Nearly every rider will experience a plateau at some point in their training. Only those that have the patience to keep a good attitude while pushing through them will ever get where they want to go.
Did you know that your spine doesn't end at your neck?? It goes up into your head! So when a rider looks down, or juts their head and chin forward, they are compromising that stretched up, vertical spine. And your horse will always go better when you ride with good posture!
A good rein connection is a direct line of communication that connects your brain to your horse's brain. When done correctly, he should also feel every nuance of your seat through the reins.
Excessive bend in the horse's neck, whether lateral (usually over bent to the inside) or longitudinal (behind the vertical), disconnects the haunches from the rein aids and allows the horse to remain blocked or locked up in other parts of the body, such as the poll or pelvis.
"The outside rein is like the steering wheel because it executes direction. The rein rests against the neck as the hand is positioned next to the wither." ~ Christine Traurig
Counting each stride out loud or in your head between fences can help you to maintain a rhythm and an even stride when jumping. It can also be a great trick to keep the troublesome part of your brain quiet as you negotiate fences.
"You’re not going to get a quicker reaction from your horse by digging in your spur. If you’re standing on one foot and someone comes behind you and scares you, you’re not going to put your foot higher in the air. You’re going to put it on the ground." ~ Robert Dover
"Body awareness is essential. You must be trained to feel each body part as you’re riding, such as your big toe, or your little finger." ~ Conrad Schumacher
On stretching the horse ~ "My father always said, think of stretching the nose to the sand. Think that as a rider you can always give more and more, the horse will tell you how much he really needs to open up, from the tail, right through the vertebrae, through the neck, really stretched and round like a ball." ~ Ingrid Klimke
The horse shows improved self carriage with more expression and cadence in his gaits, not as a result of the rider doing more, but by the horse doing more and the rider doing less and less.
"Every pull and resistance in the horse's neck originates in the back." ~ Stefan Wolff
So don't try to "soften" the horse's neck or jaw. Address the real cause of the problem - the state of the horse's back, and the activity of the hind legs!
"For riders: It is hard work, takes more time than you have, and requires more money than you thought. You will learn more than you ever thought possible when you began in the sport, but you will never learn it all. You will never be as good as some, but you will probably not be as bad as others if you are willing to work. It is the best thing you could ever do, and even when you fail you learn, and even if you never get a ribbon it is still worth it. Stick it out." ~ Brian Sabo
To help to successfully maintain the sometimes elusive "forward feeling hands", imagine that you are pushing a shopping cart as you ride your horse forward into the bit.
"Contact doesn't only refer to the hands, reins, and bit, but to the whole rider. A rider must give the horse contact through his entire seat. This means that his legs must lay gently against the horse's body, his seat must be balanced and supple, and his arms and hands must follow the horse's movement quietly and evenly. This create a smooth cycle of movement as the horse takes the rider with him. Only this then creates contact." ~ Klaus Balkenhol
If you feel like you need to wear spurs when you ride, it would be a good idea to go back to the basics in your training to re-visit the concept of your horse answering your feather light leg aids. EVERY horse can be taught this!
"Since the criteria of a correct seat are the same as the criteria of good posture in general, being constantly attentive to one’s bearing when standing or walking is excellent training. A correct vertical posture of the head and the trunk on horseback is not a special posture applicable only to riding." ~ Kurt Albrecht
Secure your reins by keeping your bent thumbs pinched on top, but keep the rest of your fingers only lightly closed. Gripping the reins too firmly with all of your fingers will tend to tighten your forearms.
"Allow your horse to make a mistake, and then correct him once he makes the mistake. If you prevent him from making mistakes, you're preventing him from learning." ~ Jan Brons
Throwing the reins away to the point that they are so loose that there are loops in them is not the answer to solving your problem of being too strong/tense/rigid in the hands and arms. You must be able to keep a connection, and learn how to be elastic within that connection. That is the only way to advance in your riding.
If your instructor is the type that teaches you the reasons WHY behind each aid or exercise used in each specific circumstance, you will become a more educated rider with a greater ability to be productive on your own time. So many instructors do not. And if you have the type of instructor who does not, you are much less likely to become an independent rider.
From Facebook fan Laura Klecker ~ "I’ve been having riders glance at the brim of their helmets when they half halt. The change in their upper body position is remarkable."
Many horses have a tendency to stiffen and hollow their backs when riders raise their hands up even slightly above that ideal position that involves having a straight line from the rider’s elbow to the bit.
