~Lesley's Corner~

Horses become incapable of learning when they go past a certain level of fear, anxiety, or stress. This means that if you keep hammering away at the horse, trying to teach them something when they are currently overwhelmed with stress, it will not work.

The only thing that you will be able to teach them by putting more pressure on them while they are in that condition is that their job is not enjoyable, and that you cannot be trusted.

Yet I often see people handling and riding horses who appear to be giving very little thought to where their horse's current level of stress is at. If the horse is not behaving or performing correctly, they keep adding more and more pressure on the horse to attempt to force it to do what they want.

In scenarios like this, the results will be FAR more successful if the human is able to monitor the horse's stress levels, and make an attempt to lower those levels before adding more pressure. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

There are always at least 2 sides to every story. Of course we all know this to be true in life! But how does this concept translate into our riding?? Keep reading to find out! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Let's talk about WHY we ride our horses in the movement known as the free walk. Is it just because this is a movement that appears in our Dressage tests, many times even with a double coefficient?? Or are there important reasons we should be asking our horses to perform a quality free walk in our daily riding, even when there is no judge watching?  

When schooling, do you mostly only ride in a free walk when you want to take a break from work, maybe while chatting with your friends, or discussing what you just did with your trainer? Or do you have a plan to actually USE the free walk to improve your horse's mental state and to encourage better use of his entire body??

Read on to learn and see (through a video example) how to make the free walk movement a much more USEFUL tool for you and your horse! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

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. When a horse's muscles become fatigued, the strain on their tendons and ligaments increases significantly. A single misstep that results in serious injury can be far more likely to happen. ALL of the horse's structures are vulnerable to overuse injuries from fatigue. Having the horse truly fit for the job required greatly mitigates the risk.

Interval training is the safest way to develop the horse's ability to do more work over longer periods of time, as it helps to prevent fatigue and a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. Read on to learn all about it, and how to use it to better prepare your horses for hard work! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Every single Dressage test requires the rider to change the horse's bend from one side to the other. At the lower levels, it may only be required a few times in each test. But as you move up the levels that number increases, with some tests having as many as 20 different opportunities to show the judge how good you are at changing your horse's bend. Or maybe how not so good you are at it!

Being able to change your horse's bend WELL will allow you to best maintain the quality of your horse's balance, carriage, rein connection, and overall harmony between horse and rider. This means improved Dressage scores! And most importantly, being able to make smooth, effortless changes of bend improves (and proves!) your horse's suppleness.

The ORDER of aids involved in changing the horse's bend is very important! It can make the difference between a horse that changes bend smoothly while maintaining the quality of the gait, versus one that stiffens and resists slightly every time the rider changes the bend.

MANY riders go to their new inside rein first... and that is definitely the worst thing that you can do! Read on to learn about the sequence of aids for changing the bend that will give you the best results! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

The hot or anxious type of horse can be very challenging to ride and train! But if well managed and patiently handled, they can be the very best competitors! These are often the horses that have the heart to give you 110% once you have formed a good bond with them. And although the training process with this type of horse can be frustratingly slow, it is often especially rewarding once you get there! 

Hot or nervous horses aren't for everyone. Some riders just do not have the patience required. And unfortunately many of the riders who DO have the patience for this type of horse, are still not getting the best results with them, because of the specific methods they are using.This exercise will help! And it is so simple, that you will wonder why you haven't been regularly using this little trick! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Self carriage of the horse is one of the most important goals in dressage. When the horse is in self carriage it is balanced independently of its rider, not using the rider's hand or leg for support in any way. How do you KNOW if your horse is in self carriage?? You should be testing him often throughout your work! (Read all about the traditional test for self carriage here.)

In this article, you will find an exercise to make sure that your horse is in lateral self carriage, which is a very important (yet rarely discussed) aspect of self carriage. This exercise is suitable for horses and riders at all levels. But lower level riders need it the most, as they are often unknowingly struggling with this very issue! Read on to learn all about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

This canter pole exercise has applications for just about every level of horse and rider - from Training level Dressage right to Grand Prix! It will improve your horse's balance and responsiveness, by increasing hind leg engagement. You can even use it to add more scope to your horse's canter stride! Read on to learn all about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

To get the best results, riders need to ride from their seat and core. Many riders KNOW this, but it just seems to be the last thing they can think about, with all of the other thoughts rolling around in their head at the moment they need it most. Such as when you are preparing for a transition into canter in your Dressage test, or are trying to frantically collect your strong horse right before the coffin complex on cross country. There are between 5 and 10,000 other things that you need to be thinking about at those important moments!

It is smart for riders to regularly take the time (between those important moments) at home to consciously train your body to be more aware of your core and how to use it. The more awareness and attention you give to using your core muscles, the better chance you have of creating a habit of using your core properly throughout your riding. Which can make a HUGE difference in your success as a rider, no matter the discipline! This exercise will specifically help you to locate and be more aware of your abdominal muscles. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

The half halt is one of the least understood concepts in Dressage. Ask 10 different riders... even ask 10 different trainers... what it means, and you are likely to get 10 different answers. (Read my explanation of the half halt here.)

In truth, there are several different types of half halts. And riders need to have a good understanding of all of them! (Read all about the different types of half halts here.) Riders also need to know which particular type of half halt is needed for their particular horse at that particular moment.

The wrong type will not produce the results you are looking for. A very common example that I often see is riders on the more laid back or quiet type of horse thinking that because their horse is not getting strong or heavy, they do not need half halts. And when they are told to half halt, they invariably use the wrong type of half halt for their horse's needs.

Too much "whoa" in the equation of aids actually disengages the lazier type of horse's hind legs, rather than engaging them. This type of horse very often needs half-goes instead! Read on to learn all about the half-go! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Your ability (or lack thereof) to control your horse's shoulders will show up in just about everything you try to do when riding. It will often be quite evident, as it can be very hard to steer properly or keep your horse straight when you do not have 100% control of the horse's shoulders!

Did you know that there are 3 distinctly different ways of controlling your horse's shoulders?? Many riders are in the habit of using only one of these 3 methods. And very often it is actually NOT the best of the 3 for their situation. So they continue to struggle to accurately control their horse's shoulders in turns, circles, and lateral work to at least some degree.

YOU are most likely using only one of these 3 methods. Are you using the right one?? Read on to find out! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Confused about all of the different noseband and bridle choices out there?? Here's a synopsis! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

This simple exercise is suitable for all levels of horse and rider. It is particularly useful for young or green horses that need to be more educated about the rider's outside turning aids. But it is also a great reminder for horses at any level who do not respond to the outside aids as well as their rider would like them to! Read on to learn all about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

This simple and very often overlooked tool gives you the ability to easily sharpen up your horse's jumping form. It also teaches your horse to focus more accurately on the fences. It's one of my all time absolute favorites! Read on to learn all about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

In addition to the great suppling benefits, this exercise has the added benefit of improving the quality of your canter departs! It is most suitable for horses that are already at or above First level Dressage. Although those that are not quite there yet can play with a baby version of this exercise. Both horse and rider need to have a solid understanding of the lateral aids. And things will be coming up quite quickly! Read on to learn all about this challenging exercise! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

"Use your leg!".... "Put your leg on!".... "More leg!" Do these commands sound familiar to you?? I'm willing to bet that they are. There are many different ways a rider can use their leg. Do you know precisely how to use your leg in each individual situation, so that you are most clearly communicating your thoughts to your horse?

You certainly need to, if you want to get the best results! Read on to learn (or confirm your knowledge) about all of the different leg aids, and when and how they should be used. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

For many riders, downward transitions happen in a bit of a blur... They try their best to prepare for them, give the aid, and then hope for the best as they wait to see how their horse will respond. Once the transition is completed, they are usually able to look back and see if it went well or not. But while their horse is actually changing gaits - as those couple of strides are actually happening, there is very little communication, feel, or awareness of what their own body is doing, or exactly what the horse is doing underneath them in that moment.   

Does this sound like YOU? If it does, don't feel bad. This is really common! And the problem with this scenario is that it very often produces a downward transition that is inadequate in some way - most commonly with the horse being somewhat resistant or heavy on the forehand. And not only does that lower your score if you happen to be in the Dressage ring, but it also diminishes all of the positive effects that can come out of a well ridden and executed downward transition. (Increased hind leg engagement, longitudinal suppleness, and overall carriage)

This exercise, suitable for all levels of horses and riders, will help to show you how to stay in a state of increased feeling and awareness, allowing you to be able to use subtle yet precise communication as needed in every single step of that downward transition. It will turn you into a rider who is able to ride EFFECTIVE downward transitions - which is what is required to give you the best possible result. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

A variation of the Rubber Band exercise, this "rev the motor" exercise helps you to turn the energy in your horse's stride into true hind leg engagement - which is the key to building collection! Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

In Dressage, we use bending both to develop and to prove our horse's lateral suppleness. When the horse is laterally supple, the rider will feel that it is easy to keep the horse straight, and that it is easy to change the bend back and forth when changing directions. Lateral suppleness will also allow the horse to conform his entire body to the shape of the circles and turns that we ride him on... which means he can perform those figures in balance.  

This basic suppling exercise can be adapted to be used for horses and riders of all levels. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Why is self carriage at the gallop so important? Let me describe what happens with horses and riders in our sport when the horse is NOT in self carriage at the gallop:

On cross country, when horses are galloping along heavily on their forehand between fences, their front feet and legs are taking a pounding with every stride. This can often eventually lead to soundness issues. There will also obviously be a huge extra need for "set up" at each fence, especially so with the more complicated fences. And when the rider tries to change that balance to approach a fence, there will most likely be resistance on the horse's part. Why?

Because even the most well trained horse will find it difficult to comply to his rider's requests with the state of balance they are in. This often means that riders will have to "wrestle" with their horses to try to rebalance and set up for each fence, using the reins quite strongly. Several things happen when this is the case...

First of all, a whole lot of energy is wasted with these struggles. So mental and/or physical fatigue can become more of an issue, for both horse and rider, especially on longer, more difficult courses. Also, when riders are adding more and more rein pressure to bring their horses back to them and rebalance, the horse's mouth will become less and less responsive. And you know what this means!

Riders then have to pull even harder to be heard, as their horses begin to tune them out. Some horses "shut down" in a way when they have had too much pressure on their mouth - almost like their mouth has gone numb. And others panic and try to run away even more when they know their rider is going to start to pull hard on their mouth.

This is true in regards to maintaining the desired speed between fences as well. I learned this one the hard way myself. If you have a horse that wants to go, go, GO... It is not a good idea to attempt to "hold them back" through the whole course. Because the horse's mouth will become less and less responsive as the course goes on, and you will likely find yourself having very little control by the end of the course!

Horses and riders in any of these scenarios are at a MUCH greater risk of having a dangerous or even catastrophic fall at a cross country fence. Because they are not in true harmony. And any fighting that goes on between horse and rider as the rider frantically tries to rebalance the horse in front of the fence (or to try to attain some preconceived "take off spot") risks taking the horse's focus OFF of the fence. That is NEVER a good thing.

And finally, every time riders have to resort to wrestling their horses back to them, more strain is added to the horses' backs and hocks. So the soundness repercussions from not galloping in balance and self carriage can show up anywhere in the horse's body.

Fortunately, training for self carriage at the gallop is not terribly difficult. It just takes time and effort. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

1. An object or goal that is sought after for its great significance
2. Something that you want very much but that is very hard to get or achieve

Wondering what the Holy Grail of Dressage really is?? It is being able to achieve the rare status of your horse truly seeking the connection. Why is that so important?? 

Because only then can the horse use his body fully and correctly to achieve the highest levels of true collection.

Many to most horses out there competing are NOT honestly seeking the connection. Instead, many riders are trying to create that connection in a backward way. This causes the horse to hold himself in a "frame" rather than ever honestly seeking the contact. (More on this subject here.)

Only the horse that is consistently reaching into the connection will be able to lift his back freely and use his entire topline in a supple way as he moves. In other words, true "Throughness."

Here is a simple exercise, suitable for almost all levels of horses and riders, that will help you to teach your horse the concept of reaching into the connection: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Speed vs impulsion... Successful jumping requires that riders know the difference between the two, and can create the right amount of real impulsion needed for the particular obstacle or complex in front of them. Read all about impulsion, and how to attain it, in this article: Impulsion Defined. And here is a specific jumping exercise, that will show you how to turn your speed into impulsion. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

To get the very best out of every horse when show jumping, riders need to really think about the specific way that each individual horse needs and wants to be ridden between the fences. For example, some horses like a contact with the reins all the way up until the point of takeoff at a jump. It gives them confidence, and they feel more connected to their riders. Other horses prefer to have soft or even slightly loose reins in the last strides of the approach.

If you don't know which way your horse would go best, or you pick the wrong way.... (maybe because you've had success with it on other horses), the quality of your jumping may suffer. Let me help you to figure out what kind of horse you have! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Most riders know that they should be focusing more on the horse's hind legs when riding and jumping. But with the temptation of the horse's head and neck visibly in front of us, this can be quite difficult! Here is a little mental trick that will help! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Here is a great exercise (suitable for all levels!) for you to practice, the next time that you have the opportunity to go cross country schooling! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

This exercise is a great way to test and confirm your horse's rideability when jumping, as well as check on the balance and overall quality of your jumping canter. Read on to learn all about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Here is a trot pole exercise that will improve your horse's balance and suppleness, while challenging your ability to maintain the quality of your trot through changes of bend. (Click on Article Title above to read full article) 

Do you find that you have SO many different things that you need to work on and improve upon in your riding, that it is hard to keep track of them all?? You correct one issue, and move on to the next, only to find that you have now lost the progress that you made on the first one?? 

Let me give you an example of what I am talking about. It is quite common for riders to have many or even all of these bad habits when riding on the flat - looking down, rounded shoulders, slumped posture, an incorrect pelvis position, an incorrect hand position, tense arms/shoulders, and hands that acts in a backward manner.

Since the human brain can only think about one distinct thought at a time, the way riders usually address these issues is to make one correction at a time. First they remind themselves to look up. Then to square and relax the shoulders. Next they think about their overall posture and alignment. And finally, the focus moves to their hands... They make whatever specific correction is necessary to put their hands in the right position, and then make an attempt to make those hands "forward thinking."

The problem is that by this point in their checklist, all of the earlier corrections may have already unraveled. Here is a trick that will help with this! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Have you ever noticed how much better our electronic devices such as our smartphones and computers seem to run after we refresh or reset them? Letting go of all the data overload and junk files, and closing all of the unnecessary apps that were running in the background allows our devices to work as good as new much of the time.

The same is often true in our riding. Refreshing or resetting our aids "wipes the slate clean", so to speak, allowing the horse to better focus on and hear our light aids. Continue reading to find out how and when to reset your aids! (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

The Triangle Exercise is a fun and challenging exercise to test the precision and fluidity of your turns. It also teaches riders to do a better job of planning ahead, and executing that plan accurately, to set themselves up for success.This exercise will help you to be more accurate in the Dressage ring, and will improve your jumping as well! Read on to learn all about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

Have you ever noticed how the turning aids of many of the top riders are amazingly effortless and practically imperceptible? And how their horses seem to turn smoothly and accurately, almost seemingly of their own accord?? It is something that all riders should be striving for, to be able to turn so easily and effectively that no one can even see the turning aids being used.

The way you turn your horse is definitely a good example of "less is more", as the stronger and more crude your turning aids are, the more resistances and loss of balance you will likely encounter. The best way to ensure a balanced, smooth turn is for the rider to keep their aids precise yet as light as possible. Here is an exercise that will help you to refine your turning aids, so that YOU can be one of those riders with effortless and invisible aids! (Click on the Article Title above to read full entry)

Does your horse need some motivation over fences?? Here is an exercise that will rev him up, and make him more game about jumping! (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

Horses tend to mirror their rider's posture. A horse is much more likely to carry himself in balance and self carriage if his rider is poised and balanced in the saddle. Tension in the rider creates and perpetuates tension in the horse. And tense riders are notorious for holding tension in their shoulders! Rounded and slumped shoulders are a big problem too.

