Recent Articles in ~Lesley's Corner~

It is such a common problem for horses to fall in on the circle when lunging. Many horses do it mostly in one direction (usually when circling to the right), but others do it both ways. Why is this such a problem?? Because not only is your lunging not productive at that point, but it is very hard on the horse's body and joints to be traveling so incorrectly. And most importantly, if your horse does this on the lunge, he probably has a tendency to try to do this under saddle as well! Read on for a specific exercise to help teach your horse to stand up straight around his corners and turns. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo credit to Catherine Norman)


There are a huge range of possible different releases that a rider can use when jumping a horse over a fence. All the way from a "negative" release - which means the rider is actually pulling back on the horse's mouth in the air, like this: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Riding is supposed to be about developing a harmonious partnership between horse and rider. When done extremely well, the horse appears to be performing entirely on his own, just following the thoughts and desires of his rider by apparent telepathy.

More commonly, we see riders doing lots of strong driving, kicking, spurring, pulling, yanking, and overall using aids that are just... shall we say, a bit crude??

So, if the "crude aids" category sounds frighteningly familiar to you... how do you go about changing to the more "harmonious partnership" mentioned above, with a horse that is responsive to feather light aids??

It CAN be done... and with just about ANY horse! Any horse can be taught to be alert, attentive, and responsive to nearly invisible aids. The key is to... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo courtesy of Catherine Norman)

Even though I already have an article about how to ride jumps at an angle, and how to teach the green horse all about angled jumps (check that out here), I wanted to further discuss some of the benefits of jumping at angles - of which there are many! And I also want to cover what level of horse and rider should be working on angled fences on a regular basis. Read on to find out! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article) 

This exercise has SO many benefits, using more attention to the corners of the arena to attain more bending and suppleness, and transitions between them to increase your horse's hind leg engagement and carriage. Read on to find out how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

This very basic (and often overlooked) jumping exercise will improve your horse's rideability, as well as the overall harmony between you and your horse when jumping courses. It may not be easy to do well at first, but it will get better and better with practice! Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It can often be helpful to have some NEW exercises to try to improve the issues that you spend every day working on. Many times something brand new and a little out of the norm can really push you past the slump you are in! Here is a trot pole exercise, best suited for horses and riders that are working at second level Dressage or above, that will increase your horse's suppleness, engagement, and rideability. It will also help to make him stronger, which will make everything that you ask easier for him!  (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many riders tend to think of the lateral movements as something that you need to be good at to show the judge as you perform them in the Dressage ring. But riders should actually be thinking about using the various lateral exercises as tools, used judiciously to make improvements in the way the horse is moving and carrying himself. 

Much like treating an illness with exactly the right medicine to resolve that specific illness... A rider needs to know exactly what specific lateral movement their horse NEEDS at any particular moment - to improve alignment, straightness, throughness, engagement, and evenness in the reins. Here are 10 examples of problems that you might encounter with your horse, and the specific lateral exercises that you can use to help fix them! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

This great exercise, direct from the Spanish Riding School, will increase the collection in your horse's canter. It will also improve your counter canter work, and is a great way to build towards canter pirouettes. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It is no secret that horses (just like people) will perform better if they actually enjoy their job. And if you want your horse to enjoy his job, you have to consciously make an effort to make your horse's job enjoyable! Here are 12 different things you can think about, to help ensure that your horse is truly happy in his work: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Thinking about trying your hand at Novice level Eventing? It is always wise to make sure you are very well prepared! Here is a list of skills that you and your horse should be fairly proficient at before you sign up for your first Novice level horse trials: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

As a Dressage rider, your seat is paramount. All of your efforts to improve your horse(s) will be futile, unless you possess a good seat, as you will not be able to give your horse clear and precise aids. While this article on developing an independent seat thoroughly covers all that it takes to develop that, I want to discuss the specific point of how the rider should be sitting in the saddle. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Generally a good, smooth, clean show jumping round happens when you have the right quality of canter, and your horse is adjustable between fences. If your horse is lacking in adjustability, it does not matter how great the canter is that you start off with - as you will find that the quality of your canter will likely diminish as your round goes on. And because your horse is not easily adjustable, you will probably be unable to truly fix it while on course. 

First of all, what do I mean by the right quality of the canter? The right canter to jump out of is balanced, rhythmic, straight, and in self carriage. With the appropriate amount of impulsion for the jump in front of you. 

