Classical Dressage Practically Applied Clinics - CDPA

11/08/2026

20/07/2026

And day 3 of our July QLD Clinic in Allora finished on a good note all round with new learnings to take home. As always much to continue to implement and improve upon with our horses. An absolute pleasure to spend time with like minded people and a joy to see such major changes over the time our individual teams have been coming to learn from Louise van Gaal. Some of the canter shots in this upload were from combinations who either couldn’t actually get into canter or not maintain it, and some who were so anxious they wanted to bolt. To see them maintain a nice rhythmic canter around the arena and get some real lift and look to be enjoying the work was a delight.

Thanks again Lou - may the learning never cease.

20/07/2026

Day 2 of our Allora July clinic continued with more wind and continuing improvement across all combinations. Well done everyone for following the path of Classical Dressage Practically Applied to Achieve Lightness. Making sure those left forelegs are sharing the responsibility for correct loading and allowing those reticent hind legs to come along for the ride will pay dividends with loser backs, soft jaws and a balanced horse!

(Thanks to those who picked up the camera when I wasn’t on the spot, or I was on the horse!)

19/07/2026

ALLORA Clinic July 2026.
Friday photo upload.
Howling wind was a highlight this weekend - dermabrasion was free of charge. No horses were harmed in the process although some camping equipment may have been tested… 🤪

Well done once again ladies and gentleman for accepting the challenges Lou always seems to find for us with a huge focus this weekend on being in front of the leg and the subsequent straightening of our horses.

Not in front of the leg in the accepted sense of making them GO, but more so the lifting of both front legs evenly (generally speaking they’re a bit slack on their left front) resulting in more even loading of the hind legs. It was fascinating with some horses being quite discombobulated and having to really concentrate on their proprioception initially.

By Sunday this change manifested some much more powerful work with increased lift through the shoulders. Eventually it will lead to more lift in the knee also, as work progresses towards piaffe for the more advanced horses and lays the foundation for that progression with the others.

25/04/2026

Day 2 was a tad more peaceful though we did get the fly-by from the RAAF planes for Anzac Day.

Some real progress again today with quite a few riders being nudged out of their comfort zones. Well done to everyone for rising/riding to the challenge! A couple of new or baby horses out for the first time and first time in the saddle too.

24/04/2026

Day one had its own challenges with a cutting (?) clinic in the show ring outside the arena replete with a dozen horses or so at a time and the same complement of cattle being chased around in the yards and the instructor on the loudspeaker. And some wind… Most of the horses coped well all things considered and it can be counted as good exposure. 🍃 🐮 🤠 🐴

So well done today everyone and once again thanks to Louise for her insights and the sharing of such vast knowledge. We all very much appreciate the effort involved in getting here from Victoria!

Bring on Day 2.

Kerry.