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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1431

"Acceptance of the bit happens in the haunches, not in the mouth." ~ Thomas Ritter

Tip/Quote of the Day # 1430

Practicing movements incorrectly will create an ingrained habit in both horse and rider that can be hard to break at a later date. Make sure you have eyes on the ground (whether that is in person, or virtually through online coaching) to make sure you are on the right track.

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1429

Never “go for the long one” at any jump into water that involves height. If you do, one of 2 things are likely to happen: 1. The horse will (quite rightly) ignore you and add a stride. 2. The horse will listen to you and take off early, but will

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1428

“The best stretch can be achieved on a circle when you feel the horse is balanced laterally and longitudinally. Slowly allow the reins to lengthen and see if your horse will lengthen his neck forward and downward. This will feel like a clear release and you will be able to

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1427

You need a short bouncy energetic canter in water. Not just to the jump in, but to any jump out or otherwise related to the water. Getting long and flat in the stride can be especially disastrous at a water jump.

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1426

"A horse is not ready to start work until he neither hurries forward nor holds back." ~ Peter DeCosemo

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1425

"I once heard someone describe the ideal self-carriage (Dehnungshaltung) as the following: Think of a horse standing at the edge of a cliff with his neck stretched out forward and down to peek over the edge, but he is rocked back on his hind legs so as not

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1424

Even if the rider has all of their body parts generally in the right place, they will feel out of balance and out of "sync" with their horse's movement when the shock absorbing joints in their hips and legs are locked and rigid.

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1423

You should have a clear understanding and feeling for the amount of bend required to accurately follow a 20m, a 15m, or a 10m circle (or any sized circle, really.)

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1422

There is an imaginary "home position" for your hands when you are riding. That is just above (and centered over) your horse's withers, with your hands about the width of your bit apart. If you have to deviate from this position for any reason, make sure

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1421

Did you know that your spine doesn't end at your neck? It goes up into your head! So when a rider looks down, or juts their head and chin forward, they are compromising that stretched up, vertical spine.

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Tip/Quote of the Day # 1420

"Riding half halts with the smallest give after each while the horse gets rounder and lighter but still reaches for the bit has been my tool to develop the basic gaits." ~ Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel

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