Tip/Quote of the Day # 1127"I teach riders to adjust their reins within three strides on level ground (after a drop), and I want them seated between elements of a combination. This will give the rider more stability plus a wider and more sophisticated range of aids." ~ Jimmy WoffordTip/Quote of the Day # 1126
Make sure there is a slight time lapse between a light aid and a correction. This gives the horse a chance to respond to the light aid, and it gives him a chance to LEARN from the correction.
Peanut butter? No, in this case PB stands for personal best. Once again I want to revisit the notion of why we go showing and what we get out of it. For a certain group dressage IS showing, and showing means trying to win... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
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)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1123You should be comfortable jumping a single straightforward galloping cross country jump that is one level above the level you are competing. Discussion # 148: What would you do in this common scenario? Let's say you are riding a lower level Dressage test, and have just finished your canter circle. The next movement is a downward transition to the trot on the long side, between B and M. But your green horse makes the common mistake of falling into the trot early... well before B. What do you do to minimize the damage on your Dressage score? Do you ask for canter again, so that you can do a downward transition where you were supposed to? Or do you just keep the trot and move on with the test? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1122
A rider hanging onto the inside rein can create stiffness, resistance, head tilting, and loss of the horse's outside shoulder.
You don't really do yourself any favors when you cater to your weaknesses. For example, if you only like to ride with your whip in your right hand, and it feels odd and uncomfortable in your left - you need to make yourself ride with it in your left hand. And if you are uncomfortable riding amongst distractions or with people watching, you only better yourself by seeking out those conditions.
"The horse is so honest.... they live in the moment. And what they do, whether they need to protect themselves or whether they need to accept you really is directly relative to how you make them feel." ~ Buck Brannaman
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1119It is not a good idea to use any brand new, never used tack or clothing at an important horse show. Use it at least once first to make sure it works, so you don't have any unpleasant surprises at the show!Question # 294 and Video # 92: My question is about banks, specifically jumping down.......I don't know exactly what my body should be doing and I know that I don't release the reins enough as I jump down. Often in courses the down bank is followed by a jump to test your accuracy and control which makes me hold onto the reins even more as my horse has a big jump and a big stride and I am always afraid that I won't be able to get back in touch with him if I let the reins go. This video clip is of us schooling this weekend, the bank is at about the 56 second mark. My horse is a lovely, honest, athletic type and I want to be able to do him justice, he is very forgiving but I know if I keep hitting him in the mouth at every bank he is going to start thinking about whether or not it is worth jumping! (Susanne)
Hi Susanne!
First of all, I have to say how much I love your horse! He looks like a game athlete, and I love his natural balance at the gallop. And you two look to be a very well matched team. I see a lot of trust and understanding betweeen the two of you. On to your question about jumping down banks... (Click on Question or Video Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1118
"Cross country is the only time when life catches up to the speed of my thoughts." ~ Reed Ayers
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)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1117We all know that horses can't learn when they are scared... but horses don't learn very much when they are bored either. They have to be mentally engaged to learn. So to make sure your horse can learn, you have to find the right balance between keeping calm and relaxed yet alert and interested.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1116
From Facebook fan Brenda Nelson Jensen, on finding a good instructor ~ "The most important questions to ask yourself after training with someone are: Am I enlightened or confused after sessions? Are my horse and I progressing safely and confidently? If I clinic with a nationally known good instructor do they build off of (not contradict) your regular instructors program?"
This is a subject that not many people can agree on! The best advice I have for you is to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1115
You should know where your horse is going to land from a jump before he takes off. How? The type of canter in the final strides of the approach will dictate the shape of your horse's jumping effort, and the trajectory of his jump.
"That they stay loose is the most important, the most mistakes are made when the riders start to collect them. Collection is not slower or shorter, collection is more cadence, more energy behind, and that only works with a really loose back, with suppleness – and that is what they lose. We have so many super super good three and four year old horses, you see them moving at the Bundeschampionate, and it is unbelievable how many super super good horses – but how many go on to the sport later? Because most riders when they go to collect them, make them too stiff, too tense, too often it is only with the hand, that they only make the neck up, short, instead of making them lower behind. To collect them, you have to start behind, and not in front." ~ Hubertus Schmidt
From Facebook Fan Trisha Francisco ~ "As I’m working my way back in to horses, I'm reminded constantly by little things here and there & discussions that there's a reason classics are classics... There's a reason they're still around, as they still work... Remarket it and repackage things all you want but classical dressage and classical horsemanship usually can't be beat no matter how hard you try... They are recipes for success."
