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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4309
"Relaxation is first mental, then physical. A horse in pain or one who fears you will never relax his body." ~ Charles de Kunffy
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes on this page are the work of Lesley Stevenson. Please ensure proper attribution when sharing. Thank you!
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"Relaxation is first mental, then physical. A horse in pain or one who fears you will never relax his body." ~ Charles de Kunffy
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"Suppleness means that the muscles contract and de-contract, and this has to go through the entire horse, it cannot be blocked in the middle of the back, and it also has to go through the rider." ~ Susanne Miesner
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"Iām a big fan of ground lines. I think it teaches the horse to have better technique in front. Everything that we do is connected ā the way we start on the cross rail to this, it all connects. We're building through our training." ~ McLain Ward
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Always have a plan when jumping. Each exercise should have something to teach your horse. Don't waste jumps by jumping simple jumps with no purpose - other than for warm up, or if the horse needs them for building confidence.
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As you complete a halt, lighten your seat slightly to invite your horse to keep his back up underneath you. This will allow you to move off after the halt without the horse hollowing and dropping his back.
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Quiet hands are only possible when the rider has an independent seat. So if you are looking to improve your hands, check your seat first.
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"A steady hand with a soft, following elbow invites a steady, soft contact from the horse. Working the bit or being busy with your fingers invites a false frame." ~ Alexis Soutter
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The most successful riders stay very much "in the moment", and are very attuned to feeling exactly what their horse is doing at any given moment.
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Your horse should still be connected when stretching. No loose reins! Only when they are honestly seeking the connection and moving with power from behind into the contact will the stretch be across the full topline of the horse.
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If your trainer is not truly supportive.... find a better one! I am always baffled at how many riders stick with trainers who belittle them, and very often don't even really have their best interests at heart. Some trainers don't teach because they love teaching, but
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"There is one way to check that you are on the right way ā in the high collection you must be able to stretch them so they follow the bit and they are not stuck up there. In every situation you must be able to stretch them ā even a piaffe
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When training a young horse you should be fairly single minded. Your main goal should be to build your horse's confidence in you, so that they think of you as a fair but strong leader.