Recent Articles in Tip/Quote of the Day!

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.

"Regular stretching is so very important. Without it, the horse will not develop a correct, well muscled top line, especially the muscling behind the saddle." ~ Carl Hester

"Horses have taught us that progress in learning takes place in an environment of contentment. Fear and tension block success. Boundaries must exist, be clear, and be consistent. Within those boundaries our horses are encouraged to express themselves." ~ Steuart Pittman

"Just because your horse goes around with his nose in, doesn't mean he is on the bit. And just because you can make him go sideways doesn't make him Second Level." ~ Bill Woods

Try to make it a habit to always pet with your inside hand when rewarding your horse under saddle. There are several reasons for this. First of all, you want to be in in the habit of keeping your outside rein connection consistent. And it is also a good way to create a habit of softening the inside rein - which is something a rider should do often.

Tightly clamped thighs make you lose your nice deep seat, and drive the horse's back down into a hollow position.

From Facebook fan Jenny Ferro ~ "When schooling babies over XC make sure you make it fun, enjoyable, encouraging, and let them figure out how to get themselves out of a bind. Sit up, look up, and kick on!"

"I have had to work to get flying changes because I didn't have a schoolmaster when I was learning. I count the steps: 1, 2, 3. Here is what I do:

• I check that my horse is listening to me by doing a big half halt. If he is not listening I don't ask for the change until he is sharper.
• I take my new outside leg back.
• I ask for the change." ~ Kyra Kyrklund

"I love hot horses. I hate kicking. I’m a lazy rider. I love to just sit and steer." ~ Charlotte Dujardin

The old masters learned early on that riding accurate arena patterns is the key for improving a horse's balance and straightness. Always keep this in mind in your training.

"Flex your horse to the outside when necessary to improve the horse's acceptance of the connection." ~ Chris Bartle

If you want your horse to build the right topline muscling, you need to ensure that they are truly connected and moving correctly through their bodies while you do things like hillwork and cavaletti. If you do these things with a horse that is hollow backed and not using his body correctly, you will only build the muscles that push the horse along, not those that help him carry himself properly with ease.

"A good rider lives on the small number of good steps and he builds on them. He forgets about the bad things. Inexperienced riders think mostly about the bad things." ~ Kyra Kyrklund 

The purpose of transitions is not just to get from one gait to the next. But to do so in a way that further gymnasticizes the horse, and improves his carriage. 

“If the leg is required at every stride to maintain the impulsion then it is necessary to return to the basic priorities again in order to teach the horse to remain active and forward thinking without constant use of the leg.” ~ Chris Bartle

"The important thing in the canter is to try to keep that jump, because a lot of riders, in trying to collect the canter, make the canter flat or, in trying to build power, will often rush the tempo. The most important thing is to hear the rhythm of the canter." ~ Hilda Gurney

Remember that tension inhibits suppleness - so make sure that you are not trying to force your horse to perform.

It can be a good exercise in awareness to exaggerate both extremes of an aspect of your position, such as leaning all the way to the left and then all the way to the right. Whichever way feels easier or less awkward for you might indicate that you tend to regularly sit to that side. Experiment with that and try to find the middle.

You don't really improve your trot lengthenings by working directly on them, per se. You improve them by doing exercises which increase the engagement in your horse's hind legs - half halts, the almost walk exercise, etc. When you have more engagement in your horse's trot, try your lengthening again, and it is likely that it will be improved. 

"It is good to ride with closed eyes once in a while." ~ Nuno Oliveira

On the basics of training - "You think it’s quite boring, but this is the foundation. It’s like building a house. If you have a bad foundation, you’re going to have a bad house." ~ Charlotte Dujardin

You need a short bouncy energetic canter in water. Not just to the jump in, but to any jump out or otherwise related to the water. Getting long and flat can be especially disastrous at a water jump.

Since most horses are more narrow in their shoulders than in their hips, you need to be thinking about a slight shoulder fore positioning whenever along the rail or wall. If you allow their left shoulder and their left hip to be the same distance away from the wall on your left, for example, the horse would be traveling with his right hind leg further towards the center of the ring than his right front.

From Facebook fan Annette Gaynes ~ "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."

No moment of riding without stirrups is ever wasted.

In order to do successful lateral work, a rider must have an independent seat, so their aids can work precisely and independently.

Turn your horse from the middle of his body by using your seat. And use both reins together to turn him from his shoulders. Turning with the inside rein only turns his nose, leaving the rest of his body to derail.

"Under no circumstances (except to save your life) is see-sawing on the bit ever allowed. Nor is sneaky jiggling. The bit should only be moved by the chewing action of the horse." ~ Catherine Haddad Staller

The elasticity in your connection should come from your elbows, not from the rider having open or active fingers.

"Don’t set the horse up when cantering over a pole — allow the horse to make mistakes and learn to adjust its own stride to negotiate the pole." ~ Eric Smiley

"Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." ~ Jimmy Wofford

Training horses is sometimes like peeling an onion - make some progress in one area, and your next project makes itself obvious...

"A tense horse's lateral suppleness can be improved by very forward canter leg yields." ~ Carl Hester

From member Catherine Norman ~ "One element of a combination at a time with a greenie, even one that is very experienced with stadium fences if they are new to XC. And if you aren't sure, ride forward, because underpace is not only harder for the horse it makes fences dangerous at the higher levels... Fences are made to be taken at a certain speed, not much more and certainly no less."

With many horses, it can be helpful to take a deep breath and exhale in a sigh as you begin the walk portion of your Dressage test. This can help to dissolve any tension that the horse may be holding, that might otherwise make for a “jig” step, or an accidental transition into trot.

"The distance between your ears and shoulders needs to be as big as possible." ~ Bettina Hoy  

So keep your head tall and your shoulders down and relaxed.  :)

The quieter you become with your aids, the more detail you can hear and feel.

"Riding correct lines is half the marks you get in the dressage test. So, getting into the corner and getting onto a really good centerline is very important. Use the space you’ve got." ~ Bettina Hoy

"In the half pass you should feel that the outside hind leg is carrying the load forward." ~ Nuno Oliveira

"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

A great instructor is always thinking and learning about new ideas and concepts, and is always looking for new ways to impart those ideas to their students. The minute one stops learning, one stops growing - and can become stagnant. 

Your seat shouldn't stop the horse's hind legs, it should send them actively up into your hand to stop the horse on its hindquarters.

Think about keeping your head up and still throughout the jumping motion to help keep your upper body more quietly poised.