Poor posture leads to muscle imbalances in our bodies. When you slump, your chest muscles shorten and tighten, making it more difficult for you to properly use your core and back muscles. You are also then much more likely to want to grip and "hang on" to try to stay in position (especially on the bigger moving horses!), often using your hands more than your seat to try to control your horse. All of these things effect the horse negatively - the imbalance, the tension, the gripping, and the overuse of the reins.

This should be an easy fix, right? Just square your shoulders! But here's the problem… I find that just telling riders to "keep their shoulders back" rarely solves the problem. Why? Because in trying to force the shoulders back while riding a horse (along with the 50 other things that you need to be thinking about at that moment), many times the tension in the shoulders remains. Which usually means that they will creep forward again as soon as you are focusing on something else! Here is a quick, simple fix that you can incorporate often into your riding, to help you find relaxed and square shoulders in the saddle. (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

The Volte is an old school, classical movement that is invaluable in developing lateral suppleness in the horse. Although it can be utilized on a basic level for horses and riders that are fairly solid at First level, it is particularly essential for the more advanced Dressage horse. Read on to find out why and how! (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

Here is an exercise that will help you to show your horse how to carry himself in a better way within the confines of the Dressage ring - helping him to be more ready to perform any movement that might be coming! (Click on Article title above to read full entry)

In discussing different training methods, and the use of various training gadgets such as draw reins, it is common for those defending their methods to say that as long as we get to the same place in the end, it doesn’t really matter how we get there. But those who jiggle the reins to bring down their horse’s head, or use strong bits or draw reins to force the horse to become more obedient, so that he is more likely to keep his head in the right place no matter what the rest of his body is doing, will not end up in the same place as those who take the time to teach the horse to correctly seek the connection. If Rome is where we want to be, the road they are on will NOT take them there! Read on to find out why! (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

This is a subject that so many people have strong opinions on… with one end of the spectrum saying that we shouldn’t be working young horses until they have fully matured, and others saying that a certain amount of work in those formative years is important to build a truly strong athlete. As is often the case in the subject of horses... the middle ground is usually the best. Horses that are pushed too hard or too fast (at any age) can easily suffer negative physical and mental consequences. But young horses in particular require a careful program, as their internal support structures (bones, tendons, and ligaments) are rarely as developed as their muscular bodies might be suggesting. (Click on Article Title above to read full article.)

The Counted Walk is an "old school" Dressage exercise that I find to be highly overlooked and under utilized! It can be effective in improving the horse's balance and carriage, and to help him to better understand how to remain active behind even when going slowly.

It will also strengthen the horse, and address suppleness in the body in a unique way. Riders can use this exercise to teach their horses to respond to feather light aids. It can also be quite useful in improving Dressage movements such as the turn on the haunches, pirouettes, and the halt. And it can be a great way to build into half steps, the piaffe, and higher levels of collection. Read on to learn more about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Generally a good, smooth, clean show jumping round happens when you have the right quality of canter, and your horse is rideable and adjustable between fences. If your horse is lacking in rideability or adjustability, it does not matter how great the canter is that you start off with - as you will find that the quality of your canter will likely diminish as your round goes on. And because your horse is not easily adjustable, you will probably be unable to truly fix it while on course.

I will start by defining and discussing the difference in the meaning of the two terms, and will then give you an exercise that will show you exactly how much of either quality your horse currently possesses! This exercise can be adapted to suit all levels of horse and rider, and all disciplines of riding. (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

Raise your hand if you get nervous before horse shows! 

If you are like many riders, the act of performing in front of others will make you at least somewhat nervous, whether you realize it or not! Don't despair... there IS something you can do to help you deal with this uncomfortable feeling when it happens! Read on to find out what it is! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Despite the best of intentions, many riders have a hard time maintaining the correct hand position when riding. This is often because we have so many different things to think about!

It is one thing to maintain a perfect hand position at the halt, or when riding on loose reins. But when trying to give your horse the aids for various movements, dealing with any imperfections of the connection, or just focusing on another part of your anatomy for just a moment, it is common for the hands to go astray! Here is a highly effective exercise, that will fix any hand position flaw that you may have! (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

What makes for a smooth show jumping round? Balance, rhythm, and rideability come to mind. If your horse is rideable, he is responsive, obedient, supple, and in balance at all times. This is, of course, usually a work in progress! As much of our daily training is aimed at developing our horse's rideability, and it can take many years to achieve! Here is a great pole exercise to help you improve your horse's rideability on course! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

The Box Exercise is one of my absolute favorites for both Dressage and Jumping riders. This clever exercise will ensure that your horse is listening precisely to all of your turning aids, and you can use it to teach your horse to listen to the lightest of aids. It will also teach you how to ride truly accurate figures, and by doing so will naturally improve the balance and carriage of your horse's gaits. This one is suitable to riders at all levels because of the many different possible levels of difficulty. Read on to find out all about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

This fairly complex jumping exercise is most suitable for Event horses that are at the Training level or above, although it can be modified for more green horses and/or riders. It will test your ability to make accurate turns onto angled lines, while keeping an even jumping pace. Read on to learn all about it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Have you ever stopped to wonder how your driving habits might be affecting your riding?? Many of us spend quite a lot of time behind the wheel. And since we are such creatures of habit, many of the things that we habitually do while driving can easily become somewhat "normal" for us, showing up in other situations as well.

Since we have to be able to sit in a completely centered and balanced way when riding, with have equal awareness and control over both sides of our body to get the best out of our horses, we should look into every possible situation that might be developing the wrong "muscle memory" in our bodies. Here are some things to think about and practice when driving your car, that might help to improve your position and effectiveness on your horse! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

In Dressage, we use bending both to develop and to prove our horse's lateral suppleness. When the horse is laterally supple, the rider will feel that it is easy to keep the horse straight, and that it is easy to change the bend back and forth when changing directions. Lateral suppleness will also allow the horse to conform his entire body to the shape of the circles and turns that we ride him on... which means he can perform those figures in balance.

The caveat here is that to achieve this suppleness, the horse must be giving you TRUE bend throughout his body (more on that here.) So you need to make sure that your horse is actually responding to your bending aids correctly! And one of the keys to this is to make sure your horse is truly listening to your inside leg - giving you an immediate response to even the slightest of leg aids just behind the girth. 

Here is a very basic exercise, suitable for horses and riders at all levels, that will help to improve the horse's response to the rider's inside leg: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some horses have a hard time really swinging and engaging their entire backs, due to tension or stiffness. Many of these horses show signs of improvement with good dressage training, but often continue to carry an area of tension - usually in their lumbar region or lower back. This is a great exercise to break through the tension or stiffness in this area, and improve the level of throughness over your horse's entire topline, and the overall quality of your connection. Read on to find out how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

"Stair stepping" your lateral work when schooling your horse has enormous benefits! It helps to teach your horse to stay more truly connected throughout all of your lateral movements. You will become more aware of and be better able to fix any straightness issues that you may encounter. And it will help you to maintain more hind leg activity and impulsion throughout any lateral movement or exercise. Read on to find out how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

It is such a common problem for horses to fall in on the circle when lunging. Many horses do it mostly in one direction (usually when circling to the right), but others do it both ways. Why is this such a problem?? Because not only is your lunging not productive at that point, but it is very hard on the horse's body and joints to be traveling so incorrectly. And most importantly, if your horse does this on the lunge, he probably has a tendency to try to do this under saddle as well! Read on for a specific exercise to help teach your horse to stand up straight around his corners and turns. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo credit to Catherine Norman)


There are a huge range of possible different releases that a rider can use when jumping a horse over a fence. All the way from a "negative" release - which means the rider is actually pulling back on the horse's mouth in the air, like this: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Riding is supposed to be about developing a harmonious partnership between horse and rider. When done extremely well, the horse appears to be performing entirely on his own, just following the thoughts and desires of his rider by apparent telepathy.

More commonly, we see riders doing lots of strong driving, kicking, spurring, pulling, yanking, and overall using aids that are just... shall we say, a bit crude??

So, if the "crude aids" category sounds frighteningly familiar to you... how do you go about changing to the more "harmonious partnership" mentioned above, with a horse that is responsive to feather light aids??

It CAN be done... and with just about ANY horse! Any horse can be taught to be alert, attentive, and responsive to nearly invisible aids. The key is to... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo courtesy of Catherine Norman)

Even though I already have an article about how to ride jumps at an angle, and how to teach the green horse all about angled jumps (check that out here), I wanted to further discuss some of the benefits of jumping at angles - of which there are many! And I also want to cover what level of horse and rider should be working on angled fences on a regular basis. Read on to find out! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article) 

This exercise has SO many benefits, using more attention to the corners of the arena to attain more bending and suppleness, and transitions between them to increase your horse's hind leg engagement and carriage. Read on to find out how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

About 10 years ago, I was coaching the very talented young rider in the above photo at an Event at the Carolina Horse Park in North Carolina. Her horse absolutely loved cross country, and could get very strong with her. 

So, as we were warming up for that phase, I was trying to show her how to better control her strong horse in a galloping position. And to use this technique well, a rider has to have a fairly flat back (as that makes it possible to push your hips back.) Since this rider was noticeably rounding her back, I kept telling her to... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

This very basic (and often overlooked) jumping exercise will improve your horse's rideability, as well as the overall harmony between you and your horse when jumping courses. It may not be easy to do well at first, but it will get better and better with practice! Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It can often be helpful to have some NEW exercises to try to improve the issues that you spend every day working on. Many times something brand new and a little out of the norm can really push you past the slump you are in! Here is a trot pole exercise, best suited for horses and riders that are working at second level Dressage or above, that will increase your horse's suppleness, engagement, and rideability. It will also help to make him stronger, which will make everything that you ask easier for him!  (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many riders tend to think of the lateral movements as something that you need to be good at to show the judge as you perform them in the Dressage ring. But riders should actually be thinking about using the various lateral exercises as tools, used judiciously to make improvements in the way the horse is moving and carrying himself. 

Much like treating an illness with exactly the right medicine to resolve that specific illness... A rider needs to know exactly what specific lateral movement their horse NEEDS at any particular moment - to improve alignment, straightness, throughness, engagement, and evenness in the reins. Here are 10 examples of problems that you might encounter with your horse, and the specific lateral exercises that you can use to help fix them! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

This great exercise, direct from the Spanish Riding School, will increase the collection in your horse's canter. It will also improve your counter canter work, and is a great way to build towards canter pirouettes. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

It is no secret that horses (just like people) will perform better if they actually enjoy their job. And if you want your horse to enjoy his job, you have to consciously make an effort to make your horse's job enjoyable! Here are 12 different things you can think about, to help ensure that your horse is truly happy in his work: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Thinking about trying your hand at Novice level Eventing? It is always wise to make sure you are very well prepared! Here is a list of skills that you and your horse should be fairly proficient at before you sign up for your first Novice level horse trials: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

As a Dressage rider, your seat is paramount. All of your efforts to improve your horse(s) will be futile, unless you possess a good seat, as you will not be able to give your horse clear and precise aids. While this article on developing an independent seat thoroughly covers all that it takes to develop that, I want to discuss the specific point of how the rider should be sitting in the saddle. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Generally a good, smooth, clean show jumping round happens when you have the right quality of canter, and your horse is adjustable between fences. If your horse is lacking in adjustability, it does not matter how great the canter is that you start off with - as you will find that the quality of your canter will likely diminish as your round goes on. And because your horse is not easily adjustable, you will probably be unable to truly fix it while on course. 

First of all, what do I mean by the right quality of the canter? The right canter to jump out of is balanced, rhythmic, straight, and in self carriage. With the appropriate amount of impulsion for the jump in front of you. 

It takes adjustability to be able to maintain that canter throughout a course. Your horse may approach the first jump with the right canter, and land from the first jump running, flat, and out of balance. If your horse is adjustable, you can easily put him right back in the same quality canter you had before the jump. If you do not have adjustability, your rounds will tend to get worse and worse as you go on. 

Here is a great exercise to improve your horse's adjustability: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Here are a variety of exercises that you can do with just 3 poles on the ground that will test and improve your control and accuracy, as well as improve your horse's suppleness and rideability. I will begin with exercises that are suitable for lower level riders and horses, and finish with those that are appropriate for the more advanced. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many performance horses work hard for a living. And since horses don't have the ability to verbally voice their complaints, it is 100% up to us as owners, riders, and trainers to make sure they are truly comfortable in their jobs. While an obvious lameness is usually fairly easy to see, it becomes a whole lot more tricky when the horse isn't outright lame, yet is NQR, or "not quite right." 

Sometimes this is due to a bilateral lameness, meaning both front feet or both hocks hurt equally, which creates a situation where the horse might not actually "limp," because both sides hurt. And sometimes the horse has soreness somewhere in his body, that is unlikely to make him limp, even if it is quite sore. This is a tough situation for some horses, if their owners are the type to say, "If he's not limping, he's fine." Not only is it unfair to the horse to be made to work when he's sore, very often when minor problems are overlooked, they can turn into big problems down the road. 

Here are some things to think about, and 15 different signs to watch for, to help you make sure your horse isn't working with pain in his body: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

There is a great debate in the Eventing world, almost exclusively in the US... over whether or not riders should "look for a distance" for their horses when coming into their fences. While it is commonplace for Hunter/Jumper riders to do so (and this is where this idea comes from), Event riders need to think a bit differently for one very important reason! Because our cross county jumps are solid, we HAVE to train our horses with the mindset of nurturing their ability to think for themselves. Read on to find out how and why! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Left to their own devices, horses almost always find the easiest way to do things. And that can mean finding out that it is easier to pick up the canter by swinging the haunches to the inside, rather than staying straight and actually engaging the hind legs more to make the transition. 

Why is picking up the canter with the haunches in a problem? Because it almost always means the horse is more on the forehand as he begins the canter. And it is always better to start with a good canter, than it is to try to fix that canter after a poor transition! 

Now, on to how to fix the problem! First of all, make sure you are not actually causing this problem by... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article) 

The Wiggly Worm Exercise is invaluable for green horses, as it will educate them on how to turn effortlessly from feather light rider aids. It can also be a great exercise for improving suppleness and relaxation with horses at all levels. Read on to find out how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

So you have found the horse of your dreams... and are ready to buy. You just have one big hurdle to negotiate before you can bring him home - the dreaded pre purchase exam! While they can be nerve wracking, and sometimes heartbreaking, it is always a smart investment. No matter the price, age of horse, amount of miles on his legs, etc... you will always be better off knowing what issues or potential problems the horse might have in the future.

The level of extensiveness of the vet check might vary for different situations and purposes, however. For example, I would be more likely to... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Where a rider is looking during any given lateral movement is very important. Not only do you need to look in the direction you are traveling for your horse to understand your intent, but your focus needs to be consistent to help the movement be consistent. Look elsewhere, or at your horse’s head for a few strides in the movement, and you can easily disrupt the flow and rhythm of the movement. Here's a list of where you should be looking for each of the individual lateral exercises: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

If your jumping instructor is worth their salt, they have probably told you to use the turn into your jump to balance your horse when necessary. But what does this really mean? And how exactly do you use the turn onto the jump to best set your horse up for success? Read on to find out! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Have you ever wondered why it can be so much harder to stay with a horse when jumping up a bank?? It is because horses have to jump up much higher on an up bank than a regular jump of the same size, so that they have room to put their landing gear down at the top of the jumping arc. Because of this, the type of canter that you need to have on the approach to a bank is one that is... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

To ride from "front to back" means that the rider is using their hands to artificially shape the horse's head and neck, rather than letting the head and neck position change naturally as the overall carriage of the horse improves with training (ie collection.) 

There is a pretty large range of offenders, from those who quietly wiggle their fingers to ask the horse to "give" and tuck his nose, all the way to rollkur, where the horse's head is cranked down with strong force. 

