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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"Suppleness in the back is the most important basic you can give your horse. When a horse is not supple in his back, it’s a big deal for him. Horses store a lot of emotion in their backs. If you have ever hurt your back, you know how
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The more balanced and collected the horse is, the more narrow the track he can travel on. The highly trained horse would be able to canter on a balance beam.
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A successful jump is more about the approach than the jumping effort itself.
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To help your horse perform a true medium or extended trot, think about maintaining some of the elevation that you have in your collected trot as you move into it.
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"The sequence of an aid is not complete until you soften it." ~ George Williams
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"It can be difficult to analyze your horse's performance whilst you are also concentrating on not falling off." ~ Jimmy Wofford
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Your comfort zone will keep expanding, every time you venture just outside of it.
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The opening inside rein gives the horse the indication that the turn is about to happen. The outside aids actually make the turn happen.
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The more independent and effective the rider's seat is, the less hand or leg aids they will need to control the horse.
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“The collected trot is that which desires to be in the extended trot. Do you feel the extended trot alive in it?” ~ Robert Dover
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To check that you are maintaining enough forward energy when you collect your horse, ask yourself if you could easily jump a big fence with the walk, trot, or canter that you have.
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If your instructor is the type that teaches you the reasons behind each aid or exercise used in each specific circumstance, you will become a more educated rider with a greater ability to be productive on your own time. So many do not - and with this type of instructor,
