Tip/Quote of the Day # 4567
If your horse finds lateral exercises more difficult in one direction vs the other (as many do), then they are not truly straight, or evenly laterally supple.
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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4566
"I used to ride mostly Thoroughbreds. I don’t know if they’re more intelligent, but I find that they think for themselves a bit more than the warmbloods. With a warmblood I find I definitely have to do a lot more, and think a lot more for them.
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 # 4565
"It is not dressage that is difficult, it is making it look easy that is difficult. Some horses are born with presence, while others you can train presence. Either way, dressage is about improving the paces." ~ Carl Hester
Maintaining the Horse's Length of Neck in Transitions (Current Freebie!)
I will never forget the first time that I attended the USET training sessions down in Ocala, Florida many years ago..... I was so excited to watch all of the top Event riders receive dressage instruction from Grand Prix dressage trainer Sandy Pflueger Phillips, who was the dressage coach for
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4564
From Facebook Fan Brenda Herzog ~ "When trying to sit the canter or trot, relax the legs down and around with each stride and to pick the horse "up" with you. This eliminates the bounce in your seat and helps to elevate the horse."
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4563
A rider's hands can only be as good as the arms they belong to.
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 # 4562
Every time your horse spooks, remind yourself that horses in the wild that didn't spook at that rustling bush often got eaten by lions.
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4561
If you have short arms, you will have to be especially careful to make sure that you keep at least a little bend in your elbows at all times when riding. If your elbows become completely straight, you will lose your ability to follow your horse's movement with
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!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4560
The quieter you become with your aids, the more detail you can hear and feel in your riding.
Lesley's Corner
Exercises to Improve Your Horse's Suppleness
Lateral suppleness is the horse's ability to bend easily from side to side. Few horses are naturally ambidextrous, so a major goal of dressage is to make the horse more even on both sides & truly straight. Here are specific exercises to improve lateral suppleness, from most basic to most difficult!
Lesley's Corner
The Ultimate Rider Hand Position Fix!
Here is a highly effective exercise, that will fix any hand position flaw that you may have!
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The Low Wide Oxer Exercise
The low wide oxer exercise teaches the horse many valuable lessons! They learn how to 'bascule' and truly use their body to stretch easily across fences with width. This gives the horse enormous confidence in his ability to handle wide obstacles. Learn how to safely introduce this concept here!
Lesley's Corner
A Little Trick That is Helpful in the Training of Hot or Nervous Horses
The hot or anxious type of horse can be challenging to ride and train, but if patiently handled, they can be the very best competitors! This exercise will help you get better results with your nervous horse. And it’s so simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been using it!
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The BEST Exercise to Loosen Up Your Horse's Tight Lower Back Area
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Making Related Distances Work For You
With a little planning and forethought, you CAN make related distances work for you. You just have to focus on these key points!
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Square Exercise # 3
One of the most common problems riders face when turning is losing control of the horse's outside shoulder. This exercise is a great way to get more control over that outside shoulder to help make more accurate turns - which will help you come out of the turns straight and in better balance.
Lesley's Corner
The Responsibility Exercise
Your horse will never truly be in self carriage if you give constant aids. Train him to take responsibility to maintain the gait or movement with minimal input from you. It must become a state of mind, so that he truly understands this responsibility. Learn how to teach this here!
Lesley's Corner
Introducing the Counter Canter
Counter canter is simply one of the most beneficial exercises you can do for your horse! In addition to building strength, improving balance, & increasing hind leg engagement, it also improves the horse's ability to be straight in the canter. Which will improve all of your canter work.
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Ride the Horse You Are on at the Moment
Most horses are a work in progress, becoming more confident, wise, and educated. Riders should constantly adapt to these changes, but often have a hard time letting go of old "baggage." They tend to ride the horse they used to have, which means the horse will tend to revert back to how he was.
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Do You Get Nervous When You Perform at a Horse Show??
If you are like many riders, the act of performing in front of others will make you at least somewhat nervous, whether you realize it or not! Don't despair... there IS something you can do to help you deal with this uncomfortable feeling when it happens! Read on to find out what it is!
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Guest Blog # 122: Walk... Don't Walk, by Bill Woods
A seemingly minor issue where you can gain or lose points in a test (or just make the judge crazy) is how you make your transitions in and out of the halt. Let's begin with Intro and Training Level rides where the directive permits transitions between trot and