In every one of these cases, the horse's neck is shortened from front to back (obviously to varying degrees), which jams the horse up, and prevents the impulsion from truly reaching the rider's hand. The rider who shortens the horse's neck with their hands will never achieve the lovely feeling of throughness, with the circle of energy permeating throughout its body.

To understand how causing the horse to shorten and/or overbend his neck stops up the flow of energy through the topline, look at this...  (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

A rider's elbow joint is one of the most important joints in their body... especially so for those of us who ride Dressage! As the elbow is essentially the rider's shock absorber - allowing horse and rider to maintain a harmonious connection while in motion. Read on to find out about a very common mistake riders make with their elbows, that causes all sorts of unwanted resistance from their horses! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Your ability (or lack thereof) to control your horse's shoulders will show up in just about everything you try to do when riding. It will often be quite evident, as it can be very hard to steer properly or keep your horse straight when you do not have 100% control of the horse's shoulders! 

There is an exercise called "shoulder yield" (which is really more of a jumper term than a Dressage term), that tests your ability to control your horse's shoulders. You can also use it to teach your horse to be more responsive to the aids that control the shoulders, making for precise and effortless turning. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

No matter what riding style or discipline you choose, you should be able to prove the solidity of your basic foundation by passing this simple test. And rather shockingly, there are many horses and riders at all levels would NOT pass this test! The very large hole in the foundation of the riders who find this exercise to be overly challenging will follow (and haunt) them forever... or at least until some very wise trainer comes along and fills it in! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many horses and riders dislike trotting fences... and for a legitimate reason! Because it can require even more patience to trot a fence than it does to canter one! And since we are never required to trot a fence in the Eventing world, it is common for riders to decide that they don't need to spend a lot of time working on this skill. 

Trotting fences, especially bigger ones, is a lot like eating your veggies... you may not especially like them at that moment, but they are good for you! Not only will they force you to wait for the base of the jump, but they will teach your horse to... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article) 

Read enough Dressage theory, and you will eventually hear the term, "Legs without hands - hands without legs." The extreme interpretation of this is the mantra of the French school of Dressage. (Read all about the different schools of Dressage here.) And one might conclude that the German school of Dressage is what promotes using hand and leg aids at exactly the same time - therefore giving the horse conflicting aids. But that is not actually the case... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

So often I see riders warming up by just going round and round the ring in both directions in the walk, trot, and canter. And while this simple exercise will warm the horse's muscles up... this somewhat aimless warm up routine is NOT the best way to prepare a horse for an athletic performance - particularly when we are talking about jumping a course of fences. 

Before you attempt a Dressage test or a course of fences, you need to make sure that all of your buttons work reliably! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I am going to share two personal stories with you... One is an experience of my own, and the other involves a student of mine. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

In Dressage, we use bending both to develop and to prove our horse's lateral suppleness. When the horse is laterally supple, the rider will feel that it is easy to keep the horse straight, and that it is easy to change the bend back and forth when changing directions. Lateral suppleness will also allow the horse to conform his entire body to the shape of the circles and turns that we ride him on... which means he can perform those figures in balance.

The caveat here is that to achieve this suppleness, the horse must be giving you TRUE bend throughout his body (more on that here.) So you need to make sure that your horse is actually responding to your bending aids correctly! Here are 3 basic tests that you can use to make sure that your bending aids are working correctly: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The ability to maintain an even rhythm and pace on course will provide you with the tools you need to have smooth and balanced jumping rounds, whether in show jumping or on cross country. Here is a simple exercise that will increase your awareness of whether or not you are maintaining an even pace, and will show you exactly what you need to do to achieve it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Head tilting is a common evasion for horses in the Dressage phase. Most often seen when the rider is turning, making a small circle, performing a lateral movement, or making a downward transition - this resistance usually shows in the form of the horse tipping their nose to the outside, with the inside ear dropping lower (as seen in the above photo.) This has several different causes, and can be somewhat tricky to fix! Read on to learn more about this problem... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It is very helpful for a rider to know what their horse's natural tendencies are. As only then can they come up with a specific plan for training that will best suit that particular horse. Read on to learn how to evaluate your horse's natural instincts and reactions, and how to make the best use of that information. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many horses carry tension in their lower backs under saddle, working with tight muscles in their loin area, as well as the junction that connects the back to the sacroiliac joint. This causes a blockage in their entire topline, preventing the horse from moving truly through their bodies. 

Throughness is what allows the circle of energy in the horse's movement to permeate his entire body - making him soft and elastic in his movements, and ultra responsive to his rider. It is also important for keeping the horse sound and pain free under a rider! 

When horses work with tension or stiffness in their backs, loins, or SI areas, they will almost always become sore in those muscles. This will usually cause them to try to protect those areas by not using them fully, which will then perpetuate a never ending cycle of tension and pain under saddle. 

Here is one of the best exercises you can use to help you work through any tension or stiffness that your horse may be carrying in the lower back or pelvis! And it is so basic, that it will work for riders at all levels, from Training level all the way through Grand Prix. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo credit to Becca Brown Macanas)


After the turn on the forehand, the next step in the horse's lateral work education is the introduction of the leg yield. And the best and easiest way to introduce this movement is the nose to the wall leg yield. 

If your leg yields in general could use some improvement, you may want to revisit this basic exercise to gain all the benefits it can provide. Which are: teaching the horse to be straighter in the body (not lagging the hindquarters behind), providing you with a way to increase his responsiveness to lighter and more subtle lateral aids, and allowing the horse to more easily gain increased strength for leg yielding in both trot and canter. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

No matter what level you are riding at, one skill you need for safe, balanced jumping on the cross country course is the ability to keep a balanced gallop while negotiating undulating terrain. Here is an exercise that will show you exactly how well you are able to achieve this, and improve your ability to keep your horse balanced on course. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The ability to "think on your feet" is important for riders in many disciplines - but it is absolutely crucial for Eventers! As one of the things I like the best about our sport is that no matter how well your coach has prepared you and told you how to ride the course.... once the starter has said "Go!" you are out there on your own! You need to be acutely aware of what is happening, be able to make quick decisions, and have the confidence to follow through with them!

If you hear the news as you are about to go into the start box that the footing on the right side of 12A is completely torn up, which is right where you were told to jump 12A to get your line for 12B, what do you do? Would you be able to make a quick decision about whether to stick to your original plan or to change it? And how confidently could you pull off riding a line different than you had walked?

If your horse stumbles and you lose the reins upon landing in the water, can you think quickly enough to make a decision about whether to stick to plan A and go the short way out? Or whether it wouldn't be smarter to go the long way (if there is one), or make a quick stop or circle in the water to get organized? Your ability to make a good decision in a split second can make the difference between a clear round or a disaster!

Now, you might be thinking that the ability to think quickly under pressure is an innate trait. And that you either have it or you don't. But even though some people are naturally better at it than others, it can be developed, just like any other skill, with time and practice. 

I am first going to share with you a story of a frightening incident, where the ability to think quickly saved my life. And then I will share a few specific exercises that will help you to improve your ability to think and react quickly. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Whether you are jumping or doing Dressage, the more gears your horse has in the canter, the more rideable and adjustable your horse will be. What do I mean by gears? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Imagine that you are moving down this hallway... If you are truly traveling in a straight manner, it should be easy to avoid bumping into the walls on either side of you - no matter how narrow the corridor is (providing you fit, of course.) 

The same holds true of our horses. If your horse isn't straight (read the full definition of straightness here), you will find that he has a tendency to drift towards, bump into, or even lean on one of the walls. 

Now imagine that there are walls on either side of you as you as you ride, whether you are traveling in a straight line or a curved line. Are you able to easily keep your horse in the center of the corridor? Or does he tend to bump into or lean on one of the walls?

It is SO common for horses to move into and lean up against one wall - and much of the time the rider is not even fully aware of this happening! It is also extremely common for this to become a chronic problem. Why? Because.... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The key to setting the horse up for a good canter depart is to make sure he is truly straight and connected, with his hind legs stepping well underneath his body. And the key to getting that good depart after your successful set up is to be able to give a quiet, clear, and precise canter cue to the horse... in a way that doesn't change his balance at that moment. 

Many times riders ask for the canter too strongly (more on that here), or not clearly enough, both of which can cause the horse to tend to run into the canter. Here is an exercise that will slow up both the horse's and the rider's mind in the moments before a trot to canter transition, allowing for more clear communication in the actual aid to canter. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

If you are a Dressage or jumping rider, you have probably been told at some point to "Keep your horse between your hand and leg." But as with many of these common phrases used by trainers the world over, this will only really help you if you know what it means! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Imagine you are galloping along through a field, and a jump magically appears just a few strides in front of you. Would you be able to jump it? And more importantly, would you be able to jump it well?? Why in the world would I ask such a question, you might ask, since fences do not usually just fall out of the sky! Well, I ask for a very important reason! If you are... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Transitions make up much of your Dressage Test. This is true at all levels, but is especially so as you move up the levels... where you now have transitions within the gait as well as between gaits. And if you want good scores, you must be able to make smooth, balanced transitions! Here is an exercise which will help to improve the adjustability and rideability of your horse's canter in the Dressage ring. And it has the added benefits of activating the hind quarters, increasing throughness, and developing and improving the canter. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Let's face it... with the excitement that is often involved in jumping, both horse and rider sometimes have trouble waiting for the jump to come to them! When horses have trouble waiting in front of fences, and end up changing their rhythm and/or stride length, their balance will usually be negatively affected. This will be especially so if they brace or resist against the rider's hand as they try to rush! 

And if the rider's excitement on the approach to the jump causes them to want to do something to help the process along - that will almost always have a negative effect on the way the horse will jump that fence. Since horses jump their best when their riders approach the jump in a poised and consistent manner, and when they are able maintain the same rhythm and balance right to the base of the fence - both horse and rider will benefit from this often overlooked exercise. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

One thing that every cross country course has in common, no matter what the level, is... ??? This is something you should be working on! Read on to learn all about it. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The secret to our success in training horses ultimately lies in the techniques that we use. And the true horseman knows exactly which techniques to use in each individual situation, to get the best results with every horse. 

Sensitive and high strung horses in particular need to be handled very carefully, as if they feel punished when they make a mistake, they can become anxious. As we all know, horses cannot learn or think very well when they are anxious or upset. So to get the best out of this type of horse, you need to truly understand the distinct difference between a correction and a punishment - and you must know how to execute any corrections needed in such a way that your horse will not perceive them as punishment, regardless of your intention. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some horses are naturally great at following their rider's eye when jumping courses. They are so attentive and attuned to their rider, that they always seem to know where the rider is intending to go next, even before they are given any other signals. Other horses are not quite as focused on their riders, and could be better at reading their rider's body language and focus, and following their eye. These horses often require strong turning aids on course, and are likely to be seen resisting and fighting their rider through the turns. 

This can be improved however! And if you have a horse that needs improvement in this area, it will be well worth the effort that you put into working on this. As when your horse is thinking about following your eye on course, you will find that your rounds will become much more fluent. The improved harmony between you and your horse will be evident for all to see! Read on for a simple exercise to teach your horse to better follow your eye, which has an added benefit of improving your own focus and eye control! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

As with most things in life, a good strategy is key to you getting the most out of your daily rides. If you can begin each ride in a way that sets both you and your horse up for a successful schooling session, you will find that you will feel less stagnant and frustrated with your riding, as you will make more progress as a team!

While every horse and rider is, of course, a unique team, and may have different things that they need to focus on... here is a list of ideas of things to do at the beginning of each ride, that will help the majority of riders: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

You will do much more galloping between jumps than actual jumping while on a cross country course. And at most events, that involves negotiating terrain that varies from mildly rolling hills to steep slopes. It is important that riders know how to use this terrain in such a way that it makes the job the easiest and most efficient for the horse - taking the least amount of gas out of the tank! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Here is an exercise from Ian Stark that will sharpen up any horse, and teach him to think for himself over fences. But fair warning... it is only for riders who are especially brave! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

There are lots of different ingredients that add up to good jumping... but no matter what type of approach you are making, or what kind of jump you are approaching, there is one golden rule that you must follow as a rider to have a good jump! Read on to find out what it is! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The key to doing any movement well lies in the preparation for that movement. And half halts are a very important part of the preparation for just about every movement or transition. However, you need to know exactly how to best utilize the half halt at that particular moment. While the essence of the half halt remains the same across the board, the ingredients and focus of your half halt may need to be adapted slightly to suit each individual situation, to give you the best result. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Everyone knows that riders need to develop an independent seat to be effective, and to be able to move fluidly in harmony with their horse while giving them precise and invisible aids. But did you also know that we need to have independent hands? I am not talking about simply having quiet, still hands that follow the horse's motion because of the shock absorbers in the rider's elbows. This is more specific to the hand itself, and is surprisingly not often discussed! In fact, this may be what has been the missing key to your ability to establish a good rein connection with your horse! Read on to find out about this essential skill! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

We all know that lateral work is a very important part of the training of the Dressage or Event horse. Well ridden lateral exercises make a horse more responsive, strengthen and gymnasticize his body, and lead to improved carriage by increasing the level of hind leg engagement. Read on to learn about some specific exercises that you can do within your lateral work, to help you to maximize these benefits by increasing your horse's suppleness, range of motion, and the overall scope of his movement. All of which will lead to better scores in the Dressage ring! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Adjustability is key when it comes to good jumping! It is what makes our horses a joy to ride over fences, and allows us to easily create and maintain exactly the right canter that we need for every circumstance. A big part of the rider's homework on the flat should be to practice the adjustability exercise outlined here. And when that is all going quite well, the next step for the moderately experienced jumper is to incorporate that work into your gymnastic jumping. Here is a series of grids that will put you to the test! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

It takes strength for a horse to canter in true self carriage with a rider on its back! And many of the difficulties that riders run into in their canter work stem from a lack of sufficient strength, and/or the understanding of how to use that strength to properly carry their riders while at the canter. Read on to find out how to build strength in your horse's canter, and to show him how to use that strength to best carry you. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Do you find that your horse sometimes gets a little weak when jumping through combinations? Triple combinations especially can be somewhat daunting and overwhelming for some horses. And once they begin to back off and lose some of their power and impulsion, their confidence levels can plummet! Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home, to bolster your horse's confidence about jumping through combinations, and improve your own confidence in your ability to ride them. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

You may have seen a horse "wagging" his head back and forth in the Dressage ring... it actually happens quite frequently in varying degrees - sometimes in the canter, but more often seen in the trot. Most of the time, what is causing this to happen is... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The ability to "slip the reins" correctly and at exactly the right moment is absolutely crucial for the Event rider. Certain circumstances on cross country require this skill to be almost instinctive for the rider. Yet there are also times where some riders are tempted to slip the reins in a situation that will actually hinder their performance. Read on to find out exactly how and when slipping the reins will work best for you... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Counter canter is simply one of the most beneficial exercises you can do for your horse in the canter! In addition to building strength, improving balance, and increasing hind leg engagement, it also improves the horse's ability to be straight in the canter. All of which will improve your regular canter!

