Tip/Quote of the Day!

A horse must first be able to travel in a connected long and low frame before a proper higher head carriage can be achieved. If you struggle with lengthening your horse's neck while still maintaining a soft contact - be sure to master this connection before moving on to more advanced work. If you don't, all of your more advanced work will likely be incorrect and will lack the back connection necessary for true hind leg engagement.

"Most riders know the required movements, but not the directives, and that is what we judges pay attention to. We look to see how the horse is ridden in these required exercises. Is the horse ridden to the contact? Does he maintain rhythm and regularity in all gaits? Does he show a degree of suppleness appropriate for his level? Does the rider keep a tempo that facilitates balance? Even for a simple circle the directives are explicit: 'consistent bend around the rider’s inside leg, placement and control over the size of circle, reach to the bit and the quality of the gait.'" ~ Lilo Fore

As the old saying goes, "You are only as strong as your weakest link." If there is a hole in your basics, or your horse's basics… it will hold you back. You must go back to the foundation, to find and fix any weak areas before you will truly be able to progress.

Every time your horse spooks, remind yourself that the horse in the wild that didn't spook at that rustling bush often got eaten by the lions. 

If you have short arms, you will have to be especially careful to make sure that you keep at least a little bend in your elbows at all times when riding. If your elbows become completely straight, you will lose your ability to follow your horse's movement with your hands. 

The strength of your core is what allows your position to be unaffected by your horse's changes of speed.

When riding, always strive for the feeling that your horse is "short" behind the withers (because his hind legs are stepping deeply underneath his body), yet is "long" in front of the withers (with a neck that "telescopes" and reaches forward into the bit.) All "long" means the horse is likely strung out to some degree, and all "short" means the horse’s frame and stride are being cramped by the rider.

If you ask for too much angle in any lateral movement (more than your horse can handle at that moment,) you risk impeding the balance and fluency of the movement, which should be your top priorities.

"May every rider strive for a better connection with his or her horse by observation, closer understanding and patient groundwork. It matters not what discipline is pursued, only that there be a perfectly balanced union between the two – man and horse – so that the two become one." ~ Frederic Pinon

On the horse's roundness - "If you have the body, you have the head - if you have the head you don't (necessarily) have the body." ~ Jack LeGoff

Horses need to be honestly on the aids before they can stretch properly over their entire topline.

Always use both reins together to steer, especially when jumping. Using one rein only turns the horse's nose - but using both reins turn the horse at the shoulders, which means his body will more accurately follow your chosen line.

If you can keep your horse balanced as you gallop along between fences, you will have less "set up" work to do in front of the jumps. This means that you can be faster, smoother, and more efficient at the fences. Which will help to preserve your horse's energy on course, as well as his overall soundness.

Facebook fan Mo Jackson on teaching riders to maintain a consistent rein connection ~ "I try to teach this with pretending rider and horse are on the telephone. You are talking, oops no connection, talking again, oops no connection. This causes chaos in the horse's mind as he is trying to communicate, to be part of the conversation."