As you know, circles are a very important part of your Dressage tests! At the lower levels in particular, they can make or break your score - as they take up a good part of each test. I would recommend that you read this article on "Why Good Circles Go Bad", for advice on how to make your circles more consistently round and fluent. Also read this article for a specific exercise to help you learn to make your circles round. And finally this one for a tip on how to think and ride more fluently forward on circles. Since a consistent amount of impulsion throughout a circle is one of the keys to an evenly round shape, this will help you... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 352The faster you are going, the more you must generally think of maintaining a contact with your horse's mouth on the takeoff of a jump.Quiz # 23: Who can tell us what constitutes "willful delay" as it pertains to the timing of your cross country course?Who can tell us what constitutes "willful delay" as it pertains to the timing of your cross country course? (Click on Quiz Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)Tip/Quote of the Day # 351Be 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.Tip/Quote of the Day # 350It may seem like you only need to think about a formal conditioning schedule at the upper levels, but every horse at every level will benefit from a balanced and well thought out conditioning schedule.Tip/Quote of the Day # 349From Facebook fan Nicole Cotten Ackerman ~ "I work with a lot if lower level eventers, and I tell them that when you are in the 20x40 ring you must stay bent all of the time because there's so little space between riding a corner or a circle. The bend will automatically quiet the horses' impulsion, so plan to go forward throughout the entire test. This will keep the horse connected and keep the test from "deflating"."Using a Leverage Bit
Presumably a rider steps up to a gag bit, elevator bit, or any other type of leverage bit because they would like more control. They would like their horse to better hear, listen, and respond to their aids. But any time this type of bit is used, it is imperative for riders to remember that... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
With an OTTB, as with any horse, the answer is to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Video # 67 and Question # 213: This is a video of Rowan, my 14 year old OTTB gelding. I took him off the track several years ago and turned him into a show jumper and fox hunter......He had last year off for a hock injury, and this is his first year eventing. He's a great horse cross-country: unflappable, bold to the jumps, light in your hands, and very adjustable. But he has a bad habit of drastically slowing down when we approach water, even water he has been through before. I think the root of the problem is in the hunt field most of the time we stop before crossing water, as our hunt country is very trappy and we often have to work to find a safe place to cross (especially if there's ice). Any advice on how to "re-educate" him to be as bold to water as he is to everything else? (Kellyn)(Click on Video or Question Title above (in blue) to read the answer and the critique of this video)
Some horses take to water like a duck, and others need lots of schooling to get over their reluctance to enter strange water (especially at speed). The key is to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 345The use of "half steps" in your training can be very beneficial, as it can help the horse to understand the idea of engagement without increasing speed. Tip/Quote of the Day # 344Position your horse in a slight shoulder fore before every movement or transition, to help him engage his inside hind leg and really step through from behind. Tip/Quote of the Day # 343Riding on undulating ground really helps to develop a rider's seat and balance - and of course, the horse's balance as well!Tip/Quote of the Day # 342The more contact you hold on your horse's mouth between jumps (or indeed on the flat), the more work you may have to do to half halt or stop. Try to be as light as possible, so that when you do ask for something, your horse will hear you.Tip/Quote of the Day # 341Sometimes do your flatwork in your jumping length stirrups, and mostly up off of your horse's back. It is harder to be as effective on the flat this way, but only by working on it will you get better at it.Question # 211: At a recent ODE I was pulled up for my horse having his head in the air going into fences. He is an ex-racer and was excited - jumps very well at home - any advice? (Jess) Hi Jess!