Let me first talk about at what level you should be at, and what prerequisites should be firmly in place before you attempt to use this exercise in your training program. And then I will go on to discuss how to best introduce this movement to your horse. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

This exercise has many benefits. It reinforces the rider's outside aids, teaching the horse to be more responsive to the rider's outside seat bone, leg, and rein coming through turns. It improves the horse's straightness on curved lines. And it can help to increase engagement of the outside hind leg, which is particularly useful in improving the horse's carriage and balance in the canter - leading to increased collection. Read on to find out how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Patterns can work either for you or against you in the training of your horse! You have to know what kind of horse you have, and must be able to accurately assess your horse's mindset at any given moment. This will allow you to make the right decision, in what kind of pattern to use... and most importantly - how long to stay on it. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

This basic suppling exercise is particularly useful for horses that sometimes have difficulty with changes of bend, and for those that tend to want to fall to the inside on their turns! It is suitable for riders at all levels. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

One of the most frequently seen mistakes across the levels in the Dressage ring is that of an unbalanced canter to trot transition - where the rider does not sufficiently prepare for the downward transition, and the horse falls heavily onto the forehand. You have probably heard it said before that you need to prepare for your transitions. But what does this mean exactly?? And what do you do if you try to prepare, but your horse doesn't respond? Read on to find out! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Transitions make up much of your Dressage Test. This is true at all levels, but is especially so as you move up the levels... where you now have transitions within the gait as well as between gaits. And if you want good scores, you must be able to make smooth, balanced transitions! Here is an exercise which will help to improve the adjustability and rideability of your horse's canter in the Dressage ring: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The hot or anxious type of horse can be very challenging to ride, but if well managed and patiently handled, they can be the very best competitors! These are often the horses that have the heart to give you 110% once you have formed a good bond with them. And although the training process with this type of horse can be frustratingly slow, it is often especially rewarding once you get there! Here are some tips to help you, if you have this type of horse: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

If we are to keep our hard working Event horses healthy and sound for many years of fun and competition, we must have a good plan for keeping them that way! The cross country phase is quite obviously the most taxing phase on the horse's body. So no matter what level you are competing, it is important to have a good plan for aftercare following this phase. Here is what I recommend: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

It's a fairly common scenario... the horse pulling on the rider to the point that they lose the depth of their seat to some degree. Maybe they even get pulled completely out of the saddle! Not only do riders lose the strength and security of their seat when this happens - but the worst part of this situation is that riders are then often tempted to pull against their horse, which entices the horse into a game of tug of war.

Once the rider begins to pull on their horse's mouth, the horse will almost always respond by pulling even harder. And this vicious circle can continue to the point where the horse's mouth becomes virtually unresponsive. To put a stop to this cycle before it can begin, the rider must know how to properly handle the situation when their horse begins to pull on them. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The snowball effect is a very real phenomenon... that affects horses and riders in many situations. It is common for gradual and sometimes insidious negative changes to develop in our riding. And when those negative changes begin to build up and snowball, they can cause a major problem! One mistake can easily lead to another, which can continue the negative and frustrating cycle. Read on to learn about some commonly seen horse and rider scenarios, and how to stop that negative snowball in its tracks - and even turn it around! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

The benefits of riding the older horse can be enormous... especially for the more timid, inexperienced, or younger rider. With age, often comes experience... and an experienced horse is really the best teacher that a rider can have! Nothing instills more confidence in a rider than knowing that their horse has "been there and done that"! And this can be especially so for the Event rider, since we have 3 different phases to master. 

The older, more experienced horse often knows all about the various challenges that our sport presents. And is usually happy to take care of and educate his rider. Here's how to best take care of your older and wiser equine athlete, and keep him in top form for as long as possible! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

To be truly safe on cross country, we need our Event horses to be completely focused on their jobs, and to think and process information quickly. Only then will they be able to accurately read each question on course as it arises, and make smart decisions with their footwork at the jumps. With some horses, this seems to come pretty easy. But not so much with others! The good news is that most horses can learn to be more quick and accurate with their thinking, with judicious schooling and exercises. Here are some ideas to improve your horse's ability to think more quickly on his feet: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

More demanding than a simple bending line of jumps, the S turn exercise presents an extra challenge to horse and rider. It tests their ability to maintain balance and rideability while changing direction between jumps. Which is obviously a skill that needs to be perfected to jump a course well! Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

Classic:

adjective - Judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind. Serving as a standard of excellence. 

noun -  Something of recognized and established value. A perfect example. 

When we speak of the classical galloping position for Event riders, it is not just because it is traditional - having been used by the best riders in the history of the sport... It is also because it is fundamentally correct, with a legitimate reason behind every aspect of the rider's position. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Much like with our equine athletes, riders come in various shapes and sizes. And there are pros and cons to each conformation type that should be considered. Why should we bother to take the time to consider the challenges that our particular body type might present us? So that we can develop a concrete plan to improve our weaknesses. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

The Bow Tie exercise is a great suppling exercise, and its soothing nature can make it extremely useful for tense or rigid horses... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

To be an effective jumping rider, you need to be able to clearly identify the moment of landing from each jump. Only if you can precisely feel the exact moment of landing... and have true clarity of thought at that moment, can you know exactly what you need to do next, and successfully begin to influence your horse in the first stride after landing.

Many riders don't begin to think about or make any necessary adjustments until several strides after landing. And that is sometimes too late to be able to produce an optimal approach to the next fence.

This very simple exercise will test how accurately you are aware of the moment of landing, and will help you think more quickly about what your next move needs to be... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Here is a simple exercise that can be incorporated in a subtle way throughout your work to simultaneously test your horse's straightness, his evenness in the bridle, and his suppleness in the poll. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Bringing a horse back from a long lay off always needs to be done in a thoughtful manner. But when that time off is due to illness or injury, extra care needs to be taken to ensure the horse is not pushed too hard too fast. The last thing you want to do is risk re-injury, or even cause a new one! The key to success is to... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

We have sadly arrived at a point in time where many of us read the latest Event recap with as much trepidation as curiosity. With so many horse and rider deaths happening in the sport, many are naturally calling for changes... But changes will only be effectual if we can identify the true cause of the problems! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Here is a fun little exercise, to show you how well you can control your horse, and check how responsive and balanced your horse is. I call it the... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The serpentine is a great exercise in itself. But this simple variation adds some very important benefits! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Everyone knows that pulling or hanging on the inside rein is bad. It causes all sorts of problems!  In addition to blocking the inside hind leg from stepping properly underneath the horse's body, pulling on the inside rein will cause horses to brace against the rider's hand, tilt their heads, pop their outside shoulder, and become crooked and heavy on the forehand. But is telling you why you shouldn't pull the inside rein really enough? No, it isn't!

Remember that the way the human brain works, (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Your rein length is crucial to your success in riding, particularly in Dressage. Throughout your rides, there will be many different ideal rein lengths, as there is an optimal length for each individual situation. Obviously your horse will need to have a longer rein when working long and low, and a shorter rein for collection. But since every horse is unique, the precise length of rein needed at any given moment will vary with each circumstance. 

One thing is for sure, however... if you are riding with your reins either too long or too short, you will find it difficult to properly ride forward into the contact. Which means that your horse will be much less likely to happily move into the connection. Here is how to tell if your reins are too long or too short, and what will likely happen if you do ride that way... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Is your horse hard to stop sometimes? Does he tend to drag you to the jumps? Or do you just feel like you are maybe a little out of control when galloping through a big open field?? If so, don't feel bad... you are not alone! Many riders have trouble with their brakes! And this problem can range from mildly annoying to outright dangerous! If your horse tends to get strong, then this article is for you! Read on to find out how to reinstall your brakes! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

One of the most common problems riders face when turning their horses is that of losing control of the outside shoulder to at least some degree. This exercise is a great way to work on getting more control over that outside shoulder, to help make more accurate turns - which will help you to come out of the turns straight and in better balance. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Somewhere in between the two point position and the full Dressage type seat, there is a very useful place to be for riding over jumps. It is known to many as the modified three point position, or the light three point position. The benefits of this position over the two point or the full seated position in certain situations are clear, and will be discussed further in this article. First, let's define the term "Three Point Position." (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

So many riders struggle with tension in their bodies. Some are quite aware of their tension, and some are not. But it will ALWAYS effect the rider's ability to move with their horse's body in harmony. And it will usually also translate into tension in the horse... which can then easily become an ugly perpetuating circle of tension! So here is an exercise designed to help you become more aware of areas of your body that you may be holding tense or rigid, and will help you to let go of that tension.  (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

We all know that we want our horses to be straight, and to feel even in our hands, right? Well, here's something to think about... if your hands are not at the same height, or are in any way not an identical pair... and your horse feels even in your hands - then your horse is... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Some lucky riders just seem to be born flexible, with a great natural ability to sink down into their heels. The rest of us are not so lucky! If you have tight tendons in your legs, or stiff ankles... you may find it inherently difficult to find those elusive deep heels. And sometimes, the more you try, the more elusive it seems to become! This is because... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

We all know that our horses need to be relaxed to perform well. When they are tense in mind, body, or both -  they will tend to be stiff, resistant, distracted, and even disobedient. Tension in the horse will inhibit his ability to learn, and can bring you to an impasse in your training. So if you have tension, you need to have a concrete plan to address the problem, if you are going to move forward in your training. 

So how do you get your horse to relax? First examine what makes your horse tense: Is he the type that is so high strung that he is tense all the time? Worried in the barn and in the field, as well as under saddle? Or is he like most horses... in that he has no problems relaxing in general (and may even be quite laid back by nature), but he gets tense under saddle with increased demands? 

In other words, if you just stand around on loose reins talking to your friends... does your horse stand quietly, or even go to sleep? Or does he paw and dance around and nervously want to keep moving? Let's call the type of horse that nervously wants to keep moving a Type A horse, and the horse that relaxes when the pressure is off a Type B horse. Read on to find out how to master the paradox of energy vs relaxation for each of those two types of horses... (Click on Article Title above to read full entry)

 


Have you ever noticed how some horse and rider combinations are just so smooth that almost every jump looks the same? They seem to take every jump right in their stride, and appear to be in perfect harmony. The reason these riders are capable of performing so fluidly is because they have a solid base or foundation of jumping skills. How solid is your jumping foundation? Here is a simple test to find out... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

A variation or extension of the "walk two steps and trot again exercise", this exercise is a great way to improve pushing power behind - and will therefore improve the quality of your lengthened, medium, and extended gaits. And since it teaches the horse to stay "sitting" on his hocks as he increases his push, he learns how to keep a more uphill balance when he moves more powerfully. Which will lead to more quality collection afterwards. Read on to find out how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The formal "trot up" at a CCI or CIC competition, otherwise known as the "jog", can be a very stressful part of the event! If you don't present your horse well, you may be "spun" and not be allowed to continue with the competition. Here is an explanation of how the jog works for first timers, and some tips for riders at all levels to make sure you present your horse in such a way that you have the best chance of hearing the word that you will be hoping to hear.... "Accepted!" (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

I see this scenario all the time... a rider brings their horse to a new place for a lesson, clinic, or show... and the horse comes out all nervous and tense - not wanting to focus on the job, but instead wanting to nervously look around at his new surroundings. Many riders just press on, and end up having quite a frustrating ride. There IS however, something that you can do in this situation (which doesn't involve drugs, or lunging for hours) to help dissipate the nervous tension that your horse is carrying! Read on to find out what it is! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


Keeping hard working horses sound can sometimes seem like a challenge! And that may be putting it mildly! But if you are proactive about it, rather than simply relying on luck, you CAN increase your chances of keeping your horses sound. Here are some concrete strategies you can think about and employ, to help keep your horse(s) sound. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

 


Without goals, most people will not achieve very much in their lives. This is true for all aspects of life, but is especially true of us Equestrians. Why? Because this sport is so challenging! You must learn and master SO many different skills! Read on to learn how to use goals to help you with your riding! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It happens to most riders at some point in their riding life... you feel like you've been happily progressing steadily over the years, and then you hit a rut. Nothing seems to be improving, and you feel like you just keep working on the same thing every day - without getting anywhere. What to do??

Here are 10 things you can try!

(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Without an independent seat, a rider simply cannot give precise aids to their horse. A rider that is merely "hanging on", by clamping their legs tight on the horse's sides, or hanging onto the reins for support, is somewhat of a burden to their horse. And will be desensitizing the horse to both the rein and leg aids at best. With the worst case scenario being that the horse becomes so confused or frustrated by conflicting aids, that they either act out, or "shut down" to some extent - completely tuning out the rider. 

A rider with an independent seat can move fluidly with the horse's motion. And because they are not using the reins to balance, or their legs to hang on - they can give the horse correct, clear, and concise aids. This is the key to success with riding! Here's how to help yourself to develop an independent seat! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full entry)

As you move up the levels, you are likely to find more and more fences on the cross country that have some sort of "surprise" involved. Very often, this involves something on the landing side of a jump that will catch a horse by surprise, like in a classic coffin complex, a sunken road, a road crossing, or a jump with a change of terrain or footing on the landing side. Another common cause for surprise on cross country are fences that have something to draw the horse's eye to the bottom of the fence right before takeoff - like a ditch or something else spook worthy. The KEY to success at these types of fences is to... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Presumably a rider steps up to a gag bit, elevator bit, or any other type of leverage bit because they would like more control. They would like their horse to better hear, listen, and respond to their aids. But any time this type of bit is used, it is imperative for riders to remember that... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

 



The cross country start box can be an exciting place! You're nervous... and your horse knows exactly what is about to happen! And it is important for both horse and rider to keep their cool at the start of cross country - for safety reasons of course... but also to set the tone of the ride to come.

If you have a horse that gets excited or anxious about the start of the cross country, read on to find out how to manage this problem! And even if you don't have this problem yet... you may want to think about utilizing these methods to prevent a problem in the future! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Is your horse truly even in the reins? Or do you tend to find yourself with more weight regularly in one rein? Maybe even to the point of heaviness in one rein, and emptiness in the other? This is a sign that your horse is... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo credit to Infocus-Equine Photography)



If you find that your horse could be more careful or sharp in his jumping at times, you will want to read on and learn about this great exercise! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


Walk into any tack shop, and you will usually see a dizzying array of bits on display. So how do you know which one to choose?? Each design has a slightly different action, and most horses will have just one or maybe two bits that they will go best in. So it pays to really give some thought to which one you choose. There are too many different types of bits to cover them all here, but here is a description of the most common bits and their actions. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

A strong leg is one of the keys to the strength of a rider's position. Here is an exercise that will build up your leg strength like no other! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Despite the best of intentions, many riders have a hard time maintaining the correct hand position when riding. This is often because we have so many different things to think about! It is one thing to maintain a perfect hand position at the halt, or when riding on loose reins. But when trying to give your horse the aids for various movements, dealing with any imperfections of the connection, or just focusing on another part of your anatomy for just a moment, it is common for the hands to go astray! Here is a quick and easy little "self check" that you can incorporate into your riding on a daily basis, to monitor your hand position! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The Diamond Exercise is a great way to educate the horse and rider on the lateral aids - and how to apply the lateral aids to forward movement. Without a solid understanding of the lateral aids, the horse will not respond to the bending aids properly. The rider will then find it hard to improve the connection by riding up into the outside rein, and will therefore not be able to improve the horse's balance and carriage.

Once the rider knows how to apply the lateral aids... and the horse understands how to respond to them, the basic lateral foundation will be established - which will allow the rider to be able to successfully utilize bending, circles, and lateral work to improve the horse. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Horses are the most amazing creatures....... from their incredible athletic abilities, to their regal spirit, to their generosity and desire to please us humans, to their fascinating powers of perception. I feel like we owe it to them to carefully consider what we do with them on a daily basis. 

Anyone who is calling themselves a "Horse Trainer" has a huge responsibility to do right by every horse they work with. And even if you are not a professional, you are not off the hook! You still have that responsibility.... as YOU are your horse's trainer. Here are 10 things you MUST do, to achieve that! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Let me share an intimate personal story with you... A long time ago, I went through a brief phase in my riding, where my horse's very big jumping efforts in the Show Jumping were jostling me out of my position. As you can see from these photos, Felix would often clear his oxers by a couple of feet:







The problem would then be compounded, as I approached each big jump (especially big, square oxers) anticipating being thrown out of position, and I would unconsciously react by becoming tense and rigid, bracing myself against the jump on the takeoff. This of course meant that the shock absorbing quality of my joints would be locked. And I would have NO chance of staying with his rocket launch style of jumping with locked shock absorbers! So things would go from bad to worse. And a vicious circle ensued. 