Always be aware of the amount of tension you carry when riding, and whether you are breathing softly and evenly or holding your breath. Talking or humming quietly is a good way to ensure you keep breathing.

The more thoroughly you have prepared for a movement or transition, the more you can just allow it to happen, rather than making it happen.

A rider's rigid elbows will cause the horse's back to become correspondingly rigid.

Give your brain something positive to think about when you are worried.

"Milder bits make many horses happier." ~ Jackie Smith

From Facebook fan Dana Ferguson ~ "I was lucky enough to get to attend a clinic with Reiner Klimke and he loved to use the halt as a test. I loved it because I ride a lot on my own with no mirrors. So if the halt is square, closed and at the letter, your horse has to be balanced and on your aids. It was surprising how many upper level riders were having a problem with this and it showed simply what basics were being over looked."

When jumping, let the turn into the fence be a part of your half halt.

"We get the horses as loose as possible before we ask them to do more work in their bodies. if they’re not loose in the beginning, they’re not going to be loose and supple in their proper work." ~ Charlotte Dujardin

Many riders place their saddles too far forward! Make sure that the solid parts of the saddle are behind the horse's shoulder to allow for freedom of the shoulder.

From Facebook fan Jessica Fuller Stewart ~ "When my horse is truly forward he can not bulge his shoulder in the corners as easily. If I let him back off just a little in the corner he can then bulge very easy. Forward is everything!"

From Facebook fan Joan Childs ~ "Your hands must be free in order to use them effectively. You can not pull, push, follow, open or close your reins if they are busy being a source of your balance."

From Facebook fan Lynn Sullivan ~ "It's easier to stay fit then to get fit.....An old saying but applies to horses as well as riders."

"Acceptance of the bit happens in the haunches, not in the mouth." ~ Thomas Ritter

Practicing movements incorrectly will create an ingrained habit in both horse and rider that can be hard to break at a later date. Make sure you have eyes on the ground (whether that is in person, or virtually through online coaching) to make sure you are on the right track.

Never “go for the long one” at any jump into water that involves height. If you do, one of 2 things are likely to happen: 1. The horse will (quite rightly) ignore you and add a stride. 2. The horse will listen to you and take off early, but will probably hit his stifles hard on the fence on the way down.

“The best stretch can be achieved on a circle when you feel the horse is balanced laterally and longitudinally. Slowly allow the reins to lengthen and see if your horse will lengthen his neck forward and downward. This will feel like a clear release and you will be able to see how the neck fills out and gets wide when you look down.” ~ Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel

You need a short bouncy energetic canter in water. Not just to the jump in, but to any jump out or otherwise related to the water. Getting long and flat in the stride can be especially disastrous at a water jump.

"A horse is not ready to start work until he neither hurries forward nor holds back." ~ Peter DeCosemo

"I once heard someone describe the ideal self-carriage (Dehnungshaltung) as the following: Think of a horse standing at the edge of a cliff with his neck stretched out forward and down to peek over the edge, but he is rocked back on his hind legs so as not to fall. This situation describes how important the balance of the whole body is for a horse to be able to stretch and keep reaching and to later carry himself in collection. Therefore, to look only at the neck without evaluating the whole body of the horse is not sufficient." ~ Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel

Even if the rider has all of their body parts generally in the right place, they will feel out of balance and out of "sync" with their horse's movement when the shock absorbing joints in their hips and legs are locked and rigid.

"Riding half halts with the smallest give after each while the horse gets rounder and lighter but still reaches for the bit has been my tool to develop the basic gaits." ~ Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel

"You can influence a horse, but you're never really in control.” ~ Chris Bartle

With horses that like to curl their neck and become over bent, the rider needs to be careful not to get their reins too short. This will cause the horse to stay too short in the neck. Think of having longer arms that are always reaching towards the horse’s mouth.

"Incorrect training is as if you buttoned a sweater wrong. In order to fix it you must unbutton it and start over again." ~ Reiner Klimke

- You can not just add another layer over top and expect it to be right.

When asking for a canter lengthening or medium canter on a hot horse or one that is prone to tension - it can be helpful to initiate the upward transition with a bigger "scoop" of your seat rather than your leg, so that the horse understands that you want a bigger stride. Too much leg at the beginning of the lengthening can cause a horse to get tense, and can cause the horse to quicken rather than lengthen.

Always use both reins together to steer, especially when jumping. Using one rein only turns the horse's nose - but using both reins turn the horse at the shoulders, which means his body will more accurately follow your chosen line.

A horse must first be able to travel in a connected long and low frame before a proper higher head carriage can be achieved. If you struggle with lengthening your horse's neck while still maintaining a soft contact - be sure to master this connection before moving on to more advanced work. If you don't all of your more advanced work will likely be incorrect and will lack the back connection necessary for true hind leg engagement.

"Shorter reins generally allow for a better connection and less delay of the aids." ~ Reiner Klimke

If becoming a great rider wasn't hard, everyone would be able to do it. It's the hard that makes it great. 

"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

The rider hanging on the inside rein creates stiffness, resistance, head tilting, and loss of control of the horse's outside shoulder.

Just putting in the time does not guarantee success. You have to be practicing correctly to improve.

"If you get left behind jumping up a bank, your horse will HATE you!" ~ Jimmy Wofford

"Never move up until you can do the level you are at... in your sleep." ~ Jack Le Goff

From Facebook fan Annette Gaynes ~ "Release as you go past the scary spot instead of holding. SO HARD to do, but makes the horses trust that it's ok instead of thinking you're taking up panicked contact."

"Once you have ridden cross-country with short stirrups you will never ride cross-country with long stirrups again." ~ Chris Bartle 

"You don't win because you want to, deserve to, or have to. You win doing the things you do everyday while simply working to be better, perfecting your skills." ~ Unknown

Spend time on the basics, such as straightness and suppleness, and the harder movements will fall into place naturally.

There is nothing wrong with striving for perfection, as long as you don't obsess about it.

The sport of riding is at least 80% mental. Control of your mind is even more important than control of your body.

Speed magnifies mistakes. Therefore your basics had better be fairly solid before you start jumping at speed. 

If you shorten the reins when your horse is not thinking forward, he is likely to become even more stuck and behind your leg. Always get him thinking forward first!

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.

