~ My Virtual Eventing Coach ~ <META name="y_key" content="ccf04b59c1d6ff5f" />

~ My Virtual Eventing Coach ~

Imagine being able to get training advice 24/7 from a top level Eventing expert.....

With the ability to post your pictures and videos for critique.....

And ask questions about training, showing, conditioning, feeding, tack, horse care, lameness, or anything at all! All answered in detail, with the abiltiy to discuss further until you totally understand.....

Sounds too good to be true right??

Introducing My Virtual Eventing Coach!

The World's Leading Source for Online Eventing Information!

We are here to help YOU succeed with your horse!

In addition to advice and helpful critiques, members will enjoy a supportive community with other members, with the ability to chat with each other and cheer each other on!

Become a part of a GREAT team! More info here.

Here is what our members are saying about this site! :

"I have a great trainer, but think what your site offers is the chance to think (very meaningfully) about my riding when I'm NOT in the saddle. This more "meta-cognitive" approach helps me solve problems that I have when my trainer is not there. (i.e. any competition). Thank you so much!"

"Thanks for the great ideas! I never thought "virtual" coaching could work as well as this does! I've learned so much! Well worth the subscription! People in Nebraska and such where it's hard to find trainers really need you!"

Read other testimonials here.

Join now and get your first two weeks FREE!

Additional member perks:

* Free member classifieds!

* Lesley's Corner - regular educational articles on various topics. Those of you who are passionate about learning will love this library of information!

* Lisa's Corner - a training blog written by an amateur rider as she prepares for her first event with her new horse.

* Kristin's Corner - follow Adult Amateur Event rider Kristin Carpenter as she trains and competes her horses from the Novice to the Intermediate levels!

* Andi's Corner - follow Adult Amateur Event rider Andi Davison as she trains and competes her horses at the Novice level!

* Guest bloggers - Fun blog entries from various writers.

** Members send your questions, photos (only those that you have legal rights to send), and links to your YouTube videos to: admin@myvirtualeventingcoach.com or post them on our Facebook page

Recent Entries

Video # 39: This is Kayla and her lovely mare again! This time working on a gymnastic line. (in: Videos) Jun 19, 2013: (Click on Video Title above (in blue) to read the critique of this video)

What to Do If Your Horse Jumps Like This (in: ~Lesley's Corner~) Jun 18, 2013: What to Do If Your Horse Jumps Like This

Whenever a horse gets underneath a fence, and jumps like this - it is almost always a result of the quality of the canter in the approach to the fence. I'm willing to bet that this horse was strung out and heavy on the forehand on the approach to this jump. And it is likely that this horse had momentum in his canter, rather than impulsion. Whenever a horse's shoulders and forelegs are pointing downward over a jump, it means the front end was so heavily loaded at the moment of takeoff, that they were unable to rock back sufficiently on their hind legs to lift the front end properly. This is called... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Question # 132: I have never had anyone explain how to properly ride a rear. All I was ever told was to not pull back. Ok, and what do I do with my hands & the rest of my body position? (Joan) (in: Questions) Jun 17, 2013: Hi Joan!

Rearing is such a dangerous habit! It is best to have a plan to prevent a rear from happening in the first place. To thwart a rear before your horse has a chance to get started, you need to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)

Question # 131: I have a tb, when I work her long and low all she does is speed up really fast and do an extended trot (still long and low) and if try slow her down she wont go low and sticks her head out. (in: Questions) Jun 14, 2013: How can I keep her long and low while working slowly? (Samantha)

Hi Samantha!

This is a fairly common problem for riders to encounter when attempting to stretch a horse that is on the hot side. And is telling that there is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)

Teach Your Horse to Focus on the Top Rail of the Jump (in: ~Lesley's Corner~) Jun 12, 2013: Teach Your Horse to Focus on the Top Rail of the Jump

Horses are most likely to jump a fence cleanly when they are accurately focusing on the top rail. This comes quite naturally to some horses, while others need to be taught this skill. Here's how to teach it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Video # 38: This is Vita and PJ doing their Beginner Novice Dressage Test! (in: Videos) Jun 11, 2013: (Click on Video Title above (in blue) to read the critique of this video)

Photo # 44: Sam would like a critique of this 5 year old OTTB gelding! And would like an opinion on what job he would be best suited for based on his conformation. (in: Photos) Jun 10, 2013: (Click on Photo Title above (in blue) to read the critique of this photo)

Guest Blog post # 24: "Ten Things..." by MMC Eventing (in: ~Guest Bloggers~) Jun 8, 2013: Ten Things...