Riding your lateral work in a forward rising trot can be a great way to add more reach and expression to the horse's gait. This is best attempted only after the horse is at least fairly solid in each of the exercises while ridden in a sitting trot. Shoulder fore, shoulder in, haunches in, renvers, and half pass can all benefit.
doing a shoulder in in a posting trot is a great way to add more expression and stride length.
If your trainer is not truly supportive.... find a better one! I am always baffled at how many riders stick with trainers who belittle them, and very often don't even really have their best interests at heart. Some trainers don't teach because they love teaching, but because they love to stroke their own ego!
To successfully maintain the often elusive "forward feeling hands", try imagining that you are pushing a shopping cart as you ride forward into the bit.
Make sure you don't fall into the trap of treating your horse like he is a baby, long after he is no longer a baby. This is a common problem when a rider has brought a young horse along from scratch.
"Really think about showing how good you are from your training and your program, instead of thinking about trying not to make mistakes and the fear that can bring." ~ Beezie Madden
There are SO many parallels between riding and lunging a horse. If you don't ask for and expect things on the lunge like obedience, rhythm, good posture and carriage, and bending on round and accurate circles, you probably won't get them under saddle either.
When walking your cross country course, always take note of any markings on the ground that might distract your horse from the fence - such as patches of dead grass, or areas where artificial footing has been added. Some horses don't care about those kind of things at all, but many do! Be ready to ride a bit more strongly if necessary, with your own focus and intent clearly on the fence you are approaching.
When working on jumping gymnastic lines, don't always just set up the typical cross rail, one stride to a vertical, one stride to an oxer. That may be the ideal introductory grid for a greenie, but the more advanced horse needs to be challenged much more than that.
The horse's energy flowing through a turn is similar to water flowing through a tunnel. Just as the outside wall of the tunnel is paramount, a good connection on the outside rein is crucial to a successful turn.
Horses naturally lean into pressure. We have to train them to yield to it instead. Make sure you do not skip this step in the training of the young horse!
It is best to always carry a whip when you ride. The whip is such a important tool to reinforce your leg aid. It is far better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
"Dressage experts spend much time talking about the physical issues of correct riding: which of the rider’s legs goes where, how the horse’s back moves, what the horse’s hind leg does and so on. It’s true we need to know these details about the physical aspects of riding, but we must not forget that dressage is all about the horse understanding what the rider wants him to do. I think the quality of any performance is determined 50 percent by the horse’s fitness and 50 percent by the rider’s degree of success in helping his horse mentally understand what to do from a light physical aid." ~ Steffen Peters
When a rider (even if unintentionally) offers to help support the weight of their horse's head and neck, the horse will usually simply oblige, and lean on the rider's hands.
"Dressage is all about using the minimal aids to gain the highest result. If the rider sets his standards high enough and gives the horse a light aid that the horse understands, that is the sport ideal." ~ Steffen Peters
The more you can guide your horse through turns and circles with your eyes and your body position, the less hand and leg you will need to use. Which usually means more harmony and self carriage.
Always keep in mind that truly good Dressage produces a horse that is a happy athlete. If the horse does not look happy in his work, that work is probably not correct.
"I once had an instructor describe a half halt as a call to attention. When riding a laid back horse who sees forward as a waste of energy, thinking of a half halt this way will convince you that you need lots and lots of them." ~ Liz Chilcott
"The distance between your ears and shoulders needs to be as big as possible." ~ Bettina Hoy So keep your head tall and your shoulders down and relaxed. :)
"I'd rather start with a horse that is careful and looking after himself than one that is reckless and out of control because the careful one will take care of you and can learn to overcome his fears." ~ Blythe Tait
The less you can see a rider do, the better. When you see the rider doing very little, it means they are communicating with the horse quietly, and the horse is attentive and responsive.
A careful and judicious lunging program is a great way to help a young or green horse build up the muscles in their body for riding. And it also helps them to develop a work ethic.
"Many people, especially people who learned the wrong way, simply do not want to invest the time and energy to go back and learn the basics correctly. It’s even harder than learning the basics correctly the first time." ~ Elaine Hayes
A truly good halt is square because it was a balanced, straight, and well ridden halt. Not because the rider has taught it the trick of squaring up after an unbalanced halt.
"The lower leg I liken to a seat belt. You hop in a car, the first thing you put on is a seat belt for safety. Keep your lower leg forward, cover the girth when you are jumping, I don’t want to see that girth, it can act like a seat belt – you can brace against it. If something goes wrong, then as long as you are not in front of that lower leg, as long as your upper body is back behind that leg, then you can brace against being thrown forward." ~ Matt Ryan
"For many horses, the flying change can be one of the hardest things to learn. Regardless of the age of the horse, it is important to wait with the training until he is relaxed and trusts the rider." ~ Steffen Peters
Transitioning back and forth between "work time" and "break time" when schooling is every bit as important as any other transition - best done gradually and smoothly.
