I am sorry to hear that you have not been enjoying your riding as much lately. This can unfortunately be a sport of great highs and lows, and many riders will go through periods where things are frustratingly difficult, and just not fun anymore. The answer to your question about whether or not you should give it up can really only be answered by you. You will have to dig deep inside to really find out what you really want. The first thing I would suggest that you do is to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1017Be careful not to drill movements. Doing so can be both mentally and physically irritating to the horse, and sets them up for repetitive strain, soreness, and injury.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1016“My horse follows the bit to a solid contact. Warm-up is not only for loosening but also for developing this steady contact with the bit. From the beginning, when I pick up my reins in the walk and posting trot I expect my contact to be steady. I don’t like loose reins or keeping the horse behind the vertical. It’s very important that your horse be low in the neck and reaching forward toward the bit.” ~ Hubertus SchmidtTip/Quote of the Day # 1015“The secret in riding is to do few things right. The more one does, the less one succeeds. The less one does, the more one succeeds.” ~ Nuno OliveiraTip/Quote of the Day # 1014Riders who take the time and effort to learn theory will go much further in this sport.Guest Blog Post # 71: "The Time Warp" by Bill Woods
It's not unusual for a novice rider to emerge from a dressage test and announce, "Wow, that whole thing went by in such a blur!" Later when that same rider has worked her way up to Fourth Level, if she has an occasion to ride another horse back in First Level she's apt to observe how luxurious it is to have all that time in the test to prepare for the next movement. In the same vein I've heard Grand Prix riders remark on how much "free time" they have when they ride a Prix St. George test... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
One thing that every cross country course has in common, no matter what the level, is... ??? This is something you should be working on! Read on to learn all about it. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1012"If the horse does not enjoy his work, his rider will have no joy." ~ H.H. IsenbartTip/Quote of the Day # 1011“It’s really important with the piaffe that I can make it easier for the horse by allowing him to travel forward. If I was to keep him on the spot all the time, it’s a tremendous amount of strain. If I did that every day, the horse would never last.” ~ Charlotte DujardinTip/Quote of the Day # 1010When you halt and salute the judge at a competition, remember to smile! This will send the judge the message that you are confident about your performance, which can impress the judge and may even influence your scores in a subconscious way. Discussion # 144: Is this a refusal?Is this route on a AB cross country complex considered a refusal? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1009Lateral movements are not an end in themselves, but serve to stretch the outside of the horse's body, make the horse more laterally supple, improve straightness, and encourage the horse to carry more weight behind by engaging whichever hind leg is being targeted by each specific movement.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1008“Thoroughbreds tend to thrive on physical movement, and they are, like all horses, hypnotized by their own rhythms. Repetition of success creates a sense of peace.” ~ Steuart PittmanTip/Quote of the Day # 1007Turn on the forehand is a great tool to improve your connection and to teach your horse to engage the inside hind leg. Used early on in your warm up it will mobilize your horse’s lumbar back and hips, and will give you a chance to improve his response to your lateral aids.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1006A little trick for those of you who need to be more stable with your outside rein connection, and your outside hand in general, is to try the temporary exercise of holding onto your saddle pad with the fingers of your outside hand. Stabilizing your outside hand in this way will also help you to learn to better use your body, rather than your hands, to turn your horse.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1005The halt must come from the rider's seat aid, not the reins.The Difference Between a "Correction" and Punishment When Training Horses
The secret to our success in training horses ultimately lies in the techniques that we use. And the true horseman knows exactly which techniques to use in each individual situation, to get the best results with every horse.
Sensitive and high strung horses in particular need to be handled very carefully, as if they feel punished when they make a mistake, they can become anxious. As we all know, horses cannot learn or think very well when they are anxious or upset. So to get the best out of this type of horse, you need to truly understand the distinct difference between a correction and a punishment - and you must know how to execute any corrections needed in such a way that your horse will not perceive them as punishment, regardless of your intention. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1004"The horse is the fastest learner of all domestic animals—including children. If you stay alive by running away, you better learn fast." ~ Robert Miller, DVM
Horses that are herd bound or barn sour can be tough to fix! It won't be an easy or quick process, but there are definitely some things you can do... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1002Always 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.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1001"Good contact is like having a conversation with a friend in a cozy coffee shop. Bad contact is like being hollered at by a stranger at the DMV.” ~ UnknownTip/Quote of the Day # 1000The bigger the jump, the more the horse must rock back and lift upwards on the takeoff. Therefore as the jumps get bigger, it becomes even more important that you are poised and patient with your upper body off the ground.Guest Blog post # 70: "If It Occurs To Us" by Bill Woods
Most teachers have nefarious designs on your mind—ones that they may not admit to. You just may want nuts and bolts explanations of the "which leg goes where" variety. Most times that's not all you're going to get... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
Some horses are naturally great at following their rider's eye when jumping courses. They are so attentive and attuned to their rider, that they always seem to know where the rider is intending to go next, even before they are given any other signals. Other horses are not quite as focused on their riders, and could be better at reading their rider's body language and focus, and following their eye. These horses often require strong turning aids on course, and are likely to be seen resisting and fighting their rider through the turns.
