Tip/Quote of the Day # 509Horses that don't find trot lengthenings easy often figure out how to lengthen rather than quicken when asked on an uphill gradient. So if you have a hill that you can work on, do a large figure eight on the side of the hill. Work on half halts and downward transitions down the hill, and lengthenings up the hill.Tip/Quote of the Day # 508The horse shouldn't feel punished for trying to escape the connection, they should just feel unsuccessful.Tip/Quote of the Day # 507Test the horse's balance with a half halt and a test for self carriage before asking for any transition.Tip/Quote of the Day # 506A tip from Facebook fan Kathi Knox Hammond on the half pass - "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."Tip/Quote of the Day # 505You cannot train a horse with shouts and expect it to obey a whisper. Keep your aids light.Tip/Quote of the Day # 504To improve your security over jumps, think about sinking into your ankles as you land.Tip/Quote of the Day # 503As you move up the levels, your margin for error decreases sharply. The solidity of your foundation is ultimately what will allow you to pass that test.Tip/Quote of the Day # 502
Riders who ride over fences 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!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 501Pay attention to where your whip is pointing when you ride, as that is a good indicator of your hand position.Tip/Quote of the Day # 500The three most important things you should think about to keep your horses sound are: shoeing, footing, and conditioning.Tip/Quote of the Day # 499Rather than simply holding in a combination or when riding down a line of jumps, individual half halts performed in time with the horse's stride will be more effective.Tip/Quote of the Day # 498When you turn your toes out while in a seated position, you tighten the muscles of your seat. Which will inhibit your ability to stay "plugged in" to your horse's back, as it will tend to push you out of the saddle. Tight thighs can have the same effect. Both will also tend to make the horse tighten their back muscles as well.Tip/Quote of the Day # 497The best way to build self confidence is to do what you are afraid to do... one baby step at a time.Tip/Quote of the Day # 496A tip for instructors - Make it a habit to ask your students questions during their lessons. This will help to keep them thinking, improve the accuracy of their feel, and keep them breathing (when they answer you.) It also allows you to more accurately judge where they are at mentally, in terms of their level of feel and understanding.Tip/Quote of the Day # 495“A spur that is constantly touching the horse’s sides does not drive the horse forward but on the contrary, it will make the horse sluggish.” ~ Nuno OliveiraTip/Quote of the Day # 494“For every effect there is a root cause. Find and address the root cause rather than try to fix the effect, as there is no end to the latter.” ~ Celestine Chua Tip/Quote of the Day # 493From Facebook fan Mikki Schattilly ~ "Take a step back and you will often leap forward."Tip/Quote of the Day # 492When jumping, don't package the canter into a shorter stride than you need for each circumstance.Tip/Quote of the Day # 491When a horse is equally laterally supple in both directions, it will be evident in the ease of which one is able to perform changes of bend and direction. Tip/Quote of the Day # 490You need to pay extra attention to the balance of your horse's canter/gallop on the approach when jumping cross country jumps at an angle (even a slight angle.) As if the horse's balance is not good, they are more likely to be slow with their front end on takeoff - which means an increased risk of a fall, since horses need to be extra quick with the front leg that is nearest the jump when jumping at an angle.Tip/Quote of the Day # 489If you are going to make a mistake when jumping, make it coming forward, not pulling back.Tip/Quote of the Day # 488From Facebook fan Kathy Wilson Rowe ~ "When you ask your horse to do something, MEAN it!!! Your horse needs to listen the first time!!"Tip/Quote of the Day # 487The half-pass helps to develop the brilliance of the extended trot, by increasing hip and stifle flexibility, and freeing up the horse's shoulders.Tip/Quote of the Day # 486Nagging isn't giving the horse feedback, it is desensitizing him to the aids.Tip/Quote of the Day # 485Always think of doing individual half halts between fences as necessary, instead of simply holding. Holding will often encourage the horse to lean on your hand. Tip/Quote of the Day # 484Remember that tension inhibits suppleness, so make sure that you are not trying to force your horse to perform.Tip/Quote of the Day # 483 "Every rein aid must be preceded by an action of the torso. Otherwise you only address the horse's head." ~ Nuno OliveiraTip/Quote of the Day # 482If you don't take the time to do things right the first time, you will likely have to take the time to do things over. Always keep that solid foundation in mind. Tip/Quote of the Day # 481From Facebook Fan Casey Webb ~ "Like foundations for a house... If not done properly the higher stuff can never be right."Tip/Quote of the Day # 480When galloping through wooded areas on cross country, you are never going as fast as you feel like you are going. Keeping this in mind will help you to make the time on course.Tip/Quote of the Day # 479"The hind legs are brought far enough underneath the center of gravity by the rider’s legs, where they are gradually burdened with more of the combined weight of horse and rider for brief moments, which flexes their joints more. Like coiled springs, they push off with much greater elasticity afterwards than unflexed hind legs. This energetic, springy forward swinging creates a very characteristic feeling in the seat (you feel the work of the hind legs as well as the swinging of the back that it creates very clearly, yet pleasantly), which is typical for a gait with impulsion, and which signals to the experienced rider: „Now he is moving!