Tip/Quote of the Day!

Some people misunderstand the term "on the forehand," which refers to the shoulders being down and the hind legs out behind the horse - regardless of where his head and neck are positioned. A low head and neck does not mean a horse is on the forehand, any more than a high head carriage means collection.

If your upper body is leaning to the inside as you try to bend your horse on a circle or through a turn, you will likely find that your horse won’t bend very well. This is because your leaning to the inside causes your horse to also lean to the inside, rather than to bend nicely around your inside leg.

When riding a Dressage test, riding accurately to the letters and making good use of the corners of the ring shows the judge that you are aware, thinking, and have good control of your horse.

The more a horse relaxes within a lateral movement, the more gymnastic value the exercise will have on his body. 

"Just as the sculptor at first chisels the future outlines of his work of art with powerful blows out of the crude block of stone, and then lets it develop in increasingly finer detail in all its beauty, the aids of the rider must also become more and more delicate in the course of the horse's education. Every rider should always keep this strictly in mind and especially avoid destroying with crude aids, out of impatience or other reasons, what he has built in his previous work." ~ Alois Podhajsky

"I like to think about making my body longer in the front to make me sit up instead of thinking 'shoulders back,' which can make you stiff." ~ Mary King

On riding the strong OTTB at the gallop or over fences... "The horse might pull quite hard against the bit for brief moments as it seeks balance, but if the pulling is against its own neck then the rider’s balance never shifts and the solution is much easier for the horse to discover." ~ Steuart Pittman

This is where the technique outlined here becomes invaluable! 

Think of your leg, seat, and rein aids as ways to communicate with your horse. You don't physically push or pull him anywhere, you give him subtle signals. And if he doesn't initially respond to your subtle signals, you need to teach him to. EVERY horse can learn to respond to light cues, if taught properly.

The opening rein acts like a vacuum, moving the horse's shoulders easily as desired, especially when supported by the opposite leg and rein.

"When training, riders should focus on the line, but sit quietly & allow the horse to use its own initiative to jump the fence." ~ Eric Smiley

Always keep in mind that you do not necessarily need to slow down to rebalance your horse between fences when jumping. A horse can be balanced at just about any speed.You can also change the shape of the canter stride without changing the speed. And most importantly, the rhythm. 

If you think it doesn't matter if your horse drifts a tiny bit one way or the other when jumping, you are wrong. It almost always affects the horse's balance in a negative way.

Think of landing into your heels as you land from each jump. This will make you much more solid and balanced over fences. 

Everyone feels like they have the one horse that is so different and unusual that conventional and classical methods will not work for them. But the truth is, the basic principles will work on 99% of horses. Yes, every horse should be treated as an individual. But classical principles still apply, and will still work... given enough time. 

A horse that is well balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the jump at hand, can comfortably and safely leave the ground from just about any reasonable takeoff spot.

Very often the "silly" spooker has a physical reason for acting that way - either pain or unresolved tension somewhere in their body.

"Look for a genuine coach with real coaching skills rather than a rider who may know how to do something, but not how to teach it. Also, find someone who has solid experience of working with riders of your level." ~ William Micklem

"Horses have taught us that progress in learning takes place in an environment of contentment. Fear and tension block success. Boundaries must exist, be clear, and be consistent. Within those boundaries our horses are encouraged to express themselves." ~ Steuart Pittman

Tension meeting tension will only double the tension. If your horse becomes tense, you must be able to stay relaxed, or you will make it worse.

"The blood runs hot in the Thoroughbred and the courage runs deep.In the best of them, pride is limitless. This is their heritage and they carry it like a banner. What they have, they use." ~ C.W. Anderson 

Don't make the mistake of "skipping" rising trot just because your horse is comfortable with you sitting the trot. Rising trot can be a great way to encourage more back movement and swing within the trot, for horses at any level. 

Every exercise should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Try to slow your mind up and feel each stage of the process. 

The elasticity in your connection should come from your elbows, not from having open or active fingers.

"We cannot touch the mouth until the horse is making enough energy that it’s safe to touch him in the mouth." ~ Laura Graves

If you don't give your horse something to do, he might give YOU something to do. Always have a plan for each ride, and keep your horse's mind engaged with YOUR plan.

When your horse is more difficult going to the left because he wants to carry his body too "curled" to the left, (and therefore tends to fall through the outside shoulder when going that direction), this is often best addressed by schooling on the right rein, rather than the left. If you can do some good work with your horse's body fully bending around your right leg, you are stretching the tight left side of his body, which will help him to go straighter when traveling to the left.

"If the rider can halt his horse in any lateral movement, so that it stands quietly in the same position, or ride straight forward without hesitation, it is proof that the horse was going well between hands and legs." ~ Borries von Oeynhausen

"You can see suppleness by observing how the rider can sit on the horse and not on top of the horse." ~ Susanne Miesner

Horses love a routine… it gives them confidence. With the nervous or green horse, develop a warm up routine that you will use every day. And make sure it stays the same at shows.

"Once you are in the working phase, stay sitting in the saddle as the seat is a very important aid for influence; especially for long backed horses. If you sit in the saddle you can better feel and influence the horse. If the horse is weak, perhaps sit for shorter periods followed by stretching, then work sitting again." ~ Ingrid Klimke