In a movement like shoulder in, where the horse is likely to try to evade the difficulty of bending his body by swinging his quarters out, it can sometimes be helpful to bring your dressage whip forward, and touch the horse with it right in front of the saddle. This helps to reinforce your inside leg which should be up at the girth, and shows him to yield in that specific part of his body.
This is actually quite common! And most riders don't realize that they do this... so good for you that you are aware of the problem! This problem stems from the rider... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer) Tip/Quote of the Day # 1025
“Why not ride your dressage movements out in the open, in the field or the back paddock? Chances are your horse will be brighter, more forward, and focused.” ~ Michael Jung
Imagine 2 people picking up and carrying a very stiff board or a heavy log. That board isn't soft, supple, or athletic.... it is simply a rigid object that was transported from point A to B.
A horse can transport himself from point A to B with his four legs, but if he does not use his entire musculature properly - with a supple body and a relaxed, swinging back - his body is similar to that rigid log, and he will not develop as an athlete. This is why it is not uncommon to see horses that are otherwise fit and strong, yet lack proper muscling throughout their toplines.
So, if you have a horse that tries hard to NOT use his back when working... in other words, he wants to be a leg mover under saddle - what do you need to focus on in your training to make sure that you are addressing this issue? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
There are some trainers who teach "lifting" the horse with your hands on the takeoff of the jump, to assist the horse off the ground. This is somewhat of a slippery slope, as the more you offer to lift the horse, the more the horse will rely on it and lean into it. Instead, create the type of canter that will allow your horse to rock back and lift his front end easily for himself. Then stay out of his way and let him do just that. This will help to produce a horse that wants to jump clean on his own, rather than one that needs micromanaging.
Let's face it... with the excitement that is often involved in jumping, both horse and rider sometimes have trouble waiting for the jump to come to them! When horses have trouble waiting in front of fences, and end up changing their rhythm and/or stride length, their balance will usually be negatively affected. This will be especially so if they brace or resist against the rider's hand as they try to rush!
And if the rider's excitement on the approach to the jump causes them to want to do something to help the process along - that will almost always have a negative effect on the way the horse will jump that fence. Since horses jump their best when their riders approach the jump in a poised and consistent manner, and when they are able maintain the same rhythm and balance right to the base of the fence - both horse and rider will benefit from this often overlooked exercise. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
I am sorry to hear that you have not been enjoying your riding as much lately. This can unfortunately be a sport of great highs and lows, and many riders will go through periods where things are frustratingly difficult, and just not fun anymore. The answer to your question about whether or not you should give it up can really only be answered by you. You will have to dig deep inside to really find out what you really want. The first thing I would suggest that you do is to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1017Be careful not to drill movements. Doing so can be both mentally and physically irritating to the horse, and sets them up for repetitive strain, soreness, and injury.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1016“My horse follows the bit to a solid contact. Warm-up is not only for loosening but also for developing this steady contact with the bit. From the beginning, when I pick up my reins in the walk and posting trot I expect my contact to be steady. I don’t like loose reins or keeping the horse behind the vertical. It’s very important that your horse be low in the neck and reaching forward toward the bit.” ~ Hubertus SchmidtTip/Quote of the Day # 1015“The secret in riding is to do few things right. The more one does, the less one succeeds. The less one does, the more one succeeds.” ~ Nuno OliveiraTip/Quote of the Day # 1014Riders who take the time and effort to learn theory will go much further in this sport.Guest Blog Post # 71: "The Time Warp" by Bill Woods
It's not unusual for a novice rider to emerge from a dressage test and announce, "Wow, that whole thing went by in such a blur!" Later when that same rider has worked her way up to Fourth Level, if she has an occasion to ride another horse back in First Level she's apt to observe how luxurious it is to have all that time in the test to prepare for the next movement. In the same vein I've heard Grand Prix riders remark on how much "free time" they have when they ride a Prix St. George test... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
One thing that every cross country course has in common, no matter what the level, is... ??? This is something you should be working on! Read on to learn all about it. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1012"If the horse does not enjoy his work, his rider will have no joy." ~ H.H. IsenbartTip/Quote of the Day # 1011“It’s really important with the piaffe that I can make it easier for the horse by allowing him to travel forward. If I was to keep him on the spot all the time, it’s a tremendous amount of strain. If I did that every day, the horse would never last.” ~ Charlotte DujardinTip/Quote of the Day # 1010When you halt and salute the judge at a competition, remember to smile! This will send the judge the message that you are confident about your performance, which can impress the judge and may even influence your scores in a subconscious way. Discussion # 144: Is this a refusal?Is this route on a AB cross country complex considered a refusal? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1009Lateral movements are not an end in themselves, but serve to stretch the outside of the horse's body, make the horse more laterally supple, improve straightness, and encourage the horse to carry more weight behind by engaging whichever hind leg is being targeted by each specific movement.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1008“Thoroughbreds tend to thrive on physical movement, and they are, like all horses, hypnotized by their own rhythms. Repetition of success creates a sense of peace.” ~ Steuart PittmanTip/Quote of the Day # 1007Turn 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.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1006A little trick for those of you who need to be more stable with your outside rein connection, and your outside hand in general, is to try the temporary exercise of holding onto your saddle pad with the fingers of your outside hand. Stabilizing your outside hand in this way will also help you to learn to better use your body, rather than your hands, to turn your horse.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1005The halt must come from the rider's seat aid, not the reins.The Difference Between a "Correction" and Punishment When Training Horses
The secret to our success in training horses ultimately lies in the techniques that we use. And the true horseman knows exactly which techniques to use in each individual situation, to get the best results with every horse.
