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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Always keep in mind that you need to engage your horse's brain to get him to truly think forward. Your goal should not be to merely get his feet moving, but to ignite the area of his brain that makes him decide to want to move forward. Only
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"Success isn't magic or hocus-pocus - it's simply learning how to focus." ~ Jack Canfield
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Always remember that horses are herd animals, and are experts at reading the emotional status of their herdmates to know when there’s danger lurking ahead. Every time you ride or handle a horse, you become a part of your horse’s herd. When you tense, he expects trouble. When
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What you are used to doing will often feel right to you. However it is worthwhile to make sure it really is correct, before you practice that way so many times that it becomes an ingrained habit that will be difficult to change.
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Lunge lessons are extremely invaluable, as they allow you to focus more on learning to feel what your body is doing, since you don't also have to worry about controlling the horse.
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One of the most important things for you to think about during your Dressage Test is to maintain a consistent rhythm and tempo throughout. Even if other things are not perfect, maintaining that consistency will produce the best possible score.
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If you don't take the time to do things right, you will usually have to take the time to do things over.
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Don't "sort of" have a contact. Try to either ride with a connection, or with a loose rein. That "in between" area, where there is sometimes a feel and sometimes not, is where horses learn to fear and/or evade the contact.
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Great quote from Facebook fan Lisa Hamilton-Smith ~ "Contact is a living breathing thing. It's elastic from the elbow and has little to do with the hands. Imagine your elbows are holding the rein, and that your contact is then held by your seat/trunk rather than
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If your horse tends to lean heavily on his inside shoulder when making transitions, think about a few steps of spiral out before asking for the transition.
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The key to training horses is patience and consistency... stick with it and you will get there!
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Remember to take advantage of any hills you may have to build your horse into a stronger athlete. Progressive hillwork done several times a week, with days in between for muscle recovery, will build your horse up to a peak level of strength... which of course will make his job