It takes adjustability to be able to maintain that canter throughout a course. Your horse may approach the first jump with the right canter, and land from the first jump running, flat, and out of balance. If your horse is adjustable, you can easily put him right back in the same quality canter you had before the jump. If you do not have adjustability, your rounds will tend to get worse and worse as you go on. 

Here is a great exercise to improve your horse's adjustability: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Here are a variety of exercises that you can do with just 3 poles on the ground that will test and improve your control and accuracy, as well as improve your horse's suppleness and rideability. I will begin with exercises that are suitable for lower level riders and horses, and finish with those that are appropriate for the more advanced. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many performance horses work hard for a living. And since horses don't have the ability to verbally voice their complaints, it is 100% up to us as owners, riders, and trainers to make sure they are truly comfortable in their jobs. While an obvious lameness is usually fairly easy to see, it becomes a whole lot more tricky when the horse isn't outright lame, yet is NQR, or "not quite right." 

Sometimes this is due to a bilateral lameness, meaning both front feet or both hocks hurt equally, which creates a situation where the horse might not actually "limp," because both sides hurt. And sometimes the horse has soreness somewhere in his body, that is unlikely to make him limp, even if it is quite sore. This is a tough situation for some horses, if their owners are the type to say, "If he's not limping, he's fine." Not only is it unfair to the horse to be made to work when he's sore, very often when minor problems are overlooked, they can turn into big problems down the road. 

Here are some things to think about, and 15 different signs to watch for, to help you make sure your horse isn't working with pain in his body: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Left to their own devices, horses almost always find the easiest way to do things. And that can mean finding out that it is easier to pick up the canter by swinging the haunches to the inside, rather than staying straight and actually engaging the hind legs more to make the transition. 

Why is picking up the canter with the haunches in a problem? Because it almost always means the horse is more on the forehand as he begins the canter. And it is always better to start with a good canter, than it is to try to fix that canter after a poor transition! 

Now, on to how to fix the problem! First of all, make sure you are not actually causing this problem by... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article) 

The Wiggly Worm Exercise is invaluable for green horses, as it will educate them on how to turn effortlessly from feather light rider aids. It can also be a great exercise for improving suppleness and relaxation with horses at all levels. Read on to find out how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Where a rider is looking during any given lateral movement is very important. Not only do you need to look in the direction you are traveling for your horse to understand your intent, but your focus needs to be consistent to help the movement be consistent. Look elsewhere, or at your horse’s head for a few strides in the movement, and you can easily disrupt the flow and rhythm of the movement. Here's a list of where you should be looking for each of the individual lateral exercises: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

If your jumping instructor is worth their salt, they have probably told you to use the turn into your jump to balance your horse when necessary. But what does this really mean? And how exactly do you use the turn onto the jump to best set your horse up for success? Read on to find out! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Have you ever wondered why it can be so much harder to stay with a horse when jumping up a bank?? It is because horses have to jump up much higher on an up bank than a regular jump of the same size, so that they have room to put their landing gear down at the top of the jumping arc. Because of this, the type of canter that you need to have on the approach to a bank is one that is... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

To ride from "front to back" means that the rider is using their hands to artificially shape the horse's head and neck, rather than letting the head and neck position change naturally as the overall carriage of the horse improves with training (ie collection.) 

There is a pretty large range of offenders, from those who quietly wiggle their fingers to ask the horse to "give" and tuck his nose, all the way to rollkur, where the horse's head is cranked down with strong force. 

In every one of these cases, the horse's neck is shortened from front to back (obviously to varying degrees), which jams the horse up, and prevents the impulsion from truly reaching the rider's hand. The rider who shortens the horse's neck with their hands will never achieve the lovely feeling of throughness, with the circle of energy permeating throughout its body.

To understand how causing the horse to shorten and/or overbend his neck stops up the flow of energy through the topline, look at this...  (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

A rider's elbow joint is one of the most important joints in their body... especially so for those of us who ride Dressage! As the elbow is essentially the rider's shock absorber - allowing horse and rider to maintain a harmonious connection while in motion. Read on to find out about a very common mistake riders make with their elbows, that causes all sorts of unwanted resistance from their horses! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Your ability (or lack thereof) to control your horse's shoulders will show up in just about everything you try to do when riding. It will often be quite evident, as it can be very hard to steer properly or keep your horse straight when you do not have 100% control of the horse's shoulders! 

