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Recent Entries

  Discussion # 66: Who can tell us how counter bend improves the horse's ability to bend properly to the inside?
Jun 2, 2013
Who can tell us how counter bend improves the horse's ability to properly bend to the inside? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 70: This is a great video!
May 30, 2013
Lots of great points made in this Dressage video (and some lovely riding)! What thoughts do you have after watching this? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to make comments and read this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 69: Watch and compare these two CCI 2 star riders performing their Dressage Tests, and see their scores for each movement!
May 21, 2013
What a great opportunity to improve your "eye" for the quality of Dressage movements! You have to know what you are looking for before you will have a chance to correctly perform these movements yourself! Watch the video first, and guess for yourself who wins! Then enter the discussion to find out both riders' scores for each movement and to make comments. (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to see scores and enter this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 68: Interesting complex on this year's Rolex course!
May 19, 2013
This was a very interesting complex on this year's Rolex cross country course! Along with the challenging terrain that was involved, the distance in between the two narrow brush jumps was exactly between two and three strides. As Jimmy Wofford said in his course walk, "When presented with a boldness question with optional striding, always take the braver option. Otherwise you will tend to come in picking and whining, and your horse may stop." I think that in this video, Andrew shows us the best way to handle this type of situation, ride boldly, and let the horse decide if he is going to do two or three strides. Because this horse's ability to think for himself has been nurtured in training, he took care of himself, and did two and a half strides very neatly. If Andrew had tried to force the two he may not have made it. And if he picked for the three it could have caused trouble. There is a very important lesson to be learned here! (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 67: It is always so educational to watch Dressage tests, and to be able to hear the comments and scores from the judge!
May 6, 2013
It is always so educational to watch Dressage tests, and to be able to hear the comments and scores from the judge! Let's watch this video of a Dressage rider performing Training Level Test 1, and hear the comments and scores from the judge! Do you ever get comments similar to those that this rider received? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to watch video, and to read this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 66: This video shows the difference between, collected walk, medium walk, extended walk, and free walk.
Apr 21, 2013
This video shows the difference between collected walk, medium walk, extended walk, and free walk. And while I think she could have shown more stretch and freedom in the free walk, it was otherwise well done. What are your thoughts on watching this video? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to watch video, and read this educational discussion)
  Discussion # 65: How do you ride an uphill triple bar?
Apr 16, 2013
How should you approach a triple bar that is on an uphill slope? What do you need to focus on to ensure a smooth effort at this type of jump? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)


uphill triple bar
  Discussion # 64: Which picture shows a better piaffe?
Apr 14, 2013
Although in Eventing we don't have to perform a piaffe in competition, it is important to understand the principles involved in training for collection. So, let's compare these two Baroque type horses in the piaffe. Which horse shows more engagement and lowering of the quarters? How can you tell? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
 

piaffe                      
  Video Discussion # 65: Water jump bloopers!
Apr 10, 2013
All different kinds of problems with water jumps are showcased in this video! But there are many falls here that show why I always advise riders to trot at least the last step or two when jumping off a plain drop with no takeoff log. When cantering off of a drop that has no defining point for a horse to focus on, it is easy for them to make the mistake of "missing" the edge, and cantering right off the step. Which will almost always cause a fall in the water. Who can point out the rider who caused a fall by holding the reins too much on the takeoff, causing the horse to hollow and drop his hind end? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Discussion # 63: What kind of jump will this canter produce?
Apr 4, 2013
Here are two pictures showing a rider's final strides in front of a Prelim table. What kind of jump do you think she is about to have with this quality of canter? After a few people have answered, I will post the picture of the jumping effort to show the result of this approach. (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)

 
  Video Discussion # 64: Judge this movement - simple change of lead through the walk.
Mar 31, 2013
Felix and I are shown here competing in the Dressage phase at the the two star level in TX in 1998. How would you judge this movement, "cross the diagonal, with a simple change of lead through the walk at X"? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)


  Quiz # 14: I've mentioned this more than a few times on the site, so lets see who is paying attention!
Mar 28, 2013
Who can tell us why it is important for a rider to keep a flat back when jumping? Besides the obvious aesthetic value, what does a flat back mean for the rider's ability to follow the horse's jumping motion? (Click on Quiz title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 63: Great video explaining the anatomy and biomechanics of the riding horse in motion
Mar 25, 2013
This video is a bit long and technical, but there is lots of great info here! What are your thoughts on this video? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion) 