I knew what the problem was, but I was having a hard time making myself stay supple and relaxed on the takeoff, so that I had a chance of going with my horse's jumping motion more smoothly. So, what I did to fix this problem was... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

In Dressage, it is often said that the trot is the easiest gait to improve... and the walk is the easiest gait to ruin. And, in my experience, both are very true. Only through correct Dressage training, and judicious use of the various exercises we have available, will you be able to bring out the best trot that your horse is capable of. Here are some specific exercises to work on, to bring out the best in your horse's trot: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Imagine that you are swinging around a ball on a string over your head, like in the above picture. What happens when you let go of the string? The ball goes flying to the outside of the circle, right? This is due to the power of centrifugal force, whose official definition is: "The apparent force that draws a rotating body away from the center of rotation. It is caused by the inertia of the body as the body's path is continually redirected." The greater the mass of the object, or the speed of the rotation - the more the effects will be felt. So how do you think this concept will impact your riding? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Much of your success as a rider relies on your ability to give clear and concise aids. And as you move up the levels, the more intricate movements require that you become adept at coordinating those aids, while still being very precise. Here is a very basic exercise that a rider at any level can do to work on improving the timing and coordination of the aids, as well as the ability to feel and process information more quickly: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Your mind is a powerful tool! Did you know that acting as if we already have a particular quality will help us to produce it? While not always true of course (after all, I have been "acting" as if I am a multi millionaire lately... and that does not seem to be coming true...), it has been scientifically proven to be true in many circumstances! 

This is from the book, "The As If Principle" by Dr. Richard Wiseman:

“Common sense suggests that the chain of causation is:
You feel happy — You smile
You feel afraid — You run away

 The As If theory suggests that the opposite is also true:
You smile — You feel happy
You run away — You feel afraid”

He goes on to show multiple scientific examples of how acting "as if" we feel an emotion actually produces physiological changes in our bodies. It's about using positive action, rather than simply positive thinking. Here are a few cool examples: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

While any horse may shorten its neck at times, some horses are very prone to doing so. Usually because of nervous tension in their bodies, the natural conformation of their neck, or because they are being ridden by a rider who is too strong on the reins. But sometimes horses have this tendency because they have actually been taught to shorten their neck by their rider (or a former one). This could be from riding in draw reins (even a few short times), or from incorrect front to back riding (ie "working" the bit with busy hands)... that has taught the horse to "give" to the bit. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

 


How may riders do you see that ride with truly good posture? If you watch carefully enough, you will probably find that the answer is not that many. And it is not that having good posture is especially hard for most people to achieve... it's that there are things about riding that can make it hard for riders to maintain that good posture. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


There are many positive aspects to the conformation trait of being "short backed" in a horse. Short backs are usually stronger, and horses with this quality are often easier to ride. They are typically easier for riders to keep "together" between the hand and leg, and to maneuver through turns and figures. But there are drawbacks to this trait as well! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

 



This is a great exercise to promote lateral suppleness, engagement, and to help to dissipate any tension in the horse. It can be done in any gait, but is particularly useful in the canter: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It is a very common scenario... a rider will keep trying to get their horse to go forward, while unconsciously blocking their horse and preventing him from going forward easily. Or the opposite... a rider will struggle to slow their horse down by using the reins, yet at the same time they are... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Just about every trait has its pros and cons... and the conformation trait of a long back in a horse is no exception. Horses with long backs are generally big movers and jumpers, with a naturally long stride, and more elasticity in their gaits. They usually have plenty of scope over the fences, and make easy work of bigger, wider jumps. Long backed horses are also often more naturally laterally supple, which means that they will find bending and moving away from the rider's leg more easy to do.

The negative factors commonly associated with a long back are... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

This very basic exercise will help to show you if you are in an independently balanced and secure position as a rider, as well as whether or not your horse is balanced and in self carriage at the canter. It also has the added benefit of encouraging the horse to let go of any tension that he might be carrying in his back. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Riders instinctively pull back on the reins when they feel their horse becoming strong or heavy. And instead of fixing the problem, pulling back actually invites the horse into a game of tug of war. Riders need to learn to resist against their horse in this situation, instead of pulling. But the problem is, many riders think they are resisting rather than pulling, when in fact they are pulling on their horse's mouth. Here is a quick little exercise that will show you whether or not you are pulling against your horse - and it will show you the difference in what it feels like to resist vs pulling: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


Your horse will never truly be in self carriage if you are giving constant aids. You must train him to take the responsibility to maintain the gait or movement that you put him in with minimal input from you. It must become a state of mind for your horse - that he truly understands that he has this responsibility... or it is not likely to happen. Here's how to teach him: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Does your horse think he knows it all when you are jumping? Does he have strong ideas about where he will go on the landing, and how fast? Teach him that he really doesn't know what he is going to be doing on the landing side of the fence, with this very simple exercise, and he will pay more attention to you on both sides of the fence. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It's a common scenario... you apply a half halt, and your horse doesn't respond as you would like. Maybe he resists you by fighting the bit, or gets faster and heavy in your hands. Maybe he hollows his back and starts to move with short, choppy strides. Or maybe he ignores you altogether! What do you do??

No pressure or anything... but you better have the right answer if you want your half halt to work better the next time! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It's no secret that the riders from Australia and New Zealand regularly beat the Americans in the sport of Eventing. And since I recently had the wonderful opportunity of teaching lots of riders "down under", I have been thinking about some of the things that I noticed that could account for their extreme success. First of all, take a guess at how old the young Australian rider in the above picture is... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The low wide oxer exercise teaches the horse many valuable lessons! The biggest of which is how to truly use his body to stretch easily across fences with width. This gives the horse enormous confidence in his ability to handle wide obstacles, including open ditches. Once he understands this technique, he will just stretch easily across even the widest of open ditches, which means that you will be in better balance and have more control immediately upon landing, and will find it easier to get to that skinny jump that is probably just a few strides away! 

Since this exercise teaches the horse how to bascule, and really use its topline to make the jump more efficient - the horse that practices it often carries the benefits into all of their jumping... producing a rounder jump that involves using their bodies more fully. Here's how to introduce this exercise: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Having the correct stirrup length is a large contributing factor to success when jumping. It can literally make or break your performance! Attempting to jump with the wrong length of stirrup can make it very difficult for the rider to remain in balance throughout the jumping effort. Too short, and the rider is perched precariously out of the saddle. But it is actually pretty rare to see riders riding with stirrups that are too short. It is way more common for riders to ride with stirrups that are too long. And that causes lots of problems! Let me describe the typical scenario: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many riders associate Dressage with longer stirrups, and immediately lower them to the point that it negatively affects their position. Stirrups that are too long will make your leg... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

   



A good Event horse must be brave. To be really safe in this sport, the horse has to really want to go tackle the unknown wherever we may be pointing them. Many hearts have been broken over beautiful, athletic, and talented horses that just didn't have this quality. While bravery can be developed to some degree through training, most horses have an innate limit. And it is a shame to waste time, money, and effort... not to mention mental anguish, and sometimes even injury... to try to take a horse past that limit. 

So how can you tell if the horse you are working with is innately brave or not? I have a quick easy little test that I have found to quite accurately predict how brave and willing a horse will be. And no, it is not jumping through a ring of fire! Read on to find out about this little test that can be done with a horse of any age or level of experience: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

If you watch, listen, or read enough Dressage theory, you will probably find that there are many different philosophies on the subject. And much of the information available is often confusing... and contradictory. There are two main (and nearly polar opposite) schools of thought regarding Dressage - the French and the German. And many trainers (like me) have systems that fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum that spans between the two extremes. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read the full article)

This exercise promotes lateral suppleness, and encourages the horse to move with a relaxed, swinging back: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 

The rein back is such a valuable exercise... It reinforces the rider's restraining aids as necessary, and engages the horse's hind legs - increasing the "sit" behind. Like any exercise, however, it must be done correctly to be beneficial. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

To me, the word dynamic means to be alive and at least slightly constantly changing. The opposite of which is being static and fixed. If your aids become too fixed when riding, your horse will be more likely to become dull to your aids... even to the point of leaning on them. You can avoid this problem by.... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Every sport that requires accuracy requires the ability to focus. In our sport, this means several things: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many top Event horses have an "alpha" personality. It really shouldn't be a big surprise that horses with a natural tendency to be leaders would tend to excel at the sport of Eventing - since an inherently brave and curious horse who loves a good challenge is the perfect recipe for a good cross country horse. The downside of this personality trait is that they can be much more challenging to train! Let me tell you the story of my top horse, Felix, who was as "alpha" as they come: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Do you find that you often start off with a good trot lengthening, but by the end of the long diagonal things have deteriorated a bit, with your horse rushing and losing his balance and rhythm? This scenario is quite common, and is caused from the "spring" of the horse's hind legs becoming uncoiled. Meaning that the horse has lost the engagement of the hind legs, and is now falling on the forehand. Here is an exercise to help you keep your horse's hind legs truly engaged, so that you can maintain the quality of the lengthening for the full diagonal: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article) 

Ah, bad habits.... we all have them! And they can be SO frustrating, as no matter how much we try to fix them, they stubbornly persist! There is a trick, however, that can help you lick your bad habits once and for all. And that is to... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Whenever a horse "misses" a canter cue, and instead starts to run into a fast trot, he is telling you one or both of these two things: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

A supple horse is a joy to ride. Free from the paralyzing effects of tension and resistance, the truly supple horse allows the energy created by the hindquarters to move freely into the connection with the bit. Lateral suppleness refers to the horses ability to bend easily from side to side. Few horses are ambidextrous - meaning that they can naturally bend as easily to the right as they do to the left. One of the major goals of dressage is to make the horse more even - so that he bends easily both directions. Because only then can he be truly straight. There are many great lateral suppling exercises available, but this is my all time favorite! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many riders underestimate how necessary it is to ride forward through their turns to the jumps. Turns tend to take away some of the energy from each stride. And the cumulative effect of multiple strides on a turn can result in a serious lack of impulsion right in front of the jump - where the horse needs it most. The tighter the turn, the more important it becomes for riders to be able to maintain the impulsion in the stride. So here is an exercise to teach you how to create the habit of riding sufficiently forward through your turns to jumps. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Have you ever wondered why we do so many circles in Dressage? It is because a well ridden circle is highly beneficial to the horse - improving his balance and self carriage. An oddly shaped circle, however, is quite unproductive. It causes a loss of balance. So, whether you are in front of a judge or not, you should always be striving for perfectly round circles!

There are a number of exercises to help riders find a truly round circle, but this is one of the best! It was first introduced to me by a former rider of the Spanish Riding School. And at a time when I thought my circles were already pretty darned good... Well, I was proved wrong! As this exercise instantly shows you if your circle is deviating even slightly from a perfectly round shape! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many riders have a tendency to stop riding forward to some degree when riding figures - in their effort to be accurate and precise. And the problem with that is that it is harder to be accurate if the horse is not truly forward! As forwardness helps to create straightness, and being forward on figures makes them appear more fluid. Here is a very simple tip to help you to think more forward when riding figures such as circles, turns, or serpentines! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Whenever a horse gets underneath a fence, and jumps like this - it is almost always a result of the quality of the canter in the approach to the fence. I'm willing to bet that this horse was strung out and heavy on the forehand on the approach to this jump. And it is likely that this horse had momentum in his canter, rather than impulsion. Whenever a horse's shoulders and forelegs are pointing downward over a jump, it means the front end was so heavily loaded at the moment of takeoff, that they were unable to rock back sufficiently on their hind legs to lift the front end properly.This is called jumping over the front end.  (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Horses are most likely to jump a fence cleanly when they are accurately focusing on the top rail. This comes quite naturally to some horses, while others need to be taught this skill. Here's how to teach it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Do you regularly get comments on your Dressage Tests such as "needs more energy" or "needs more activity"? Yet you know that if you simply push your horse more forward, you may have to deal with a loss of balance or rhythm? And possibly even heaviness or resistance in your hand? If this is the case, then you need to learn how to truly increase the activity of your horse's hind legs, rather than just cause him to push harder off the ground and merely go faster. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I often get asked what my opinion is on boots for the Event horse. Do I use them every ride? What kind do I prefer? Well, here's the scoop: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

  




Clinics are meant to be a fun, relaxed, and interactive group environment, where riders can learn new theories, techniques, and exercises to take home and add to their training programs. They are also a great opportunity to give your horse more experience and exposure out and about. And as they often require a good sized commitment of both time and money, you will want to make the most of every minute! Here are 10 things to think about to make sure your next clinic is as worthwhile as possible: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

 

By definition, a galloping jump is one that can be jumped out of a flowing, forward gallop. What constitutes a galloping jump? Any obstacle that is... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Nothing quite tests the strength of a rider's position like a drop into water. There is a reason the crowd usually gathers near the water jump on cross country day... they know there is a good chance that some riders are going to fall off and get very wet! Read on to find out how to make sure that doesn't happen to you! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 

The word impulsion is a very common term used in the worlds of Dressage and Eventing. But if you don't know what it means, it might be hard to attain - as you won't know what you are striving for. In a way, impulsion is both a mental and physical state. The horse must be truly thinking forward to have impulsion. And he must have stored energy in his body, that is just waiting to be released in a forward (or upward) direction. He also must be relaxed to allow that energy to come fully through his body. 

Read on to learn all about impulsion - understand what it really means, and learn how to achieve it with YOUR horse. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

"All good riders I have ever seen had one thing in common: an excellent lower leg position."

This quote from the great Jimmy Wofford sums it up nicely. The strength and position of your lower leg is the key to success when riding. Your leg is your base of support, and if that is strong, everything else will be surprisingly easy! Here are some ways to make your lower leg strong and secure! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

If you are like many lower level riders, you may find that you struggle to sit your horse's trot well. And if you are not moving as one with your horse as you sit, any aids that you might give will likely be muddled and unclear - and therefore will not work as well as you would like. The reason it is so hard to learn to sit the trot, is because you have to discover for yourself the precise muscular effort and technique involved to do it well. It's all well and good having it explained to you, but the only way you will really know how to do it is to... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

As you move up the levels in Eventing, you will find there will be more and more  situations where you will be jumping fences on an angled line. Whether you are faced with an angled complex on the cross country course, or you are jumping a fence at an angle to better set up for another jump, or you are merely trying to save time by making an angled approach - you will need to have practiced this skill beforehand to be successful, and to help your horse understand what is required.

To accurately hold an angled line... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Does your horse maintain his balance and self carriage every time you soften the reins? Or does he sometimes become hollow, strung out, or heavy on the forehand? If you lose any of the quality of the horse's movement or carriage when you soften the reins, it usually means one of two things - either you were holding the horse together too much with the reins (meaning your connection was not correct), or you didn't soften correctly. It seems it should be such an easy thing to do... how can you soften the rein incorrectly?? Well, there are some things you can mistakenly do when giving the rein, that would be unfortunately setting you up to fail.

First of all, why should you soften the reins? Softening the reins is both a test, and a way to increase the harmony in your ride. Throughout your work, you should frequently give one or both reins to check for self carriage, and to allow your horse the freedom to really relax and come through over his back. The more often you are able to give the rein, the more brilliance your horse will show in his work. So, now on to how to soften correctly!  (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

For every jumping fault a horse may have, there are specific exercises that can be used to improve it. But there are a few exercises that will improve and sharpen up nearly every horse. And this is one of the best! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Do you sometimes find that you have a great trot coming down the center line, but once you halt and salute, you have lost some of the quality of your trot? Maybe your horse isn't as nicely rhythmically forward, or is not as nicely connected as he was before the halt? If so, don't feel bad - it's a pretty common scenario. And it is caused by your horse falling behind your leg in the halt to at least some degree.

If you are truly able to keep your horse active behind and thinking forward into the connection as you perform your halt and salute, you will be able to maintain the full quality of the trot you had before the halt. In fact, it may be even better - because of your well ridden halt. So, how do you keep your horse in front of your leg in the halt? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

There are many different reasons for a horse to be "busy" in its mouth... chomping and playing with the bit. And while you may not be able to eliminate this problem completely, you will have a better chance subduing it when you know why your horse tends to be this way. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I often see riders dealing with issues that have an underlying cause. And if the cause of the problem is not addressed, the symptom will keep coming back over and over again. Much like when a person is ill with a fever and an infection - treating the fever with drugs that don't address the infection will only bring a temporary relief of the superficial problem. If the infection is still there when the drugs wear off, the fever will return. In order to knock out the whole illness, the cause of the fever must be addressed. Here are some common examples of symptoms that are tempting to address when riding: (Click on Article Title above to read full article) 

Your warm up routine will often make or break your performance! So it is best to have a good plan - one that is tailored to your individual horse. The goal of your Dressage warm up should be to ensure that your horse is relaxed, supple, attentive, forward, and responsive to all of your aids.

