Training
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Develop Your Eye for Correct Connection in Stretchy Trot
I can’t understand the words, but I don’t need to! What a beautiful illustration! So many riders think putting the horse’s ears below the withers puts the horse on the forehand, but that is only the case if it’s done incorrectly, as the first three diagrams show. I also see plenty of riders performing one of the first three trots, totally unaware that it is incorrect work! The fourth picture shows a correctly ridden stretch where the horse continues to reach out to the end of the reins, instead of dropping behind the contact (often the result of a rider using a jiggle-jiggle aid to get the horse to…
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5 Books for Training Your Horse Yourself
There are many reasons that riders find themselves training their horses independently, whether because they simply enjoy doing it that way, don’t have a trainer they like near by, don’t have the money for lessons and training, or a million other things. These books are my favorites for when I’m working on my own. They are beautifully illustrated and discuss each movement individually from basic to advanced. Pictures and descriptions of how each movement should look, as well as signs that they aren’t being done correctly make it easy to educate yourself between lessons, and having that background understanding will help you get more out of your lessons when you…
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4 Patterns for Improving Bend
If you’ve gotten test comments like “needs more bend” or “unbalanced turn/circle” or worse, “counter-bent on circle”, read on for some ideas that might help you work on it. It seems like bend is one of those things that can be super tough to figure out how to get correct, especially at the lower levels, but it’s such an important foundation piece that getting it right will help many pieces of the more advanced work fall into place for you. It’s also something that can be improved almost endlessly, so it never hurts to spend some time concentrating on it. With all of these exercises, the key to success will be…
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How to Ride Like a Trainer: Taking Responsibility and Finding Empowerment
Every time you interact with your horse, you are training him. For better or worse, whether the interaction you had was good, bad, or maintained the status quo. You did something, your horse responded, and his response got either positive reinforcement or disciplinary action from you. And he just learned something. You just taught him something. Let that sink in a moment. This is an awesome power we all have, but so often goes unnoticed by many riders because the state of awareness and focus it requires is not the same one we are usually in as we run around trying to keep up with our busy lives, a million…
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The Trick to Stretchy Trot and Topline Building
To begin to develop a horse’s musculature, it’s important to start slowly and take the time to create a solid foundation to build on later. This can be a young or green horse that’s never worked, or it can be a horse that’s had some time off or that is changing disciplines or repairing after incorrect riding. A big part of this means developing the horse’s topline and carrying power, so that he can carry you comfortably, and to make him a lighter, more comfortable horse to ride. When he carries himself correctly, he will move in a way that is easier on his body, helping preserve his long-term soundness. He will…
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Before Horse Shopping, Do This
The Horse-Shopping List, your guide to getting the horse of your dreams and not the impulse buy. With so many options out there, and so many beautiful ads, it can be very easy to get off course and waste time (and money, if you’re travelling or bringing your trainer along) on horses that won’t be a good fit. With a good list and the powers of the internet and the ease of sharing video clips now, you can minimize travel, only going to see horses that, assuming they are as-advertised, will be what you’re looking for. To make this “shopping list”, we are actually going to make 3 separate lists.…
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Leg Yields – The How, When, and Why
I love leg yields. They are the most basic lateral movement, and for that reason, an incredible tool for green horses and riders new to dressage. To do a leg yield is not real hard, but does require an understanding of a few somewhat complicated concepts. Most people can relatively easily understand the concepts and how to do a leg yield, but then find carrying it out to be slightly counter-intuitive, which is what makes leg yielding such a great exercise. Once it “clicks” for a horse or rider, it’s like a big light bulb turns on, and from there the rest of dressage starts to fall into place. The…