You ever do a ten list? Ten things you wish you could do, ten things you wish you had done different, ten things you have done right? How bout ten dumbest things you have ever done, or most embaressing. Ten best friends. Ten best lessons. Ten best books?

Here are ten things I tell all my students, from 40 plus years of riding... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Question # 130: I have a 5 yo OTTB gelding (10 months off the track) that I would really like to hack out more. However, the few times I have tried, he's been a little anxious in the open field. (in: Questions) Jun 8, 2013: The last time I took him on a hack (only walking always), he bolted and left me eating dirt after running for a good minute going down hill. I was nervous to use a pulley rein since I never have before especially on uneven terrain. He is an exceptional, calm, and non-spooky horse in all other situations, and handles everything in stride. I would love some tips on building my confidence to hack out, and how to best handle this situation. I've tried pairing with a calm trail horse, but he seems the same when with or without company. I would also like to know if I should be riding him on loose reins vs on the aids. Thanks! (Anonymous)

Well that's no fun, is it?? It sounds like the poor guy is just very anxious and uncomfortable out in big open spaces. What is his turnout like? If he is currently in a small paddock, you might want to see if you can find him a large field to go in with a calm buddy. That way he can be working on his anxiety in big open spaces the whole time he is out there. Let him live outside if possible. It is such a shame how many race horses never see anything of the world outside of their stalls and the track.

Under saddle, what I would recommend you do is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)

Question # 129: I am just getting back into eventing after almost 2 years off due to my mare's injuries and illnesses. I went out cross country schooling on the weekend, and even though we were only popping over tiny stuff, (in: Questions) Jun 6, 2013: I seem to have lost all confidence in my ability to ride cross country. It's not the height of the fences that was worrying me, it was actually getting to the fences. I was worrying about her slipping, then I was worrying about not giving her a good shot at the jump, then it was something else! Do you have any advice or exercises I can do to try and combat this? Or is it just a matter of getting out there and riding cross country as much as I can to get back into the swing of things? (Rebecca)

Hi Rebecca!

Don't worry! This is a perfectly normal reaction for many people after having been away from the sport for a while! All you need to do is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)

Make Your Horse's Hind Legs More Active (in: ~Lesley's Corner~) Jun 5, 2013: Make Your Horse's Hind Legs More Active

Do you regularly get comments on your Dressage Tests such as "needs more energy" or "needs more activity"? Yet you know that if you simply push your horse more forward, you may have to deal with a loss of balance or rhythm? And possibly even heaviness or resistance in your hand? If this is the case, then you need to learn how to truly increase the activity of your horse's hind legs, rather than just cause him to push harder off the ground and merely go faster. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Video # 37: This is Vita and her horse Toby doing Beginner Novice Test A! (in: Videos) Jun 4, 2013: (Click on Video Title above (in blue) to read the critique of this video)

Question # 128: Could you explain the proper aids required (and timing) for lengthening at the trot and canter? (in: Questions) Jun 3, 2013: I am preparing for first level on a PSG schoolmaster (I know! Lucky me!), so he is well trained, but I need to be more consistent with my aids - sometimes I do everything correctly and beautifully, but I never quite remember exactly what it was that I did. (Karrie)

Hi Karrie!

What a great opportunity for you! It can be so helpful to learn to do movements on a horse that is well schooled! If you find and push the right "buttons", they will let you know by performing the movement correctly. There is almost no better way to learn! I am excited for you! As for asking for a trot lengthening... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)

Discussion # 66: Who can tell us how counter bend improves the horse's ability to bend properly to the inside? (in: Educational Discussions) 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! (in: Educational Discussions) 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 # 36: Kayla has a question about how to help her horse get back to the same form she had pre injury. (in: Videos) May 29, 2013: Here is a video starting at where my horse was last year, and what she is like now, about a month after recovering from her injury. We've jumped some over the last few weeks, but I don't have the same horse I had pre-injury. As you can see in the video, last season my horse was doing pretty well. She was waiting at fences and we were pretty good at keeping a consistent rhythm. After her injury, we are both pretty rusty. And since we have started jumping, she has been really bad about rushing fences. I feel like I have to hang on her mouth to keep her from running at the fences. That is why we're going back to the cross rail in the schooling at a slow trot. And why I bring her back to the trot before every fence. At the end of the schooling video (the part from this year), you can see her getting upset at the fact that I am holding her back. The majority of the video is a lesson I took on 5/28 working on her rushing. The instructor told me I need to work more to hold her with my body. Anyway, I am wondering what your thoughts are and what exercises we should do to get her back to the horse she was at the beginning of the video. (Kayla) (Click on Video Title above to watch the video and read the answer)

Question # 127: When teaching, and you are working with a student who has been taught theories that are different from what you teach, how do you handle that? (in: Questions) May 28, 2013: How do you get them to at least try it your way without denigrating the way the other instructor teaches? I want my students to always go home feeling like they got a lot out of it instead of thinking that I don't have a clue what I am talking about! (Kelly)

Hi Kelly!

