Recent Articles in Tip/Quote of the Day!

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.