"The horse has to have independence, responsibility, and tolerance for a variety of distances [when jumping] because you’re going to mess up and the horse has to be able to cope." ~ William Fox Pitt

"I think most riders do not focus on one of the foremost goals of dressage, which is the development of the gaits. To develop the horse’s gaits, the rider has to have a supple, balanced seat and ride the horse from back to front. Only then can you have the horse really through and even on both reins. From there you must ride the horse boldly forward within his tempo." ~ Hilda Gurney

"Most riders know the required movements, but not the directives, and that is what we judges pay attention to. We look to see how the horse is ridden in these required exercises. Is the horse ridden to the contact? Does he maintain rhythm and regularity in all gaits? Does he show a degree of suppleness appropriate for his level? Does the rider keep a tempo that facilitates balance? Even for a simple circle the directives are explicit: 'consistent bend around the rider’s inside leg, placement and control over the size of circle, reach to the bit and the quality of the gait.'" ~ Lilo Fore

A good horse will forgive you when you make a mistake - and expects you to do the same.

"No complicated riding before the horses are going truly forward. In dressage, the difficulties are often created by a lack of good basic work (which is the foundation of the house)." ~ Nuno Oliveira

"I study my horse, and my horse studies me. If I am a coward, he is one. If I am lazy, he is lazy. If I am impatient he is impetuous. If I am lost in thought, how dreamily he pursues his way!" ~ Unknown

"If you keep your hands still, you’ll start using your legs." ~ Ulla Salzgeber 

Every well ridden corner is a suppling exercise, and should be recognized as such.

Trotting into bigger fences teaches both horse and rider to wait for the base of the jump, as well as teaching the horse to use technique and bascule to jump rather than momentum.

"If I ride a bad corner, I’m going to ride a bad movement. The short sides and corners are what set you up for every movement." ~ Charlotte Dujardin

"Don't delude yourself into thinking that you have light, soft hands, if you ride with loose, almost dangling reins on a strung out horse. That can be done with insensitive hands as well. A soft hand requires the rider to feel whether the horse is softly on the bit, chewing, and whether it responds to a light pressure, in other words, whether it has an active mouth. If he rides with loose reins, the horse can have a dead mouth, which will only show up when you use the reins to stop or to shorten the strides, as it will either let you pull its nose onto its chest, or it will invert, and in both cases it will open its mouth." ~ Oskar M. Stensbeck

Your weight or seat aid trumps your leg and hand aids at all times. So if you are unconsciously giving conflicting aids with your weight/seat and your legs or hands, your horse will usually not do exactly what you expect him to do.

Bounce fences teach horses to be quick thinking — an essential quality in an event horse.

"It’s so important that these horses enjoy every day of their work. Our routine is that we train in the school four days a week. On Monday and Tuesday they work, and then on Wednesday they go hacking on the road, and that means every horse—every horse in the yard hacks. Then Thursday and Friday they do schooling sessions, probably not longer than 45 minutes. Saturday they hack again, and Sunday is a complete day off. They all go in the field, even Valegro. They all have a normal life; we don’t wrap them up in cotton wool." ~ Charlotte Dujardin

"The jump is the product of your last three strides, always." ~ Michelle Strapp

If you ask for too much angle in any lateral movement (more than your horse can handle at that moment,) you risk impeding the balance and fluency of the movement, which should be one of your top priorities.

"Travers improves the horse’s bend and makes him more obedient and attentive to the calf aid." ~ Ernst Friedrich Seidler

Some horses ride a bit differently when show jumping on grass vs sand. Make sure you practice for both, if there is a chance you will eventually have to compete on both.

"You should recognize that your equine partner has an eye of its own when jumping and allow a good horse to have some role in the decision making process." ~ Frank Chapot

Eventers are usually adrenaline addicts, and the more nervous you feel before you start off on cross country, the bigger the rush afterwards!

The horse should feel like the reins are connected to the rider's back/seat/core, not their arms.

Some horses ride a bit differently when show jumping on grass vs sand. Make sure you practice for both, if there is a chance you will eventually have to compete on both.

A good trainer will know what you are capable of, and may sometimes push you slightly out of your comfort zone, asking you to do something that you would probably not attempt on your own. This can be a great opportunity to make a big "deposit" in your account of confidence!

Doing the same thing day after day hinders growth. Think about how that might apply to your riding.

"Follow the horse's mouth by means of a supple back." ~ Nuno Oliveira

As you are about to come down the centerline of a dressage test, briefly think about something that you know will make you smile. You and your horse will both relax, which will make for a happier performance. The judge will see the difference!

What you do with your seat when you ask for the canter will effect the quality of the canter transition. If you stiffen your hips and back as you ask for the canter (as many riders do when they ask for the canter too strongly,) the horse’s movement will be stifled. If you allow your hips and lower back to be supple and follow the horse’s motion while you are asking for the canter, the horse can respond with more active hind leg engagement in the transition.

"Horses are easier to train than people, especially Thoroughbreds because they are always thinking." ~ Steuart Pittman

"When you get on, you should feel that your stirrups are a little bit short. As you warm up, as you come out of the saddle and come forward and jump, you should feel that you’re coming into a more comfortable position. If when you get on, you’re comfortable in your stirrups, they’re invariably too long." ~ William Fox-Pitt

Tightly clamped thighs make you lose your nice deep seat, and drive the horse's back down into a hollow position.

Make 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 correction.

Many times horses benefit from cantering early on in the warm up. Don’t wait until the trot feels perfect. Canter early on to improve the trot.

Nagging isn't giving the horse feedback, it is desensitizing him to the aids.

"Dressage is not just for competition. It is gymnastics for horses and all horses can benefit from it, as they are more likely to stay sound with a long, stretchy neck, soft body and easy movement." ~ Carl Hester

If you don't give your horse something to do when riding, he might come up with a plan to give you something to do. Have a plan, and keep him busy.

"Connection is often misunderstood. The horse must be taught to go from the seat and leg to the hand for it to be correct. But some riders will try to force it by working their hands and arms to 'work the horse’s neck back and forth to achieve that lightness,' which is incorrect." ~ Lilo Fore

With horses that like to curl their neck and become over bent, the rider needs to be careful not to get their reins too short. This will cause the horse to stay too short in the neck. Think of having longer arms that are always reaching towards the horse’s mouth.

"What is essential is not to tighten the legs during the dressage training, but rather to use them without effort while allowing them to hang softly near the horse’s sides." ~ Nuno Oliviera

"If you don't pull you won't have to kick and if you don't kick you won't have to pull…" ~ Jimmy Wofford

When a horse collects, his shoulders will come up naturally. Don't attempt to artificially raise the front end.

