Tip/Quote of the Day # 4602

"We want to GUIDE and SHAPE [our horses], we do not want to create straight jackets and do hostile take overs." ~ Manolo Mendez

Monitor Your Horse's Stress Levels, For Best Results in Training

Horses become incapable of learning when they go past a certain level of fear, anxiety, or stress. This means that if you keep hammering away at the horse, trying to teach them something when they are currently overwhelmed with stress, it will not work.

Tip/Quote of the Day # 4601

“Suppleness is the result of riding in the correct position for years." ~ Richard Watjen

Tip/Quote of the Day # 4600

"The goal of training is to build the horse's mind and his muscles. Suppleness and relaxation require adequate muscle strength. Strengthening requires both contraction and relaxation. Blood flow and oxygenation occur when the muscle relaxes. If the muscle is kept in a constant state of contraction, it

Does Your Horse Like Rein Contact Right Up to the Point of Takeoff at a Jump? Or Does He Prefer a Soft/Loose Rein in the Final Strides? Find Out Here!

To get the very best out of every horse when show jumping, riders need to really think about the specific way that each individual horse needs and wants to be ridden between the fences. Let me help you to figure out what kind of horse you have!

Tip/Quote of the Day # 4599

If you are nervous right before you enter the show ring, take a moment to talk to and pet your horse. And make it genuine, no matter how your warm up went! It will relax both of you, and help you to focus.

Tip/Quote of the Day # 4598

An exercise to check if you are sitting straight and putting your weight equally down into both stirrups is to stand straight up for a few strides, and notice which stirrup you have to consciously put more weight into to keep yourself balanced.

A Spanish Riding School Exercise to Increase the Collection in Your Horse's Canter

This great exercise, direct from the Spanish Riding School, will increase the collection in your horse's canter. It will also improve your counter canter work, and is a great way to build towards canter pirouettes. Get ready for better scores in your horse's canter work!

Tip/Quote of the Day # 4597

Your horse's stride can only be as long as his neck is long. So try not to shorten the neck, but rather look for the feeling that your horse is reaching forward into your connection with his head and neck.

The Order of Aids For Changing Your Horse's Bend From One Side to the Other

Every single Dressage test requires the rider to change the horse's bend from one side to the other. With some tests having as many as 20 different opportunities to show the judge how good you are at changing your horse's bend. Or maybe how not so good you are at it!

Tip/Quote of the Day # 4596

The strength of your engaged core is what allows your position to be unaffected by your horse's changes of speed.

Tip/Quote of the Day # 4595

You can tell which instructors have the confidence in their solid understanding of riding concepts based on how much they love it when riders ask them questions. Those who do not like it when students ask them detailed questions often do not truly know how to answer them.