So right off the bat I apologize if this comes across as whiny... But you know what? I think I need to whine a wee little bit. The Beast Mare herself has been not quite right since November at this point... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
How many times have you heard someone say “think before you speak”. Good advice right! Well if you're like me you have forgotten this advice from time to time. Making the mistake of saying something you didn't mean to say or saying something you simply wish you hadn't said. As humans, we tend to let our mouths move faster than our minds. We also tend to let our hands move faster than our minds. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)Tip/Quote of the Day # 259"Your back must stay strong in a canter/walk transition, but your hands must stay low so that your horse will stay through." ~ Stephen ClarkeTip/Quote of the Day # 258It is not wise to add pressure to the situation when the horse is already tense. Use quiet, soothing exercises that the horse is already familiar with, rather than push for anything difficult, to help him relax.Square Exercise # 2 - The Diamond Exercise
The Diamond Exercise is a great way to educate the horse and rider on the lateral aids - and how to apply the lateral aids to forward movement. Without a solid understanding of the lateral aids, the horse will not respond to the bending aids properly. The rider will then find it hard to improve the connection by riding up into the outside rein, and will therefore not be able to improve the horse's balance and carriage.
Once the rider knows how to apply the lateral aids... and the horse understands how to respond to them, the basic lateral foundation will be established - which will allow the rider to be able to successfully utilize bending, circles, and lateral work to improve the horse. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above to read full article)
Young horses sure are fun, aren't they?? Many horses (especially TBs) seem to have a line that they cross sometimes... where they sort of "shut down". And when they cross that line they either become completely irrational, or they close themselves off and become unresponsive. Every horse is different in what works to help them cross back over that line, but what has worked the most for me (and I had a horse that did that a lot!) was to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Video Discussion # 78: I love this video on "Spook Proofing Your Horse"!I lovethis video on "Spook Proofing Your Horse"! I especially like what he says about giving the horse "time for reflection", and how the horse has the ability to "turn the bag off." Teaching the horse to want to face his fear and investigate, rather than trying to get away, will make him much safer to ride! What are your thoughts on this video? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to watch the video and read this educational discussion)Tip/Quote of the Day # 255Always keep in mind that you need to engage your horse's brain to get him to truly think forward. Your goal should not be to merely get his feet moving, but to ignite the area of his brain that makes him decide to want to move forward. Only when your horse really wants to go forward do you truly have a forward horse... no matter how fast you are actually traveling. Question # 184: How can I gauge whether or not my horse is becoming properly conditioned? Just don't want to assume they are because they do as I ask. (Joan) Hi Joan!
This is a great question! As some horses, particularly the hotter type, can give you a bit of a false reading as to how fit they actually are. If they don't actually tell you that they are tired and overworked for their level of fitness, how are you to know?? (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 254 "Success isn't magic or hocus-pocus - it's simply learning how to focus." ~ Jack CanfieldTip/Quote of the Day # 253Always remember that horses are herd animals, and are experts at reading the emotional status of their herdmates to know when there’s danger lurking ahead. Every time you ride or handle a horse, you become a part of your horse’s herd. When you tense, he expects trouble. When you keep cool, he takes confidence from you.Question # 183, and Video # 60: Member Laura sends in her question in a creative way! (Watch the video to see!)My 6yo OTTB who has been in a consistent 6 day per week program for 6 months has NO self preservation. Regardless of speed, gait, size or type of fence, he has no problem walking all over jumps, or even running right into them. He doesn’t STOP when he’s in trouble, he turns into a snow plow. I've tried everything I can think of, and it may be time to consider a career for him that doesn't involve solid obstacles. Here's a video I made. What do you think?? (Laura) (Click on Question and Video Title above (in blue) to read the answer to the question, and the critique of this video)
Horses are the most amazing creatures....... from their incredible athletic abilities, to their regal spirit, to their generosity and desire to please us humans, to their fascinating powers of perception. I feel like we owe it to them to carefully consider what we do with them on a daily basis. Anyone who is calling themselves a "Horse Trainer" has a huge responsibility to do rightby every horse they work with. And even if you are not a professional, you are not off the hook! You still have that responsibility.... as YOU are your horse's trainer. Here are 10 things you MUST do, to achieve that! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 251Lunge lessons are extremely invaluable, as they allow you to focus more on learning to feel what your body is doing, since you don't also have to worry about controlling the horse.Question # 182: I know that riding and training AREN'T linear. I get that. But I'm really flummoxed about how to deal with the last year...Our show results are just like a total crap shoot these days. Things we used to have in the bag are questionable now. I used to be able to count on finishing on our dressage score, and we rarely had SJ rails and never X-C penalties. Some things are improving, but everything that we used to be able to count on seems now not necessarily there. I get the non-linearity of training (2 steps forward, 1 step back), but this feels like the inexplicableness of quantum mechanics!! Are we still progressing? We've been doing schooling dressage shows at 1st level rider test and level1 test 3 and earning high 60's but otherwise, it's hard to point at progress... (Briana)
Hi Briana!
