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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"Once the resistances of the muscles are overcome and the animals are balanced, all horses have soft mouths, as the school horses prove, often with very flat bars. If the muscles resist with full force, if the hindquarters thrust more than the forehand supports, etc., the horse will always
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"The goal is not to raise the neck, it is to lower the hips .” ~ Decarpentry
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In the Dressage ring, you must look at the corners as your friend! Each corner is an opportunity to improve your horse's carriage and connection.
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Most problems can be solved by riding forward.
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Tension meeting tension = double the tension. If your horse becomes tense, you must be able to stay relaxed, or you will make it worse.
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In a correct circle, you should be slightly turning continuously to the exact same degree from beginning to end. No corners or flat sides!
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When a horse has true impulsion, they become easy to steer and keep straight. And being able to perform perfect geometrical figures (the ability to be straight on curved lines) proves your ability to maintain a consistent level of impulsion.
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Get off the rail to verify your horse's straightness. Use the quarter lines and center lines. Or better yet… go out in a big field!
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Your horse can feel whether or not you have a strong, detailed plan of how to ride your jumping course or dressage test. And he will gain confidence in you if he feels you are confident in your plan.
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The horse needs to understand that he should not go against the bit, but we do not want him to think that he should "give" to the bit. When the horse thinks he should give to the bit, he merely poses in a false frame when he feels
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Part of being a good cross country rider is having the ability to ride forward at the fences even when your horse is strong. Riding backwards at cross country complexes can cause all sorts of problems.
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The best riders are masters at self control.