If you overdo counter bend to the point where your horse is falling in on his inside shoulder, it can quickly become a counter productive exercise. Do not let the horse’s neck bend excessively in any direction.

Tension and aggression breeds tension and aggression. Remind yourself of this when things are not going well in your riding.

Don't copy successful riders' bad habits. Look at what they do well. Just because they can pull off success with quirky form doesn't mean you can.

When riding on slippery footing, think about some of the same tactics that you would use to drive on an icy road. Go a little more slowly and don't make any sudden turns or changes of speed. Also think about stepping a little more into your outside stirrup in your turns, to help you be more effective with your outside aids. This will help your horse keep his outside hind leg more under his body, so his hind legs will be less likely to slip out from under him on the turns.

"Working over a single pole on the ground, notice if the young horse prefers to chip in a short stride or stretch for a long stride. Then remember this is the default that they will return to when things go wrong." ~ Eric Smiley

We must not forget that the horses we ride today are descended from the ones who did NOT get eaten by the mountain lion at the water hole. In other words, it is perfectly normal for horses to be spooky.

Dressage riders should aim to mix their horse’s schooling up with hacking and even some jumping if possible, as it will help to keep the horse more fresh and interested in his work.

Frequent quality transitions are the best way to confirm that your horse is listening equally to both the driving aids and the restraining aids.

It is a good idea to sit back every month or so and assess your training program and its current results. Be ready to add to or change your plan if you are not seeing results.

You have to have experiences to gain experience.

I find that many riders are using bits that are too big for their horse’s mouths. While certainly better than a bit that is too small, when a bit is too big there is too much movement of the bit sliding back and forth in the horse’s mouth. Horses want the bit to be still in their mouths, they don’t want it sliding left and right all the time.

"The most important thing is for the horse to be thinking on its own. Unless you’re Michael Jung, you make mistakes and things go wrong. You have to teach the horse the stride isn’t always right, the line isn’t always right, and that’s why we start from trot." ~ William Fox Pitt

From member Karen Barbato ~ "Asking my horse to move laterally off my leg is NOT a negotiation. DO IT NOW (and with a happy face!)"

Great tip from member Sharon Fitzgerald ~ "It is only when you get completely out of your horse's way that you can feel exactly what they are doing and then have a hope in hell of influencing it. Otherwise you might be spending a lot of time just fixing what you are causing."

"The horse’s posture, his strength, and his suppleness, all influence very much the sensations that the bit creates in him." ~ Dupaty de Clam

"Don't take the tempo down without revving the engine." ~ Chris Bartle

The more often you give the reins, the softer your horse will be… both in the mouth and in the body.

Riding with shorter stirrups will stretch out your leg and improve your shock absorbers.

It can be a good exercise in awareness to exaggerate both extremes of an aspect of your position, such as leaning all the way to the left and then all the way to the right. Whichever way feels easier or less awkward for you might indicate that you tend to regularly sit to that side. Experiment with that and try to find the middle.

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 right."

Even if the rider has all of their body parts generally in the right place, they will feel out of balance and out of sync with their horse's movement when the shock absorbing joints in their legs are locked and rigid.

No moment riding without stirrups is ever wasted!

From Facebook fan Andrea Monsarrat Waldo ~ "You can learn to take the best from different trainers, but first you have to have a "skeleton," a theoretical framework to hang it all on, and that takes time and some consistency of training, I think. Once you have a system you can add to it/alter it, but with no system it's just a jumble of random techniques."

"If your horse looks carefully at what they are jumping, is able to make small alterations when getting a little too close or far away from a fence, then produces an appropriate jumping effort and copes quickly with the unexpected slip or stumble, they can be said to have a ‘fifth leg.'" ~ William Micklem

"You can influence a horse but you're never really in control." ~ Chris Bartle

Most riders don't do nearly enough transitions in their daily work sessions.

It is a good idea to sit back every month or so and assess your training program and its current results. Be ready to add to or change your plan if you are not seeing results.

"The rein connection should be like a solid handshake. Don’t have a wimpy handshake. You know what a bad feeling you get when someone gives you a creepy handshake, so don’t give that icky feeling to your horse." ~ William Fox Pitt

"Don't try to see a distance, your horse has a pair of eyes and you need to let him use them. The more you do in front of a fence the more you will distract them." ~ Chris Bartle

Riders who get the best out of the sensitive type of horse are good at being tactful. 

Frequent quality transitions are the best way to confirm that your horse is listening equally to both the driving aids and the restraining aids.

"Contact doesn't only refer to the hands, reins, and bit, but to the whole rider. A rider must give the horse contact through his entire seat. This means that his legs must lay gently against the horse's body, his seat must be balanced and supple, and his arms and hands must follow the horse's movement quietly and evenly. This create a smooth cycle of movement as the horse takes the rider with him. Only this then creates contact." ~ Klaus Balkenhol

The answer is really rarely "more leg," but rather to teach the horse to be more responsive to light leg aids.

"The inside rein must always be ready with a GOOD OFFER." ~ Reiner Klimke

Your horse can feel whether or not you have a strong, detailed plan of how to ride your jumping course or Dressage test. And he will gain confidence in you if he feels you are confident in your plan.

When working with horses, always be mindful of the feedback you are giving your horse at any given time... whether intentional or accidental. When your horse misbehaves, make sure you don't give him an accidental reward by stopping to regroup (which to him is a rest and a reward.) Keep moving, get the horse to do something (anything) well, and THEN stop to regroup if you must.

The halt must come from the body of the rider, not the reins.

From Facebook fan Joan Dunlap ~ "Fix your position first... then the horse will adjust theirs."

It is possible to have contact without a real connection (in fact it is quite common, unfortunately), but a true connection always involves good contact. The connection involves the horse's entire body… with energy created in the horse's hind legs traveling through the horse's supple body, and into the rider's hands.

Excessive bend in the neck, whether lateral (to the side) or longitudinal (behind the vertical), disconnects the haunches from the rein aids and allows the horse to remain locked up in other parts of the body, such as the poll and hips.

Looseness and suppleness in the horse is demonstrated by full body movement and the maximization of the horse’s range of motion in the stride of each gait.

"The art of cross country is allowing your horse to gallop along in rhythm and jump out of his stride." ~ Andrew Hoy

If you tend to ride in a chair seat with your feet out in front of you, try to think about stretching up tall, so that your seat bones point straight down… and then think of bending your knees so that your seat bones point to your heels. Eventually you need to stretch your leg back more fully and starting from the hip, but this can be a good way for riders to start the process.