To achieve that goal, different horses may require slightly different approaches. But with almost all types of horses I start with... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to sit the trot or canter without stirrups versus with them? This is because when riders have stirrups, they have a tendency to brace and push against them to some degree. Why is this a bad thing? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Have you ever wondered why horses sometimes seem to make the same mistake over and over? Why they seem to not be learning from the mistake they made? For example, say your horse rushes into a jump, ignoring your desperate attempts to slow him down, gets in too close, and hits the rail hard, knocking it down. And instead of learning from the last attempt where he whacked his shins on the rail, and listening to your attempt to slow him down the next time - he gets even more frantic, and runs even faster up to the fence, hitting it again! Why is he not learning that he will hit the fence if he runs up underneath it? (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

When I was young I took some lessons from an instructor who deduced that since a horse was the most balanced and under the rider's control when "on the bit" - that we should take advantage of the access to all that controlled power by approaching our fences that way. So she had us frantically trying to hold our horses noses on the vertical line all the way to the point of takeoff. And the result? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Think of the spectrum of possible frames that a horse can be in, on an imaginary scale from 1 to 100, from fully compressed to fully extended. Let 1 be a horse that is so collected that it is on the spot (trotting or cantering in place), and 100 be the full out stretch of a racehorse galloping at top speed. Where on this scale do you want your horse to be when jumping? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some horses have a natural ability to lengthen their stride at the trot. Others need some help to understand exactly what you want when you ask for more trot. In addition to the tips mentioned in this article, this exercise can be really helpful to show them how to increase their push from behind rather than simply rushing and getting quick. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

If you have the very common problem of a weak lower leg that swings back behind you over jumps, leaving you in an unstable, insecure position on the landing side - you have probably been told before to push your heels down and your feet forward. But you have probably also found this quite difficult to do... and that is because there is a secret! A rider will not be able to push their feet forward when their... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 

All good things take time to create. I think riders should remind themselves of this often. Riders are often impatient with themselves, and with their horses. Often I see riders set themselves up for frustration by expecting too much all at once. It can take quite a few repetitions for a rider to master a new skill, and quite a long time to develop strength and balance. And horses learn best when riders present new concepts one at a time. 

Often I see riders making it hard for their horses to learn what they want them to learn because they are stacking concepts on top of each other before the horse understands them individually. For example, (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Many riders think of spurs as something they might use to make their lazy horses go forward. But that line of thinking is actually not conducive to the end goal of having a well trained horse, and here's why: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Riders instinctively pull back on the reins when they feel their horse becoming strong or heavy. And instead of fixing the problem, pulling back actually invites the horse into a game of tug of war.

Tug of war is a game of strength, will power, and ego. Usually best played with a competitor of equal (or lesser) strength. A game of rider vs horse is no contest. You will not win a pulling match with your horse. So it is best to find a way to control your horse without pulling.

Here is an exercise that you can do while on the ground, that will show you how to control your strong horse more effectively! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

So often I see riders doing a transition as if their only goal is to get from one gait to the next... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I believe that every sound horse is capable of doing dressage, but there is no doubt that it is much harder for some than others. The horse that is built downhill with the top of its croup higher than its withers is at a considerable disadvantage! Balance and collection can be achieved with the croup high horse, but it can be hard to accomplish. To help the horse with this disadvantage, you must... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Jumping from the walk is a great exercise! I don't think anyone really likes to do it, as it can be a bit scary to do - but it has many benefits for both horse and rider! And is a great skill to have in your toolbox for the following reasons: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Most horses are a work in progress. As they age, they tend to mellow a bit (sometimes), and become more confident and wise. They are also (hopefully!) more educated and further along in their training. It should then follow that riders are constantly adapting to the changes in their horses. But I find riders often have a hard time letting go of old "baggage", and tend to ride the horse that they used to have. Which means the horse will tend to revert back to the way he used to be. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


As outlined in this article on the shoulder in, in order to reap the enormous benefits from this movement (and receive high scores from the judges!) it must be done correctly!

If there is little or no bend in the horse's ribcage, the movement becomes merely a leg yield. And while leg yielding is a useful exercise for improving obedience and understanding of lateral aids, and increasing lateral suppleness, it does not have the engaging and collecting effect that shoulder in does.

A mistake that riders very commonly make to incorrectly turn their shoulder in into a leg yield is to... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

 


The single most common bad habit a jumping rider can have is that of jumping ahead of their horse! Sometimes it is so subtle that you are not even aware that you are moving while your horse is trying to lift his front end for take off. And even when it is subtle - it greatly affects the horse!

A horse begins his jumping effort by rocking back on his hind legs and pushing upward with his front legs to lift his forehand. If the rider on his back is tipping forward as he is trying to do this, it really makes his job harder! Some horses still jump remarkably well with this handicap, but many are negatively affected. A rider leaning forward as the horse is about to take off can cause the horse to be less able to rock back on his hind legs. Which means the horse is less balanced, and more on the forehand. This can cause him to be slow or untidy with his front legs, and will make him jump lower and flatter than he might otherwise. It also usually means that he lands in a canter stride that is unbalanced and on the forehand.

Here is one of many possible exercises to help to teach you not to jump before your horse does: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

If the tail tells the story in regard to the state of the horse's back while being ridden, what tells the story of the state of the horse's poll and jaw is... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many riders have noticed a common phenomenon on cross country - that they ride better when their adrenaline levels are up. This can be true for both riders and horses. And is why it is not a regular practice for Advanced level horses and riders to school cross country at that level. Typically they school cross country jumps at a slightly lower level, and train over Advanced level heights and complexities with show jumps in the ring. There is just too much risk involved schooling cross country at the top levels, as without the added adrenaline of competition they are more likely to be less focused and make a mistake. 

It is perfectly normal to be nervous before a competition - at all levels. Many top riders have said that if you are not at least a little nervous before cross country, you have a problem...(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some horses have a hard time really swinging and engaging their entire backs, due to tension and stiffness. Many of these horses show signs of improvement with good dressage training, but continue to carry an area of tension - usually in their lumbar region or lower back. A great exercise to break through the tension or stiffness in this area is to... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Do you ask your horse to canter with a subtle, nearly invisible aid? And then sit quietly still while your horse performs the transition? Or do you try to physically make the canter happen with strong aids and an active driving seat? Many riders think they ask for upward transitions quietly, but actually are doing WAY too much driving! Why is this a problem? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

No, this is not an article on how to change your marital status! Engagement is a crucial component to successful dressage and jumping. What does it mean? And how can you achieve it? (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Everyone knows that circles are supposed to be round. But why is it that a perfectly round circle can be so hard to achieve?? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many riders start shaking in their boots when they see the words "ditch and wall" on their course maps. They are, in fact, one of the most common jumps to strike terror in the hearts of competitors! But this is not necessary!

If your horse is comfortable with ditches, as he should definitely be before ever facing a ditch and wall, this is actually a very easy fence for him! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The horse's tail is connected to its spine. And because of that, it really tells the story of the state of the horse's back. While attempting to judge the true carriage of the horse by looking at his head and neck can be deceptive and difficult to discern, the tail does not lie.

By watching the horses tail, you can tell whether his back muscles are relaxed and swinging with his movement, or if instead they are tight and tense. You can also tell how true the lateral bend is throughout the body.

When you see a horse with what appears to be a correct head and neck "position", and are not sure if what you see is the result of the horse well engaged behind and using his back correctly, or if the horse is being held in this position by the rider's strong hands - look to the horse's tail for the telltale signs. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

If you have taken enough dressage lessons, or read enough books, you have probably heard the term "Throughness". But what does it mean exactly? And how do you achieve it? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Every horse has a certain "lick" - a speed where they are most comfortable jumping around courses. How can you tell what that is for your horse? Read on to find out! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

At one point or another, you have probably been told that you need to package your horse's stride between jumps. Some of you may even hear this all the time! But what does it mean exactly? And how do you achieve it? Read on to find out! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Do you find it easy to keep your horse's attention? Or do distractions like horse eating rocks, cameramen, umbrellas, and flowers waving in the wind impair your performance?

Unlike when working with a human student, you can't say to your horse, "Pay attention to me!". Well you can try... but it probably won't work as well as you would like. Instead you have to... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

What makes for a smooth show jumping round? Balance, rhythm, and rideability come to mind. If your horse is rideable, he is responsive, obedient, supple, and in balance at all times. This is, of course, usually a work in progress! As much of our daily training is aimed at developing our horse's rideability, and it can take many years to achieve! Here is a great exercise to help you improve your horse's rideability on course! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

So many of us lead very busy lives...making time management a high priority - especially when trying to add riding goals into the mix! How can you make progress when you have limited time to ride? The key is to...(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Jumping from water back into water is great fun! But it presents a challenge to both horse and rider. The drag effect of the water can make it harder to keep the impulsion in the stride, which can cause the horse to become somewhat long, weak, and strung out. And this can mean a less than ideal jumping effort - or even a fall! Here's how to increase your chances of successful jumps from water to water! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

As an instructor, one of the most common things I find myself saying to students is, "raise your inside hand." So many riders turn their horses like they are riding a motorcycle, and this causes all sorts of problems! If you see yourself in the above picture, read on to find out why you need to correct this bad habit! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The natural progression from the walk two steps and trot again exercise is the almost walk exercise. So once you are good at keeping the activity in your horse's hind legs in your transition into walk, and in the immediate transition back into trot - you can begin to use the 'almost walk' exercise to improve all of your work. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


So many riders are wrongly taught to look up past the jump when approaching it, presumably to keep them from anticipating the jump and jumping ahead. But this method turns you into a mere passenger on your horse over the jumps. How many other sports do you know of where your coach would tell you not to look at what you are doing?? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

With a little planning and forethought, you CAN make related distances work for you. You just have to focus on these key points: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

To be a beneficial gymnastic exercise, every downward transition that you make with your horse must involve engagement of his hind legs and lowering of his hindquarters to some degree. And with some horses, that is not always easy to achieve! I find that thinking about this analogy can really help riders improve their downward transitions. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I first heard the phrase "keep your hips moving to the jump" from Eventing great Ralph Hill. And there is no doubt that thinking about it made a big difference in the success of my jumping with the somewhat timid horse that I had at the time. What does it mean exactly? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Take enough lessons and you will inevitably come across some conflicting advice. How do you know which advice to take? Hands up or hands down? Quiet and still hands or vibrate the reins? Weigh the inside or outside seat bone? Or neither?? Sit to the jumps or stay off your horse's back? Contact or loose reins? When you are an amateur rider who is still learning the ropes, it can be very confusing (and even upsetting) to get such conflicting advice! Keep reading to learn how to best handle these situations, and how to figure out which methods you should use for your horse. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

This is one of my all time favorite exercises - it is SO useful for horses at all levels. The young or green horse learns how to keep their hind legs active to properly "sit" in their downward transitions, and how to stay balanced and connected in their upward transitions. It helps the more advanced horse with increased engagement of the hind legs, opening the door to improved collection. And of course, to complete the exercise successfully, the rider really learns how to ride their transitions correctly. If the transitions are not ridden properly, the exercise will be telling. The "walk for two steps and trot again" exercise is simply a good test of the foundation for half halts and good transitions for both horse and rider. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I have recently been working with a rider who has had years of dressage training with some top trainers, and yet has been unable to get her draft cross mare truly in front of her leg. This rider was in the habit of pushing, driving, and digging her sharp spurs into her horse every stride to keep her moving. If she took her legs off for one stride, the horse would stop. This rider was definitely working harder than her horse.

Sound familiar? If you have a horse that tries to teach you to do all the work, read on to find out how to fix this problem for good! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The steeplechase phase of a long format 3 day event is an exhilarating experience - it's the ultimate thrill ride! But it can be nerve wracking if you have never before jumped fences at such a high rate of speed. So it is best to be well prepared with the knowledge of how to ride it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

If you are like most riders, you may have a tendency to creep forward somewhat with your upper body in the final strides of the approach to a jump. This often stems from feeling a need to do something to help your horse jump the fence. When in reality, what helps your horse the most is if you stay still as he is preparing to jump. Here is an exercise to help you stay more still and poised in front of your fences: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Everyone knows that we want our horses to be straight. But do you really know what "straightness" means? It is not simply the ability to go in a straight line. And although a big part of straightness is having the horse's body aligned so that the hind feet follow the same track as the front feet (whether on a straight or a curved line), a very important and often overlooked element of the definition of straightness is....(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Jumping from bright sunlight into dark shadows presents a significant challenge for the horse. And many times riders overlook the fact that a jump is into the darkness, especially if it is cloudy when walking the course. So if they are unaware, they may find that an otherwise innocuous looking jump will ride much harder than it looks! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The exercise of alternating between a few strides of sitting trot and a few strides of posting trot can be very useful for both horse and rider. It can help the rider learn how to keep their hips relaxed to better follow the motion of the sitting trot. It can also encourage the horse that has a tendency to stiffen in the back and brace against the rider when they sit the trot to instead stay relaxed and swinging. But it is most useful for....(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

 


Turn on the haunches is an immensely valuable exercise. It teaches your horse how to listen to the inside bending aids and the outside turning aids at the same time - which is essential for success with the more advanced lateral movements of haunches in and half pass. It also serves to engage the hindquarters and encourages increased bending of the joints of the hind legs. The end result is that your horse's body feels more packaged. It's a great way to begin working on collection. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

As with most things in life, in riding you tend to get out of it what you put into it. The more time and effort you put into learning the finer details about the sport that you wish to become good at, the more likely you will be to achieve your goals. Eventing is a physical sport.....but it is also a highly mental game. You can't just get on and do it successfully, without the knowledge and understanding of all of the concepts involved. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Every rider who gallops and jumps needs to be able to effectively rebalance their horse without having to fully sit down and do the full Dressage version of a half halt. Why? Because the gallop is not meant to be "sat". Horses need to have complete freedom of their backs to gallop efficiently. Attempting to sit the gallop for any length of time will cause a horse to stiffen, and will inhibit the use of his back. Which will cause him to be unbalanced, and to brace against the rider's hand.

So when you are galloping cross country, and need to rebalance your horse for an upcoming jump, if you can half halt without sitting down you will probably find that your horse will respond with more fluidity and less resistance.(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The key to success at cross country complexes that involve skinny jumps lies in the rider's ability to keep the horse straight in the "tunnel" between both hands and legs at all times, and their ability to keep their horse's focus on the skinny fence. Here is an exercise that will help to develop those skills!  (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Spiral in and out is a great exercise, that can be really useful to improve a horse's lateral suppleness and increase the level of engagement of the hind legs. Interspersing spirals with other movements and transitions will help to keep your horse more attentive to your lateral aids, and increase the quality of your work.

An interesting and useful variation on the spiral exercise is to....(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

When young children are taught to read and write, they don't begin by forming paragraphs. Learning is best done in a very progressional order. First they learn the alphabet, then individual words, then sentences, and finally paragraphs. Many times I see riders asking their horses to put sentences together into paragraphs, when the horses are still iffy on the alphabet.

