{"id":19090,"date":"2025-08-28T18:57:39","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T18:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dtmembership.wpenginepowered.com\/news\/my-self-worth-is-not-the-centerline-behind-the-scenes-with-heather-bender\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T18:57:39","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T18:57:39","slug":"my-self-worth-is-not-the-centerline-behind-the-scenes-with-heather-bender","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dressagetoday.com\/instruction\/my-self-worth-is-not-the-centerline-behind-the-scenes-with-heather-bender\/","title":{"rendered":"‘My Self-Worth Is Not the Centerline’: Behind the Scenes with Heather Bender"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Heather Bender<\/a>, USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist and a Certified Instructor through Fourth Level, worked with Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. Dressage Team Christine Traurig<\/a> earlier this year at the 2025 Adequan\u00ae\/USDF FEI-Level Trainers\u2019 Conference<\/a>, to improve her 9-year-old KWPN mare Keisha B\u2019s suppleness through transitions and gymnasticizing exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, Bender talks about her key takeaways from this year\u2019s conference, her partnership with the young and sassy \u201cKeisha\u201d and her personal insights on the sport of dressage after more than four decades in the saddle. (You can watch our full interview with her from the conference below.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appreciation for the Basics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bender was excited to work with Traurig and Monica Theodorescu, who also served as a clinician at the conference, because of their emphasis on the foundation and basic principles of dressage.\u201cI\u2019ve been doing this long enough to know it all comes down to basics\u2014your bending, suppleness and the ability to go forward and back,\u201d she noted. \u201c\u2018Keish\u2019 tries so hard, but she lacks the suppleness we need, so it\u2019s something we\u2019re constantly trying to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traurig explained that the horse\u2019s hind legs cannot develop more pushing power if suppleness isn\u2019t cultivated first and transitions can help improve relaxation and suppleness and ultimately allow the horse to release his back and engage his hind end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Heather Bender and Keisha B at the 2025 USDF Trainers’ Conference. \u00a9Alana Harrison<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce you\u2019ve completed the process of gymnasticizing the horse to get him supple, you can then start influencing the placement of the horse\u2019s hind legs. Like it says in all the smart books, you have to be able to place the shoulders in front of the hind legs,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd once you get that alignment you can influence the placement and effort of the hind legs\u2014how they\u2019re coming to the party and contributing in a quality way for forward propulsion and engagement. This is logical for the horse and evolves nicely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bender said the transition and gymnastic exercises Traurig provided helped emphasize achieving the right amount of flexion with the right amount of tempo. \u201cThat\u2019s really what we needed\u2014just that degree of refinement. Keish is more of a rectangle right now, and I\u2019m trying to teach her how to become a box as she moves up the levels,\u201d she explained. \u201cSo, I\u2019ve been using a lot of exercises to help control the outside shoulder. Christine really pushed me back into doing shoulder-in and bending and reminded me to be relentless about the better bend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy the Moment and Trusting in Her Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like Traurig, Bender is a firm believer in taking her time with her young mare, and at this stage in her long and storied career, the lifelong dressage rider says she\u2019s focused on enjoying the moment with her talented mount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just going to see where we go. I\u2019m not trying to win the world, but I continue to be out there for everyone who has dreams. I want people to recognize that even as we get older, we can still do this. We can stay fit. We can ride,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd with the amount of education and experience I\u2019ve gained over the years, I understand that my self-worth isn\u2019t the centerline. And that gives me more room to breathe and make better decisions in that moment with my horses and my riding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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