From Facebook fan Joann Messersmith ~ "Contact is a living, breathing, elastic, relationship and communication with the horse. Nothing fixed. It's like holding hands with your lover as you walk, no yank or pull, but a pleasant feel for both."
"School figures should not be regarded as an end in themselves but rather as a stage in a particular aim, that of control of the horse. Initially, they will be practiced in the school but an early opportunity should be taken to perform them outside so that the rider may learn to cope with extraneous influences which can distract his horse and prevent it concentrating (for example, his horse not wanting to leave its stable or move away from other horses." ~ Wilhelm Muessler
"Riding is, therefore, an ongoing, never-ending, challenging process. That aspect makes riding so intelligent and significant an effort. One merely strives, never arrives." ~ Charles de Kunffy
"Try to do the work early then leave her alone. Being clever enough to leave the horse alone is one of the ways we get them to jump. Look at a horse free-schooling, the neck is down, the jump is classical. We want to leave them alone so we get that jump with us on their backs, and again, that is why we need that good lower leg to support us, so we can leave them alone and get that natural jump." ~ Chris Burton
"A good rider has a natural springing down of the ankles. The body is flexible. The rider maintains the same seat now matter how big the gaits. World class riders must do it by feel and mental fitness. Feel comes out of the seat." ~ Conrad Schumacher
Practicing transitions on a circle allows you to utilize the bend and increased engagement from the exercise of the circle to improve the connection in your transitions.
The more contact you hold on your horse's mouth, whether on the flat or between jumps, the more effort you may have to put in to half halt or stop. Try to be as light as possible, so that when you do ask for something softly, your horse will hear you.
The inside rein should be used only as much as is truly necessary. Make it a game to see how little inside rein you can use in any movement that you ride.
Always strive for the feeling that there is more horse in front of you than behind you when riding. This means staying safely back behind your horse's shoulders, and allowing the horse to have as long of a neck as possible.
"Once you are in the working phase, stay sitting in the saddle as the seat is a very important aid for influence; especially for long backed horses. If you sit in the saddle you can better feel and influence the horse. If the horse is weak, perhaps sit for shorter periods followed by stretching, then work sitting again." ~ Ingrid Klimke
"As always, everything is connected, every single exercise or movement influences all the others, which is the reason why we can improve certain movements by not riding them at all, but by practicing exercises that improve the necessary ingredients of the movement in question." ~ Thomas Ritter
If your horse tends to lean heavily on his inside shoulder when making transitions, think about adding a few steps of spiral out before asking for the transition.
When a running martingale is fitted correctly, it does not come into play unless the horse tosses its head. It should not be used to keep the horse's head down.
When in a Dressage position, think of being up over your knee (with your center of gravity) when you rise in the rising trot. This will help you to keep your leg back underneath your seat.
A horse that is well balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the jump at hand, can comfortably and safely leave the ground from just about any reasonable takeoff spot.
You can't produce a supple horse by trotting round and round the arena - so don't stay in the same pace or movement for too long. Lots of turns, circles, and transitions will be the most beneficial.
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.
The sensitive type of horse is always aware of your breathing when you are riding them. Keeping your breathing calm and regular will give your horse confidence.
"Correctly understood, work on the lunge line is indispensable for rider and horse from the very beginning through the highest levels." ~ Egon von Neindorff
With an anxious horse that wants to rush, it can be helpful to very deliberately work in a tempo that is much slower than they are naturally offering you. Only when they have settled into a quiet, even rhythm... and are truly waiting for you, should you ask for more energy.
"In every sport, life goes in waves, up and down, keep rowing the boat and you’ll meet the next wave coming up, but don’t jump out of the boat!" ~ Chris Bartle
"If you ride and train for a living, have something else that you do. Don’t make this your whole life. The bad days - and there are always bad days - will eat you up and spit you out. Have something that you do that has nothing to do with horses, to help put yourself back together again." ~ Lauren Sprieser
"You need to produce a walk. So work at the walk as well as the trot and canter. Get a good feeling of the body working in the walk. The walk is a mirror of the training of the horse." ~ Christoph Hess
Horses that have first learned how to carry themselves properly in all 3 gaits while on the lunge line will usually have a much easier time learning how to carry themselves properly with a rider on board.