There is an exercise called "shoulder yield" (which is really more of a jumper term than a Dressage term), that tests your ability to control your horse's shoulders. You can also use it to teach your horse to be more responsive to the aids that control the shoulders, making for precise and effortless turning. Here's how to do it: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

No matter what riding style or discipline you choose, you should be able to prove the solidity of your basic foundation by passing this simple test. And rather shockingly, there are many horses and riders at all levels would NOT pass this test! The very large hole in the foundation of the riders who find this exercise to be overly challenging will follow (and haunt) them forever... or at least until some very wise trainer comes along and fills it in! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many horses and riders dislike trotting fences... and for a legitimate reason! Because it can require even more patience to trot a fence than it does to canter one! And since we are never required to trot a fence in the Eventing world, it is common for riders to decide that they don't need to spend a lot of time working on this skill. 

Trotting fences, especially bigger ones, is a lot like eating your veggies... you may not especially like them at that moment, but they are good for you! Not only will they force you to wait for the base of the jump, but they will teach your horse to... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article) 

Read enough Dressage theory, and you will eventually hear the term, "Legs without hands - hands without legs." The extreme interpretation of this is the mantra of the French school of Dressage. (Read all about the different schools of Dressage here.) And one might conclude that the German school of Dressage is what promotes using hand and leg aids at exactly the same time - therefore giving the horse conflicting aids. But that is not actually the case... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

So often I see riders warming up by just going round and round the ring in both directions in the walk, trot, and canter. And while this simple exercise will warm the horse's muscles up... this somewhat aimless warm up routine is NOT the best way to prepare a horse for an athletic performance - particularly when we are talking about jumping a course of fences. 

Before you attempt a Dressage test or a course of fences, you need to make sure that all of your buttons work reliably! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

I am going to share two personal stories with you... One is an experience of my own, and the other involves a student of mine. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

In Dressage, we use bending both to develop and to prove our horse's lateral suppleness. When the horse is laterally supple, the rider will feel that it is easy to keep the horse straight, and that it is easy to change the bend back and forth when changing directions. Lateral suppleness will also allow the horse to conform his entire body to the shape of the circles and turns that we ride him on... which means he can perform those figures in balance.

The caveat here is that to achieve this suppleness, the horse must be giving you TRUE bend throughout his body (more on that here.) So you need to make sure that your horse is actually responding to your bending aids correctly! Here are 3 basic tests that you can use to make sure that your bending aids are working correctly: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The ability to maintain an even rhythm and pace on course will provide you with the tools you need to have smooth and balanced jumping rounds, whether in show jumping or on cross country. Here is a simple exercise that will increase your awareness of whether or not you are maintaining an even pace, and will show you exactly what you need to do to achieve it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Head tilting is a common evasion for horses in the Dressage phase. Most often seen when the rider is turning, making a small circle, performing a lateral movement, or making a downward transition - this resistance usually shows in the form of the horse tipping their nose to the outside, with the inside ear dropping lower (as seen in the above photo.) This has several different causes, and can be somewhat tricky to fix! Read on to learn more about this problem... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

It is very helpful for a rider to know what their horse's natural tendencies are. As only then can they come up with a specific plan for training that will best suit that particular horse. Read on to learn how to evaluate your horse's natural instincts and reactions, and how to make the best use of that information. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Many horses carry tension in their lower backs under saddle, working with tight muscles in their loin area, as well as the junction that connects the back to the sacroiliac joint. This causes a blockage in their entire topline, preventing the horse from moving truly through their bodies. 

Throughness is what allows the circle of energy in the horse's movement to permeate his entire body - making him soft and elastic in his movements, and ultra responsive to his rider. It is also important for keeping the horse sound and pain free under a rider! 

When horses work with tension or stiffness in their backs, loins, or SI areas, they will almost always become sore in those muscles. This will usually cause them to try to protect those areas by not using them fully, which will then perpetuate a never ending cycle of tension and pain under saddle. 

Here is one of the best exercises you can use to help you work through any tension or stiffness that your horse may be carrying in the lower back or pelvis! And it is so basic, that it will work for riders at all levels, from Training level all the way through Grand Prix. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

(Photo credit to Becca Brown Macanas)


After the turn on the forehand, the next step in the horse's lateral work education is the introduction of the leg yield. And the best and easiest way to introduce this movement is the nose to the wall leg yield. 

