Video Discussion # 86: The important points of free jumping your horse, and how to best introduce jumping to the young horse! Check out this video, which discusses the benefits and important points of free jumping your horse, and how to introduce your young horse to the concept of free jumping. Your thoughts?? Who here has free jumped their horses? What did you learn about them from watching them jump on their own? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to watch video and read this educational discussion)Tip/Quote of the Day # 710A rider's rigid elbows will cause the horse's back to become correspondingly rigid.Discussion # 124: How do you feel about having corner jumps at the Novice level?At an Event that I attended a few weeks ago, there was a real (vs the traditional more introductory style) corner on the Training level course. And I was thinking about starting a discussion about corner jumps at the Training level.
Then this past weekend at a different competition (both in CA), they had a corner jump on the Novice course... and this one was at the bottom of a significant hill! What are your thoughts on corner jumps at these levels? And if you are competing at the Novice or Training levels, what do you need to do at home to prepare for meeting one of these on a cross country course? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
You don't say how old your young horse is, but I would wait to do any real jumping until he is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 704On the idea of taking risks in the Dressage ring: "Aim for a score of a 7 on most movements, and decide what movements your horse excels at, and push for a bit more on those. Going for 8's across the board can backfire, leaving you with some 4's." ~ William Fox PittVideo # 82: This is Vita doing a Dressage test! (Click on Video Title above (in blue) to read the critique of this video)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 703"Speaking as a veterinarian/animal chiropractor, a significant amount of damage can be done, especially to the young or remedial horse, by the use of draw reins. Draw reins multiply the force the bit has on the bars, and therefore act to pull the head and neck in a backward direction resulting in a broken neckline and often hyperflexion which puts enormous tension on the upper neck muscles/nuchal ligament system, and the back via the supraspinous ligament. When hyperflexed the horse is overextended at the lumbosacral joint and is not able to properly bring the hindquarters underneath to allow lift of the back without tension. What you are often left with is a horse moving with a tense back that is unable to properly support the weight of the rider." ~ Kelli TaylorTip/Quote of the Day # 702
Remember that to balance your horse in front of a fence you do not necessarily have to slow down. Many times you simply need to change the shape of the canter stride - i.e. bring the horse into a more uphill frame.
Discussion # 123: The correct position vs the chair seat!The correct riding position is really more like standing in a squatting position than like sitting. Yet, since we do sit on our seat bones when seated in the saddle, it can be hard for some riders to get close to this ideal alignment of shoulders, hips, and heels as shown in the top photo. It is common for riders to instead sit in somewhat of a chair seat, with their feet out in front of them, as in the bottom photo. If you tend to have this very common problem, what can you work on to fix it? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 701Unless you are intentionally working on a specific weakness in a horse that has trouble making longer distances, it is best to school most gymnastic and gridwork with distances that are at least slightly snug for your horse. As the shorter distances will make your horse rock back more on his haunches on the takeoffs, and will teach him to use his body more fully when jumping.Tip/Quote of the Day # 700Turning your toes out beyond your natural conformation will cause you to pinch the horse with the back of your thighs and the muscles of your seat.Tip/Quote of the Day # 699Thinking of steering your horse from the middle of his body rather than his nose will help you to keep all of his body parts under control.Photo # 66: This is Amy! (Click on Photo Title above (in blue) to read the critique of this photo)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 698Horses speak through actions. Try to listen to what they are telling you.Question # 256: I need help with my sitting trot! (Anonymous)The key to sitting the trot well is three fold: (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 697Make sure there is a slight time lapse between a light aid and a correction. This gives the horse a chance to respond to the light aid... and it gives him a chance to learn from the reinforcement of that aid. Tip/Quote of the Day # 696"Our job is to prepare the line and canter, then ride forward to the jump. Riding forward to the jump is NOT accelerating to the jump. There is a difference. When riders got to a longer or shorter distance than ideal, the emphasis should be on the rider staying in the moment and conveying confidence to the horse." ~ William Fox PittTip/Quote of the Day # 695With horses, just like with people, let your actions speak for you. For example, you may think you are rewarding your horse when you say "Good boy" or "Good girl"… but if you don't also release the aid, your horse will not really feel rewarded for their effort.Tip/Quote of the Day # 694"Every transition you ride at home has to be a good one." ~ Charlotte DujardinTip/Quote of the Day # 693Riders often get to sitting crooked when trying to "weigh" a particular seat bone. So when I am teaching, and I want riders to use the influence of their weight or a particular seat bone as an aid, I tell them to "engage" that seat bone instead of to weigh it. Think about engaging your core to press down on the seat bone that you want to engage, while keeping your spine stretched up, and your shoulders level.Tip/Quote of the Day # 692"The goal of our training is to build the horse's mind and his muscles. Suppleness and relaxation require adequate muscle strength. strengthening requires both contraction and relaxation. Blood flow and oxygenation occur when the muscle relaxes. If the muscle is kept in a constant state of contraction, it loses power and strength, and actually becomes smaller. Frequent rest periods, especially for a young horse at a free walk on a long rein, are necessary. The rest periods are not for a rider's fatigue, but to allow the horse to stretch and relax his muscles. The rest breaks will give you a completely new horse. This is the systematic gymnasticizing of the horse." ~ Klaus BalkenholBonnie's Blog Post # 1: Introduction!
My name is Bonnie and I’m a Weenie Eventer. That is, I am scared of eventing but I also find it weirdly addicting and ridiculously fun, and I continue to do it because I love a good challenge, I’m a glutton for punishment, and I have an awesome horse who takes very good care of me. Speaking of… introductions are in order.