Yes, they are definitely cracking down on the concept of "dangerous riding" lately, and carding or even stopping riders who look to be out of control. It is a little hard for me to answer you very specifically without actually seeing your horse go... any chance you can send in a video? What kind of bit are you currently using? Very often, when riders are struggling to control their horses on the cross country, it is because they have not learned how to properly control the horse at the gallop. Read this article for a refresher on that subject, and also... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Question # 210: I recently bought a nice 14 year old Oldenburg mare that has been used as a lesson horse for several years. She is sweet, quiet, responsive to my leg; but the most stiff and resistant in the bridle that I have ever come across......There is no head tossing, no temper tantrums, just resolute stiffness. There is absolutely no give or softness laterally or longitudinally. I've started working with her by flexing to the left and right, having her give to me each direction at the halt, working on the lunge with side reins, lots of transitions from walk to trot; tot to walk to halt. (No reason to add canter to this yet, lol.) She is quite unfit, but in great weight and health. She has that odd dip in front of her withers that horses get when they work in the wrong frame for so long. She also has an odd habit of tapping her front teeth together when she is working. I've just started with this horse. I think I'm on the right track. What do you think? Any good exercises you can think of? (Anonymous)
Focus and attention are obviously very important when jumping! However, unlike when working with a human student, the rider can't say to their horse, "Pay attention to me!". Well they can try... but it probably won't work as well as they would like. Instead, a rider needs to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 340If you learn the *whys* behind each aid or exercise used in each specific circumstance, you will become a more educated rider with a greater ability to be productive.Tip/Quote of the Day # 339"To understand the extent of damage caused by overbending, think of a horse’s “broken” neck as of a garden hose slashed between faucet and nozzle. Like the stream of water, the impulsion can no longer reach your hand in full. Proper head position is determined by its elevation and the direct flexion at the poll which must remain the highest point of the neck. This elevation must be such that the bars, which we subjected to the action of the bit, are situated at a horizontal passing at about the upper third of the chest. By such a head carriage, the horse’s mass in its entirety is affected by the rider’s hand, however light its action, and the head in turn receives the slightest forward shift of the horse’s weight." ~ Jean FroissartTip/Quote of the Day # 338"What to do with a mistake - recognize it, admit it, learn from it, and then forget about it." ~ Dean SmithVideo # 66 and Question # 208: This is Kymbre!Here is a video of the mare I mentioned before that I was working with named Mouse. She was the one who would throw her head up to avoid contact with the bit, and then she learned how to curl her chin to her neck to avoid the contact as well. But I read your post about using side reins on a lunge line to teach them how to go forward into the contact. This seemed to help A LOT! Because she isn't fighting as much or trying to avoid the contact. I am even able to get her to lengthen her stride while stretching into the bit. It's very nice. In this video we worked on bending from the inside leg into the outside rein into the contact. And for the most part she understood it after we did it at the walk first.
I noticed in the video that my right stirrup was exceptionally shorter than my left stirrup, which I felt during my ride, but I assumed I was just sitting unevenly. I think if I had that stirrup even I would have had a little better luck with the right bend. Also, I noticed there were a few times that I accidentally pulled the outside rein back as opposed to asking her to move into it. That is something I will definitely be aware of next time I work with her. I noticed it a few times during the ride and I would push my hand forward a little bit to allow her room to move into that rein. But for the most part she looks good in this video. If you could just let me know what you think, and if there's anything I need to do to make the results better or more efficient. Also any exercises I could try to improve her movement or acceptance of the contact. Thanks! (Kymbre) (Click on Video or Question Title above (in blue) to read the answer and critique of this video)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 337Make your gridwork more challenging by setting it up across the short side of the arena. This means you will be able to practice shorter approaches, and your horse will have to learn to process information and think more quickly. Tip/Quote of the Day # 336“Look for a genuine coach with real coaching skills rather than a rider who may know how to do something, but not how to teach it. Also, find someone who has solid experience of working with riders of your level." ~ William MicklemTip/Quote of the Day # 335
"A rider must never put his own ambitions above the horse's needs." ~ Klaus Balkenhol
Tip/Quote of the Day # 334"Ninety-nine percent of problems riders have with horses are actually problems with the basics." ~ Christopher Hess
