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Tip/Quote of the Day # 301
The more weight the hocks carry, the less a horse will look for support from the rider's hand.
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The more weight the hocks carry, the less a horse will look for support from the rider's hand.
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The evenness of the contact reveals the straightness of the horse.
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Balanced riding makes for a sound horse. If a horse is unbalanced or crooked, and is loading some joints more than others, the joints with increased loading will feel increased stress. As an example, the horse that is lazy behind about engaging the joints of the hind legs, will be
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From Facebook fan Anne Johnson ~ "No matter the level, never be afraid to go back to basics. A flaw in the foundation will cause problems down the road eventually."
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From Facebook fan Deborah Carr ~ "It is OK to be the rider that I am today."
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It takes enormous lumbar strength for a horse to carry itself in an uphill frame with a rider on its back for any length of time. Asking for too much too soon can cause tension, resistance, and resentment. Allow frequent stretching breaks.
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If the rider leans back and water-skis off of the horse's mouth, the horse will usually oblige, and become the motorboat that tows them around.
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In Dressage (as in life), think of every transition as a new beginning, not an end. In other words, you are not "stopping" the trot when performing a trot to walk transition, but beginning a quality walk.
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The rein back is a great exercise for strengthening the horse, and increasing the amount of "sit" behind. But only if it is done correctly.
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Did you know that horses push upward with their front feet to begin a jumping effort? That is why it is so important that you don't make a move forward with your body as the horse is trying to take off. Your weight leaning up the neck at
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When training a young horse you should be fairly single minded. Your main goal should be to build your horse's confidence in you, so that they think of you as a fair but strong leader.
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All change is usually hard at first, often messy in the middle, and usually worth it at the end.