Lesley's Corner
Keep Your Aids Dynamic
The more dynamic your aids, the lighter they can be, and the more your horse will be aware of and attentive to each individual aid. Learn all about this here!
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
Focus is a Key Ingredient to Success (Current Freebie!)
Every sport that requires accuracy requires the ability to focus. In our sport, this means several things: * Being accurate with the focus of your eyes, to help your horse know where to focus, and so that you will be able to more effortlessly go exactly where you are looking. Watch
Lesley's Corner
Does Your Horse Have an Alpha Personality?
Lesley's Corner
An Exercise to Help Your Lengthenings Last the Full Diagonal
Lesley's Corner
Eliminate Your Bad Habits!
Ah, bad habits.... we all have them! And they can be SO frustrating, as no matter how much we try to fix them, they stubbornly persist! There is a trick, however, that can help you lick your bad habits once and for all. Find out here!
Lesley's Corner
The Horse That Wants to RUN Into the Canter
Whenever a horse "misses" a canter cue, and instead starts to run into a fast trot, he is telling you one or both of these two things: either the rider's cue to canter was unclear, or the horse's balance is so far forward that he has to run to catch it. Learn how to fix these problems here!
Lesley's Corner
An Exercise to Teach You to Ride Forward Through the Turns to Jumps
Riders underestimate how necessary it is to ride forward through turns to the jumps. Turns take away energy, can cause a serious lack of impulsion right in front of the jump. Here is an exercise to teach you how to create the *habit* of riding sufficiently forward through your turns to jumps.
Lesley's Corner
An Exercise to Help You Ride ROUND Circles
This exercise, which is a secret from the Spanish Riding School, instantly shows you if your circle is deviating even slightly from a perfectly round shape. It is a great way to master perfect circles!
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An Exercise to Help You Ride More Fluidly Forward on Circles and Serpentines
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The Overly Defensive Rider
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What to Do If Your Horse "Jumps Over the Front End"
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Teach Your Horse to Focus on the Top Rail of the Jump
Horses are most likely to jump a fence cleanly when they are *accurately focusing on the top rail*. This comes quite naturally to some horses, while others need to be taught this skill. Here's how to teach it!