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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"A ruthlessly condensed training only leads to a general superficiality, to travesties of the movements, and to a premature unsoundness of the horse. Nature cannot be violated." ~ Alois Podhajsky
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From Facebook Fan Annette Gaynes ~ "Believe in classical Dressage, particularly if you have a horse who is a tough subject. Eventually, it will pay off and you will have a happy, healthy, sound horse who wants to do the work."
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"The human will be well advised to aspire to a "fair strictness" in his behavior towards the horse. This is the fastest way for him to gain the horse's trust and the safest way to keep it." ~ Kurt Albrecht
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Don't be suckered into thinking that you must stay on the lines of approach that the Event organizers have created for you on the cross country course - whether that is a path that they have mowed in the grass, or a prepared path in the dirt. If moving
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If your horse struggles to maintain a consistent rhythm, think of using your breathing to help him stay regular. This is one reason why counting is so useful, as when you count, you will breathe in that rhythm.
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"Whenever a horse has learned a new movement or a new aid in its basic form, the rider should give him a break and deliberately ride something else for a few days or weeks. When he returns to the movement, he will notice how much more easily the training
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Lightness is not the looseness of the contact, it's the way the horse moves over the ground.
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A horse that is well balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the jump at hand, can comfortably leave the ground from just about any reasonable takeoff spot.
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"Make him a short horse with bigger paces rather than a long horse with shorter paces." ~ Stephen Clarke
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When working with horses, always be mindful of the feedback you are giving your horse at any given time... whether intentional or accidental. When your horse misbehaves, make sure you don't give him an accidental reward by stopping to regroup (which to him is a rest and a
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A word about the double bridle: The curb bit is a tool for refining the aids, not for applying more force. If the double bridle is used because otherwise the rider can’t ride his horse on the bit or because he can’t control it, neither the horse nor
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When strength is needed, such as when riding a strong horse, a rider needs to be able to find their strength in the center of their body - their core. Many times they attempt to find their strength in their arms or shoulders instead, and this is counter productive. As instead
