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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On being ridden with conflicting aids - "Some horses can cope while others develop serious behaviour problems. As riders and trainers, we don’t always notice because horses don’t yelp and scream, they just show conflict behaviour. As humans, we often interpret that as ‘naughty’ behaviour. Perhaps one
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"One of the goals of dressage is to recreate the natural beauty of the horse’s gaits under the rider, so that the horse moves as beautifully under the weight of the rider as he does at liberty. In order to achieve this, the swinging of the horse’s
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From Facebook fan Annette Gaynes ~ "The love affair with two point continues, and galloping in two point in the desert has us starting changes as I learned by accident how naturally she does them. So let the horse loosen up and go, even if you're a dressage
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Horses usually add a stride when jumping uphill.
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Always remember that horses are herd animals and read the emotional status of their herdmates to know when there is danger lurking ahead. Every time you ride or handle a horse, you become a part of your horse’s herd. When you tense up, he expects trouble. When you keep
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"Every ride that ends in a voluntary dismount is a good ride." ~ Unknown
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"Lightness, whose characteristic lies in the elastic and springy flexibility of all joints and muscles, can only be acquired after all resistances have completely disappeared, that is, with the disappearance of all inopportune contractions." ~ Alexis François L’Hotte
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"On the whole, there are only few mouths that cannot be taught a good rein contact by giving the horse the appropriate degree of balance." ~ Borries v.Oeynhausen
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"You have to be able to change your seat, get up out of your saddle and let a blood horse open up his stride, You can’t force a blood horse to open his stride — he will punch out the front rail of every oxer, I promise you. You
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From Facebook fan Alysa Tarrant ~ "The best punishment for your horse is not to engage, so that he has no good reason to fight back."
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The opening rein acts like a vacuum, moving the horse's shoulders easily as desired, especially when supported by the opposite leg and rein.
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"To the degree that the horse perfects his flexibility, his obedience increases and opposition decreases. As soon as the horse is completely flexible and through, his unconditional obedience is secured as well." ~ Ernst Friedrich Seidler
