Tip/Quote of the Day # 875Change only happens when we do things differently consistently, not just once! So cut yourself some slack when you are struggling to improve certain skills. It will take time and repetition! Tip/Quote of the Day # 874"What is most important is how the horse travels between the jumps." ~ Bill SteinkrausBonnie's Blog Post # 4Well, where should I start? In my last post, I was prepping for the one-day at Fair Hill all the way back in May, and there really aren’t words to describe how incredible the summer and fall seasons were for us. I’ll try to use the next few posts to sum up the past six (how did that happen?!) months, and give you a sneak peek at what’s in store for me and the ever-wonderful brumby this winter... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)Tip/Quote of the Day # 873
For those of you with horses that want to "run" into the canter when working on walk to canter transitions (accelerating and taking a trot step or two before picking up the canter), think "halt" as you are applying your aid to canter from the walk.
Do you find that your horse sometimes gets a little weak when jumping through combinations? Triple combinations especially can be somewhat daunting and overwhelming for some horses. And once they begin to back off and lose some of their power and impulsion, their confidence levels can plummet! Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home, to bolster your horse's confidence about jumping through combinations, and improve your own confidence in your ability to ride them. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
This could be happening for any number of reasons... but in any case, the answer is to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 871"We teach them collection for two reasons: To make your horse more comfortable to ride and to preserve his well being." ~ Major LindgrenDiscussion # 139: How would you ride this fence? This complex involved going through water to this log on a mound, landing on a downhill slope back into the water to another jump on the way out. As we look at it, you can see that the horse cannot see that there is more water on the landing side of this jump as he approaches it. As a rider, how do you best prepare your horse for the surprise factor involved here, so that when your horse gets to the takeoff point of the log and suddenly sees that there is a downhill landing and more water, he is more likely to be ready and willing to keep going? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 870Counter canter is simply one of the most beneficial exercises you can do for your horse in the canter! In addition to building strength, improving balance, and increasing hind leg engagement, it also improves the horse's ability to be straight in the canter. All of which will improve your regular canter! Tip/Quote of the Day # 869Corners should be ridden as one-quarter of a volte appropriate to the level of the test (10 meters at Training-First Levels, 8 meters at Second-Fourth Levels and 6 meters above Fourth Level)Tip/Quote of the Day # 868For those of you with horses that want to run into the canter when working on walk to canter transitions (accelerating and taking a trot step or two before picking up the canter,) think "halt" as you are applying your aid to canter from the walk.Tip/Quote of the Day # 867If your horse spends a lot of time in a stall or small paddock, it is a good idea to give him extra walking time at the beginning of your warm up routine. 15 to 20 minutes of an active, marching walk will get all of his structures limber, and lubricate his joints, so that he can then move on to more serious work with less risk of injury.Bonnie's Blog post # 3Today I had a jump school with Missy, final prep before Fair Hill this weekend. Loki warmed up well and felt really loose, if a bit sluggish (dressage boot camp yesterday taking its toll!). He woke right up for the jumping though. I swear, it’s never not fun to jump that horse. He’s so cute about it, too. As soon as we’re done he takes this big sigh, and, honest-to-goodness, gets this very pleased-with-himself look on his face (he knows he’s The Bomb)... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)Tip/Quote of the Day # 866"When you relax your arms and feel the reins softly you need to feel that your horse wants to step into the contact. If you do not then he is behind your leg and seat." ~ Yvonne BarteauHorses That Wag Their Head From Side to Side
You may have seen a horse "wagging" his head back and forth in the Dressage ring... it actually happens quite frequently in varying degrees - sometimes in the canter, but more often seen in the trot. Most of the time, what is causing this to happen is... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 865Don't assume that just because a Dressage trainer has ridden through the upper levels, that they are riding and teaching correctly. There is a lot of incorrect, "front to back" riding going on out there, even at the top levels. Look for an instructor who rides and teaches in a true "back to front" manner - with quiet hands that receive the energy, instead of being used in a "busy" way to keep the horse's head down and nose in. Tip/Quote of the Day # 864When working on the zig zag movement in the half pass (changing from left to right and back again), begin with just a slight bend and a gradual changeover. And as your horse gains confidence and understanding of the exercise, you can then begin to ask for more bend and a more crisp change of bend. As with any exercise, aiming for confidence and understanding first will build a strong foundation for the movement. Bonnie's Blog post # 2 Today was, shall we say, rough. I haven’t ridden with anyone consistently since we got back from Florida in mid-March, and the lack of supervision was painfully obvious today. Jeff has been traveling non-stop and Missy was in Florida until April, and then in Europe with Gigi McIntosh, a para-equestrian student of hers who is making a bid for the 2016 Paralympic team (Go Gigi!), so this was the first real lesson we’d had in weeks- er, months. