Lesley's Corner
Interval Training For Conditioning the Event Horse
In the sport of Eventing, ensuring that our horses are truly fit for our level of competition is one of the best ways to prevent unnecessary injuries.
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4540
Never forget that our goal as riders should be to do as little as possible. Allow the horse to perform.
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4539
"A major consideration concerning the horse’s posture in all lateral movements is the bend in the rib cage behind the withers. For achieving this bend is the foundation for the suppleness of the entire horse. One will never achieve this bend if one rides the lateral movements on
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 # 4538
"And why do we ask the horse to do two track work? To get his legs under him, and to get him listening to the aids." ~ Kyra Kyrklund
The Box Exercise
This clever exercise will ensure that your horse is listening precisely to the lightest of your turning aids. It will also teach you how to ride truly accurate figures, and by doing so will naturally improve the balance and carriage of your horse's gaits.
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4537
"Suppleness means that the muscles contract and de-contract, and this has to go through the entire horse, it cannot be blocked in the middle of the back, and it also has to go through the rider." ~ Susanne Miesner
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4536
"The less we do on cross country, the easier we are on our horses. Learn how to be more still. Don't touch their mouth unless you need to. Plan your turns." ~ William fox Pitt
One Sidedness in Riders
We riders spend a lot of time working on making our horses more ambidextrous. But what about ourselves? How can we ride our horses straight if our own bodies are one sided? It will definitely be much easier for them if we make an attempt to be more even and ambidextrous. Learn how here!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4535
Impress your Dressage judges by showing a clear difference between riding a corner and part of a circle.
Different Half Halts For Different Situations
The key to doing any movement well lies in the preparation. Half halts are an important part of preparing for almost every movement or transition. While the essence stays the same, the ingredients and focus may need to adapt to each situation for the best result. Learn all about it here!
An Ian Stark Jumping Exercise (For the Very Brave!) That Will Sharpen Up Every Horse!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4534
"The rider's seat is a 'transformer' whose role is to modify the energy emitting from the horse's haunches." ~ Charles de Kunffy