When schooling a green horse through any complex where the last element is a tricky jump (skinny, angle, corner, etc), it is smart, if possible, to school the last element first. This will set you up for success as you then jump through the whole complex, as your horse will be more likely to put his eye on and correctly read the jump coming out.
Studying riding theory will make you a better rider or trainer in many ways. Trainers need a knowledge base broad enough to enable them to apply the appropriate system for each horse/rider combination in front of them. Riders need to thoroughly understand what they are trying to do and WHY.
It is very hard to get a horse truly fit and strong by training in an arena only. You need to use a variety of different footing and terrain to build a strong athlete that will hold up to the rigors of Eventing.
"At the end of the day, it's the bending work that makes your horse straight. If you ride straight to ride straight, you end up with a stiff horse." ~ Lars Petersen
"With the bend on the circles and in movements like the travers, it is important to use as little inside rein as possible. If you need the inside rein, there is something wrong with the earlier work." ~ Christoph Hess
Think "uphill" in your trot and canter lengthenings. Yes, the horse should be allowed to lengthen its neck slightly into the lengthening. But you still want to feel like you are on a motorboat - nose up, butt down.
If you want to jump well, make sure you can consistently canter over poles on the ground in a smooth, balanced manner. I am always surprised how many riders are attempting to jump courses, yet they cannot nicely canter over a ground pole. It is simply a smart way to practice just about every single skill you need to jump well, while minimizing the stress on your horse's legs.
"The difference between an incorrectly compressed horse and a collected horse is that the collected horse can put his nose toward the ground (stretch) while staying round." ~ Nuno Oliveira This is SO important!
Riders should generally aim to use the calf of the leg for aiding - NOT the heel of their boots. And definitely not the spur! The spur should be saved for when reinforcement is truly necessary.
"The less we do on cross country, the easier we are on our horses. Learn how to be more still. Don't touch their mouth unless you need to. Plan your turns." ~ William fox Pitt
"I tend not to count in long lines. I like to ride off what I feel the horse needs. She's a small horse so if you are running and jumping too long or too flat, you risk a rail, so I think it's better to run up to the jump and get their hocks underneath them." ~ Kent Farrington
If your horse is strung out and on the forehand, they will be more likely to slip, trip, or stumble at any time. Just one of the many reasons you should strive to keep your horse balanced at all times!
If you don't give your horse something to do, he might give YOU something to do. Always have a plan for each ride, and keep your horse's mind engaged with YOUR plan.
From Facebook fan Karen Wolstenholme ~ "A previous employer used to scatter about 20 poles randomly in a 20 by 40 arena when we were backing and working young horses. His reasoning was that they were too busy looking where they put their feet to think about trying to throw us off! Seemed to work too.......they only ever bucked when we rode them outside!"
"I enjoy criticism as in constructive criticism, and I suppose because I am very open to that, I have been able to move on as the sport has changed." ~ Mary King
"Sit in the middle of the saddle after you’ve made sure your stirrups are even and let your shoulders and eyes follow the direction you’re going." ~ Debbie Mcdonald
Make sure you finish every training session on a good note, so that you always put the horse away happy. That will set the stage for a more positive attitude for your next ride.
"When a young horse is only ridden in one way, he does not develop balanced musculature. In this case, too much is demanded of some muscle groups, which damages the still-growing body. With a versatile basic training plan that includes riding out in the open, work with cavalletti and gymnastic jumping, the demand on muscles, tendons, and joints is more evenly distributed." ~ Ingrid Klimke
"I start by stretching the horse and trying to make him relaxed and supple. It’s a bit like gymnastics with a horse, dressage is. You wouldn’t expect a gymnastics person to just go and start their workout; they do a nice stretch in the warm-up first." ~ Charlotte Dujardin
"The horse’s confidence is of the utmost importance, and you want to do everything you can to avoid shaking that, no matter what the situation." ~ Mary King
If you want to develop a nicely shaped crest (the muscling on the top of the neck) on your horse, you have to make sure your horse is truly seeking the connection - reaching into the bit, rather than backing away from it by "giving" to your hand.
