On selecting a horse for Dressage: "It’s always with each horse the first view: it’s elasticity, the basic movement, the trot, the canter, the walk, then you have to think how it could look after a while, after the gymnastic – how can I build up the muscles?" ~ Isabell Werth
Make sure that you are truly letting your horse set the pace of the progression for both training and competing. Pushing too hard, too soon will usually result in having to go back and start over.
When your horse is messing about with his leads or tossing his head between jumps on course, don’t let it distract you from what is most important - the rhythm of the striding.
For a good rein connection, the wrist should be part of the straight line that extends down the rider's arm. So the knuckles should point towards the bit as well as the rider's arm. Only if it follows that line exactly will the connection be perfect.
"I have struggled with my right leg/side since I broke my ankle. My trainer had me working on my hip position and my leg got better. It's not always where you think you have the issue that fixes it." ~ Mikki Schattilly
If a horse doesn't want to stretch down at the end of a workout when the rider offers, that almost always means that the horse was not working properly through its body, and the rein connection wasn't true.
"No complicated riding before the horses are going truly forward. In dressage, the difficulties are often created by a lack of good basic work (which is the foundation of the house)." ~ Nuno Oliveira
If you are nervous right before you enter the show ring, take a moment to talk to and pet your horse. And make it genuine, no matter how your warm up went! It will relax both of you, and help you to focus.
Interval training is one of the safest ways to develop the horse's ability to do more work over longer periods of time, as it helps to prevent fatigue and a build up of lactic acid in the muscles.
What does it mean for a rider to be truly balanced independently of their horse?? That the rider does not need to grip the reins with their hands, or the horse with their legs, to stay on when riding at all gaits and speeds, and through changes of gait and speed.
Don't let the fear of an overreaction make you not reinforce an aid. I would much rather have the horse overreact to an aid than ignore it. Just stay calm if your horse overreacts, and if you have been clear and timely on your correction, the horse will likely respond to the lighter aid next time.
If your horse is rushing fences, before you think about correcting the horse, ask yourself this question: "What could I be doing that might be making my horse speed up on the approach?"
"Whether it is on the flat in a dressage ring, in a show-jumping ring, or on a cross-country course, the eyes are the first and most important tool that a rider has." ~ Jack Le Goff
When asking for a canter lengthening, medium canter, or extended canter (especially on a hot horse or one that is prone to tension), it can be helpful to initiate the upward transition with a bigger "scoop" of your seat rather than your leg, so that the horse understands that you want a bigger stride, rather than simply more speed. Too much leg at the beginning of the lengthening can cause a horse to get tense, and can cause the horse to quicken rather than lengthen.
If you are looking to improve your posture when in the saddle, it can be a good idea to make yourself think about also improving your posture in all other situations besides riding. Create a habit of good posture.
"I, personally, ride very much on the second track because I want to feel the balance from the horse between both reins and both legs." ~ Dorothee Schneider
"What we want to start creating in the horse is an engine that is always running, where we don’t shift gears until we want to. It’s like revving your RPMs and waiting a moment before you shift up into that higher gear. But if you don’t have that energy in the lower gear, you might stall when you go to send them forward." ~ Laura Graves
"I do not ask the rider to alter the horse’s step in front of the pole because I want to awaken the horse’s initiative. Whether he takes a slightly long step or adds a step before the pole, I am equally satisfied. If he steps on the pole, the chances are good that he will learn from the experience and not do it again. If he continues to step on the poles on the ground, I suggest that the rider find another prospect, as this one is probably too dumb to improve over obstacles." ~ Jimmy Wofford
In addition to the suppling benefits provided, basic lateral work helps the horse to understand that the rider's leg creates engagement of the hind legs, rather than merely speed.
Even the stiffest horse can reach around and bite at a fly on its rump. The neck is already one of the most supple areas of the horse's body, and does not need any further suppling. Horses are also naturally supple in the poll and jaw.
What we perceive as stiffness in these areas is simply tension and resistance to our aids. We must encourage the horse to relax in those areas, but should not attempt to "work" those areas to force suppleness. The horse primarily needs to become supple in the mid section of the body, between the withers and the croup. So that is the area you should focus on in your suppling work.
Always keep in mind which fences are "towards home" and which are "away from home" when walking your courses. Especially in regards to the in gate in the show jumping arena. But even on cross country the difference can be felt in some horses, especially when they have to leave their buddies behind in the warm up area! Many horses need a much more positive, encouraging ride when being asked to jump strange fences going away from home, the in gate, or their friends. This may sound pretty obvious, but I think many riders forget about it until they run into trouble!
If you attempt to shorten the reins before your horse is honestly thinking forward, he is likely to become even more stuck and behind your leg. Always get your horse thinking forward first!
"In the end it's very important to have a good partnership with the horse. That you know the horse and the horse knows the rider and you trust each other." ~ Michael Jung
"First thing I look at when I buy a horse is paces rather than breeding. Beautiful parents don’t always produce beautiful children. I’m not looking for the flashiest paces, but also the trainablility and rideability. How are you going to keep a big, flamboyant mover sound into Grand Prix? You want an easy mover." ~ Carl Hester
Allow with the reins when approaching a drop into water. Holding too much in the last strides can cause the horse to not use his body fully over the fence into the water - which can cause a stumble or fall on landing in the water.
Stiff shoulders can easily cause a rider to have tense, tight hands. To relax your shoulders, take a deep breath in, and exhale... looking for the feeling that your shoulders and elbows drop and become supple.
One of the horse's biggest evasions to suppling exercises, is that of moving his body laterally instead of bending. In other words, watch for the tendency to swing their haunches to the outside to avoid bend, like this "/", rather than this "(".
"Many parents want to be best friends with their kids and don't set clear boundaries. Children and horses will always push boundaries to do or not do what they want to do. When very definite boundaries are set they will respect them. I find with horse this usually starts on the ground with "my space, your space" ~ Susan Moessner
"I used to ride mostly Thoroughbreds. I don’t know if they’re more intelligent, but I find that they think for themselves a bit more than the warmbloods. With a warmblood I find I definitely have to do a lot more, and think a lot more for them. They don’t have the same instinct to get themselves out of trouble that Thoroughbreds do, particularly when they start to get tired." ~ Mark Todd
"Chipping in" and coming forward right to the base of a fence are two entirely different things. Horses will always produce the best jump when truly ridden forward to the base of the fence.
