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True bending from nose to tail requires that the horse understands all three of these things: how to move away from lateral leg pressure, how to move into the connecting outside rein, and the aids for inside flexion.
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"Flexibility and self-carriage are the source of the horse's agility. Good turns, which develop its agility, are obtained only by making the horse flexible, putting it into balance, and thus giving it self-carriage. This involves not merely the lateral flexion of the entire spinal column
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To make diagonal lines and center lines accurate in the Dressage ring, imagine that there is a dotted line connecting the letters that make up that line. And plan your turns so that you can accurately get onto that line.
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Always remember that your goal with your hand position should be to have a straight line from your elbow to the bit. Hands above that line (which I see far too often!) break the true connection. The horse may feel lighter, but will not be truly seeking the connection. Hands
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Mental limitations are often much more career limiting than physical limitations when it comes to riding. If things are difficult for you physically, don't give up! You will get there!
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Rows of small bounce fences are a great way to build strength in your horse's canter.
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"Let us repeat that the two groups of muscles lying on either side of the spinal column which pulsate elastically rather than convulsively must work quite uniformly along a straight line and on a single track. If they do not do so, the horse becomes crooked, with its legs
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"Routine becomes even more important when you are somewhere that you’ve never been." ~ Tonya Johnston
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I always like to see horses jump into cross country complexes like coffins and sunken roads in a catlike way rather than jumping big. This means they are thinking ahead as well, and are preparing to do some good "footwork" between the jumps. Keep this in mind when
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"'Land in your feet' from every jump to avoid tipping forward." ~ Chris Bartle
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A horse has to be straight to have true impulsion. Any stored energy leaks out where the body is crooked, changing the energy in the stride from impulsion to merely forward momentum.
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"A deep seated saddle can limit the freedom of your hips to really move with your horse and you may not even realize how much your saddle is limiting you. Try an old style dressage saddle and you might just be amazed with the difference." ~ Kelly Jennings
