Too much repetitive motion has a tendency to inhibit muscle symmetry. Always aim to mix things up in your training (whether horse or human), so that you can develop balanced musculature.
If you hold too much rein contact on the approach to a fence that your horse is suspicious of, or is "having a look" at, you can easily cause a stop. If a jump is backing your horse off even slightly, that is a free half halt. All you have to do is ride forward!
"You have to constantly refine your program and train with the best people that you can find so that you’re always growing and staying competitive." ~ Jessica Phoenix
Think of your brain as a densely wooded area with paths running through it. Whenever you are trying to learn how to do something new, you have to blaze new pathways in your brain.
Turn on the forehand is a great tool to improve your connection and to teach your horse to engage the inside hind leg. Used early on in your warm up it will mobilize your horse’s lumbar back and hips, and will give you a chance to improve his response to your lateral aids.
"Permeability can only exist when, on the one hand, the thrust and impulsion from the hind legs reach the forehand undiminished, and on the other hand, when the weighting and flexing half-halts fully reach the hind legs. This requires the forehand and hindquarters to be aligned in such a way that, on a single track, the horse always adjusts his spine to the straight or curved line of travel, so that the hind legs follow in the same line as the front legs." ~ Waldemar Seunig
Don't half halt or make an adjustment in front of a fence unless you need to. So often I see riders that ruin their good canter on the approach by taking back unnecessarily. And the same holds true on the flat…. If you have a good trot or canter, leave it alone!
Some people misunderstand the term "on the forehand", which refers to the horse's shoulders being down, regardless of where his head and neck are positioned.
Be careful not to sit the trot too early on in a ride. Doing so before the horse is fully warmed up and truly moving through his topline can often be detrimental, as the horse is more likely to stay stiff and tight in his back.
Soften and let your horse lengthen his neck, while trying to maintain the feeling that he stayssittingbehind, with a lowered croup and well engaged hind legs.
The more successful you are in getting your horse to relax and swing through his back muscles throughout his work, the less likely he will be to lose focus and spook.
"If you ride and train for a living, have something else that you do. Don’t make this your whole life. The bad days - and there are always bad days - will eat you up and spit you out. Have something that you do that has nothing to do with horses, to help put yourself back together again." ~ Lauren Sprieser
"I do not ask the rider to alter the horse’s step in front of the pole because I want to awaken the horse’s initiative. Whether he takes a slightly long step or adds a step before the pole, I am equally satisfied. If he steps on the pole, the chances are good that he will learn from the experience and not do it again. If he continues to step on the poles on the ground, I suggest that the rider find another prospect, as this one is probably too dumb to improve over obstacles." ~ Jimmy Wofford
"Nothing is as impressive or as valuable for the training as being able to control the impulsion and the desire to go forward to such an extent that the rider is able to bring his horse to a standstill from an extended trot or canter without the slightest effort or disturbance. Conversely, departing immediately from the halt into an extended gait is an equal proof of the absolute desire to go forward." ~ Alois Podhajsky
A horse that is well balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the jump at hand, can safely and comfortably leave the ground from just about any reasonable takeoff spot.
When a horse and rider have an apparent "miss", that causes a rail down or even a fall, the problem is the balance of the canter on the approach, NOT the takeoff spot. Riders who ride the quality of the canter instead of looking for a takeoff spot are the ones who never miss!
Eventers need a saddle for cross country that allows them to move their center of gravity back for drop fences or anything on a downhill slope. Make sure your saddle has enough room for this to happen.
If you don't have forward, you won't be able to achieve a truehalf halt. And without an effective half halt, it will be hard to improve the horse's balance.
"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
"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
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.
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.
"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
Your horse should still be connected when stretching. No loose reins! Only when they are honestly seeking the connection and moving with power from behind into the contact will the stretch be across the full topline of the horse.
If your trainer is not truly supportive.... find a better one! I am always baffled at how many riders stick with trainers who belittle them, and very often don't even really have their best interests at heart. Some trainers don't teach because they love teaching, but because they love to stroke their own ego!
"There is one way to check that you are on the right way – in the high collection you must be able to stretch them so they follow the bit and they are not stuck up there. In every situation you must be able to stretch them – even a piaffe or a pirouette, even then, I must be able to do it." ~ Hubertus Schmidt
When training a young horse you should be fairly single minded. Your main goal should be to build your horse's confidence in you, so that they think of you as a fair but strong leader.
