Tip/Quote of the Day!

"Permeability can only exist when, on the one hand, the thrust and impulsion from the hind legs reach the forehand undiminished, and on the other hand, when the weighting and flexing half-halts fully reach the hind legs. This requires the forehand and hindquarters to be aligned in such a way that, on a single track, the horse always adjusts his spine to the straight or curved line of travel, so that the hind legs follow in the same line as the front legs." ~ Waldemar Seunig

Don't half halt or make an adjustment in front of a fence unless you need to. So often I see riders that ruin their good canter on the approach by taking back unnecessarily. And the same holds true on the flat…. If you have a good trot or canter, leave it alone!

Some people misunderstand the term "on the forehand",  which refers to the horse's shoulders being down, regardless of where his head and neck are positioned.

Be careful not to sit the trot too early on in a ride. Doing so before the horse is fully warmed up and truly moving through his topline can often be detrimental, as the horse is more likely to stay stiff and tight in his back.

Soften and let your horse lengthen his neck, while trying to maintain the feeling that he stays sitting behind, with a lowered croup and well engaged hind legs.

The more successful you are in getting your horse to relax and swing through his back muscles throughout his work, the less likely he will be to lose focus and spook.

Since it is rather easy to forget to do so, challenge yourself to focus more on maintaining an even rhythm when doing figures of any kind.

"Learning to ride is a test of one's character." ~ Steinbrecht

"If you ride and train for a living, have something else that you do. Don’t make this your whole life. The bad days - and there are always bad days - will eat you up and spit you out. Have something that you do that has nothing to do with horses, to help put yourself back together again." ~ Lauren Sprieser

"I do not ask the rider to alter the horse’s step in front of the pole because I want to awaken the horse’s initiative. Whether he takes a slightly long step or adds a step before the pole, I am equally satisfied. If he steps on the pole, the chances are good that he will learn from the experience and not do it again. If he continues to step on the poles on the ground, I ­suggest that the rider find another prospect, as this one is probably too dumb to improve over obstacles." ~ Jimmy Wofford

"Don't raise your hands. The poll should be higher than the rider's hand." ~ Stefan Wolff

A calm yet mobile mouth means that the horse is light in the hand, and relaxed through the jaw and neck, which allows for easy swallowing.

"Expressive and relaxed collected work shows that the rider has understood the steps that led up to it." ~ Klaus Balkenhol

Rhythm is the key to success in ALL riding disciplines.

"Nothing is as impressive or as valuable for the training as being able to control the impulsion and the desire to go forward to such an extent that the rider is able to bring his horse to a standstill from an extended trot or canter without the slightest effort or disturbance. Conversely, departing immediately from the halt into an extended gait is an equal proof of the absolute desire to go forward." ~ Alois Podhajsky

"Dressage is the art of teaching the horse to carry you. Riding is the art of learning to be a good load to carry." - Richard Weiss

A horse can only be truly straight when they are equally laterally supple on both sides.

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

When a horse and rider have an apparent "miss", that causes a rail down or even a fall, the problem is the balance of the canter on the approach, NOT the takeoff spot. Riders who ride the quality of the canter instead of looking for a takeoff spot are the ones who never miss!

The inside rein can easily become a crutch. Try to use it as little as possible. 

Eventers need a saddle for cross country that allows them to move their center of gravity back for drop fences or anything on a downhill slope. Make sure your saddle has enough room for this to happen.

If you don't have forward, you won't be able to achieve a true half halt. And without an effective half halt, it will be hard to improve the horse's balance. 

"Relaxation is first mental, then physical. A horse in pain or one who fears you will never relax his body." ~ Charles de Kunffy

"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

"I’m a big fan of ground lines. I think it teaches the horse to have better technique in front. Everything that we do is connected — the way we start on the cross rail to this, it all connects. We're building through our training." ~ McLain Ward

Always have a plan when jumping. Each exercise should have something to teach your horse. Don't waste jumps by jumping simple jumps with no purpose - other than for warm up, or if the horse needs them for building confidence. 

As you complete a halt, lighten your seat slightly to invite your horse to keep his back up underneath you. This will allow you to move off after the halt without the horse hollowing and dropping his back.

Quiet hands are only possible when the rider has an independent seat. So if you are looking to improve your hands, check your seat first.

"A steady hand with a soft, following elbow invites a steady, soft contact from the horse. Working the bit or being busy with your fingers invites a false frame." ~ Alexis Soutter

The most successful riders stay very much "in the moment", and are very attuned to feeling exactly what their horse is doing at any given moment.

Your horse should still be connected when stretching. No loose reins! Only when they are honestly seeking the connection and moving with power from behind into the contact will the stretch be across the full topline of the horse.