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)Tip/Quote of the Day # 863"When introducing new questions make sure they are fair, but don’t over prepare the horse. Let him find out it’s an oxer/filler/bounce when he gets there. They need to learn to react and make quick decisions." ~ Eric SmileyThe Art of Slipping the Reins - and When and When NOT To Do So
The ability to "slip the reins" correctly and at exactly the right moment is absolutely crucial for the Event rider. Certain circumstances on cross country require this skill to be almost instinctive for the rider. Yet there are also times where some riders are tempted to slip the reins in a situation that will actually hinder their performance. Read on to find out exactly how and when slipping the reins will work best for you... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 862“When you get on, you should feel that your stirrups are a little bit short,” he said. “As you warm up, as you come out of the saddle and come forward and jump, you should feel that you’re coming into a more comfortable position. If when you get on, you’re comfortable in your stirrups, they’re invariably too long.” ~ William Fox-PittTip/Quote of the Day # 861“At home I never train the changes on the diagonal. I stick to the wall. He has changes that swing from side to side. Rather than pushing forward, he pushes to the side. By using the wall, the wall does the work for me.” ~ Charlotte DujardinTip/Quote of the Day # 860Working on changes of pace and stride during conditioning work can go a long way towards making your horse more rideable on course - as you will be creating the habit of being adjustable and responsive. Guest Blog post # 64: "(You can't make this stuff up) Officer, I tried to raise her right!" by Bill Woods(You can't make this stuff up) Officer, I tried to raise her right!
After having seen weekend scores on Foxvillage of the show where my student was on her own competing, I noted that she had put up three good First Level scores earlier. . .
Me: What happened in your last test on Sunday? I saw you got eliminated. Did he run off and jump out of the ring?
Her: No, I jumped him out... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)Tip/Quote of the Day # 859Rhythm is the key to good jumping, whether on cross country or in the show jumping ring. Rhythm and balance go hand in hand, so one facilitates the other. Tip/Quote of the Day # 858
It is very important that your horse does not learn how to run out on skinny jumps or corners. Because once they have learned to associate either type of jump with running out, it can be very difficult to correct. Do not take the schooling of these type of jumps lightly, for this reason.
As for saddles with big knee rolls for jumping, I feel that... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 857Tightly clamped thighs make you lose your nice deep seat, and drive the horse's back down into a hollow position.Tip/Quote of the Day # 856"If you keep your hands still, you’ll start using your legs." ~ Ulla SalzgeberDiscussion # 138: THIS is why Eventers need to have a defensive position! THIS is why Eventers need to have a defensive position! Because unexpected things can happen on the landing side of any cross country jump!
This rider shows us an excellent example of an extremely defensive seat over this same fence:
No crest releases here... instead keeping the horse well between the leg and the hand to jump a big fence at speed. The rider's center of gravity is low and well back, with their "feet on the dashboard." This is only absolutelynecessary in extreme circumstances, but since there is no real drawback to this position (when done well), it is a good habit for cross country riders to develop and utilize on cross country.
So tell us members, how often do you work on developing your defensive position (Read all about it here), and have you noticed a difference in your security over fences? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)Tip/Quote of the Day # 855"Don't delude yourself into thinking that you have light, soft hands, if you ride with loose, almost dangling reins on a strung out horse. That can be done with insensitive hands as well. A soft hand requires the rider to feel whether the horse is softly on the bit, chewing, and whether it responds to a light pressure, in other words, whether it has an active mouth. If he rides with loose reins, the horse can have a dead mouth, which will only show up when you use the reins to stop or to shorten the strides, as it will either let you pull its nose onto its chest, or it will invert, and in both cases it will open its mouth." ~ Oskar M. StensbeckTip/Quote of the Day # 854"Use a repetitive process to help young horses learn. You may have to repeat an exercise many times but it will be worth it." ~ Eric SmileyTip/Quote of the Day # 853Do not make the mistake of always practicing over perfect distances at home. Sometimes practice meeting a jump on a half stride on purpose... and learn to do it well. This will make you and your horse a safe pair out on cross country. Guest Blog post # 63: "Trick or Treat" by the Bad Eventer!