Sensitive and high strung horses in particular need to be handled very carefully, as if they feel punished when they make a mistake, they can become anxious. As we all know, horses cannot learn or think very well when they are anxious or upset. So to get the best out of this type of horse, you need to truly understand the distinct difference between a correction and a punishment - and you must know how to execute any corrections needed in such a way that your horse will not perceive them as punishment, regardless of your intention. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1004"The horse is the fastest learner of all domestic animals—including children. If you stay alive by running away, you better learn fast." ~ Robert Miller, DVM
Horses that are herd bound or barn sour can be tough to fix! It won't be an easy or quick process, but there are definitely some things you can do... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1002Always keep your spine stretched upward when riding. When you slump, your head and shoulders will become "heavy", and your horse will likely become heavy in your hands.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1001"Good contact is like having a conversation with a friend in a cozy coffee shop. Bad contact is like being hollered at by a stranger at the DMV.” ~ UnknownTip/Quote of the Day # 1000The bigger the jump, the more the horse must rock back and lift upwards on the takeoff. Therefore as the jumps get bigger, it becomes even more important that you are poised and patient with your upper body off the ground.Guest Blog post # 70: "If It Occurs To Us" by Bill Woods
Most teachers have nefarious designs on your mind—ones that they may not admit to. You just may want nuts and bolts explanations of the "which leg goes where" variety. Most times that's not all you're going to get... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
Some horses are naturally great at following their rider's eye when jumping courses. They are so attentive and attuned to their rider, that they always seem to know where the rider is intending to go next, even before they are given any other signals. Other horses are not quite as focused on their riders, and could be better at reading their rider's body language and focus, and following their eye. These horses often require strong turning aids on course, and are likely to be seen resisting and fighting their rider through the turns.
This can be improved however! And if you have a horse that needs improvement in this area, it will be well worth the effort that you put into working on this. As when your horse is thinking about following your eye on course, you will find that your rounds will become much more fluent. The improved harmony between you and your horse will be evident for all to see! Read on for a simple exercise to teach your horse to better follow your eye, which has an added benefit of improving your ownfocus and eye control! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 998“I start by stretching the horse and trying to make him relaxed and supple. It’s a bit like gymnastics with a horse, dressage is. You wouldn’t expect a gymnastics person to just go and start their workout; they do a nice stretch in the warm-up first.” ~ Charlotte DujardinTip/Quote of the Day # 997“When you train at home, do one thing at a time. Pirouette one day and half pass another, so you have time to do each thing with quality. You might choose canter work on one day and trot work on another.” ~ Kyra KyrklundDiscussion # 143: How would you ride this fence? Let's say that this ramp jump is a classic "ski jump" type fence, with a steep downhill slope on the landing side. How would you ride the approach? Taking into consideration that this is a big, solid, rampy jump with some width to it... and balancing that with the steep downhill landing that your horse will not see until he is at the takeoff point - what speed would you want to have coming into this jump? What type of canter would you want? And in what position should you be in on the approach? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 996The quality of your walk to halt transitions will tell a lot about the quality of alll of your work.