When your horse is messing about with his leads or tossing his head between jumps on course, don’t let it distract you from what is most important - his rhythm.

"Infinite repetitions of one and the same problematic movement are usually a sign of insecurity in the rider and serve no purpose other than self-satisfaction. The horse doesn't gain anything from it. It leads to an overwrought horse and causes muscle fatigue and nervousness. Here, a trainer must intervene and go back to easier exercises rider and horse have already mastered." ~ Klaus Balkenhol

Shoulder in is the single best secret weapon when it comes to improving the horse's walk.

The more a horse relaxes within a lateral movement, the more gymnastic value the exercise will have. 

The more stable you are able to keep your outside rein connection, the more quickly your horse will learn to accept it. Stable, yet elastic... like a bungee cord. 

Ask, insist (if necessary,) and then reward.

"It's the rider's job to make his horse sensitive enough to anticipate half halts, for it is the anticipation factor that makes horse and rider harmonious. The use of the horse's anticipation should work greatly to your advantage in daily training and in riding a dressage test. For example, most dressage movements follow the riding of a corner in the arena. When you ride a half halt before every corner throughout the course of a horse's life, he anticipates that he is going to be more balanced and uphill before, during and after every corner, and then the corner becomes the half halt. Because the horse's brain and body are already in harmony with the rider in the corner, all you have to do is concentrate on the movement that follows." ~ Oded Shimoni

You may need to "do whatever you need to do" to get things done sometimes in competition, but in practice you should aim to always do things the right way, with no shortcuts.

"Contact doesn't only refer to the hands, reins, and bit, but to the whole rider. A rider must give the horse contact through his entire seat. This means that his legs must lay gently against the horse's body, his seat must be balanced and supple, and his arms and hands must follow the horse's movement quietly and evenly. This create a smooth cycle of movement as the horse takes the rider with him. Only this then creates contact." ~ Klaus Balkenhol

From Facebook fan Clarissa Groesbeek ~ "Your job is to ride to the base of the fence, your horse's job is to jump it."

From Facebook fan Kathi Knox Hammond ~  "If I look AHEAD toward where I want to end up, and quit looking down and worrying about whether I have enough bend and am angled correctly, things kind of work together on their own. I finally 'get' that looking down kills energy."

If you merely practice your bad habits, you will wind up making the same mistakes perfectly.

Balance and rhythm go hand in hand. Focus on maintaining an even rhythm, as every time the rhythm changes, the balance changes.

You need to decide that, from this day on, your horse will respond to light aids. If you don't expect him to, and don’t give him the appropriate feedback, he probably won't ever be as attentive and responsive as you would like him to be.

"I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don't do things half heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half hearted results." ~ Michael Jordan

"Incorrect training is as if you buttoned a sweater wrong. In order to fix it you must unbutton it and start over again." ~ Reiner Klimke

No matter how balanced a horse is moving, he will never be in self carriage if he has a rider that is hanging on his mouth.

Riders who get the best out of the sensitive type of horse are good at being tactful.

"A good trainer on a Thoroughbred will spend lots of time reassuring the horse that all is well." ~ Steuart Pittman

Transitions act as a test of your connection. If the quality of your connection is lacking as you begin a transition, it will be particularly evident as you execute it.

One of the most important things for you to think about during your Dressage Test is to maintain a consistent rhythm and tempo in each gait throughout. Even if other things are not perfect, maintaining that consistency will produce the best possible score.

In a good connection, you should strive to feel your horse's hind legs in your hands.

"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

"Don’t ride to a jump, looking for a spot.  You don’t jump a spot, you jump a jump." ~ Unknown

The short side of the arena is a great place to show your horse's movement off to the Dressage judge. If your horse is in lovely self carriage, push your hands forward a bit and show it off!

Your basics are the base of your success. The stronger your base, the further you will go.

From Facebook fan Jodi Waldrip ~ "I've learned that a saddle that truly fits can give you a totally different horse to ride."

Your horse can feel whether or not you have a strong, detailed plan of how to ride your jumping course or dressage test. And he will gain confidence in you if he feels you are confident in your plan.

From Facebook fan Barbara Martin ~ "What happens on the ground is just as important as what goes on in the saddle. Make sure you are giving clear signals to your horse as to who is in charge. We forget this sometimes, I think!"

"I was riding in a warm-up ring with Bill Steinkraus--you know, the greatest rider America has ever produced? That Bill Steinkraus?--and I asked him, on average, how many fences on a course of ten does he get to accurately. He thought about it and said "Seven." I said "Oh." But I was THINKING: "Oh. What does that say about ME?!" ~ Jimmy Wofford 

From Facebook fan Joan Dunlap ~ "If your horse's SI joint is compromised so is their ability to come through from behind with any ease."

-- This is SO important, as most horses with sacroiliac issues don't show a lot of signs, so pain in this area is often missed. If your horse is reluctant to really use himself or carry weight behind, and/or has canter lead issues, or displays bucking or balking behavior - get his SI joint checked out by a well qualified lameness vet. 

When a horse is crooked his energy gets stopped up like water in a hose with a kink in it.

If your horse is behind your leg or inattentive, he is challenging your authority to some degree.

There is no point in working on flying changes until you have the right canter. Start before they are truly ready, and you run the risk of making the flying change forever an anxiety filled movement for the horse. 

From member Sharon Fitzgerald ~ "I have learned that if I want my horse to be steady and up to the bridle then I have to provide a steady target [quiet hands] and use leg to keep him up there."

Speed magnifies mistakes. Therefore your basics had better be fairly solid before you start jumping at speed.

Groundwork can help build a better relationship between horse and rider. The trust and respect built during work in hand will carry over to your under saddle work IF you approach it the same way.

The extra thrust created by lengthenings will solidify your connection if it was correct to begin with. The extra impulsion created can then be turned into real collection.

From Facebook fan Jodie Stowell Potts ~ "Every horse must be treated as an individual, and what was fine a couple of weeks ago may not work today."

Just putting in the time does not guarantee success. You have to be practicing correctly to improve.

We all know it is a bad thing for the horse to carry its poll too low. But too high can be a problem as well. If the height of the poll does not match the amount of true collection behind, the horse will be moving with a hollow back, and the gaits will become flat... losing their supple, elastic swinging nature. 

Never forget that our goal as riders should be to do as little as possible. Allow the horse to perform.

You can't balance or collect energy that you don't have. Forward first!