For instance, I regularly see riders asking their horse to bend to the inside, when the horse doesn't completely understand what the bending aids mean. This will invariably result in resistance from the horse. How can it not? He doesn't know what the rider is really asking for! So he is either going to resist or ignore the rider. Here are the ABC's that your horse needs to know: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 

(Comic courtesy of Morgane Schmidt at www.TheIdeaOfOrder.com)



Do you struggle with pre competition nerves? Does performance anxiety make you sweat? Make your heart race? Give you butterflies in your stomach? If so, you are not alone! Many riders deal with these feelings to some degree. Here are some things you can do to help lessen your anxiety, and to help to make it work for you instead of against you: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Do you ever get the comment "Needs more bend" on your Dressage tests? If you do, don't feel bad - you are not alone! It's one of the most common remarks written on test sheets. The quality of the corners and turns can easily be overlooked, as you focus on the actual movements and the order of the test. With a little more attention to bending throughout your tests, you can raise your scores significantly! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some horses are such brave, confident jumpers that they need very little encouragement from their riders. Point them at the jump, and they can't wait to jump it! Others are naturally more timid, and need some inspiration from their riders. There are some things you can do to help the timid horse to become more confident and successful. You just need to help him believe in himself, and bring out his inner lion! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

"Accepting the bit" and "giving to the bit" are two terms that are often wrongly interchanged in the horse world. They are actually somewhat opposing concepts, with very different meanings. Which means you need to be clearly aware which attribute you are aiming for in your training. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

To make a good cake, you have to do more than just make sure you have all of the required ingredients........you have to have the right proportion of ingredients. Too much flour....or not enough sugar, baking soda, or eggs - and it won't turn out well. The incorrect proportion of ingredients can turn your cake into something that resembles a frisbee! And Dressage is much the same.....(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

I very often see riders losing unnecessary marks in the Dressage ring, just because they are not thinking about making sure their transitions are clear. What do I mean by clear? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

There are many benefits to working on your flatwork out in the fields. Most horses much prefer riding out vs working in the arena, and are naturally more forward, engaged, and active behind. Variety helps to keep them more interested and happy in their work, and you can really be creative when you have a working area with no boundaries! Here are some ideas on how to make the most of your dressage work in the field... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo credit to Becca Brown Macanas)


Leg yielding is an exercise that I almost always incorporate into the horse's warm up. It is a very useful (and somewhat underrated) movement. Here are the many benefits of leg yielding: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The most important thing you can say to yourself right before you start a cross country course is, "ride EVERY fence!" Why? Because very often it is the jump on course that you least expect to cause you trouble, that you will have a stupid stop or run out at! I unfortunately learned this lesson the hard way early on in my career. Here is my story! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Your seat is the most important aid that you have when riding. When you are able to use your seat effectively, you will find that all of your other aids can be very subtle and refined. But your horse will only hear the aids of your seat if you are correctly sitting on your seat bones, with your upper body aligned directly above them. The exercise pictured below is a great way for you to find your seat bones, and help you learn what it feels like to have your seat bones pointing correctly downward: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Horses tend to mirror their rider's body language. If riders carry themselves correctly, their horses will have a much greater tendency to carry themselves correctly. If the rider is slouched and sloppy, the horse will likely be sloppy in its posture as well. And when the horse is not carrying itself correctly, it will not be able to easily carry a rider in balance. When an unbalanced horse is carrying a rider on its back, it will tend to resist the rider's aids, and may even look to lean on the rider for support.

Whether we are talking about dressage or jumping, a rider needs to have engaged core muscles to carry themselves correctly, and to have a solid, secure position while following their horse's movements. An engaged core is necessary to do a good sitting trot, to have a nice collected canter, and even to stay with a horse over a big oxer. It is simply the secret to being an effective and stable rider.

Most people are already aware of their core muscles, but it can sometimes be hard to figure out how to actually engage them when riding, since you have so many other things to think about! So here are some tips: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

You have probably seen a horse that seems to give a little "hop" when making the transition from walk to trot. You may even own one that does it! It's a fairly common fault in lower level horses. The reason a horse does that is because......(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

When jumping combinations and related distances, it is very important for a rider to be able to create the exact length of stride necessary on the approach to make the distance work. So it is therefore important for the rider to be able to accurately judge the length of their horse's canter stride. Here is an exercise that will show you how to feel what the various lengths of stride feel like for your horse. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

While it can be useful in some situations to ride along the rail, fence, or wall - spending lots of time on the rail can actually be a detriment to your training. Why? Because the rail can.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I will never forget the first time that I attended the USET training sessions down in Ocala, Florida many years ago...... I was so excited to watch all of the top Event riders receive dressage instruction from Grand Prix dressage trainer Sandy Pflueger Phillips, who was the dressage coach for the Eventing Team at the time.

I was fully expecting to be wowed by watching hours of top horses and riders schooling upper level movements. But that was not the case! Instead, Sandy had every rider work on just one basic thing for their entire lesson....and it proved to be very difficult indeed!...(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Respect and trust are the basis for all relationships within the horse's world. In the herd, a "pecking order" or hierarchy is established pretty quickly. Every new horse to enter the herd learns who is the leader of the group, as well as which of the other horses are "above" them in the order.

It's obvious that horses respect their herd leaders.....they are always aware of where they are, and are quick to move out of their way - sometimes they are already moving when their leader is still 50 feet away but heading in their direction. But what may not be as easily apparent is how much they actually trust and look to their leaders when they need guidance or protection. Having a herd leader takes the pressure off - they will usually put the leader between themselves and any perceived threat, and will let the leader decide how dangerous it really is. 

Horses relate to their humans...(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The next step up from the speed play exercise, where you ask the horse to show different speeds at each gait, is the rubber band exercise.  The rubber band exercise is great for increasing throughness in the horse and developing the gaits. It helps to increase the level of impulsion in the horse, and increases the engagement of the hind legs. All of which make it possible for the horse to perform collected and extended gaits. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The riders that will be the most successful this coming show season will likely be the ones that have spent the "off season" preparing for it. Those that spend the winter months really going back to basics and solidifying their foundation will be really planting the seeds for a successful year to come. What can you do to best prepare for the next show season? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some horses naturally use their entire bodies when they move, even with a rider on board. These natural back movers tend to be relaxed and swinging through their backs all of the time. When watching them work, you can actually SEE the throughness and the elasticity of their movements. Then there are some horses that don't have a lot of natural movement through their bodies when they move - even without a rider on board. These horses are natural leg movers.

The majority of horses fall somewhere in between. They can move through their bodies, but may have a tendency to tighten their backs and become leg movers when ridden. Let's talk about how to tell if your horse is correctly moving through his back, how to improve your horse's back movement, and why it is so important! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

If you ask 100 different people about feeding the Event horse, you are likely to get nearly 100 different answers. Feeding seems to be such a personal thing - everyone has an opinion, and many are passionate about that opinion. But the one thing that I think we all can agree on, because it is actually a fact, is that....(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Tension in the horse's back is very paralyzing to the rest of its body. It basically inhibits the horse's hind legs from coming sufficiently underneath its body to balance itself. Riding the horse with tension in its back can often cause back soreness, which will then perpetuate the problem. It can also cause spooky and disobedient behavior, as the horse tries to communicate his unhappiness with the state of his back. Lets talk about how to tell if your horse is tense in the back, and what you can do about it.

The horse with tension in its back will typically either tend to rush with short, choppy, and often irregular strides that have no suspension - or will tend to feel "stuck", with the rider finding it difficult to get the horse to really go forward. The rider will often feel resistance in the bridle because of the tension in the horse's back, and will find it impossible to keep a good connection.

You can learn to spot tension in the horse's back by watching their tail carriage, as the tail is usually an accurate mirror of the state of the back.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The Draft or Carriage type horse is often a popular choice for amateur riders, as they are usually known for having great temperaments. They are typically quiet, sensible, and forgiving, and can be used for lower levels of just about any discipline. One challenge that this type of horse commonly faces is that of cantering under saddle with a rider on their back. This is because they were bred to pull weight, and the most efficient way for them to do that is to lean forward over their shoulders when they move. But that way of moving makes it hard for them to even stay in the canter, unless there is quite a bit of speed involved. Here are some things you can do to help them to find it easier to stay in the canter, and to improve the quality of their canter: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some riders don't seem to want to take enough time to work on basics, and instead seem to be in a hurry to move on to bigger and more exciting things. These same riders usually find that their attempted short cut ends up being very much the long way - since once they hit an impasse due to a hole in their foundation, they have to go back and start over.

Almost every problem that develops on the flat or over fences can be traced back to a hole or a weak link in the basics. And therefore the development of a problem should be addressed by going back to work on that weak link. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

A rider's position greatly affects the success of their aids. No matter how well intentioned the aids are, if there are flaws or inconsistencies in the rider's position, the horse is likely to not perform perfectly. So it is unrealistic and even unfair to expect perfection from your horse when your legs are in the wrong place, your hands are moving all around, or you are not sitting correctly.

Here are some common examples: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Often what separates successful riders from those less successful is their attitude when riding. The riders who get the best out of their horses have full control of their mind, bodies, and emotions. This is because horses tend to mirror their riders, both physically and mentally. It can take many years of practice to develop full body awareness and control, but many riders overlook the mental and emotional aspects - the control of which can be developed much quicker if an effort is made.

There is no place for negative emotions when riding. If you think your horse is going to improve once you have crossed the line into anger, frustration, annoyance, impatience, or irritation - think again. How do you stop those emotions from taking over?  (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Some horses jump too high over their jumps, making it hard for their riders to stay with them. This is often caused from a low level of confidence in the horse. It is fairly common for green and inexperienced horses to feel that they need to jump way up in the air over jumps with any width. And they can get scared and lose confidence in their ability when they realize that no matter how high they go they are still having trouble making the width. These horses need to be taught how to jump more across their jumps.

The key is to....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Because we Eventers gallop and jump at speed, our horses can sometimes develop the habit of jumping "flat". Which can be a big problem when it comes to trying to keep all of those pesky rails up in the show jumping ring! 

When a horse jumps in a flat style, it keeps its head high and back straight, which keeps the horse's body and legs much closer to the rails like in this picture:





Jumping with a good bascule is more mechanically efficient for clearing high obstacles. And it more reliably produces clean jumping, as the act of the horse rounding in the air moves his body and legs up away from the rails, like this:





There are some things you can do to at home to encourage your horse to get in the habit of using its body more fully over jumps. Here are some ideas:(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Building muscle strength is a very important part of the training process for the equine athlete. Strong muscles allow the horse to perform to its full potential, and with minimal injuries. Strength training is often somewhat overlooked, as it's easy to get caught up in schooling the horse on the flat and over jumps exclusively. But you will find that a commitment to building your horse into a strong athlete will pay off with a horse that performs more happily and with ease.

I'm going to share with you the specific strength training program that I have recently used to help my big, gangly young horse, who came to me with an extremely weak topline, and therefore suffered from chronic back and sacroiliac (SI) soreness. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

One of my favorite episodes of the TV show "Frasier" was the one where Frasier, who had never before learned how to ride a bicycle, had to learn to do so in a hurry so that he could ride in a fundraiser bike-a-thon. He was so afraid that he was going to hit the big tree that he had to pass, that he could not stop staring at it. And so every time he went by the tree, he crashed his bike into it. He became convinced that that tree had some sort of a gravitational pull on his bike! Then when the bike-a-thon was starting, someone taunted him (as they knew the trouble he was having with large objects), and said "Gee, I sure hope I can steer around that huge mailbox over there." So of course.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Imagine that you are standing in front of this door, with your hand on the door knob. This door only opens away from you.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Bench jumps are fairly common on cross country courses. And although they are straightforward galloping jumps, riders sometimes worry about them, as they often appear quite wide. Let's discuss how they should be ridden: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

These two terms are often interchanged, but actually have very different meanings. And since they are two distinct problems (although many times the horse will have both at the same time), with two very different causes, they also have different solutions. You need to know which problem you actually have to know how to fix it.  (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Corner jumps show up on nearly every cross country course around the nation from Preliminary to Advanced. And they are increasingly showing up at the Training level as well. So it is very important that every cross country rider competing at Training level and above learns how to successfully tackle this accuracy question. They are a great test of whether the rider has the horse balanced, straight, and between their leg and hand. Course designers put corners and skinny jumps on their courses to more safely test those qualities, as if the horse is not balanced, straight, or on the rider's aids, a runout is likely, but usually no one gets hurt. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The horse that anticipates his rider's cues is usually smart, sensitive, and eager to please, and often also insecure and anxious. This type of horse must be handled very carefully. As any perceived punishment for anticipating the rider's aids, whether intended or not, will tend to make the problem worse. But it can be frustrating to ride such a horse! Rather like the person who jumps in and finishes your sentences for you, they are just not listening to you! Here's how to get the best out of this type of horse: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Changing the rein through the circle is one of the more advanced suppling exercises. It is challenging to perform in trot and canter, as it requires an increased level of suppleness and balanced self carriage in the horse. Done correctly, it will increase the suppleness further, and will increase the engagement of the hind legs. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

We riders spend a lot of time working on making our horses more ambidextrous. But what about ourselves? How can we truly ride our horses straight if our own bodies are one sided? Horses are such generous, adaptive creatures that they can learn to adapt to our unevenness, and still respond to our attempts to straighten them. But it will definitely be much easier for them if we make an attempt to be more even and ambidextrous. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

It always pays off to make an effort to create good habits when riding and dealing with horses - for both horse and rider. I often see situations where the rider is not aware that they are allowing the horse to develop bad habits. Or where they are missing the opportunities to instill good habits that will pay off down the road with an obedient, safe, and reliable horse. Here are some examples: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The term "lateral flexion" is often misunderstood. Many riders attempting to achieve it end up bending the horse's neck instead of getting any actual flexion at the horse's poll, which is the joint between the atlas (C1) and the skull. Imagine a small headlight attached to your horse's forehead. Lateral flexion at the poll involves a slight rotation at the poll to turn that headlight slightly to the side. The horse in the picture above is flexed to the.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Resistance in the bridle is always related to the state of tension in the back. Sometimes it's hard to say which comes first, kind of like the age old question of the chicken and the egg. Which comes first?? Is the horse's tense, braced back causing him to resist the bit? Or is the act of bracing against the bit causing the horse's back to tighten? (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

The warm up for your show jumping round can make or break your performance. And there are some horses that require very specific strategies in the warm up to perform at their best in this phase. Here are some tips to best prepare different types of horses, and for different types of courses. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Good dressage training is very systematic, with the horse's physical development taking place in a gradual and logical progression. And in that progression, development of pushing power of the horse's hind legs comes before carrying power. As developing pushing power strengthens all of the structures of the horse's hind legs, which will then allow the horse to carry more weight behind for longer periods of time without injury or fatigue.

Look at the lovely picture above of a Spanish Riding School rider doing a Levade - which is the ultimate exercise in regards to the horse carrying it's weight over its hind legs. You can just see how strong the hind legs must be to do that! Let's discuss what exercises help to build pushing power, and which ones encourage the horse to carry more weight behind. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Horses rush jumps for several possible different reasons, and sometimes it's a combination of issues. It is important to figure out what is causing your horse to rush, as each cause needs to be handled slightly differently. Here is a list of possible causes that can send horses rushing to their fences: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Jumps at the top of a hill can look very daunting to horse and rider! It takes a bold horse to want to go up to the top and jump something that he can not see over until he gets right up to the top. And it takes a bold rider to really give it the forward ride that is needed! Here is how to tackle this type of jump: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Lateral suppleness refers to the horses ability to bend easily from side to side. Few horses are ambidextrous - meaning that they can naturally bend as easily to the right as they do to the left. One of the major goals of dressage is to make the horse more even - so that he bends easily both directions. Because only then can he be truly straight.

Here are some very specific exercises that you can use to improve your horse's lateral suppleness, in the order of most basic to most difficult: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


Long before your horse can be expected to understand the aids for extension and collection, the Speed Play exercise should be introduced. It will lay the foundation of understanding for the execution of lengthenings, medium gaits, extended gaits, and collection for the future.

Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Riding in HOT Weather 



For many of us this time of year means hot, humid weather. The combined effect of heat and humidity can make riding uncomfortable and even dangerous for both horse and rider. But there are things that you can do to help to keep you and your horse safe and comfortable in the heat....(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

The key to success at double and triple combinations is for the rider to have a plan! You must know precisely what the distance is between the elements. So either bring a measuring tape, or learn how to walk off distances very accurately. Learn that skill by laying down a measuring stick or tape, and find out what your walking stride feels like when it is exactly three feet long. I know for me, since I'm short, I have to take a big step to make three feet. So when I'm walking a distance, four of my big steps is one twelve foot stride for the horse.