If your leg yields in general could use some improvement, you may want to revisit this basic exercise to gain all the benefits it can provide. Which are: teaching the horse to be straighter in the body (not lagging the hindquarters behind), providing you with a way to increase his responsiveness to lighter and more subtle lateral aids, and allowing the horse to more easily gain increased strength for leg yielding in both trot and canter. Here's how to do it! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

No matter what level you are riding at, one skill you need for safe, balanced jumping on the cross country course is the ability to keep a balanced gallop while negotiating undulating terrain. Here is an exercise that will show you exactly how well you are able to achieve this, and improve your ability to keep your horse balanced on course. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The ability to "think on your feet" is important for riders in many disciplines - but it is absolutely crucial for Eventers! As one of the things I like the best about our sport is that no matter how well your coach has prepared you and told you how to ride the course.... once the starter has said "Go!" you are out there on your own! You need to be acutely aware of what is happening, be able to make quick decisions, and have the confidence to follow through with them!

If you hear the news as you are about to go into the start box that the footing on the right side of 12A is completely torn up, which is right where you were told to jump 12A to get your line for 12B, what do you do? Would you be able to make a quick decision about whether to stick to your original plan or to change it? And how confidently could you pull off riding a line different than you had walked?

If your horse stumbles and you lose the reins upon landing in the water, can you think quickly enough to make a decision about whether to stick to plan A and go the short way out? Or whether it wouldn't be smarter to go the long way (if there is one), or make a quick stop or circle in the water to get organized? Your ability to make a good decision in a split second can make the difference between a clear round or a disaster!

Now, you might be thinking that the ability to think quickly under pressure is an innate trait. And that you either have it or you don't. But even though some people are naturally better at it than others, it can be developed, just like any other skill, with time and practice. 

I am first going to share with you a story of a frightening incident, where the ability to think quickly saved my life. And then I will share a few specific exercises that will help you to improve your ability to think and react quickly. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Whether you are jumping or doing Dressage, the more gears your horse has in the canter, the more rideable and adjustable your horse will be. What do I mean by gears? (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Imagine that you are moving down this hallway... If you are truly traveling in a straight manner, it should be easy to avoid bumping into the walls on either side of you - no matter how narrow the corridor is (providing you fit, of course.) 

The same holds true of our horses. If your horse isn't straight (read the full definition of straightness here), you will find that he has a tendency to drift towards, bump into, or even lean on one of the walls. 

Now imagine that there are walls on either side of you as you as you ride, whether you are traveling in a straight line or a curved line. Are you able to easily keep your horse in the center of the corridor? Or does he tend to bump into or lean on one of the walls?

It is SO common for horses to move into and lean up against one wall - and much of the time the rider is not even fully aware of this happening! It is also extremely common for this to become a chronic problem. Why? Because.... (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

The key to setting the horse up for a good canter depart is to make sure he is truly straight and connected, with his hind legs stepping well underneath his body. And the key to getting that good depart after your successful set up is to be able to give a quiet, clear, and precise canter cue to the horse... in a way that doesn't change his balance at that moment. 

Many times riders ask for the canter too strongly (more on that here), or not clearly enough, both of which can cause the horse to tend to run into the canter. Here is an exercise that will slow up both the horse's and the rider's mind in the moments before a trot to canter transition, allowing for more clear communication in the actual aid to canter. (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

If you are a Dressage or jumping rider, you have probably been told at some point to "Keep your horse between your hand and leg." But as with many of these common phrases used by trainers the world over, this will only really help you if you know what it means! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Imagine you are galloping along through a field, and a jump magically appears just a few strides in front of you. Would you be able to jump it? And more importantly, would you be able to jump it well?? Why in the world would I ask such a question, you might ask, since fences do not usually just fall out of the sky! Well, I ask for a very important reason! If you are... (Click on Article Title above to read full article)

Transitions make up much of your Dressage Test. This is true at all levels, but is especially so as you move up the levels... where you now have transitions within the gait as well as between gaits. And if you want good scores, you must be able to make smooth, balanced transitions! Here is an exercise which will help to improve the adjustability and rideability of your horse's canter in the Dressage ring. And it has the added benefits of activating the hind quarters, increasing throughness, and developing and improving the canter. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

Let's face it... with the excitement that is often involved in jumping, both horse and rider sometimes have trouble waiting for the jump to come to them! When horses have trouble waiting in front of fences, and end up changing their rhythm and/or stride length, their balance will usually be negatively affected. This will be especially so if they brace or resist against the rider's hand as they try to rush! 

And if the rider's excitement on the approach to the jump causes them to want to do something to help the process along - that will almost always have a negative effect on the way the horse will jump that fence. Since horses jump their best when their riders approach the jump in a poised and consistent manner, and when they are able maintain the same rhythm and balance right to the base of the fence - both horse and rider will benefit from this often overlooked exercise. (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

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)

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)

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 own focus and eye control! (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)

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)