I am sorry to hear that you and Henry have been having a tough time lately! I've always thought that one of the most fun things about the sport of Eventing, is that there are three completely different phases involved. But one of the frustrating things about the sport is that since there are three different phases, it is somewhat common for one phase to go a little downhill as you improve in another. While there is no proven logic behind this phenomenon, I have seen it happen many times. A rider will finally get that big breakthrough in Dressage, and then have an unusual stop on cross country. Or the rider will finally lick that problem with jumping corner fences on cross country, only to find that the Dressage isn't what it has been. Or on the weekend that you have a personal best in Dressage, and a great clean run on cross country, you uncharacteristicly have several rails down in the show jumping. It sucks! But that's what can happen when you have three very different sets of skills to work on. Here's what I would suggest: (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 250One of the most important things for you to think about during your Dressage Test is to maintain a consistent rhythm and tempo throughout. Even if other things are not perfect, maintaining that consistency will produce the best possible score. Tip/Quote of the Day # 249If you don't take the time to do things right, you will usually have to take the time to do things over.Discussion # 86: Let's discuss hindquarter and hind leg conformation!Take a look at the pelvis, stifle, and hock angles on these two horses. Which one do you think shows better hindquarter and hind leg conformation? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
This is a great question! Because riders have always been taught to make that girth good and tight, to make sure the saddle won't slide. And the answer is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 247Great quote from Facebook fan Lisa Hamilton-Smith ~ "Contact is a living breathing thing. It's elastic from the elbow and has little to do with the hands. Imagine your elbows are holding the rein, and that your contact is then held by your seat/trunk rather than the hand in any way. The hand merely holds the rein."Discussion # 85: What do you like about this picture? What don't you like about it? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 246If your horse tends to lean heavily on his inside shoulder when making transitions, think about a few steps of spiral outbefore asking for the transition. Tip/Quote of the Day # 245The key to training horses is patience and consistency... stick with it and you will get there!Tip/Quote of the Day # 244Remember to take advantage of any hills you may have to build your horse into a stronger athlete. Progressive hillwork done several times a week, with days in between for muscle recovery, will build your horse up to a peak level of strength... which of course will make his job easier for him. Tip/Quote of the Day # 243When learning movements like shoulder in and haunches in, always start out with minimal angle and focus more on the quality of the bend. Tip/Quote of the Day # 242Asking a horse to bend before instilling a basic understanding of lateral aids is like asking a child to read sentences before he first learns the alphabet. Question # 180: My frustrating "ah-ha" moment ... I realised today, after spending the last few weeks trying to stop my horse from diving his nose to the ground and coming so far behind the vertical he sometimes seems to disappear, that I have been using ... too much hand. This is so frustrating, because I have already learnt this lesson, a number of times. I know to do my transitions from my weight and seat aids only, i know how to half halt without the use of the reins. Why oh why do I keep going back to the same bad habits and then wonder why my horse is no longer performing as well as he did?? So, happy to have finally clicked, so annoyed at how long it took me to work out something i should have known. How do I make this a habit rather than repeating the same lesson over and over and over? (Kelly)
Hi Kelly!