  Video Discussion # 62: Exciting video!
Mar 20, 2013
This horse sure knew his job! To get up and jump out of the combination without his rider - wow! But who can tell us what caused the mistake at the B element that resulted in this fall? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Discussion # 62: Shoulder in helps to improve the half pass, and vice versa. Who can tell us why?
Mar 7, 2013
Shoulder in helps to improve the half pass, and vice versa. Who can tell us why that is? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 61: Cool video of slow motion jumping!
Mar 3, 2013
Very cool and educational to watch footage of top level Show Jumping in slow motion, and to be able to really look at every little detail! At :38, note the great example of the quick recovery of upper body position from the rider needed to help the horse rebalance and collect between the elements of a combination. And you can also see how even the top riders are sometimes ahead of their horse's motion on the takeoff. The rider at 2:41 looks to be slightly ahead of his horse on the takeoffs, and the horse is a bit slow folding his front legs as a result. What are your thoughts on this awesome video? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to watch video and read this educational discussion)
  Discussion # 61: Lets discuss rein length!
Feb 24, 2013
Do you often get told that you ride with your reins too long? Or too short? While different situations require different rein lengths, having the correct length of rein is often crucial to success. What happens on the flat when your reins are too long? How about when you are jumping? And what happens when your reins are too short? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 60: What caused this fall?
Feb 21, 2013
What do you think caused this fall? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Discussion # 60: How would you ride this fence?
Feb 18, 2013
What type of canter should you have to tackle this type of fence? What position should you be in on the approach? And what is your strategy to ensure you get a good jump here? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)


jump top of hill
  Video Discussion # 59: How would you judge this halt?
Feb 13, 2013
Here are Felix and I competing at a 2 star 3 day event in TX in 1998. Felix was 8 here, and this was our first 2 star 3 day. So here we have the movement: Trot down centerline, halt, and salute. How would you judge this movement? What is good? What could be improved? Don't be afraid to criticize, we can take it! (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Video Discussion # 58: Want to see great riding on a horse that wants to rush jumps out of nerves?
Feb 3, 2013
Here is a horse that has a tendency to rush jumps because of insecurity. This rider does a fabulous job of staying soft, not fighting with him, and supporting him with her leg in the final strides when he needs it the most. Especially at :37 when he begins to back off after rushing. Here she shows a great example of staying calm and riding each stride fully until takeoff. Can you see what I mean? Because this rider is not pulling on him when he begins to rush out of nerves, he keeps his focus entirely on the jump instead of fighting with her. If instead she was inclined to pull on the reins when he begins to speed up, he would fight her all the way to the base of the fence... and may even stop. Do you know any horses like this? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)


 
  Discussion # 59: How would you ride this Prelim bank complex?
Jan 31, 2013
Lets say there is 24 feet between the upbank at A and the B element of this combination. How will that distance ride? Long, short, or just right? At what speed would you need to attack this complex for your horse to make it work as a perfect one stride distance? What is the key to success at complexes that start off with an upbank? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)


Prelim bank complex
  Quiz # 13: Who can name 3 signs of true collection in a horse?
Jan 25, 2013
Who can name 3 signs of true collection in a horse? (Click on Quiz Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Discussion # 58: Does your horse snatch at the reins as you allow him to go into free walk or a stretching trot? What do you think this means?
Jan 17, 2013
Does your horse snatch at the reins as you allow him to go into free walk or a stretching trot? What do you think this means when horses do this? And how would you fix this problem? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
  Discussion # 57: Does your horse's poll tend to be too high, or too low?
Jan 16, 2013
Everyone who does dressage knows that the horse's poll can be too low, but did you know that it can also be too high for any particular horse's conformation? When the poll is too high, the horses gaits can become flat and lose their elasticity. This is because having the poll quite high can stiffen the horse's back. So you can see why we might want to influence the height of the horse's poll, based on what needs improving at the moment. If the horse needs to use his back better, lower the poll - without losing the quality of the horse truly moving forward into the connection. And if the horse is wanting to be strung out and heavy on the forehand, ride the poll up by lowering the quarters. Which do you find you need more with your horse(s)? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
 
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