You also have to know what your horse's natural stride length at the canter is. When jumping does he naturally canter along with a perfect twelve foot stride? Or is he a big mover with a natural thirteen foot canter stride? Or a smaller, more catlike type that has a natural eleven foot stride?

Then you have to be able to analyze the combination to make a game plan. Is the first element......(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It is very important that your horse stays straight when jumping. And not just at the fences that very obviously test straightness like skinny jumps, corners, and angled lines. But at each and every jump that your horse takes.

Why is straightness so important? Because only when your horse is truly straight on the approach and the takeoff of the jump can he jump in balance, and therefore show his best form. Veering off of the straight line will also change the distance in any combination or related line of fences, making an awkward takeoff spot at the next element likely.

Let's start by defining straightness in the horse: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The key to improving canter departs is to make sure the horse is truly straight and connected, with his outside hind leg ready to step well underneath his body. Why the outside hind leg? It's the first footfall of the canter depart and the canter stride itself. The quality of the canter depart, along with the balance and engagement of the canter in general, can be greatly improved by increasing the engagement of the outside hind leg. Here is an exercise that will utilize that concept to improve your canter departs: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Bounce banks can look pretty daunting to both horse and rider on the approach, but they are great fun if ridden correctly! The key to success at a bounce bank is......(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 



There are two ways to turn to a jump - with a curved turn (think quarter of a circle), or a square turn (more of a 90 degree turn). Each has quite a different effect on the horses' balance, carriage, and stride length coming out of the turn.

Hunter riders use curved turns during their rounds. As one thing that is important in the hunter ring is that the horse maintains....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

If a rider is going to control something 10 times their weight, that has a powerful engine, a strong spirit, and a mind of its own, they must learn an effective technique. No matter how strong a rider you are, your horse is always going to be stronger than you. So you must learn how to use his strength to your advantage. Here's how: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Self carriage of the horse is one of the most important goals in dressage. When the horse is in self carriage it is balanced independently of its rider, not using the rider's hand or leg for support in any way. How do you know if your horse is in self carriage? You should be testing him often throughout your work. Here's how you check to see if your horse is carrying himself: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I will never forget my initial reaction when hearing Jimmy Wofford's advice about how to ride downhill jumps on the cross country course. We were walking the Radnor ** cross country course, and the third fence was a huge pile of logs on a rather steep downhill slope. And he said, "At the top of the hill, right before the hill starts its downward descent... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Horses do much better than humans when running and jumping on the side of a hill. Having four legs lets them adapt to the the varied terrain - much like an ATV (all terrain vehicle).

And that's good news! Since there are many jumps on the side of a hill on cross country. Sometimes the hill is steep, making jumping on the side of the hill the obvious "question" being asked. And sometimes the hill is mild, even to the point of being so subtle that you may not take notice of the slight slant that the jump is on when walking the course. And that is a mistake! You always want to make note of which way the ground is slanted on every jump on course, so you can ride it in the way that allows the horse to be the most balanced....(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

A coffin complex presents many challenges to horse and rider! Lets discuss the different ways it tests the cross country competitor, and learn how to negotiate the complex successfully....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


The term "coffin canter" comes from the type of canter required to get a good jump at the common cross country complex of rails - ditch - rails, also known as a coffin jump. Coffin complexes are usually found at the Preliminary to the Advanced levels. Although more and more smaller versions are appearing on Training level courses, so Training level riders need to be educated about the skill required to negotiate them. And there are many other cross country obstacles that require the "coffin canter" on the approach, such as.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I find myself rarely using the term "half halt" as I teach, as I find that no matter how much I tell riders that it is not the "pull and release on the reins" that so many riders seem to believe it is, that's often what they do unconsciously when I do say half halt. A half halt should not kill any of the energy in the horse's stride, but rather rebalance it. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

We've probably all heard it said that jumping is just good flatwork with jumps in the way. But why is that exactly? Good flatwork or dressage fine tunes your horse's responses to your aids, and puts him in a balance that allows him to use his body in the most athletic way possible. Which translates into the horse jumping courses to the best of his ability. Let's look at the specifics of how dressage helps the jumping. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

There is an imaginary area on the approach to every jump that I like to call the "takeoff zone". In the last 20 feet or so on the approach, the horse needs to be able to focus entirely on the jump in front of him. So the rider needs to....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

One might think that being a perfectionist would only be a good trait for a rider to have. After all, doesn't that imply a dedication to the pursuit of excellence and attention to detail of the highest standard? Which are certainly good qualities.  But there can be some rather large negative consequences for riders who are perfectionists. It can cause them to obsess over details to the point of stressing over them. Which can be quite upsetting to your horse, and very detrimental to horse and rider performance in several different ways. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Does your horse tend to knock down a rail or two in the show jumping? Or even three or four?? Don't worry, there ARE things you can do to encourage your horse to jump more carefully! Here are some things you can work on:(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Sooner or later every event rider finds themselves at a competition with unfavorable conditions - either pouring rain or slippery, deep mud. If the rider is not at all confident about riding in those conditions, it might make sense to scratch. But riding in muddy conditions is not dangerous if the horse and rider are well prepared. So if you know how to handle those conditions, you can still have a fun and successful event! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

1. Make good use of your time in the few minutes that you get to go around the outside of the arena....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
   

Many people tend to think of lunging as something that they might do when they don't have enough time to ride, or if they want to burn off some of their horse's excess energy. But if done with the same amount of focus you give to your schooling under saddle, it can be a great training tool that can increase your horses...(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The outside rein connection is integral to dressage. Riders should strive for the outside rein to remain consistently and elastically connected throughout their work. Why is it so important? It's what allows circles, corners, and lateral work to improve the balance and self carriage of the horse.

True bend in the horse's body will not happen without sufficient outside rein. Think of...(click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Riding "forward to the base" to jumps gives the horse the ability to rock back on its haunches and send its body straight upward, just like a pole vaulter. When ridden in this manner, horses show their best form every time.

How does one ride "forward to the base" of the jumps? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some lucky riders are born with a natural ability to feel exactly what the horse is doing underneath them, or what their own bodies are doing when they are riding. But the rest of us have to develop that skill.

The rider who has a good sense of feel can progress much more quickly, and will be much more effective in the training of their horse. They will be able to instantly tell (on their own, with no instructor telling them) that their horse is crooked, or if the horse is really through in the back vs merely posing. They will notice when parts of their own body deviate from the correct position, instead of having to be constantly told, and be able to fix them. With advanced ability to feel, the rider will be able to tell if his horse was good with his knees over a jump, or if he jumped over his front end with his shoulders down or uneven.

The way feel is developed is to...(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Let me start by saying that I am certainly NOT a professional saddle fitter. But I have learned some very important lessons on the subject in the last couple of years, and thought I would share my experiences. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 

Some people may wonder why it would be a challenge to simply walk across the arena on a long rein. Compared to the many other exciting things we do in the sport of Eventing, walking just seems so easy. But the free walk movement in the dressage ring can be quite a challenge! Especially on a fit, excitable Thoroughbred! At that moment when you go to shorten your reins, and your high strung horse knows that he is about to go on and do something more exciting, it can be hard to keep the lid on him! It can take a lot of tactful schooling to get that type of horse to keep his cool in that situation.

And even for those with the more relaxed type of horse, the movement of the free walk can be a challenge. Both riders and horses tend to think of the walk as break time, and lose points in little details. And you don't want to let go of any points in this movement, which usually has a double coefficient! With more attention to detail and some practice, you can improve your scores in the free walk! The key is...(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

How do you know if the working trot that you have in competition is the right working trot for your horse? Could you possibly have better scores with more impulsion? Or are you trying for too much impulsion and actually making your horse too quick?

One way to judge the quality of a horse's gait is to ask yourself these questions:(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Spiral in and out on a circle is a fabulous exercise for horse and rider. Spiral in tests the rider's ability to control the outside shoulder of the horse, and to keep forward impulsion in the horse while directing them into a smaller circle. If ridden correctly, it increases the engagement of the outside hind leg, and can help bring the horse into collection. Spiral out tests the rider's ability to engage the horse's inside hind leg while controlling the outside shoulder to keep the horse straight in the body. It also teaches horse and rider the concept of riding from the inside leg to the outside hand. Done correctly, it's a great suppling exercise. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

One of my favorite parts of an Eventing competition is that first course walk. I can't wait to see what the course designer has in store for us competitors! But walking the course is serious business - your course walking skills can mean the difference between success and failure out there on the course.

I always recommend that riders walk their course 3 times. The first is your chance to learn your way around, and get familiar with the jumps and all of your options. Your second walk is where most of your decisions should be made, and I highly recommend that you...(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

There was once an interesting controlled study of basketball players, conducted by Dr. Blaslotto at the University of Chicago, where he split the players into three groups and tested each group on how many free throws they could make. After that, the first group spent a set amount of hours a day practicing free throws. The second group spent that time visualizing themselves performing that perfect free throw. And the third group did nothing - sat around and watched TV.

After 30 days, he tested them again. He found that the first group had improved by 24%. And the second group had amazingly improved by 23%, without even touching a basketball! The third group had not improved at all, which was expected.

Visualization proved to be nearly as effective at improving skills as actual physical practice!

So how can we utilize this technique to improve riding performance? (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Shoulder in is one of the most useful exercises that we have available in Dressage. Done correctly, it will engage and increase the carrying power of the horse's inside hind leg. Which will bring the horse into better balance. It also increases their lateral suppleness, teaches horse and rider the concept of riding from the inside leg into the outside hand, and gives the rider the tools to improve the horse's general straightness.

To obtain these benefits, shoulder in must be done correctly. Much of the time riders think they are doing shoulder in, but have little bend in the horse's body, turning it into a leg yield instead. And while leg yielding is a useful exercise for improving obedience and understanding of lateral aids, and increasing lateral suppleness, it does not have the engaging and collecting effect that shoulder in does. Here are two pictures which clearly show the difference between shoulder in and tail to the wall leg yield: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article.)

(Photo credit to Laura Szeremi)

Confidence is crucial to both horse and rider in the sport of Eventing. If you or your horse don't believe that you can so something, you most likely won't be able to do it, even if you actually are capable. A solid foundation with good basics will go a long way towards building confidence levels. Many times horses or riders lack confidence because of a weak link in their basics. It is so very important to find a good instructor who can identify what that weak link is, so that it can be improved. Many riders are pleasantly surprised to find out that they CAN do something that they didn't think they were capable of, once a good instructor has fixed an underlying problem.

For example, I regularly see riders who think that they are just inherently not talented at jumping. They may have been attempting to improve for years, and don't feel that they are getting anywhere. But when I show them how to find their balance independently of the horse in the two point, and they master that skill, they are suddenly much more secure and confident over jumps. Why didn't they already know how to find that balance? Because many instructors teach a particular "position" instead of balance. In other words, they say things like "shoulders back", "heels down", and "legs tight". But without true balance those position corrections will be hard to maintain.

Once there is a solid foundation for horse and rider, the way to further build confidence is to.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

You've probably heard the phrase a thousand times. But what does it mean exactly? It does not mean to simply go faster. You can "ride forward" in a downward transition from trot to halt. To ride forward, the rider must...(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

(photo credit to Sarah Andrew)

Every rider should learn how to do the pulley rein. It's the ultimate in emergency brake, as if done correctly, it will stop any horse quickly. And it is a great tool to use as a back up aid for riders whose horses get strong.

Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

All horses are sensitive enough to feel a fly land on their sides. So when you put your leg on to ask your horse to go forward, he definitely feels your aid. What he does with it depends on his rider. If you want your horse to fully respect your leg aid and go forward immediately every time you apply it, you have to decide to accept nothing less when you are riding. You have to change your expectations, and be ready to provide the appropriate feedback immediately. It's that simple. Here's what to do: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Let's discuss how the average rider can benefit by adding Virtual Coaching to their current training program. It should be used as a supplement, to enhance and deepen your understanding of the concepts you are learning in your program with your own trainer.

Say you are currently working on... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Some horses are born with an innate natural ability to lengthen the trot. And some need to develop the ability through training. Those without the natural tendency to lengthen usually simply quicken their trot when asked for a lengthening. This is because they don't naturally bring their hocks underneath their bodies enough to "coil the spring" of the hind legs. It's the energy created from the coiling of the spring of the hind legs that propels the horse into that lovely lengthening that everyone loves to watch!

Here are some exercises that will help the horse with less natural ability learn how to lengthen the trot rather than quicken: (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Cross country riders must have this seat in their repertoire. It becomes increasingly important as one moves up the levels, as the speed and jump dimensions increase... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


Narrow or skinny jumps have been increasingly showing up on cross country courses over the past 15 years or so. They started out only as an upper level test, and are now sneaking into the lower levels as well. They are a great test of whether the rider has the horse balanced, straight, and between their leg and hand. Course designers put skinny jumps on their courses to more safely test those qualities, as if the horse is not balanced, straight, or on the rider's aids, a runout is likely, but usually no one gets hurt.

As one moves up the levels in the sport of Eventing, the flatwork gets more and more exacting. At lower levels the horse's balance point is more forward, but at upper levels the horse should be in collection. Which means that the horse should be so balanced that they could literally canter on a balance beam. That is why the skinny jumps get narrower and narrower as you move up the levels. The upper level horse is expected to be accurate enough to gallop and jump on a balance beam.

How does one go about riding them successfully? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Horses are the most amazing creatures....... from their awesome athletic abilities, to their regal spirit, to their generosity and desire to please us humans, to their fascinating powers of perception.

I feel like we owe it to them to carefully consider what we do with them on a daily basis. To make sure that our every interaction with them is fair and consistent, whether riding or handling on the ground. Here are a few key principles to follow: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Balance in the saddle is a simple concept - but that doesn't mean it's necessarily easy to achieve. To be balanced on a horse a rider must follow this basic principle at all times:  (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

What should you feel in your hands when your horse is going correctly on the flat? I think many riders are unsure of what they should be looking for.

What a rider feels in their hands is a direct correlation to the state of the horse's back and hindquarters. When a horse is straight, and carrying itself correctly - with forward energy flowing through a relaxed, swinging back into the connection of the bit, the rider feels....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Throughout the world, horseman employ many different methods of conditioning the horse. And indeed there are quite a few different "programs" that result in a fit athlete. But most programs focus on the aspects of the horse's fitness that are the most visible - their musculature and their aerobic capacity (cardiovascular fitness) - without enough thought to strengthening bones, tendons, and ligaments. With a program that does not sufficiently allow for progressive strengthening of those important structures, the risk of injuries in those areas are greatly increased. The key is....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo credit to Jane Savoie - www.janesavoie.com)

This drawing shows three different possible positions of the dressage rider's pelvis. The imaginary bucket of water in your pelvis should help you to see the effects of the different angles of the rider's pelvis. You can see how the change of the angle of the pelvis shifts the rider's center of gravity, and therefore tips the bucket... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Stretching is a fabulous exercise for the horse, and should be done at the beginning and end of each workout, as well as intermittently throughout the ride for brief periods as a reward, and to test that your training has been correct.

I think that there are many riders who are slightly confused about what constitutes a proper stretch for the horse. I see many riders riding long and low, thinking that they are doing a constructive stretch, but are instead doing something quite unproductive. Riding the horse with it's head and neck low is only beneficial to the horse if there is a connection over the back. The following pictures show examples of right and wrong, and should help to clear up any confusion. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

There are 3 types of horses: those who can’t wait to see what’s around the next corner, those who are worried about what’s around the next corner, and those who don’t think about what’s around the next corner, and are surprised every time! A good event horse is usually the first one - curious and brave, with a good work ethic. There are of course many other attributes that make up a good event horse, but those are the ones who really come to love the sport. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)