Don't feel bad, this is one of the most common problems in riding, and especially Dressage! As humans, we are very hand orientated. And this has a very unfortunate effect on riders... causing them to often instincively bypass the other aids, and go to their hands first. We also often get baited by our horses to pull on the reins, as horses sometimes try to... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Tip/Quote of the Day # 241For those of you who don't get a lot of riding time, but want to build up strength in your legs, riding in a standing position while pedaling on a bicycle works the leg muscles in a similar way to riding.Question # 179: How much weight should you have in your stirrups? (Kim) Hi Kim!
The answer to this question will vary greatly depending on whether you are... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)Kirsten's Blog Post # 2: "I'm Allergic to Barn Drama"I'm Allergic to Barn Drama
So it almost goes without saying that the horse world is filled with drama. I like to say I am allergic to drama, I literally just want to take care of my horse, ride, learn, get better, compete, maybe pick up a ribbon or two, and repeat.
But as easy as that sounds it is really not. Drama can happen on so many different levels. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 240From Facebook fan Anna-Lindsay McIntyre ~ "If my abs don't hurt throughout my ride, I know I'm doing something wrong."
This is a common problem with young horses, to at least some degree. Being herd animals, they take comfort in the company of their friends. What you have to do is change the way your horse thinks of you. If you can get him to start to think of you as a member of his herd, and in fact his herd leader, you can re-direct his focus back to you. Once you have achieved that, your horse will begin to look to you for comfort when he is nervous or insecure. (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer) Tip/Quote of the Day # 239"A three-day event is not a test of speed and endurance, it is a test of character." ~ Jimmy WoffordTip/Quote of the Day # 238Sometimes it's hard to tell exactly how close you are to success. That's why you have to keep going... to find out.Tip/Quote of the Day # 237Activity doesn't really start in the horse's hind legs... it starts in his brain. He has to decide to create activity before it will appear. Why is this significant? You need to train his brain to understand and respect your light leg aids, rather than try to physically push him anywhere. Tip/Quote of the Day # 236Make it a habit to pet your horse with your inside hand when you reward or give the rein. That way you can be in the habit of maintaining a consistent connection on the outside rein.Brianna's Blog Post # 2The Riding Arena and the Classroom
The relationship we have with our equine partners is much like a teacher with their student. I find it easy for people to understand riding when I relate it to the classroom.... (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)Discussion # 84: Who can answer this rule quiz?? What is the exception to the unauthorized assistance rule on cross country? (Click on Discussion Title above (in blue) to read this educational discussion)Tip/Quote of the Day # 235If you really think you can (or can't) do something, your horse will usually believe you. Tip/Quote of the Day # 234On cross country, riders always need to have a "plan B" in their heads while on course. And sometimes a plan C and D as well. Being ready to change your plan in an instant can make or break your success.Use Cue Words to Improve Your Performance (Current freebie!)
Let me share an intimate personal story with you... A long time ago, I went through a brief phase in my riding, where my horse's very big jumping efforts in the Show Jumping were jostling me out of my position. As you can see from these photos, Felix would often clear his oxers by a couple of feet:
The problem would then be compounded, as I approached each big jump (especially big, square oxers) anticipating being thrown out of position, and I would unconsciously react by becoming tense and rigid, bracing myself against the jump on the takeoff. This of course meant that the shock absorbing quality of my joints would be locked. And I would have NO chance of staying with his rocket launch style of jumping with locked shock absorbers! So things would go from bad to worse. And a vicious circle ensued.
I knew what the problem was, but I was having a hard time making myself stay supple and relaxed on the takeoff, so that I had a chance of going with my horse's jumping motion more smoothly. So, what I did to fix this problem was... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
I have ridden my share of jiggers out on the trails! In fact, my top horse was particularly bad about this when he was young. What I do when they want to jig, get wound up, or go sideways is... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer) Tip/Quote of the Day # 233“Learn to cease the aids.” ~ Nuno OliveiraTip/Quote of the Day # 232Imagine that you have two headlights on your chest, and turn your headlights slightly into the the direction of the turn, while still keeping a level and erect beam of light.Tip/Quote of the Day # 231"Riding is simple - it's just not easy." ~ Jimmy Wofford
What does this mean to you?Tip/Quote of the Day # 230"If a horse becomes more beautiful in the course of his work, it is a sign that the training principles are correct." ~ Colonel Podhajsky
