Recent Articles

The key to success at double and triple combinations is for the rider to have a plan! You must know precisely what the distance is between the elements. So either bring a measuring tape, or learn how to walk off distances very accurately. Learn that skill by laying down a measuring stick or tape, and find out what your walking stride feels like when it is exactly three feet long. I know for me, since I'm short, I have to take a big step to make three feet. So when I'm walking a distance, four of my big steps is one twelve foot stride for the horse.

You also have to know what your horse's natural stride length at the canter is. When jumping does he naturally canter along with a perfect twelve foot stride? Or is he a big mover with a natural thirteen foot canter stride? Or a smaller, more catlike type that has a natural eleven foot stride?

Then you have to be able to analyze the combination to make a game plan. Is the first element......(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It is very important that your horse stays straight when jumping. And not just at the fences that very obviously test straightness like skinny jumps, corners, and angled lines. But at each and every jump that your horse takes.

Why is straightness so important? Because only when your horse is truly straight on the approach and the takeoff of the jump can he jump in balance, and therefore show his best form. Veering off of the straight line will also change the distance in any combination or related line of fences, making an awkward takeoff spot at the next element likely.

Let's start by defining straightness in the horse: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The key to improving canter departs is to make sure the horse is truly straight and connected, with his outside hind leg ready to step well underneath his body. Why the outside hind leg? It's the first footfall of the canter depart and the canter stride itself. The quality of the canter depart, along with the balance and engagement of the canter in general, can be greatly improved by increasing the engagement of the outside hind leg. Here is an exercise that will utilize that concept to improve your canter departs: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Bounce banks can look pretty daunting to both horse and rider on the approach, but they are great fun if ridden correctly! The key to success at a bounce bank is......(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 



There are two ways to turn to a jump - with a curved turn (think quarter of a circle), or a square turn (more of a 90 degree turn). Each has quite a different effect on the horses' balance, carriage, and stride length coming out of the turn.

Hunter riders use curved turns during their rounds. As one thing that is important in the hunter ring is that the horse maintains....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

If a rider is going to control something 10 times their weight, that has a powerful engine, a strong spirit, and a mind of its own, they must learn an effective technique. No matter how strong a rider you are, your horse is always going to be stronger than you. So you must learn how to use his strength to your advantage. Here's how: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Self carriage of the horse is one of the most important goals in dressage. When the horse is in self carriage it is balanced independently of its rider, not using the rider's hand or leg for support in any way. How do you know if your horse is in self carriage? You should be testing him often throughout your work. Here's how you check to see if your horse is carrying himself: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I will never forget my initial reaction when hearing Jimmy Wofford's advice about how to ride downhill jumps on the cross country course. We were walking the Radnor ** cross country course, and the third fence was a huge pile of logs on a rather steep downhill slope. And he said, "At the top of the hill, right before the hill starts its downward descent... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Horses do much better than humans when running and jumping on the side of a hill. Having four legs lets them adapt to the the varied terrain - much like an ATV (all terrain vehicle).

And that's good news! Since there are many jumps on the side of a hill on cross country. Sometimes the hill is steep, making jumping on the side of the hill the obvious "question" being asked. And sometimes the hill is mild, even to the point of being so subtle that you may not take notice of the slight slant that the jump is on when walking the course. And that is a mistake! You always want to make note of which way the ground is slanted on every jump on course, so you can ride it in the way that allows the horse to be the most balanced....(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

A coffin complex presents many challenges to horse and rider! Lets discuss the different ways it tests the cross country competitor, and learn how to negotiate the complex successfully....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

 


The term "coffin canter" comes from the type of canter required to get a good jump at the common cross country complex of rails - ditch - rails, also known as a coffin jump. Coffin complexes are usually found at the Preliminary to the Advanced levels. Although more and more smaller versions are appearing on Training level courses, so Training level riders need to be educated about the skill required to negotiate them. And there are many other cross country obstacles that require the "coffin canter" on the approach, such as.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

There is an imaginary area on the approach to every jump that I like to call the "takeoff zone". In the last 20 feet or so on the approach, the horse needs to be able to focus entirely on the jump in front of him. So the rider needs to....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

One might think that being a perfectionist would only be a good trait for a rider to have. After all, doesn't that imply a dedication to the pursuit of excellence and attention to detail of the highest standard? Which are certainly good qualities.  But there can be some rather large negative consequences for riders who are perfectionists. It can cause them to obsess over details to the point of stressing over them. Which can be quite upsetting to your horse, and very detrimental to horse and rider performance in several different ways. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Does your horse tend to knock down a rail or two in the show jumping? Or even three or four?? Don't worry, there ARE things you can do to encourage your horse to jump more carefully! Here are some things you can work on:(Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Sooner or later every event rider finds themselves at a competition with unfavorable conditions - either pouring rain or slippery, deep mud. If the rider is not at all confident about riding in those conditions, it might make sense to scratch. But riding in muddy conditions is not dangerous if the horse and rider are well prepared. So if you know how to handle those conditions, you can still have a fun and successful event! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)