Tip/Quote of the Day!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Suppleness means that the muscles contract and de-contract, and this has to go through the entire horse, it cannot be blocked in the middle of the back, and it also has to go through the rider." ~ Susanne Miesner

"The hind legs are brought far enough underneath the center of gravity by the rider’s legs, where they are gradually burdened with more of the combined weight of horse and rider for brief moments, which flexes their joints more. Like coiled springs, they push off with much greater elasticity afterwards than unflexed hind legs. This energetic, springy forward swinging creates a very characteristic feeling in the seat (you feel the work of the hind legs as well as the swinging of the back that it creates very clearly, yet pleasantly), which is typical for a gait with impulsion, and which signals to the experienced rider: 'Now he is moving!' I despise, on the other hand, a wishy-washy, unclear trot feeling under the saddle which is caused by dragging hind legs that hardly push off and consequently don’t make the back swing – whereas others seem to love it. De gustibus … No, this is not a matter of taste. One is correct, the other one is wrong! Thrust may be there naturally, but impulsion must be worked out - or better: into – the horse by cultivating the thrust." ~ Alfred Knopfhart

You have to be able to ride in "neutral", with no aids whatsoever, for your horse to be able to feel, recognize, and respond to the lightest of your aids.

The less you see a rider do, the better. That means they are communicating with the horse quietly, and the horse is attentive.

"The only way they learn how to go off easy aids is if we don’t resort to just strength." ~ Debbie McDonald

"Have a high standard for giving aids in a really clear, correct way. If the aids are that obvious, that’s not dressage. Educate your horse so that he responds to gentle leg pressure." ~ Steffen Peters

Riders who get the best out of the sensitive type of horse are good at being tactful. 

If you want to develop a nicely shaped crest and neck on your horse, you have to make sure your horse is truly seeking the connection - reaching into the bit, rather than backing away from it. 

When riding and training, make sure you are truly in neutral after every correct response from your horse. This means no aids!

"If you keep your hands still, you’ll start using your legs." ~ Ulla Salzgeber