Recent Articles in Tip/Quote of the Day!

"When thinking about collecting a horse--closing a horse from behind to shift his center of gravity further back--many riders only think of closing the horse longitudinally from hocks to bridle. However, one also closes the horse laterally, i.e., from outside leg to inside rein, and from inside leg to outside rein, like an X." ~ Charles de Kunffy

"If you practice being fluid, you eventually will be fluid. If you're casual about it, it will never happen." ~ Joe Fargis

"My coaches insisted that the reins may be used for a thousand things except for two: to inhibit the haunches or to set the shape of his neck." ~ Charles de Kunffy

"A horse's energies are gathered up from behind and by yielding on the reins and giving him the room to step through to the center of gravity, the neck will shape to reflect the activities in the haunches. Trying to achieve collection by working on the horse's neck cuts the horse off in the front, confining him and preventing the hind legs from lifting, suspending and powerfully supporting the rider's balance." ~ Charles de Kunffy

From Facebook fan Firn Hyde ~ "Reschooling a horse with vices and sending it back to its owner is not enough. The vices will return with unguided riding. Only by retraining both horse and rider can the problem be solved."

"Whenever a horse has learned a new movement or a new aid in its basic form, the rider should give him a break and deliberately ride something else for a few days or weeks. When he returns to the movement, he will notice how much more easily the training will proceed." ~ Reiner Klimke

No moment of riding without stirrups is ever a waste of time!

If you fall into using loud aids, and don't have a plan to make your horse more sensitive, you will probably always need loud aids.

The elasticity in your connection should really come from your elbows, not active fingers.

When you find yourself thinking a negative thought about your riding, cancel it out by following it with a positive one. 

Whenever you are facing any type of jump with a ditch in front of it, think of it as a "free" front rail, or a rolled out ground rail. Focus on the top of the jump (ignoring the ditch), and ride freely forward to it in a balanced, rhythmical gallop.

It is very hard to get a horse truly fit in an arena. You need to use varied terrain and footing to build a strong athlete that will hold up to the rigors of Eventing.

From Facebook fan Dana Ferguson ~ "Moving through the levels is really dependent on the bar that you raise for straightness. The more cognizant and careful you are to maintain it, the more the horse can work in true collection." 

"One of the good things about our sport is that while getting older might slow your reflexes down, the knowledge you have enables you to continue to improve, and handle the challenges better." ~ Shane Rose

To help keep your horse uphill when spiraling in on a circle, imagine that you are going up a spiral staircase. With each stride inward on the spiral, grow taller and think about going up an imaginary step. 

Whether on or off the horse, the lower you center of gravity is, the easier it is to balance. So what does this mean to your riding? Keeping your balance point low, by keeping your seat close to the saddle when up off of your horse's back, and your weight sinking well down into your heels, will make you more secure.

"I see photos of even top level riders turning or doing lateral work with the inside rein going backwards, and just want them to see the photos and realize, this is neither bend or engagement, but crooked and blocking the engagement and the ability to ask the horse to "track true" and for the horse and rider to start to learn to collect and carry themselves uphill." ~ Peter Shaw

While a thicker mouthpiece is generally considered to be more gentle than a thinner bit, the horse with a small mouth or a low palate often prefers a thinner bit.

"If you find the half pass challenging, try this exercise:

Ride shoulder-in. Ride a 10-meter circle. Return to shoulder-in for a few strides. Turn the shoulder-in into half pass. This exercise is effective because it breaks down the pieces of the half pass (shoulder-in and the 10-meter circle) and then puts them back together in a logical sequence.” ~ Charlotte Bredahl-Baker 

From Facebook fan Rachel Rogers Laliberte ~ "First you must be able to follow a horse's mouth perfectly before you can add any 'ask' for a frame....because contact comes from the leg."

"If the horse is beautifully ridden and makes a mistake, just do it again, exactly the same, and the horse teaches itself." ~ George Morris

The more impulsion you have at any given moment, the more submission you need. And submission is not the same thing as subservience. Submission is the willingness of the horse to follow your instructions. 

"To ensure correct bend in the haunches-in, imagine wrapping your horse’s body around your inside leg." ~ Charlotte Bredahl-Baker

"Think about riding your horse up and in front of you. Every chance you get, put your hands forward so you can meet the contact out further. Keep thinking about the frame and keeping your horse growing in front of you." ~ Charlotte Bredahl-Baker

"I can really only execute an exercise properly when I fully understand the theory – why and how I am riding the exercise to begin with. For this, I need the relevant knowledge, which is either imparted to me by my riding instructor, or which I gain by reading books, listening to special lectures, watching DVDs, or attending clinics." ~ Ingrid Klimke

"The inside rein indicates direction, the outside rein executes direction." ~ Christine Traurig 

Lunge work provides a sound foundation for your work under saddle. It helps young horses to develop confidence in their handlers, helps them to find their own balance at all three gaits, and builds their strength for carrying a rider. 

Bending and lateral work stretches the outside of the horse's body. As with any type of stretching, increase your demands gradually as the horse becomes more supple.

When you are teaching your horse something new, begin to teach it to him in the direction that he finds the easiest, so that it is a more positive experience for him.

"You must teach the young horse to clearly understand the difference between yielding versus bending on a circle." ~ Christine Traurig