"Sometimes you need to just lightly guide the horse, the way you would gently take your grandmother’s hand to help her across the street. At other times, your horse is like a toddler; how firmly would you hold their hand to get them safely across the street? For a horse that likes to get heavy, we want to get to a place where you can drop the reins and they stay on your aids. For a horse that gets too light, and above or behind the bit, we want them to be confidently taking the contact and carrying you forward. The horse has to be as light or as heavy in the contact as YOU want them to be. You get to decide, not them." ~ Robert Dover
"Frame talks about how high or low [the horse] is, how long she is or how short she is. Think about a frame for a picture. A frame can be for a square picture or a rectangular picture. And then think about what kinds of walks and canters and trots there are. There are collected walks and extended walks, collected trots and extended trots." ~ Robert Dover
"The better my dressage transitions are, the better the thoroughness, it means the horse can go from very fast, to very balanced and collected on the hindquarters, energy from behind, through – no argument with the bit – because the transition is through and fine, the horse can focus on the jump." ~ Ingrid Klimke
Horses point their nose at what they want to see infocus. This is why we want our horses' head and nose UP on the approach to their fences, and why we need to allow them to lower their heads andlookat the takeoff of an open ditch or a drop fence.
Don't wait until the horse is doing something perfectly to reward. You must reward the horse when he begins to go in the right direction of the correct response, however slightly that may be. How else will the horse know that he has the right idea??
Always look for the feeling that there is amediumgait contained within your collected gait. If you don't feel that you could simplyreleaseyour collected trot or canter into a medium gait, then you do not have true collection - You merely have a horse that is going slowly.
Similar to the way the horse is "in front of your leg" when he is responsive to a light forward aid and thinking forward on his own, he also needs to be "in front of" your inside leg to be responsive and bending properly.
Gymnastic jumping is meant to teach the horse to better solve problems over fences. They teach the horse to think about their timing, develop their eye and accurate judgement, and to teach them to be clever with their footwork. To then go out and squelch the horse's initiative at fences by picking each spot for them in training is like throwing all that gymnastic work right out the window.
When jumping fences with a related distance between them, make any needed adjustment early on in the line, and then focus on riding the rhythm and quality of the canter, while patiently waiting for the jump to come to you.
Always remember that the various movements in Dressage are not an end in themselves, but rather are tools to develop the horse's flexibility, suppleness,engagement, andself carriage.
"The knowledge of the nature of a horse is one of the first foundations of the art if riding it, and every horseman must make it his principal study." ~ Francois Robichon de La Gueriniere
"The freedom of the shoulders in all gaits is always only the result of elevation, and this in turn is the result of the hindquarters carrying the correct weight." Gustav Steinbrecht It is never about trying to "lift" the horse's shoulders! It is about increasing hind end engagement and lowering the quarters. Only then can the front end elevate.
"If the rider encounters a problem, he must first look for the cause in himself. Most of the time, the rider is the cause of the problem. Only someone who looks at his own riding critically and is willing to improve constantly and learn more will be a good rider." ~ Ernst Hoyos
"Your corners and short sides are what make your movements. Nine times out of 10, you have to do something out of a corner. If you ride a bad corner, you ride a bad movement." ~ Charlotte Dujardin
"Riding is, therefore, an ongoing, never-ending, challenging process. That aspect makes riding so intelligent and significant an effort. One merely strives, never arrives." ~ Charles de Kunffy
"The motto of instructor and rider must always be forward. Forward in the movement of the horse instructed to his care. Forward in order to achieve his aim in the art of training. Forward whenever difficulties appear." ~ Alois Podhajsky
"Leg yielding is a loosening exercise for the horse – they pull up the leg, fold the joints, push the leg to one side. It is far easier for the horse to leg yield from the centre line to the wall. He wants to go to the wall for help, but never let a young horse go all the way to the wall. The wall is like a magnet, stop him short of the wall." ~ Kyra Kyrklund
Many riders bend in the middle of their body as they jump over a fence. But this means their hip joint will not work as it is supposed to. You need to keep your back flat to let your hip angle close naturally with your horse's jumping motion.
Riding with stirrups that are too long mightseemeasier to you when you are jumping, but they are actually making it much more difficult for you to naturally follow your horse's jumping motion. Shorter stirrups (within reason, of course) will make you a better rider over fences.
"The cavalletti help you stay in the rhythm, because sometimes horses make one stride a little bit bigger than the other and that means loss of rhythm, it must be stride, stride, stride, all in rhythm, and not one stride small, one big." ~ Ingrid Klimke
If you don’t know where you want to go, just about any road will take you there. The more specific your goals, the more accurately specific your plans and actions need to be. True in riding, and in life.
One of the most important things for riders to remember is that we do this for FUN! Make sure that you remind yourself of this often. If you access more of the fun in your riding, your horse will usually go better.
