Tip/Quote of the Day!

Change only happens when we consistently do things differently, not just once or twice! So cut yourself some slack when you are struggling to improve your riding skills. It will take time and lots of repetition! 

The halt must come from the body of the rider, not the reins.

"When the horse jumps, you go with it, not the other way around." ~ William Steinkraus

Remember that your "working" trot or canter should show a consistent speed and tempo throughout your Dressage test. It is a common mistake, for example, for the rider to let the trot after the walk be much quieter than the trot immediately after the canter. And this is very obvious to the judge. 

From Facebook fan Deena Cahill ~ "If your horse is really tense when riding him, try riding while having a short conversation about happy things with someone else. You will be surprised how relaxed your horse becomes when your body naturally relaxes!" 

Lateral work teaches the horse how to respond to your leg aids by engaging a hind leg. 

"Connection is the mirror of the entire horse, it’s the mirror of his balance, and it is a mirror of the degree of collection the horse is able to offer at this point in time." ~ Susanne Miesner

Always keep bend in your knees and elbows. If either become straight at any time, that limb will become rigid, and unable to follow the horses movement.

"Generally riders do not pay enough attention to the geometry of the circle. The circle is a line of equal curvature and, to ask for it, the rider advances the outside shoulder taking care to keep the contact of the outside rein, which determines the circle rather than by the backward movement of the inside hand." ~ Nuno Oliveira

"The back is the bridge in the horse, and it can only be there if the hind leg is really working. The rider has to influence the hind legs to build that bridge, otherwise it is a horse in three pieces, back, front and you somewhere in the middle." ~ Francis Verbeek

Keep your outside leg down and back when riding the shoulder in.

"It's perfecting the small jumps that makes the big ones easy." ~ Graham Winn

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

Horses usually try to compensate for the lack of strength in their back and haunches by seeking support from the rider's hands. So if your horse does this, you might want to consider adding some strength training to your horse's regime. 

A calm, attentive horse begins with a calm, attentive handler.

Working on changes of pace and stride during your conditioning work can go a long way towards making your horse more rideable on course. As you will be creating the habit of him being adjustable and responsive. 

Maintain a slight inside positioning throughout your transitions. This will help you to keep your horse more consistently connected and balanced as they change gaits.

After each use of your legs, you need to think about opening them up a bit and letting them drop down. This will keep you on your seat bones correctly.

"Don't distract your horse before the jump!" ~ Jimmy Wofford

"The purpose of dressage is to enhance our ability to control our horses; hopefully, after a long period of consistent training, our horses will calmly and generously place their forces at our disposal." ~ Jimmy Wofford

"When I finally quit all the fidgeting with my hands and concentrate on my core & legs .... Magic Happens." ~ Joan Dunlap

One of the many ways that good Dressage will improve your jumping is increased straightness. Only when they are truly loading both hind legs equally will your horse have the chance to jump in his best form.  

"Collection is secondary. Energy and suppleness are number one." ~ Steffen Peters

Moving the bit around in the horse's mouth to keep him from bracing against it is preventing the symptom without addressing the underlying cause. With that approach you will never solve your connection issue. 

"If a horse takes responsibility for the fence too early, ask him to be patient and wait on the approach. On a 5 stride distance ask for a quiet easy 6 strides." ~ Eric Smiley

"Contact doesn't only refer to the hands, reins, and bit, but to the whole rider. A rider must give the horse contact through his entire seat. This means that his legs must lay gently against the horse's body, his seat must be balanced and supple, and his arms and hands must follow the horse's movement quietly and evenly. This create a smooth cycle of movement as the horse takes the rider with him. Only this then creates contact." ~ Klaus Balkenhol

Regarding the rein contact - when you feel a problem in your hands, you fix it with your leg. 

Riding the half pass can help to develop the brilliance of the extended trot, by increasing hip and stifle flexibility, and freeing up the horse's shoulders.

"Push him to contact, release, and then push to contact again." ~ Carl Hester

"If you take a young horse and go on training in the way of - shortening the neck, never giving him the chance to develop step by step, if you make him short, and to come up in front, you end up with a real problem. If you look at a horse that has been ridden like this for ten years, you will end up with a back that is very hollow." ~ Gerd Heuschmann