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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Control the tone of the voice in your head when you are riding, as if it becomes irritated or harsh, your horse will feel it and become tense. If it becomes timid or uncertain, your horse will feel that and may either become timid and uncertain himself, or he may
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“I don’t want to have riders who tire themselves out. Work by thinking instead.” ~ Nuno Oliveira
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It is hard to maintain tension in the body when smiling. Make yourself smile when you feel tension creeping in.
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"Major improvements take time. They don’t happen overnight. If you make a commitment to learning something new every day, getting just a little bit better every day, then eventually – over time – you will reach your goals." ~ Jack Canfield
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The more freedom you can give your horse when performing, the more brilliance he will be able to show.
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"If you’re a typical goal-directed, Type A personality kind of rider, it’s easy to over- focus on short-term goals and over-school the movements your next test calls for. Yes, it is OK for your main concern to be where your horse is in the
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An oldie, but a goodie ~ "If you always do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten." Don't keep doing the same thing over and over. If something is not working, try something else.
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When softening the reins, it is common to mistakenly and unconsciously lean forward at the same time. Avoid this problem by thinking about pushing yourself away from your hands as you give the reins.
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Always be ready to stop jumping and do a few minutes of flatwork when you run into a problem. Good flatwork will fix most jumping problems.
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"When you are galloping cross country, there has got to be a give in your position." ~ William Fox Pitt So make sure you always have some bend in your hips, knees, and ankles - these are your shock absorbers.
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It can be very helpful to keep a journal of your daily rides, and especially lessons. As soon as you get done riding, write down a few notes of things you learned that day, while it is still fresh in your mind. You will then be able to look back
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A running martingale that fits correctly does not come into play unless the horse tosses its head. It should not be used to keep the horse's head down.
