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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When seated, you must be sitting in the lowest part of the saddle. It is common for riders to mistakenly sit too far back in the saddle, where the seat of the saddle is rising towards the back - especially when riding in Dressage saddles. This renders your seat ineffective,
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It is a good idea to alternate harder days and easier days in your training schedule. That way you give the horse a chance to physically recover from each day of hard work, and lessen the chances of injury.
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While a thicker mouthpiece is generally considered to be more gentle than a thinner bit, the horse with a small mouth or a low palate often prefers a thinner bit.
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Only the horse with a supple, relaxed back can have true impulsion.
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Bending and lateral work stretches the outside of the horse's body. As with any type of stretching, increase your demands gradually as the horse becomes more supple.
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"Generally riders do not pay enough attention to the geometry of the circle. The circle is a line of equal curvature and, to ask for it, the rider advances the outside shoulder taking care to keep the contact of the outside rein, which determines the circle rather than by
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Hillwork is one of the best strengtheners. If you have any hills available, use them judiciously to make your horse a stronger athlete.
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"People seem to understand the power of practice when it comes to skills. You know you'll get better if you practice a riding skill like a shoulder-in or a right-lead canter transition. Well, you can also practice traits. You can practice courage. You can practice self-confidence. You
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Any rounding of the shoulders is weakness and immediately disconnects the arms from the back and seat.
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An effective rider has trained their inner voice to be either positive or constructively negative, never defeating.
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Some riders seem to think that if they can just sit perfectly enough, their horse will naturally bring his body together and move in a balanced way. And that is not necessarily true. While it is very important to sit correctly, horses are likely to remain on the forehand until
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Try this little experiment: Spend some time doing a turn on the forehand in hand (on the ground), so you can really watch what happens to your horse's body when he steps underneath himself with his inside hind leg. While he may remain hollow at first in tension,