Have you ever ridden with a coach who raises the jumps when you're not looking? (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
First off, congrats on your young horse doing so well at his very first competition! That is awesome! I have to say I am rather surprised to hear this comment from the Dressage Judge.... and what I am wondering is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 851When you have an awkward fence on course, more often than not you were losing some quality of the canter on the approach. Keep the quality of the canter the same, and all of the jumps on your course will ride in a similar manner.Tip/Quote of the Day # 850“It’s so important that these horses enjoy every day of their work. Our routine is that we train in the school four days a week. On Monday and Tuesday they work, and then on Wednesday they go hacking on the road, and that means every horse—every horse in the yard hacks. Then Thursday and Friday they do schooling sessions, probably not longer than 45 minutes. Saturday they hack again, and Sunday is a complete day off. They all go in the field, even Valegro. They all have a normal life; we don’t wrap them up in cotton wool." ~ Charlotte DujardinTip/Quote of the Day # 849When working with a horse that does not have a great natural lengthening, make sure that you don't ask for too much too soon. Compare this to a singer who is training their vocal cords… they gradually expand their range until they hit their limit. This helps to prevent them from overextending themselves, and builds up confidence in their abilities. Question # 267: My horse used to be a very bold and confident jumper. We competed to Training level very successfully. Then I took a year off because I had a baby. And now that I am back to riding, I feel like I have a different horse.... ...He doesn't take me to the fences anymore, and I have to ride really aggressively or he feels like he wants to stop. I haven't taken him to any competitions since I brought him back, since I don't like the way things are going. I tried using the whip to make him more forward and positive at the jumps, but that only seemed to get him nervous and spooky. I can hardly believe that this is the same horse that used to practically drag me to the jumps! What would you suggest I do? (Alice)
Hi Alice!
You don't say how old your horse is, but it may be a good time for a thorough exam by a good lameness veterinarian. There are many soundness issues that present in a way that the horse isn't actually outright lame, but their performance is negatively affected. Especially with bilateral lamenesses, such as when both front feet or both hocks hurt equally. In this case, the only way the horse can "speak" about his issues is to try to avoid things that cause him to hurt. So when a horse that was previously forward thinking and a willing jumper, begins to not enjoy his work... pain issues defintely need to be ruled out.
Since your horse was out of work for a year, all of his supporting structures would have likely become weaker. Which can mean that all of his joints would take more of a pounding while you are bringing him back into work. How much time did you take to bring him back into jumping work? At any rate, get him thoroughly checked out physically. And you might also want to check your saddle fit - as if your horse's shape has changed significantly, your saddle might be giving him pain and causing your problem. If everything checks out physically - then let's move on to fixing this problem from a training standpoint! (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer) Tip/Quote of the Day # 848"Don’t set the horse up when cantering over a pole — allow the horse to make mistakes and learn to adjust its own stride to negotiate the pole." ~ Eric SmileyTip/Quote of the Day # 847“We get the horses as loose as possible before we ask them to do more work in their bodies. if they’re not loose in the beginning, they’re not going to be loose and supple in their proper work.” ~ Charlotte DujardinTip/Quote of the Day # 846Your weight or seat aid trumps your leg and hand aids at all times. So if you are unconsciously giving conflicting aids with your weight/seat and your legs or hands, your horse will usually not do exactly what you expect him to do.Guest Blog post # 62: "In For a Nickel" by Bill Woods
Here and there you'll run across a Total Dressage Masochist--a nose to the grind stone sort of rider whose horse's hooves will dig deep and perfect 20 meter ruts in her arena. More often among recreational riders there's a tendency to practice the stuff that's fun and save the difficult issues for "tomorrow." Give this person a schoolmaster and the situation is magnified tenfold. What's fun? Flying changes and extended trot! Did I hear anyone say transitions? I thought not. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 845Always perform the halt and salute in your Dressage test with aplomb. It shows the judge that you have confidence, and it makes for great show photos!Tip/Quote of the Day # 844If you are riding with short stirrups in a saddle that was not really designed for shorter stirrups (i.e. an all purpose saddle), you will usually find that your leg gets pushed backwards when landing over fences.Question # 266: My horse hollows his back and throws his neck up in canter to trot downward transitions? What can I do to fix this? (Anonymous) Almost always when this happens, one or both of these things is usually the cause... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer) Tip/Quote of the Day # 843The relationship between horse and rider is somewhat similar to a marriage. Don’t let familiarity trick you into doing the same thing over and over.Tip/Quote of the Day # 842“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 Wofford
