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Tip/Quote of the Day # 4570
The sign of a good rider is that their aids are so subtle and smooth that you can hardly see what they are doing.
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The sign of a good rider is that their aids are so subtle and smooth that you can hardly see what they are doing.
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When working with a horse that does not have a great natural lengthening, make sure that you don't ask for too much too soon. Compare this to a singer who is training their vocal cords… they gradually expand their vocal range until they hit their limit. This helps
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A good halt is square because it was a good halt. Not because the rider has taught it the "trick" of squaring up after an unbalanced halt.
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If your horse finds lateral exercises more difficult in one direction vs the other (as many do), then they are not truly straight, or evenly laterally supple.
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"I used to ride mostly Thoroughbreds. I don’t know if they’re more intelligent, but I find that they think for themselves a bit more than the warmbloods. With a warmblood I find I definitely have to do a lot more, and think a lot more for them.
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"It is not dressage that is difficult, it is making it look easy that is difficult. Some horses are born with presence, while others you can train presence. Either way, dressage is about improving the paces." ~ Carl Hester
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From Facebook Fan Brenda Herzog ~ "When trying to sit the canter or trot, relax the legs down and around with each stride and to pick the horse "up" with you. This eliminates the bounce in your seat and helps to elevate the horse."
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A rider's hands can only be as good as the arms they belong to.
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Every time your horse spooks, remind yourself that horses in the wild that didn't spook at that rustling bush often got eaten by lions.
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If you have short arms, you will have to be especially careful to make sure that you keep at least a little bend in your elbows at all times when riding. If your elbows become completely straight, you will lose your ability to follow your horse's movement with
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The quieter you become with your aids, the more detail you can hear and feel in your riding.
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Practicing transitions on a circle allows you to utilize the bend and increased engagement from the circle to improve the connection in your transitions.