This can be improved however! And if you have a horse that needs improvement in this area, it will be well worth the effort that you put into working on this. As when your horse is thinking about following your eye on course, you will find that your rounds will become much more fluent. The improved harmony between you and your horse will be evident for all to see! Read on for a simple exercise to teach your horse to better follow your eye, which has an added benefit of improving your ownfocus and eye control! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 998“I start by stretching the horse and trying to make him relaxed and supple. It’s a bit like gymnastics with a horse, dressage is. You wouldn’t expect a gymnastics person to just go and start their workout; they do a nice stretch in the warm-up first.” ~ Charlotte DujardinTip/Quote of the Day # 997“When you train at home, do one thing at a time. Pirouette one day and half pass another, so you have time to do each thing with quality. You might choose canter work on one day and trot work on another.” ~ Kyra KyrklundDiscussion # 143: How would you ride this fence? Let's say that this ramp jump is a classic "ski jump" type fence, with a steep downhill slope on the landing side. How would you ride the approach? Taking into consideration that this is a big, solid, rampy jump with some width to it... and balancing that with the steep downhill landing that your horse will not see until he is at the takeoff point - what speed would you want to have coming into this jump? What type of canter would you want? And in what position should you be in on the approach? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
This is a great question, as more and more riders around the country are losing access to the kind of land that makes it easy to condition our horses for Eventing! One has to be creative and think outside the box! (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 993When preparing for a jump from a galloping position, one should always sink down into the heel before any touching of seat in the saddle, and only then should you take the mouth if necessary. Taking back on the reins first will almost always cause resistance.Tip/Quote of the Day # 992"Stop being a passenger, and start being a pilot." ~ Mark ToddTip/Quote of the Day # 991The horse that is the fastest on cross country is often not the one that is allowed to gallop at a greater rate of speed, but rather one that is highly adjustable, and is ridden on economical lines.Tip/Quote of the Day # 990When schooling a green horse through complexes where the last element is a tricky jump (skinny, angle, corner, etc), it is smart, if possible, to school the last element first. This will set you up for success as you then jump through the whole complex, as your horse will be more likely to put his eye on and correctly read the jump coming out.The Most Productive Way to Begin Each Ride
As with most things in life, a good strategy is key to you getting the most out of your daily rides. If you can begin each ride in a way that sets both you and your horse up for a successful schooling session, you will find that you will feel less stagnant and frustrated with your riding, as you will make more progress as a team!
While every horse and rider is, of course, a unique team, and may have different things that they need to focus on... here is a list of ideas of things to do at the beginning of each ride, that will help the majority of riders: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
This is actually a fairly common problem, as the excitement of jumping can really get some horses fired up! It is important that you handle the situation correctly every time your horse ignores your half halt, or his response to your them is not likely to improve! Read this article for an explanation of how you should respond in the various situations. And here is a very important tip for you, on how to make half halts between jumps more successful... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 988Riders are often incorrectly told to lean back and against the reins when their horses get strong. Not only will this not work, but it will usually make the horse even heavier in their hands.Tip/Quote of the Day # 987Doing the same thing day after day hinders growth. Think about how that might apply to your riding.Tip/Quote of the Day # 986Even if your horse is beginning to distract you with fussing against the bit, or tossing his head when jumping, keep your top priority on maintaining the rhythm.Tip/Quote of the Day # 985There are some horses that will have a hard time jumping show jumping jumps cleanly at the bigger jumps when ridden like a hunter. A much higher, "jumper" type frame, will help them jump their best.Tip/Quote of the Day # 984Do you want your horse to relax his jaw?? Use exercises that will truly engage his hind legs. That solves the problem at the root cause (which is a tense, rigid back, and hind legs which are not properly carrying the horse and rider), rather than solving the problem at the symptom (which is the horse feeling rigid in the jaw.)Tip/Quote of the Day # 983“Bad jumping can happen at any speed. I have watched some of the most brilliant, stylish jumping I have ever seen at the Maryland Hunt Cup, where the fences vary from 4 feet to 4-foot-10 in height and the average speed for this 4-mile race is about 800 meters per minute. At the same time, I have watched novice eventing riders skidding around like a hog on ice at 350 mpm. The thing I want you to remember is that speed and balance are not mutually exclusive." ~ Jimmy WoffordMaking the Best Use of the Terrain on Cross Country
You will do much more galloping between jumps than actual jumping while on a cross country course. And at most events, that involves negotiating terrain that varies from mildly rolling hills to steep slopes. It is important that riders know how to use this terrain in such a way that it makes the job the easiest and most efficient for the horse - taking the least amount of gas out of the tank! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