"I like to think of the tension in a Thoroughbred’s body as it seeks to learn the meaning of our aids as an intense desire to please us." ~ Steuart Pittman

Throwing the reins away to the point that they are so loose that there are loops in them is not the answer to solving your problem of being too strong/tense/rigid in the hands and arms. You must keep a connection, and learn to be elastic within that connection. That is the only way to advance.

In no way does holding a horses neck in a position build up correct muscle. The horse has to actually be using those muscles correctly to improve musculature in the topline. 

"Allow your horse the opportunity to use his neck more." ~ Reiner Klimke

If becoming a great rider wasn't hard, everyone would be able to do it. It's the hard that makes it great.

The horse should be in front of the leg and carrying itself without support from the rider - every stride.

Bounces teach horses to be quick thinking - an essential quality in an Event horse.

A good halt is square because it was a good halt. Not because the rider has taught the horse the "trick" of squaring up after an unbalanced halt.

Keep your hands forward thinking at all times - don't be "stealing" from the hind legs.

"Create a work station on your yard, where everything to do with work happens – for example, tacking up and washing off – and keep his stable for relaxation only. Then your horse knows he can totally relax when he’s in his stable and won’t be expected to work." ~ Carl Hester

"A major consideration concerning the horse’s posture in all lateral movements is the bend in the rib cage behind the withers. For achieving this bend is the foundation for the suppleness of the entire horse. One will never achieve this bend if one rides the lateral movements on four tracks too early, or if one tries to force these movements with crude aids, and if one forgets to reposition one’s legs in the transitions from one lateral movement to another." ~ Borries von Oeynhausen

From Facebook fan Elise Vandover ~ "I often tell my students that the outside rein is like the vinyl wall of an above-ground pool; elastic, stretchy and flexible, but enough of a boundary to keep the 'water in the pool'."

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.

Always finish an exercise with a proper transition to walk, don't just fall into a heap.

From Facebook fan Kristin Powers ~ "It takes WAY MORE outside rein than you ever think it does!"

Stop looking for that "perfect" take off spot, and focus on the quality of your canter. A horse that is well balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the jump at hand, can comfortably leave the ground from just about any reasonable takeoff spot.

"In practice, do things as perfectly as you can: in competition, do what you have to do." ~ William Steinkraus

"When the horse jumps, you go with it, not the other way around." ~ William Steinkraus

A running martingale that fits correctly does not come into play unless the horse tosses its head, or tries to stick it straight up in the air. It should not be used to keep the horse's head down.

"NEVER fight the oats.” ~ William Steinkraus 

Who can tell us what this means? 

"It's amazing what the horse can do, when you teach the rider to ride." ~ Hans Biss

We first have to teach the horse to enjoy learning.

From Facebook fan Marilyn Kostuch ~ "Becoming very aware of the rhythm helps a horse's mind become calmer."

The horse's favorite reward is the release of the aid.

"The seat must be able to absorb the energy from the horse like a sponge, and then redirect it forward" ~ Bill Woods

"Don't let over-jumping or a dull routine erode the horse's desire to jump cleanly. It's hard to jump clear rounds if the horse isn't trying." ~ William Steinkraus

Things will not get better on their own - it's up to us as riders to ensure progress. This means being proactive, working hard, and using every available tool to improve your knowledge and skills.

We always talk about not riding with too much inside rein, but it is also possible to ride with too much outside rein. Holding too strongly on the outside rein will prevent the horse from bending to the inside, and may cause him to tilt his head. 

"My father always said, 'Things just take time.' He did not believe in quick tricks or things like draw reins. Rather than using such things, he said it is better to go on the circle and do things like half-halts and transitions to get the horse under himself and light in your hand." ~ Ingrid Klimke

"Great horses bring an unquenchable love for the game, and a fierce competitive desire to every competition." ~ Jimmy Wofford

Strive for the feeling that two thirds of the horse is in front of you.

"Necks that are pulled in stop the muscles of the back developing and interfere with the natural paces." ~ Reiner Klimke

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.

"If we ask novice riders how much of their focus is on the horse’s head, most of them, if they are honest, might say 80 percent. But the head is perhaps 10 percent of the horse’s body, so be sure you are not using 80 percent of your focus on 10 percent of the horse. Ride his body and influence it." ~ Kyra Kyrklund

When jumping into deep water, you must approach at a slower pace. Too much speed jumping into deep water will make it much more likely for the horse to fall on landing.

Riders who ride with stirrups that are even slightly too long are often the first ones to stand up and jump up the horse's neck when they get to a jump!

Always keep in mind that narrow fences, angles, and corner jumps can feel even harder near the end of your cross country course. Mental and physical fatigue (of either horse or rider) can make a stupid mistake more likely to happen.

From Facebook Fan Joan Dunlap ~ "They are horses first ... beautiful, living, breathing beings ... what they do for us is secondary and should come from their heart .... don't ever let the ribbons or money rule (or ruin) your relationship with them." 

From Facebook Fan Ginger Kathleen Coombs ~ "Just because a horse isn't limping, it doesn't mean they feel good. By the time you get pinned ears, lameness, or bad behavior, you may have been missing little signs or have seen and not understood them."

When you ride with a stronger bit, your goal needs to be to use it as little as possible.

A rider's leg should lie on their horse's sides like slightly "al dente" noodles.

"Acceptance of the bit happens in the haunches, not in the mouth." ~ Thomas Ritter

"For riders: It is hard work, takes more time than you have, and requires more money than you thought. You will learn more than you ever thought possible when you began in the sport, but you will never learn it all. You will never be as good as some, but you will probably not be as bad as others if you are willing to work. It is the best thing you could ever do, and even when you fail you learn, and even if you never get a ribbon it is still worth it. Stick it out." ~ Brian Sabo

"As riders, our problem is that too often we try to provide all the upward activity ourselves instead of allowing our bodies to use the bounce provided by the ground. You can become aware of this upward energy. You cannot hold it in reserve; if you do, you'll lose it... Center yourself and become aware of this energy as your ride." ~ Sally Swift

Think of your reins as lines of communication that connect your brain to your horse's brain. The more finesse you use with your contact, the more intimate the communication with your horse will be. 

What you allow a horse to do, you teach him to do.

“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 Pittman

“The best thing you can do for self-carriage is the give and re-take of the reins. It is amazing how you forget to do that when you ride on your own.” ~ Carl Hester

With horses, the slow way is the fast way in the long run. Give it time.

"If your riding and handling of horses begins and ends at the mounting block, you may be a rider, but never a horseman." ~ CW Anderson 

From Facebook fan Claire Webb ~ "Attitude determines practice, practice determines performance."