"From half-halt to half-halt, you have to own the rhythm of the horse's footfalls in each of the three gaits and the tempo or how fast they are going over every meter of ground in that gait." ~ Robert Dover
To create a more uphill feeling when spiraling in on a circle, imagine that you are going UP a spiral staircase. With each stride inward on the spiral, grow taller and think about going up an imaginary step.
"Collection is the gathering of the energy – not something you get by using the reins. It is something you get by using your seat and legs." ~ Marilyn Payne
"When something goes wrong, 99% of the time it's because there is a breakdown in communication between you and your horse, and he no longer understands what you're asking at that moment." ~ Laura Tomlinson
"When you don't have a confident position, it's saying to people you don't believe in yourself. So sit up, shoulders back, chin high, and ride your best test." ~ Robert Dover
"Many horses today have no contact with other animals. It is important to realize that the horse is not born for the stable, the horse wants to be cantering in the fields. It is not good if the horse is alone, horses need contact with other horses. What is perfect is if the horse can go outside in a group of two or three horses, like when he was growing up." ~ Christoph Hess
"My father, the late Dr. Reiner Klimke, always strived for Olympic glory, but he was well aware that he would not reach this goal if he took shortcuts. He knew it was better to wait rather than to rush a horse’s training." ~ Ingrid Klimke
It is rarely a good idea to ask for more impulsion when there is tension present in the horse. Instead, this is a good time to work on soothing suppling exercises.
"Sit in your saddle, go with the rhythm, into your horse. If you lean forward, lift up out of the saddle, then the hind legs are not under control and the horse can come on the forehand, his hind leg starts to come up not under. That’s why sometimes it is a good idea to put away the stirrups and say ‘oh do I really sit?’ Sit back, look to your point, keep your hands totally quiet and try to guide him." ~ Ingrid Klimke
"For ourselves, however, far the best method of instruction, as we keep repeating, is to let the horse feel that whatever he does in obedience to the rider’s wishes will be followed by some rest and relaxation." ~ Xenophon
"First, the horses start as 3-year-olds on the single longe. Then, they work under saddle and in the double longe, learning to work from behind and search for the bit. Balance is the key to their success." ~ Ullrich Kasselmann
"Just as a house would be of little use, however beautiful its upper stories, if the underlying foundations were not what they ought to be, so there is little use to be extracted from a horse, and in particular a war-horse, if unsound in his feet, however excellent his other points; since he could not turn a single one of them to good account." ~ Xenophon
"The trust between human and horse is based on the same behavioral rules that regulate social life within the herd: Those who have obtained a higher rank in the herd assume at the same time the responsibility for the weaker members." ~ Kurt Albrecht
The more "black and white" you can be when working with horses, the more confidence they will have in you. Gray areas where sometimes a behavior is allowed, and sometimes it isn't, only serve to confuse them. They have to have a clear understanding of your aids and your expectations.
"Horses still are, and always will remain, herd and flight animals. I don't claim this is the rule, but all too often we see valuable horses wrapped in the proverbial cotton wool, spending the greater part of the day in the stall, whereas in nature, a horse would move up to 30 kilometers (more than 18 miles) daily. To satisfy the natural needs of horses, and movement is an essential one, it's by far not enough to exercise them only an hour under saddle every day." ~ Uta Graf
Remember that your "working" gaits should show a consistent speed and tempo throughout your entire Dressage test. It is a common mistake, for example, for the rider to let the trot after the walk be much quieter than the trot immediately after the canter. And this is very obvious to the judge.
"The following rein stays in contact with the horse’s mouth and follows the horse’s motion with sensitivity and feel in the direction of the horse’s mouth. When the rider’s educated hands follow the mouth with elasticity and consistency in the contact, it creates a horse that is supple through the topline and in beautiful balance and self-carriage." ~ Christine Traurig
"For a horse that likes to get heavy, we want to get to a place where you can drop the reins and they stay on your aids. For a horse that gets too light, and above or behind the bit, we want them to be confidently taking the contact and carrying you forward. The horse has to be as light or as heavy in the contact as YOU want them to be. You get to decide, not them." ~ Robert Dover
You have to be able to SEE yourself achieving whatever it is that you are currently striving for. If you don't have a clear picture of what you want in your head... If you cannot visualize yourself successfully accomplishing something - it may be a lot less likely to happen for you. Get in the habit of using visualization techniques to help you to achieve what you want in your riding, and your life!
