage Naturally with Karen Rohlf: Choosing the Relationship Over the Result Part 2 | Sponsored By YETI
Dear Horse World
Part 2 continues the conversation by moving into the moments that test riders and trainers alike. This episode focuses on what happens when something doesn’t feel right, and the courage it can take to pause, question, or choose a different path in the middle of a lesson. Karen Rohlf is an FEI Grand Prix dressage rider, USDF Gold Medalist, internationally respected clinician, and the founder of Dressage Naturally. In this part of the conversation, Karen explores how easily context gets overlooked in training, and why protecting the relationship must come before any single exercise or result....
info_outline
Dressage Naturally with Karen Rohlf: Training Horses as Individuals, Not systems Part 1 | Sponsored By YETI
Dear Horse World
Have you ever questioned whether the way you’ve been taught to train truly fits the horse in front of you? Most people don’t. And when they do, they’re often reprimanded for it, which is usually enough to make them stop asking. We repeat the same exercises and routines because that’s how we were taught, rarely questioning the system even when our horses do. This conversation challenges that pattern and asks a harder question: what happens when the system stops working for the horse? Karen Rohlf is an FEI Grand Prix dressage rider, USDF Gold Medalist, internationally respected...
info_outline
The Hidden Forces That Shape a Rider’s Career with Rodrigo Pessoa | Sponsored by Connaway & Associates and Yeti
Dear Horse World
Have you ever felt your heart thumping and your palms sweating before a competition, only to realize it wasn’t just nerves but something deeper? Riders know what it means to carry pressure long before a round begins. It often starts early. Parents want so deeply for their children to thrive, yet the fear of falling behind can blur the line between supporting and pushing. Most riders have compared themselves to people who make the hardest moments look effortless. And when some young riders rise while others quietly disappear, it forces all of us to question what truly creates long term...
info_outline
Cutting Horse Lessons Every Rider Can Use with Lindy Burch | Sponsored by Yeti and Total Feeds
Dear Horse World
So many riders want their horses sharper, quicker, and more responsive, yet end up drilling, micromanaging, and unintentionally shutting their horses down. Hall of Fame cutting horse trainer Lindy Burch offers a wildly refreshing reframing: what if the sharpest horses are not the ones you control the most, but the ones you allow to think? In cutting, the horse has to make decisions in real time. They must read the cow, feel the moment, and respond faster than the rider ever could. In this episode, Lindy breaks down how she develops horses who stay mentally present, balanced, and tuned in, not...
info_outline
Laura Graves on Staying Curious When Dressage Gets Hard (NF+ Exclusive)
Dear Horse World
Frustration is a human emotion, and it almost inevitably shows up in every rider’s journey. The question is what you do when it does. In this episode, Olympic dressage medalist Laura Graves steps in as your coach and mentor, sharing the mindset that guides her when riding feels more hard than harmonious. This clip comes from her NF+ masterclass Laura Graves Troubleshoots Common Flatwork Woes and offers a rare look into how an elite rider thinks during the private moments of training, when there are no quick answers and no one else in the arena. Laura reflects on learning to pause instead of...
info_outline
Equine Digestion Explained: Sugar, Fiber, and Mineral Balance. — No Stupid Questions with Dr. Harry Anderson
Dear Horse World
Welcome back to No Stupid Questions, the nutrition edition with Dr. Harry Anderson. In part Part 2 we take deeper look at the physiology that drives your horse’s behavior, metabolism, and overall health. We explore the way sugar, minerals, and fiber interact inside the horse. We talk about why some horses puff up, why certain forage creates sharpness, and how small choices in the feed room can shift the entire internal environment. This is the kind of steady, clear education most of us never received but always needed. In this episode we cover: • The horse’s unique digestive design and...
info_outline
Horse Nutrition Explained: How Digestion Shapes Behaviour with Dr. Harry Anderson Part 1
Dear Horse World
Most horse owners are trying their best in the feed room while quietly wondering if they are getting it right. You want your horse to feel calm, healthy, and steady in their body, but the information out there is overwhelming and often contradictory. One person says alfalfa is dangerous. Another says your horse needs hay 24/7. Someone else blames ulcers, sugar, or stress. And in the middle of all of it, you are just trying to understand what your horse is telling you. Dr. Harry Anderson has spent more than fifty years studying animal physiology and nutrition, and he has an uncanny ability to...
info_outline
An Olympian’s Approach to Building Horses, Not Breaking Them: Dear Horse World, It’s Will Coleman - Sponsored by Yeti
Dear Horse World
Eventing is equal parts strategy, skill, and mental game, but for many riders it can feel like a constant battle to balance all three phases, keep their horse sound, and make real progress. How do you build a horse’s confidence and physical strength without rushing them or burning them out? In this episode, Olympian and 5 star eventer Will Coleman joins us to break down what truly drives elite performance. A lifelong student of the sport, Will shares the mentors who shaped him including David and Karen O’Connor and Anne Kursinski. He talks about his early exposure to natural horsemanship,...
info_outline
We are Back! Embrace Season 2 Premiere: Creole Cowboys, Cowgirl Spirit & Riding Adventures and more!
Dear Horse World
We're back with Season 2 of Dear Horse World, premiering on December 2nd! This season, we bring you some of the most iconic voices in the industry, featuring legends like Will Coleman, Lindy Birch, Rodrigo Pessoa, Laura Kraut, and the unforgettable Boots O'Neill. Their wisdom and experiences reveal life-changing insights into the sport, horses, and horsemanship. Additionally, don't miss our Black Friday sale starting November 28th for an exclusive 50% off annual NF plus membership. Join us for another incredible season and elevate your riding to the next level! 00:00 Season Two...
info_outlineThink dressage is just for imported warmbloods and rhinestone-studded riders? Think again.
In this must-listen episode, NF+ Masterclass instructor Mette Larsen strips dressage down to what it really is: thoughtful, horse-first training that any rider can use to build better balance, deeper connection, and more confidence—arena or not.
You’ll learn how dressage can help trail horses stop tripping, sharpen your jump-off turns, and make your rides feel more emotionally in sync.
It’s the kind of episode that leaves you itching to throw your leg over and try something new—no white breeches required.
✨ Why you’ll love it:
- Understand what “on the bit” is really supposed to feel like (and why it’s not just about the frame).
- Learn how to ride into the future—literally—by letting go of your inside rein habit.
- Discover how dressage creates stronger, more balanced horses (and maybe even cuts down on those vet bills).
Whether you’re a backyard rider with big dreams, a re-rider rebuilding your feel, or a competitor looking for more clarity and connection—this episode is your invitation to rethink everything you thought you knew about dressage.
This is Part 2 of Mette’s 17-part NF+ Masterclass, “Dressage for All Disciplines”—a full training experience designed to meet you exactly where you are, no matter your discipline.
🔥 Want the rest? Join NF+ to unlock the full series and access 500+ expert-led lessons that help you ride better, feel more confident, and build the partnership you and your horse deserve.
Right now you can get 15% off an annual membership with the code 'DHW'.
Just head to noellefloydplus.com to join. Because at NF+, we believe great riding shouldn’t feel exclusive—it should feel empowering. And this is where that starts.