"Every rein aid must be preceded by an action of the torso. Otherwise you only address the horse's head." ~ Nuno Oliveira

"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

Every time you pull back on the inside rein, you block the horse's inside hind leg from stepping fully underneath his body.

Land from a jump thinking about what you are going to do next. Don't land thinking about what you just did.

“Push yourself away from your hands.” ~ Stephen Clarke

When your horse gets tense about feeling your legs wrapped around him, do not take your legs off. That would only validate his attempted evasion. Keep your legs quietly on his sides, and do an exercise (circle, transition, or lateral step) that will encourage him to focus and relax.

Very careful horses are more likely to lose their confidence during both training and competition, so be careful to always set them up for success.

Just because you can't see your grass growing doesn't mean it's not, and the same can be said of your progress as a rider. Much of the time it is not noticeable until you stop and look back at where you came from.

To successfully maintain the elusive forward feeling hands, imagine that you are pushing a shopping cart as you ride forward into the bit.

Make 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 correction.

Spend time on the basics, such as straightness and suppleness, and the more difficult movements will fall into place naturally.

"There's no such thing as Dressage for Eventers and Dressage for Dressage riders. It's all just Dressage." ~ Carl Hester

A rider hanging onto the inside rein can create stiffness, resistance, head tilting, and loss of the horse's outside shoulder.

You don't really do yourself any favors when you cater to your weaknesses. For example, if you only like to ride with your whip in your right hand, and it feels odd and uncomfortable in your left - you need to make yourself ride with it in your left hand. And if you are uncomfortable riding amongst distractions or with people watching, you only better yourself by seeking out those conditions.

"The horse is so honest.... they live in the moment. And what they do, whether they need to protect themselves or whether they need to accept you really is directly relative to how you make them feel." ~ Buck Brannaman

"Cross country is the only time when life catches up to the speed of my thoughts." ~ Reed Ayers

From Facebook fan Brenda Nelson Jensen, on finding a good instructor ~ "The most important questions to ask yourself after training with someone are: Am I enlightened or confused after sessions? Are my horse and I progressing safely and confidently? If I clinic with a nationally known good instructor do they build off of (not contradict) your regular instructors program?" 

You should know where your horse is going to land from a jump before he takes off. How? The type of canter in the final strides of the approach will dictate the shape of your horse's jumping effort, and the trajectory of his jump. 

If your horse gets heavier in the reins as you increase your collection, he is NOT going correctly.

"That they stay loose is the most important, the most mistakes are made when the riders start to collect them. Collection is not slower or shorter, collection is more cadence, more energy behind, and that only works with a really loose back, with suppleness – and that is what they lose. We have so many super super good three and four year old horses, you see them moving at the Bundeschampionate, and it is unbelievable how many super super good horses – but how many go on to the sport later? Because most riders when they go to collect them, make them too stiff, too tense, too often it is only with the hand, that they only make the neck up, short, instead of making them lower behind. To collect them, you have to start behind, and not in front." ~ Hubertus Schmidt

"Up your game, ask for more!" ~ Stephen Clarke 

From Facebook Fan Trisha Francisco ~ "As I’m working my way back in to horses, I'm reminded constantly by little things here and there & discussions that there's a reason classics are classics... There's a reason they're still around, as they still work... Remarket it and repackage things all you want but classical dressage and classical horsemanship usually can't be beat no matter how hard you try... They are recipes for success."

Always 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.

From Facebook Fan Anne Rawle ~ "Never teach a horse something you don't want him to learn." 

From Facebook Fan Tricia Carr ~ "In a recent lesson my mare reminded me that when approaching a fence, my mind set and my aids have to agree. I can "think" I want to go over the fence, but if I ride defensively, and my aids, (or lack thereof) don't match my what my brain is thinking, that equals a run out. I'm pretty timid over fences and sometimes it gets the best of me."

From Facebook Fan Annette Gaynes ~ "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."

If your horse struggles to maintain a consistent rhythm, think of using your breathing to help him stay regular. This is one reason why counting is so useful, as when you count, you will breathe in that rhythm.

Lightness is not the looseness of the contact, it's the way the horse moves over the ground.

A horse that is well balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the jump at hand, can comfortably leave the ground from just about any reasonable takeoff spot.

"Make him a short horse with bigger paces rather than a long horse with shorter paces." ~ Stephen Clarke

When working with horses, always be mindful of the feedback you are giving your horse at any given time... whether intentional or accidental. When your horse misbehaves, make sure you don't give him an accidental reward by stopping to regroup (which to him is a rest and a reward.) Keep moving, get the horse to do something (anything) well, and THEN stop to regroup if you must.

A word about the double bridle: The curb bit is a tool for refining the aids, not for applying more force. If the double bridle is used because otherwise the rider can’t ride his horse on the bit or because he can’t control it, neither the horse nor the rider is ready for the double bridle.

When strength is needed, such as when riding a strong horse, a rider needs to be able to find their strength in the center of their body - their core. Many times they attempt to find their strength in their arms or shoulders instead, and this is counter productive. As instead of being an anchor against the horse's strength, the horse thinks the rider is instigating a pulling match.

You should strive for the feeling that you can feel your horse's hind legs in your hands in your connection.

Riding is about 80% mental. Control of your mind is even more important than control of your body.

From Facebook fan Jessica Fuller Stewart ~ "When my horse is truly forward he can not bulge his shoulder in the corners as easily. If I let him back off just a little in the corner he can then bulge very easy. Forward is everything!"

"A tense horse's lateral suppleness can be improved by very forward canter leg yields." ~ Carl Hester

Some riders seem to think that if they can just sit perfectly enough, their horse will naturally bring his body together and move in a balanced way. And that is not necessarily true. While it is very important to sit correctly, horses are likely to remain on the forehand until the rider actively improves the horse's balance through specific exercises.

Many issues that you might have at the canter are usually there at the walk too... but just don't bother you as much because you're not going very fast. And it's easier to fix things at the walk, so it is wise to start there. 

From Facebook fan Alexis Soutter ~ "While teaching the girl who rides my horse this week, it was reinforced how important it is to be willing to pause and regroup if you and/or your horse are stressed or upset. By going back to an exercise you do well and re-establishing your breathing, rhythm, and connection, you're much more likely to succeed at whatever else you're trying to accomplish when you go back to it (even if that's another ride). If you try to just 'push through it' you might complete the exercise, but at the risk of damaging the communication and trust between the two of you. Better to back off but continue to put deposits in your horse's trust bank then force the issue and empty that account." 