Walking up and down hills is one of the most productive strengthening exercises that we can do with our horses! Because they have less momentum than they do in the trot and the canter, they have to use sheer power to push their body weight up the hill. Going down the hill, you get increased "sit" behind, with more weight being carried over the horse's hocks. The benefits are enormous. But as to whether trotting or cantering up or down hills should be done as well - the answer is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Question # 205: My horse is always "right on" on cross country. In stadium, however, we are both notably greener. Sometimes she's in XC mode, taking off all over the place in the warm up, which often leads to… ...very sloppy rounds since we are both too busy fighting to see the jumps. But more often (and very contradictory), I have trouble getting her to take me to the fences. It's as if that light that is always on in cross-country, forward and looking for the next jump, doesn't come on in the show ring. To make matters worse, the lack of forward energy makes me resort to the old bad habit of leaning forward and jumping ahead (which I no longer do xc). So, how do I find that nice stadium impulsion, where she is not trying to take off galloping, while still not giving me the out-of-office auto-reply? Do I need to get a long stick with a nice brush fence to wave in front of her? (Nanna)
Great question! We all know that we need a good, active, and balanced canter for both Dressage and jumping. But there definitely are a few differences in the canter that you want for the two different disciplines! Those are... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Question # 203: I am having issues with my canter to trot transitions......My trot to walk is almost perfect, in that I feel as if my horse is still actively engaged in the hind end when we transition downward, and I feel our upward transitions (all of them, even into the canter) are fairly good. The trot to canter isn't perfect, but it's still better than the canter to trot. Especially to the left. What are some exercises to improve that particular downward transition? Thank you! (Kymbre)
Hi Kymbre!
One of the most challenging transitions for many horses is to go from canter to trot! Because of the extra speed involved in the canter, and the fact that horses tend to travel a bit crooked in the canter (with their haunches to the inside), they are prone to falling more onto the forehand. The more momentum the horse carries in the canter, the more difficult it will be to come back to the trot smoothly and easily. And the problem is frequently compounded by the fact that riders too often... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 331Whether on or off the horse, the lower you center of gravity is, the easier it is to balance. So what does this mean to your riding? Keeping your balance point low, by keeping your seat close to the saddle when up off of your horse's back, and your weight sinking well down into your heels, will make you more secure.Tip/Quote of the Day # 330Think of using every corner of the Dressage ring to increase your level of engagment. Brianna's Blog Post # 65 Tips to Avoid a Battle
(Me and the Dragon mare, taking a break)
In any relationship there is bound to be arguments. Great minds may think alike but they do not always agree. The relationship we have between our horse can not escape this principle of agreeing to disagree. We are inevitably going to find ourselves in the midst of a battle where neither of us understand what the other wants. The follow 5 tips are to be applied when you realise that a battle is about to pursue. These tips are a personal aid to my own frustration when I can not seem to communicate properly with my 1000lb partner whom I have affectionately nicknamed Dragon Mare and who is the sole inspiration of these tips. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
You are correct that in the trot stretch the horse should take the bit down, and still be reaching into the contact, especially the outside rein. If the reins become "empty" there is a good chance the horse is just dropping its neck, and minimizing the stretch over the back. Read this article for a refresher on that subject. As far as what to do in the free walk... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 327Throughness is the result of relaxation, suppleness, energy, connection, submission, and balance. Video # 65: This is Vita and Toby! (Click on Video Title above (in blue) to read the critique of this video)
This is a really common problem! And the key to getting a proper stretch when you offer the reins rather than running is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Handling Cross Country Start Box Issues!
The cross country start box can be an exciting place! You're nervous... and your horse knows exactly what is about to happen! And it is important for both horse and rider to keep their cool at the start of cross country - for safety reasons of course... but also to set the tone of the ride to come.
If you have a horse that gets excited or anxious about the start of the cross country, read on to find out how to manage this problem! And even if you don't have this problem yet... you may want to think about utilizing these methods to prevent a problem in the future! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
