Tip/Quote of the Day # 57
Correct Dressage is like physical therapy for a horse. When done well, it brings out the best movement the horse is capable of - creating a straight and supple athlete, that is therefore more likely to stay sound.
Correct Dressage is like physical therapy for a horse. When done well, it brings out the best movement the horse is capable of - creating a straight and supple athlete, that is therefore more likely to stay sound.
You need a short bouncy energetic canter in water. Not just to the jump in, but to any jump out or otherwise related to the water. Getting long and flat in the stride can be especially disastrous at a water jump.
Most horses jump their best when riders set them up before hand with a balanced canter at the speed appropriate for the exercise, and then *leave them alone* to let them do their jobs. No micromanaging!
In the sport of Eventing, ensuring that our horses are truly fit for our level of competition is one of the best ways to prevent unnecessary injuries.
"I like to describe riding a course as riding a line at a certain pace, and the jumps are just like speed bumps on your journey. Whereas some riders ride the jumps as their objective. They ride one jump, then look up, and ride the next, and the next.