A still tail carried close to the horse shows the inactivity of the back muscles in the loin area.

“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 Oliveira

Your basics are the base of your success. The stronger your base, the further you will go.

On the meaning of the phrase "Having the horse between the hand and leg" --

"When I close my leg, the result is a change from potential energy to kinetic energy. When I close my hand there is enough kinetic energy to balance back into potential energy." ~ Jocelyn Thibodeau

In all situations, and at all levels, riding in rhythm gives the horse confidence.

"A horse with good foot work will rarely fall. A horse who is not given the chance to practice that footwork because he is always brought to the right spot will come big time unstuck when the s*** hits the fan and the fallible human on top gets it wrong."  ~ Lucinda Green

"The horse must collect as a result of many transitions, not because the rider’s hands have asked for collection. Lots of transitions – that is what gets the horse’s hind legs underneath him." ~ Christoph Hess

"I make my students ride in gallop position in trot and canter with no rein contact and no hands on the neck, as there is no point in trying to progress until a good balance is in place. It is a great concern to me that so many riders are out of balance between fences, and then too stiff and upright on the approach to the fence" ~ William Fox Pitt

Generally, the slower you are approaching a jump, the more leg you may need to apply in the final strides.

"One of the goals of dressage is to recreate the natural beauty of the horse’s gaits under the rider, so that the horse moves as beautifully under the weight of the rider as he does at liberty. In order to achieve this, the swinging of the horse’s back has to pass through the seat of the rider undiminished. The back has to be able to rise and fall with the same ease, regardless of the rider’s presence. If the rider merely sits passively, his weight alone can sometimes be enough to diminish the freedom of movement of the horse’s back. In these moments, the rider has to enhance the upswing of the horse’s back with an active contraction of his abdominal muscles, which helps the rider’s pelvis to swing more forward-upward, without tilting forward, however." ~ Thomas Ritter

Always introduce new exercises in a slow and progressive manner, so you are building confidence and not inviting problems.

For success in learning to ride, as with most things in life - talk less and listen more.

Always finish an exercise with a proper transition to walk, don't just fall into a heap.

Think of riding your downward transitions in an uphill manner, so that the horse’s poll comes up as his croup lowers and his hind legs come under his body.

Always 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.

Always finish each ride on a good note. Do something your horse does well so he can feel good about himself.

An anxious horse will tend to not be able to hear your aids, as his nerves will override them. Your first goal needs to be to get your horse to relax.

"Think of using your skeleton to turn your horse, not your muscles." ~ Catherine Haddad 

This idea may not "click" with everyone, but I think it will help many to better use their body without negative tension in the muscle, which only causes resistance in the horse. 

Don't confuse being left behind over a jump with a defensive seat on cross country. They are very different. The rider who is in a defensive position on cross country is a nickel behind the motion, while still not interfering with the horse in any way. The rider who is left behind is catching the horse in the mouth and slamming their backs on landing, both the ultimate punishment for the horse jumping the fence. If you are getting left behind often, it may be time to move down a level and work on your basics.

"Horses don't WANT to jump badly! They jump badly because of US! Ever seen a horse get loose in a steeplechase? It jumps like a BIRD!" ~ Jimmy Wofford

Interval training is one of the safest ways to develop the horse's ability to do more work over longer periods of time, as it helps to prevent fatigue and a build up of lactic acid in the muscles.

"If a horse becomes more beautiful in the course of his work, it is a sign that the training principles are correct." ~ Colonel Podhajsky

It is much easier to keep your horse forward and straight when you are looking up and in the direction that you want to go! 

"Boldness comes from confidence, and confidence comes from success. So it's the trainer's job to create lots of success." ~ Jack Le Goff

"Expressive and relaxed collected work shows that the rider has understood the steps that led up to it." ~ Klaus Balkenhol

Rhythm is the key to success in ALL riding disciplines.

"In the last few strides there should be a transfer of responsibility for the jump from the rider to the horse." ~ Eric Smiley 

Horses are often so quick to bend their necks (which is one of the most flexible areas in the horse's body) in response to the rider's request to either flex laterally at the poll, or to bend in the body. Make sure you have sufficient connection on the outside rein with either request to keep your horse's neck straight.

If you don't have forward, you won't be able to achieve a true half halt. And without an effective half halt, it will be hard to improve the horse's balance. 

"In flying change training, the horse is ready when counter canter is firmly established and horse can easily perform correct simple changes. If the horse offers a flying change early don't punish him. 'What a child knows, it knows'" ~ Reiner Klimke

Using a volte (a 6, 8, or 10 meter circle) before a lateral exercise like a shoulder in, haunches in, or half pass allows you to establish the bend for those movements even before you begin them.

Varying the degree of your half pass can improve your horse’s suppleness from all angles, as well as increasing his responsiveness to your aids within the movement. In other words, while going in half pass across the diagonal, half halt, and do a few strides with a steeper angle (more sideways than forward), then go forward again.

A horse can become unresponsive to the aids within a single ride - if you allow it to happen. 

Both horse and rider should learn to love that deep takeoff spot. If either one is not truly comfortable there, the pair will be at increased risk of falls or refusals.

Practice your two point position.

If you want to have a really solid position over jumps, practice it a lot. 

Always 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.

If you do all of your training on the exact same kind of footing, i.e. either all firm ground, or all sand - you might be putting your horse at an increased risk of possible injury. Training on a variety of different surfaces will develop both the strength and the elasticity of tendons and ligaments, which will help to prevent injury.

You must train your horse to understand that he should stay at whatever speed you put him in until told otherwise. Remember that every time you allow your horse to make a decision about his speed or energy level (or you don't realize that he has done so), you are training him to make these decisions on his own.

Nearly every rider will experience plateaus in their training. Only those that have the patience to keep a good attitude while pushing through them will ever get there.

Whether flatwork or jumping, you never want to look at any time like you would flip off the back end of the horse if someone cut your reins.

Moving the bit in the horse's mouth to keep him from bracing against it is preventing the symptom without addressing the underlying cause.

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.

“You cannot combat a mistake by making another one. Stay focused in the present and make the round the best you can be.” ~ McLain Ward

“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

Always keep the cheeky type of horse busy by giving them lots of little tasks to do, or they may look for a way to amuse themselves.

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.

Balance and rhythm go hand in hand. Focus on maintaining an even rhythm, as every time the rhythm changes, the balance changes.