Lesley's Corner
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
Where a Rider Should Look When Riding the Various Lateral Movements
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HOW to Use the Turn Into Each Jump to Balance Your Horse
If your jumping instructor is worth their salt, they have probably told you to use the turn into your jump to balance your horse when necessary. But what does this really mean? And HOW exactly do you use the turn onto the jump to best set your horse up for success? Find out here!
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Basic Suppling Exercise # 6
In addition to the great suppling benefits, this challenging exercise has the added benefit of improving the quality of your canter departs!
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Rider Leg Aids
"Use your leg! More leg!" Do these commands sound familiar? There are many different ways a rider can use their leg. Do you know precisely HOW to use your leg in each situation to most clearly communicate with your horse? Learn all about the different leg aids and how to use them here!
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The Crest Release, the Automatic Release, and Everything In Between (With Pictures!)
There are a huge range of possible different releases that a rider can use when jumping a horse over a fence. Learn all about the different types in this article, with lots of picture examples. Do you know which one YOU should be striving for, for different jumping situations??
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An Exercise to Help Improve Your Trot to Canter Transitions
The key to a good canter depart is a straight, connected horse and a quiet, precise cue that doesn't change his balance. This exercise slows both the horse's and rider's mind before a trot to canter transition, allowing for more clear communication in the actual aid.
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What Does it Mean for the Horse to be "Between the Rider's Hand and Leg"?
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The Difference Between a "Correction" and Punishment When Training Horses
To get the best out of a sensitive horse, you need to truly understand the distinct difference between a correction and a punishment - and you must know how to execute any corrections needed in such a way that your horse *will not perceive them as punishment*, regardless of your intention.
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Teach Your Horse to Better Follow Your Eye When Jumping
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Making the Best Use of the Terrain on Cross Country
You will do much more galloping between jumps than actual jumping on cross country, often negotiating terrain from rolling hills to steep slopes. Riders *must* know how to use terrain to make the job easiest and most efficient for the horse - taking the least amount of gas out of the tank!
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The Number One Rule For a Rider When Approaching a Jump!
There are lots of different ingredients that add up to good jumping... but no matter what type of approach you are making, or what kind of jump you are approaching, there is one golden rule that you must follow as a rider to have a good jump!