Meet Loki:
Loki is really good at naps. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 691So often, riders are taught to "lean back" when going down hills and over drop fences. While this is better than leaning too far forward in either of those situations, you must remember that as a rider you are where your center of gravity is, not where your shoulders are. You will be in a better position to be in harmony with your horse going down hills and on fences with drops (or any time you need to be in a defensive position, as in this article), while keeping your hip angle closed with your hips well back.The Classic Galloping Position
Classic: adjective - Judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind. Serving as a standard of excellence.
noun - Something of recognized and established value. A perfect example.
When we speak of the classical galloping position for Event riders, it is not just because it is traditional - having been used by the best riders in the history of the sport... It is also because it is fundamentally correct, with a legitimate reason behind every aspect of the rider's position. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 690The key to riding good "cross the diagonal" movements in the Dressage ring is to ride deeply in the preceding corner, while keeping the impulsion through the turns, so that the energy level stays consistent throughout the movement. Firn's Blog Post # 14
Release, Relax, Recite
My habit of riding for more or less 40 hours a week is both a blessing and a curse. Obviously the hours upon hours of practice is extremely beneficial in many ways, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but it does make it that much easier to pick up a bad habit. With the amount of time I spend in the saddle, a habit can be learnt, practiced, and solidified in less than a week. Proportionately, I also have fewer lessons than most amateur riders; while your average ammy's lessons make up 50-100% of their riding time, mine take up about 5% of my riding time, even though I have two hours of lessons a week... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 689The more complex the movement, the more the basic foundation is tested. If you run into an issue when attempting a particular movement, always be ready to look back to that foundation to fix it. Discussion # 122: How do you best handle this situation?This rider is obviously struggling with getting his horse to properly respond to his outside turning aids at this moment, and has therefore tried to cross his outside hand over the neck to make it happen. What causes a horse to have this problem? What should the rider do in this situation to fix the problem? And what can the rider work on at home to prevent future occurrences of this issue? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
This is a great question! Scores can be a good guideline, but they can sometimes be misleading... so I wouldn't rely on them exclusively. I have seen great movers get good scores despite having solid enough basics to move up a level. And the sad truth is that the below average mover may sometimes struggle to reach scores the mid 60's despite being technically ready to move up a level. The real question is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 687If your horse feels locked and braced against you, you are probably bracing and pulling against him yourself. He will probably never let go unless you do. Tip/Quote of the Day # 686"It's very important, especially in the first two years of training, not to specialize the young horse. Training should include a variety of activities, including trail riding, which is good for the mind as well as building strength with hill work. It should include jumping, either free or low jumps under saddle, including small natural obstacles on the trail, and cavaletti. A variety of work will allow the horse to stay mentally fresh and to enjoy his work. Only when the horse is happy can dressage become art." ~ Klaus BalkenholTip/Quote of the Day # 685If your horse is not "hot" to your leg, and you therefore need lots of leg to keep him going, how will he ever hear the leg aid that asks for something more, like lateral work or a flying change?Question # 254: At what level would a turn on the forehand show up on a dressage test? (Julie) Hi Julie!
The turn on the forehand is not in a Dressage test at any level, but I really wish it would be! Horses at the most basic levels of Eventing or Dressage should know how to do it. If a horse doesn't understand the aids for a turn on the forehand, it won't... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 684"Your corners and short sides are what make your movements. Nine times out of ten, you have to do something out of a corner. If you ride a bad corner, you ride a bad movement." ~ Charlotte DujardinVideo Discussion # 85: A must see Dressage video, showing examples of correct and incorrect movement in the trot!Great video showing examples of the flashy "show trot" that is becoming so prevalent today, and why it is not correct. Also shows some good examples and clear definitions of "leg movers" vs "back movers". A must see video! Feel free to post any questions or comments you may have. (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to watch video, and read this educational discussion)Tip/Quote of the Day # 683Even the stiffest horse can reach around and bite at a fly on its rump. The neck is already one of the most supple areas of the horse's body, and does not need any further suppling. Horses are also naturally supple in the poll and jaw. What we perceive as stiffness in these areas is simply tension and resistance to our aids. We must encourage the horse to relax in those areas, but should not attempt to "work" those areas to force suppleness. The horse primarily needs to become supple in the mid section of the body, between the withers and the croup. So that is the area you should focus on in your suppling work.Discussion # 121: What "sneaky" extra challenge does this cross country complex provide for the riders? These pictures show a seemingly straighforward Training level water complex that presents a rather sneaky extra challenge to the riders. Who can tell us what that is? If you can't see the flags on the far jump, it is a pretty straight line from 16A to 16B (the brush). (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
Horses that snatch the reins in any circumstance are usually... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer) Tip/Quote of the Day # 680“You should always ride travers after the shoulder-in and not as often and long.” ~ Michael JungTip/Quote of the Day # 679Always 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. Tip/Quote of the Day # 678"People can make looking after horses so complicated. They're happiest out in the field, living out and being worked in the field. Whereas people keep them in and feed them so many additives that it's ridiculous. They feed them this and that and so many things. There's nothing like good green grass out in the field." ~ Mary KingTall and Short Rider Problems!
Much like with our equine athletes, riders come in various shapes and sizes. And there are pros and cons to each conformation type that should be considered. Why should we bother to take the time to consider the challenges that our particular body type might present us? So that we can develop a concrete plan to improve our weaknesses. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)
