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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4310
If you don't have forward, you won't be able to achieve a true half halt. And without an effective half halt, it will be hard to improve the horse's balance.
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4309
"Relaxation is first mental, then physical. A horse in pain or one who fears you will never relax his body." ~ Charles de Kunffy
Videos
Video # 313, and Question # 335: Kayla is riding in a jumping lesson, and wants to know why she got jumped out of the tack on the first jump!
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4308
"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
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4307
"I’m a big fan of ground lines. I think it teaches the horse to have better technique in front. Everything that we do is connected — the way we start on the cross rail to this, it all connects. We're building through our training." ~ McLain Ward
Lesley's Corner
An Exercise to Teach Your Horse to Be More HOT to Your Inside Leg Aid
In Dressage, we use bending to develop and prove lateral suppleness, allowing the horse to conform his body to circles and turns in balance. The horse must give TRUE bend, listening to your inside leg. Here is a basic exercise, for all levels, to improve the response to the inside leg!
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4306
Always have a plan when jumping. Each exercise should have something to teach your horse. Don't waste jumps by jumping simple jumps with no purpose - other than for warm up, or if the horse needs them for building confidence.
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4305
As you complete a halt, lighten your seat slightly to invite your horse to keep his back up underneath you. This will allow you to move off after the halt without the horse hollowing and dropping his back.
Lesley's Corner
The Triangle Exercise
The Triangle Exercise is a fun, challenging exercise to test the precision and fluidity of your turns. It teaches riders to plan ahead and execute accurately to set themselves up for success. This exercise will help you be more accurate in the Dressage ring, and will improve your jumping as well!
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4304
Quiet hands are only possible when the rider has an independent seat. So if you are looking to improve your hands, check your seat first.
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4303
"A steady hand with a soft, following elbow invites a steady, soft contact from the horse. Working the bit or being busy with your fingers invites a false frame." ~ Alexis Soutter
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4302
The most successful riders stay very much "in the moment", and are very attuned to feeling exactly what their horse is doing at any given moment.