This is always a challenge for us instructors, isn't it?? There are SO many differenty theories and systems being taught out there that this is bound to happen regularly! I think the key to handling this situation is to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)

Question # 126: How much leg is too much leg? I have been riding for about 5 years and I have always ridden with almost no leg on our QHs/Appys unless I'm doing something laterally. In other words, I just pretty much let it lay there. (in: Questions) May 26, 2013: Recently, I have been riding very large moving horses, and my lower leg is all OVER the place! At the canter, my lower leg swings forward and backward with the horse's motion. I find I have to really put leg on and sink deep into my heels to keep my lower leg half way quiet. Is that reasonable, or am I doing something else incorrectly that is screwing my lower leg up? Exercises for strengthening the lower leg would also be appreciated! (Karen)

Hi Karen!

This is a great question! As I think many riders struggle with a lower leg that swings back and forth some at the canter. Yet to keep that leg quiet by clamping it tightly to the horse's side will cause the horse to become dull to the leg aids. And we certainly can't have that! When a rider's lower leg swings back and forth, it is usually because either they have... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)

Guest Blog post # 23: "Setting Goals - a Real Life Example" by Lauren Gretgrix (in: ~Guest Bloggers~) May 24, 2013: Setting Goals - a Real Life Example

I will preface this little article by humbly acknowledging I am not a top level rider (nor likely to become one any time soon! That's not a self-limiting belief, it is a realistic observation). Nevertheless,the story I am about to tell you will demonstrate how important goal setting is, no matter what level you ride at or what it is you aspire to achieve. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Leg Protection For the Event Horse (in: ~Lesley's Corner~) May 22, 2013: Leg Protection For the Event Horse

I often get asked what my opinion is on boots for the Event horse. Do I use them every ride? What kind do I prefer? Well, here's the scoop: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Video Discussion # 69: Watch and compare these two CCI 2 star riders performing their Dressage Tests, and see their scores for each movement! (in: Educational Discussions) 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)

Getting the Most Out of Riding in Clinics (in: ~Lesley's Corner~) May 20, 2013: Getting the Most Out of Riding in Clinics

Clinics are meant to be a fun, relaxed, and interactive group environment, where riders can learn new theories, techniques, and exercises to take home and add to their training programs. They are also a great opportunity to give your horse more experience and exposure out and about. And as they often require a good sized commitment of both time and money, you will want to make the most of every minute! Here are 10 things to think about to make sure your next clinic is as worthwhile as possible: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Video Discussion # 68: Interesting complex on this year's Rolex course! (in: Educational Discussions) 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)

Photo # 43: Valerie would like to know if this 2 year old TB stallion might be a good Event prospect! (in: Photos) May 16, 2013: (Click on Photo Title above (in blue) to read the critique of this photo)

Question # 125: I have a question about bravery in the field and jumping without schooling first. (in: Questions) May 15, 2013: My big horse is also a big chicken - when he's alone. If other horses are around he's quite brave and very tactile. If you can get him to touch it - he'll jump it. He enjoys jumping. His ears prick up and you can fel him really pulling you to the fence. But he is so spooky if there are no other horses with us. If no one else is working in the ring, I have to have a babysitter horse in there with us when I jump. This fear of him being so spooky alone has been one of the major obstacles keeping me from competing. We have lots of fun schooling cross country because I can walk him up to it, let him touch it, jump it and move on. Once he's jumped it I can put him together and have multiple fences in a row. I don't know that I could get him to a new place and have him jump BN fences without schooling... and there won't be any buddies out there either. Do you have any suggestions on how I can help build his confidence when along and how to get him to jump without schooling first? (Carolyn)

Hi Carolyn!

This can be a tough problem unfortunately, and is a reason some horses just will not make Event horses. But I have some ideas of things for you to try! First of all, I would... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)