Unless otherwise noted, all quotes on this page are the work of Lesley Stevenson. Please ensure proper attribution when sharing. Thank you!
Get your FREE daily tip here!
The most energy efficient way for a horse to gallop cross country is to gallop in balance, so that very little adjustments are necessary in front of the fences. If you could gallop in such a way that a fence could drop from the sky and land in front of
Get your FREE daily tip here!
To build anything successfully, you need the right tools. Riding is about building a successful partnership between you and your horse. The tools you need to do that are patience, knowledge, understanding, and feel.
Get your FREE daily tip here!
“Riders use the spur instead of the calf of the leg. This is wrong. As trainers and judges, we need to encourage putting the rider in front of the leg, NOT the spur.” ~ Christoph Hess
Get your FREE daily tip here!
A rider's rigid elbows will cause the horse's back to become correspondingly rigid.
Get your FREE daily tip here!
Always keep in mind that it is more difficult for horses to turn in water. So your power steering may not work as accurately, and you may need to start your turns a little earlier!
Get your FREE daily tip here!
"The horse’s posture, his strength, his suppleness, influence very much the sensations that the bit creates in him." ~ Dupaty de Clam
Get your FREE daily tip here!
"For lateral work always remember to sit on your inside seat bone." ~ Carl Hester
Get your FREE daily tip here!
"You can ride a horse up without sitting on their backs." ~ William Fox Pitt
Get your FREE daily tip here!
Don't half halt or make an adjustment in front of a fence unless you need to. So often I see riders that ruin their good canter on the approach by taking back unnecessarily. And the same holds true on the flat…. if you have a good trot or
Get your FREE daily tip here!
On the idea of taking risks in the Dressage ring: "Aim for a score of a 7 on most movements, and decide what movements your horse excels at, and push for a bit more on those. Going for 8's across the board can backfire, leaving you with
Get your FREE daily tip here!
"Speaking as a veterinarian/animal chiropractor, a significant amount of damage can be done, especially to the young or remedial horse, by the use of draw reins. Draw reins multiply the force the bit has on the bars, and therefore act to pull the head and neck in a
Get your FREE daily tip here!
Remember that to balance your horse in front of a fence you do not necessarily have to slow down. Many times you simply need to change the shape of the canter stride - i.e. bring the horse into a more uphill frame.