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)
Always keep your spine stretched upward when riding. When you slump, your head and shoulders will become heavy, and your horse will likely become heavy in your hands.
This is a great question, as I am sure many riders can relate to the "cheeky" type of horse that is a silly spooker, and will sometimes use a spook as a way to try to get out of jumping a fence that you know they are not truly afraid of. The best way to handle spooky behavior at jumps is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1108"Just as the sculptor at first chisels the future outlines of his work of art with powerful blows out of the crude block of stone, and then lets it develop in increasingly finer detail in all its beauty, the aids of the rider must also become more and more delivate in the course of the horse's education. Every rider should always keep this strictly in mind and especially avoid destroying with crude aids, out of impatience or other reasons, what he has built in his previous work." ~ Alois PodhajskyTip/Quote of the Day # 1107
From Facebook Fan Tricia Carr ~ "In a recent lesson my mare reminded me that when approaching a fence, my mind set and my aids have to agree. I can "think" I want to go over the fence, but if I ride defensively, and my aids, (or lack thereof) don't match my what my brain is thinking, that equals a run out. I'm pretty timid over fences and sometimes it gets the best of me."
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1106"A ruthlessly condensed training only leads to a general superficiality, to travesties of the movements, and to a premature unsoundness of the horse. Nature cannot be violated." ~ Alois PodhajskyTip/Quote of the Day # 1105
From Facebook Fan Annette Gaynes ~ "Believe in classical Dressage, particularly if you have a horse who is a tough subject. Eventually, it will pay off and you will have a happy, healthy, sound horse who wants to do the work."
Lots of things stand in the way of someone becoming a really good rider. Among amateurs high on the list is guilt—guilt for not riding as elegantly as Charlotte DuJardin (or whomever their hero might be). Maybe you are beyond this stage, but many amateurs always want to have their horse and them look like the finished product, when skill level aside, they are really just a work in progress. (Click on Blog Title above to read full entry)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1104"The human will be well advised to aspire to a "fair strictness" in his behavior towards the horse. This is the fastest way for him to gain the horse's trust and the safest way to keep it." ~ Kurt AlbrechtHow Many Gears Do You Have in the Canter?
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)
It's great that you are doing some cross training and jumping your Dressage horse! You will probably find that your Dressage work only improves, as the variety will help her to enjoy her work even more!
You raise a very interesting question... If you have trained your Dressage horse to be so forward thinking and "hot" to the leg, how do you develop or practice a jumping position with your lower leg on without losing that sensitivity? (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer) Tip/Quote of the Day # 1102
If your horse struggles to maintain a consistent rhythm, think of using your breathing to help him stay regular. This is one reason why counting is so useful, as when you count, you will breathe in that rhythm.
A horse that is well balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the jump at hand, can comfortably leave the ground from just about any reasonable takeoff spot.
A popular baby boomer product touts "for when the moment is right. . . "
At Edwards Air Force Base where the space shuttle used to land it was no coincidence that the main runway was more than three miles long with a flat overrun of many more thousands of feet. The pilot had the ability to set the shuttle down right on the numbers at the threshold. But he didn't have to. He could wait till the moment was right. Similarly, some new movements when first called for in a dressage test grant you that same leeway. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
When working with horses, always be mindful of the feedback you are giving your horse at any given time... whether intentional or accidental. When your horse misbehaves, make sure you don't give him an accidental reward by stopping to regroup (which to him is a rest and a reward.) Keep moving, get the horse to do something (anything) well, and THEN stop to regroup if you must.
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)
A word about the double bridle: The curb bit is a tool for refining the aids, not for applying more force. If the double bridle is used because otherwise the rider can’t ride his horse on the bit or because he can’t control it, neither the horse nor the rider is ready for the double bridle.
When strength is needed, such as when riding a strong horse, a rider needs to be able to find their strength in the center of their body - their core. Many times they attempt to find their strength in their arms or shoulders instead, and this is counter productive. As instead of being an anchor against the horse's strength, the horse thinks the rider is instigating a pulling match.
Riding is about 80% mental. Control of your mind is even more important than control of your body.
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1092It is very hard to have correct hand position if your elbows are not close to your sides. Look closely... where you see riders with their elbows sticking out, you will see distorted hand positions.
