If you attempt to teach your horse to jump, to go through water, or to jump over a ditch when the horse is not first trained to go instantly forward from the leg, you are not setting yourself up for success.
Don't forget that the way the distance rides between two jumps changes as the fence height changes. The horse will land further into a line or combination when the jumps are larger, which makes the distance effectively shorter.
Imagine an open ditch as a triple bar, so that you come close to the edge on the takeoff, and ride forward across the back edge. Doing so will make the jumping effort easier for the horse, and give him confidence.
"Lightness, whose characteristic lies in the elastic and springy flexibility of all joints and muscles, can only be acquired after all resistances have completely disappeared, that is, with the disappearance of all inopportune contractions." ~ Alexis François L’Hotte
From Facebook fan Gabby Ballin: "Some rides are going to be perfect. Some rides are going to have you wondering why you don't quit riding. When that happens, take a deep breath and go back to something you know you and your horse can do easily."
Don't copy successful riders' bad habits. Instead, look at what they do WELL. Just because they can pull off success with quirky form doesn't mean you can.
Take yourtimewhen riding transitions. Many riders seem to rush through them just to get them done. Be conscious of preparing for each one, and feeling all of the details while you are making the transition - being ready toabort the transitionif things start to go wrong.
When riders stiffen their shoulders it can cause them to also have tense, tight arms and hands. To relax your shoulders, take a deep breath in, and exhale fully... looking for the feeling that your shoulders and elbows drop and become supple.
Those riding a strong horse on cross country should generally ride with their stirrups on the short side. The increased angles give the rider more strength to deal with apuller.
The horse's back is like a bridge that connects its front and hind legs. It is the rider's job to keep that bridge stable and consistently level, or even better slightly lifted into an "UP" position like an arched bridge. When the horse's back is regularly allowed to remain in a hollow position with a rider's weight on board, the horse's back will be damaged... eventually.
Always use both reins together to steer, especially when jumping. Using one rein only turns the horse's nose - leaving the rest of his body to derail. While using both reins together turn the horse at the shoulders, meaning his body will more accurately follow your chosen line.
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.
"Adopt a classical position, resist all fads and gadgets, and ride the horse quietly and softly between the two straight lines of the stirrup leather and the elbow to the horse's mouth. It's simple. It's just not easy." ~ Jimmy Wofford
While it is important to have a plan when riding, you should be ready to adapt that plan as necessary. Ultimately, you ride the horse and not the plan!
If there is a jump on your cross country course that you are worried about, you certainly don't want to have to face it twice! So ride it like you are mad at it, and "get 'er done"!
From Facebook fan Mary Apfel-Vandeyacht ~ "Riding is a lot like driving a manual transmission... You may be able to make it go (when learning how to ride), but you're going to break it and look like a schmuck unless you learn to do it right."
"In the half halt that creates carrying power, we are asking the horse to slow down and carry more weight when his hind leg joints are closed and his hind foot is on the ground. The levade, in which the horse sits on his hindquarters, is the ultimate example of this kind of closing of the joints while carrying the weight." ~ George Williams
The use of "half steps" in your training can be very beneficial, as it can help the horse to understand the idea of engagement without increasing speed.
From Facebook fan Stacey Ellen, "At dressage shows I like to watch the [good] pros; their hands are in serving tray position and they always seem to be offering something to their horse not containing them."
Be extra careful when conditioning both young horses and older horses. Young horses have tendon/ligaments/bones that have not yet been strengthened. And the older horse’s ligaments and tendons tend to become less elastic and resilient over time.
"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
Keep breathing. It is much easier to remember a Dressage test or a course of jumps with the benefit of a little oxygen. If you have difficulty with this, try talking out loud while on course, or in your head during a Dressage test. This will help you to relax and breathe naturally.
When you ride powerfully "forward to the base" of your jumps you allow your horse to jump in such a way that is actually the easiest and most natural for him. Powerful, but not necessarily fast. This is about impulsion, not speed.
Building the horse's power right to the base of the jump means that he stresses his hocks less on the takeoff. The horse that is underpowered has to push that much harder to get over that jump. And being balanced with his hind legs well under him means less stress on his front legs on the landing side.
Cross training is SO good for horses. Horses will likely enjoy their job even more after a "change of scenery", or by trying something new. Much as we often do our jobs with a better attitude after doing something different for a while and then going back to the job.
"Believe in classical dressage, particularly if you have a horse who is a tough subject. Eventually, it will pay off and you will have a happy, healthy, sound horse who wants to do the work."
When you first begin to work on movements like shoulder in and haunches in, always start out with minimal angle and focus more on the quality of the bend.
"Sit on your bum. If you do that you’re part of the movement. If you squeeze with your thighs you can’t sit. Stay soft in your hips, draw yourself into the saddle and keep the calf just against his rib cage." ~ Bettina Hoy
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.
Without understanding and some degree of feel, you will have a hard time reproducing the good moments that you might achieve in lessons. This is why it is so important that your instructor has the ability to help you understand the details of each training concept, and to help you to learn how to feel those details.
"If the rider can halt his horse in any lateral movement, so that it stands quietly in the same position, or ride straight forward without hesitation, it is proof that the horse was going well between hands and legs." ~ Borries von Oeynhausen
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!