"Learn from each and every horse you ride. Every horse has something to teach you, and sometimes you don’t realize what that lesson is until years later!" ~ Carl Hester
"Contrary to popular belief, horses do not get bored with basic work. If the rider demands exact responses, paying close attention to detail and quality, neither horse nor rider will have time to get bored, rather, a true sense of accomplishment will be gained." ~ Erik Herbermann
"If you always do what you always did, you‘ll always get what you always got. If you are not happy with what you are getting, you have to change what you are doing." ~ Kyra Kyrklund
"Young horses are like a blank slate. In my experience they naturally give you the right answers often, especially when you first start riding them." ~ Bridget Hay
"I don't mind working with some of the lesser talented horses and a lot of my riders that have those lesser talented horses I see with light bulbs going off and things registering in their minds in terms of the methodology. And when they are lucky enough to have something with more talent I know they are going to be exceptional horsemen and trainers who are going to be able to produce really good results." - Jeremy Steinberg
"The engine has got to be revving, & then you put your pedal to the floor and it will go. Sometimes you have to get the engine screaming." ~ Chris Bartle
"Trust and respect are two-way streets. We want the horse to accept us as leaders of the herd, to guide them safely and to provide protection and comfort. In return, they will give us their respect, and willing submission to our ideas about what to do next, and when and where. But this respect can only be based on well deserved trust." ~ Walter Zettl
"I am so surprised/shocked that almost every time I ask even an advanced rider to ride without stirrups they moan or make a face. A serious rider should prefer riding without stirrups. I even have riders who have never ever ridden without stirrups. Come on teachers, let's think about developing better seats. And riders, if your teacher doesn't tell you to, do it by yourself." ~ Lendon Gray
Whether you are working on Dressage or Jumping, whenever you ride a specific exercise, make sure that you stay as quiet as possible with your aids, to let the exercise teach your horse.
Whenever you have an awkward fence on course, more often than not you were losing some quality of your canter on the approach. Keep the quality of the canter the same, and all of the jumps on your course will ride in a similar manner.
From Ingrid Klimke: No matter if my father was training a very young horse, an eventer or a high-performance dressage horse, his training was always based on three principles:
"One of the goals of dressage is to recreate the natural beauty of the horse’s gaits under the rider, so that the horse moves as beautifully under the weight of the rider as he does at liberty. In order to achieve this, the swinging of the horse’s back has to pass through the seat of the rider undiminished. The back has to be able to rise and fall with the same ease, regardless of the rider’s presence. If the rider merely sits passively, his weight alone can sometimes be enough to diminish the freedom of movement of the horse’s back. In these moments, the rider has to enhance the upswing of the horse’s back with an active contraction of his abdominal muscles, which helps the rider’s pelvis to swing more forward-upward, without tilting forward, however." ~ Thomas Ritter
The more impulsion you have at any given moment, the more submission you need. And submission is not the same thing as subservience. Submission is the willingness of the horse to follow your instructions.
"Through the energy of impulsion mobilized from within himself, the horse is now prepared, in his physique & emotional attentiveness, to respond instantly to the slightest indications to change his tempo, posture, direction or gait." ~ Waldemar Seunig
Horses can easily begin to think that walk time is "break" time if you are not careful. If you want to ensure that you get good scores on your walk work, you have to convince your horse otherwise in your daily work.
Every time you begin a Dressage test at a show, make sure you think about making a good first impression with a forward, confident center line, and a smile for the judge!
Keeping your elbows close to your sides will help your horse to feel your seat aids through the reins. It will also help you to use your core properly.
"Often one hears riders in whatever discipline say that their aim is to bring the horse to a certain level or to place highly at certain shows. These goals are absolutely legitimate, but we must not forget that they are only a byproduct of what should be our highest of aims: To make our horses more beautiful and keep them healthy through their training." ~ Ingrid Klimke
If your upper body is leaning to the inside as you try to bend your horse on a circle or through a turn, you will likely find that your horse won’t bend very well. This is because your leaning to the inside causes your horse to also lean to the inside, rather than to bend nicely around your inside leg.
"I think the rider's attitude in the ring is transposed to the horse's attitude. The difference between the good riders and good trips versus the outstanding trips are in large measure the positive attitude and inspiration that one shows to the judge and the way one tackles the problems of the course in riding the horse." ~ Michael Page
"Rhythm is the result of the horse being able to move under the rider in a way that is supple, loose, and without any tension or constraint." ~ Miguel Tavora
"Is the rider able to ride all the movements with a long rein, long with contact, then as long as possible? It is possible to ride piaffe on a long rein when the rider rides 100% with a balanced body, and the horse is on his aids." ~ Christoph Hess
If your horse doesn't want to be straight in his body, you can best improve him by exaggerating the opposite of whatever tendency he has. For example, if he likes to over bend his neck to the left and carry his haunches to the left as so many horses do - regularly ask for flexion and bend through the body to the right (no matter which direction you are going.)
