Lesley's Corner
Interval Training For Conditioning the Event Horse
In the sport of Eventing, ensuring that our horses are truly fit for our level of competition is one of the best ways to prevent unnecessary injuries.
Lesley's Corner
Lesley is a "graduate" of Jimmy Wofford's training program, and has competed to the Advanced 4 star level in 3 day Eventing on a horse she bought off the track as a 3 year old. She has also trained through the Prix St Georges level in Dressage, and was an Equine Vet Tech at the prestigious Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY. A series of educational articles written by Lesley. If you have any requests for topics, please send them to: admin@myvirtualeventingcoach.com
Lesley's Corner
Monitor Your Horse's Stress Levels, For Best Results in Training
Horses become incapable of learning when they go past a certain level of fear, anxiety, or stress. This means that if you keep hammering away at the horse, trying to teach them something when they are currently overwhelmed with stress, it will not work.
Lesley's Corner
Does Your Horse Like Rein Contact Right Up to the Point of Takeoff at a Jump? Or Does He Prefer a Soft/Loose Rein in the Final Strides? Find Out Here!
To get the very best out of every horse when show jumping, riders need to really think about the specific way that each individual horse needs and wants to be ridden between the fences. Let me help you to figure out what kind of horse you have!
Lesley's Corner
The Box Exercise
This clever exercise will ensure that your horse is listening precisely to the lightest of your turning aids. It will also teach you how to ride truly accurate figures, and by doing so will naturally improve the balance and carriage of your horse's gaits.
Lesley's Corner
3 Distinctly Different Ways of Controlling Your Horse's Shoulders in Circles, Turns & Lateral Work
Did you know that there are 3 related but distinctly different ways of controlling your horse's shoulders?? Many riders are in the habit of using only one of these 3 methods. So they continue to struggle to accurately control their horse's shoulders in turns, circles, and lateral work.
Lesley's Corner
An Exercise to Help Improve Your Horse's Connection Over the Back
This is a great exercise to break through the tension or stiffness in this area, and improve the level of throughness over your horse's entire topline, and the overall quality of your connection. You will see an improvement in ALL of your scores when your horse moves more through their topline!
Lesley's Corner
The Order of Aids For Changing Your Horse's Bend From One Side to the Other
Every single Dressage test requires the rider to change the horse's bend from one side to the other. With some tests having as many as 20 different opportunities to show the judge how good you are at changing your horse's bend. Or maybe how not so good you are at it!
Lesley's Corner
Do You Get Nervous When You Perform at a Horse Show??
If you are like many riders, the act of performing in front of others will make you at least somewhat nervous, whether you realize it or not! Don't despair... there IS something you can do to help you deal with this uncomfortable feeling when it happens! Read on to find out what it is!
Lesley's Corner
A Spanish Riding School Exercise to Increase the Collection in Your Horse's Canter
This great exercise, direct from the Spanish Riding School, will increase the collection in your horse's canter. It will also improve your counter canter work, and is a great way to build towards canter pirouettes. Get ready for better scores in your horse's canter work!
Lesley's Corner
The BEST Exercise to Loosen Up Your Horse's Tight Lower Back Area
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The Counted Walk - a Tool to Improve Your Horse's Carriage in Dressage
The Counted Walk is an "old school" Dressage exercise that I find to be highly overlooked and under utilized! It can be effective in improving the horse's balance and carriage, and to help him to better understand how to remain active behind even when going slowly.
Lesley's Corner
Riding From "Front to Back"
To ride from "front to back" means that the rider is using their hands to artificially shape the horse's head and neck, rather than letting the head and neck position change naturally as the overall carriage of the horse improves with training (ie collection.)