“ He despises, on the other hand, a wishy-washy, unclear trot feeling under the saddle which is caused by dragging hind legs that hardly push off and consequently don’t make the back swing – whereas others seem to love it. De gustibus … No, this is not a matter of taste. One is correct, the other one is wrong! Thrust may be there naturally, but impulsion must be worked out - or better: into – the horse by cultivating the thrust." ~ Alfred KnopfhartTip/Quote of the Day # 478"You are going to meet a fence one of three ways - short, right or long. Therefore you want to meet it on a stride that the horse can work from - a bouncy energetic canter - then he can add if he needs to or pat the ground or say thanks for getting me here right." ~ Jimmy Wofford
It really is all about the canter!Tip/Quote of the Day # 477Push yourself away from your hands, instead of bringing your hands back to you. Tip/Quote of the Day # 476From Facebook Fan Gabby Ballin ~ "Some rides are going to be perfect. Some rides are going to have you wondering why you don't quit riding. When that happens, take a deep breath and go back to something you know you and your horse can do easily."Tip/Quote of the Day # 475"In the last few strides there should be a transfer of responsibility for the jump from the rider to the horse." ~ Eric SmileyTip/Quote of the Day # 474Always keep your eyes up when walking a course. See exactly what your horse will be seeing for the first time.Tip/Quote of the Day # 473Good lengthening and extended work requires straightness in the form of even loading of the hind legs.Tip/Quote of the Day # 472Many riders have some of the same habits when sitting behind the wheel of their car as they do on their horse. Check yourself when you are driving to see how straight and even you sit. Tip/Quote of the Day # 471Your horse needs to feel even in your hands while your hands are an identical pair, to prove that he is straight and truly even in your hands. Tip/Quote of the Day # 470Generally, the slower you are approaching a jump, the more leg you may need to apply in the final strides.Tip/Quote of the Day # 469Energy is ultimately created in the horse's mind, not his hindquarters. Make sure you have the horse's mind engaged.Tip/Quote of the Day # 468Both horses and riders ultimately learn from and cement behaviors through repetition. Make sure you are repeating things correctly.Tip/Quote of the Day # 467You have to have your core muscles engaged when riding, so that the horse's movement doesn't displace you.Tip/Quote of the Day # 466When a horse begs to stretch often throughout his work, he is telling you that his topline is not strong enough to support the amount of work in self carriage that you are asking for. His muscles are fatigued at that point, and if you don't let him stretch soon, he will likely become resistant and resentful. Tip/Quote of the Day # 465The balance and shape of your canter stride is what determines the kind of take off spot that develops. A long, strung out stride usually means either a long spot or a "chip". And a shorter, more balanced canter with the hind legs well under the body will generally either place you perfectly, or will allow your horse to safely "pat the ground" in the shorter spot.Tip/Quote of the Day # 464When running cross country in wet, muddy conditions, always look for the best possible footing for your horse in the galloping stretches. Often this means moving slightly off to the side of the track that everyone else has been running in. This little trick will save your horse lots of extra strain, as you keep him on "fresher" ground.Tip/Quote of the Day # 463"Make him a short horse with bigger paces rather than a long horse with shorter paces." ~ Stephen ClarkeTip/Quote of the Day # 462It is so common to see riders "doing too much" with their bodies over a fence (i.e. jumping a 2'6" vertical like it is a 5 foot oxer). Ironically, riders often do this to try to "help" the horse over the jump. But it can actually hinder them instead, as it makes it harder for them to balance themselves. Imagine you are running and jumping with a backpack on your back, and how much easier it would be to do so if that backpack would just stay in one place!Tip/Quote of the Day # 461Jumping is so easy for the horse if you have the right canter. Repeat this mantra regularly: It's all about the canter. It's all about the canter…Tip/Quote of the Day # 460“It is a lot better to risk losing a bit of contact than not to yield.” ~ Nuno Oliveira