"The relaxing of the legs & the hands of the rider is the proof of the real collection. And the collection is the poetry of the impulsion." ~ Nuno Oliveira
To encourage your horse move fully through his body, as well as giving him the confidence to truly think forward, you must make sure your hips and lower back are 100% moving with his motion. The bigger your horse moves, themoreyou must move your hips.
Remember that your horse is always learning based on how you react to his actions and responses. Be careful that you are only teaching him things that you actually want him to learn.
Don't make the mistake of "skipping" rising trot just because your horse is comfortable with you sitting the trot. Rising trot can be a great way to encourage more back movement and swing within the trot, for horses at any level.
Gridwork and gymnastic lines are meant to teach the horse to better solve problems when jumping. They develop the horse's "eye" for jumping, as well as his mental focusing skills, timing, and judgement. And of course to be more clever with his footwork. Make sure you leave your horse alone through the gymnastic lines as much as possible, to let him learn from the specific exercises you have set up. Your job is to get into the grid correctly - straight and balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the specific question. And then leave him alone to let him do his job!
If you don’t ride and train in such a way that your horse learns to listen to your seat, you will usually find that you have to use a lot more hand to get things done.
Horses need to be moving with a supple and relaxed back to have true impulsion. If the body is not relaxed and supple, any forward energy is just running.
Feel your horse's rhythm with your whole body when riding. Whether you are doing Dressage, jumping, galloping cross country, or just enjoying a relaxing trail ride, the more you can be in sync with your horse's rhythm, the more harmony you will find.
Let your aids breathe. By that I mean two things. While giving any aid, keep breathing. And for the aid itself, make sure you are able to keep it supple so that it can go with the horse's motion while being applied. Aids of any kind always work best when given within the rhythm of the horse's stride as well.
As an Eventer, it is smart to do some of your canter flatwork at the gallop, to teach your horse that the extra speed of the gallop is not an excuse to be wild or disobedient.
"If one induces the horse to assume that carriage which it would adopt of its own accord when displaying its beauty, then, one directs the horse to appear joyous & magnificent, proud & remarkable for having been ridden." ~ Xenophon
From Facebook fan Jennifer Stankiewicz ~ "To move the back end faster, move your hips faster. To do changes in dressage, you need to move your hips faster than the change, not with the changes or they get too slow and you end up behind the horse instead of with the horse (for 3's and 4's and tempis)"
Bend in the horse's body is not created by the rider using the inside rein! In fact a correct inside bend in the body is evident only when there is a soft, almost loose inside rein.
I love to look for an area in a field where I can do a big circle on the side of a hill, where on that circle the horse has to go down into a little dip in the ground and back up again. This can really help the horse to let go in their backs. The canter in particular usually feels loose and free when they come out of it.
"The warm-up should lead each horse to a physical, emotional, and psychological state of balance and relaxation. The phlegmatic horse has to become alert and responsive to the rider. The timid, nervous horse has to become calm and confident in his rider as well as himself. The hot, overly reactive horse has to become relaxed and more tolerant. The distracted, spooky horse has to become attentive and focused on the work." ~ Thomas Ritter
"It is important that you do a variety of things when you are training an eventer, that means you never do two training sessions the same in a row. Maybe you will do two dressage sessions in a row, but then you might start the session by working your horse over cavaletti. Once or twice a week you jump – either you do gymnastics or cavaletti work or you do some jumping exercises from the cross-country course, like training over narrow jumps in the arena. Make sure you work always on getting your horse supple and loose." ~ Ingrid Klimke
Your rein connection is a line of communication that connects your brain to your horse's brain. When done correctly, your horse should feel every nuance of your seat through the reins as well as his back.
Excessive bend in the neck, whether lateral (most often to the inside), or longitudinal (behind the vertical) disconnects the haunches from the rein aids and allows the horse to remain locked up in other parts of the body, such as the poll and hips.
"I do a lot of cavaletti work also with my dressage horses because then I can really make them active behind, over the back, stretching into your hand, and really supple in the back." ~ Ingrid Klimke
Working on shoulder fore or shoulder in on a large circle is a great exercise to teach your horse to pay more attention to your inside seat bone aid, as well as to improve the outside rein connection.
Always think about the depth of the water when deciding how fast to approach and negotiate a water obstacle. Riding too fast in deep water can easily cause the horse to lose his balance or even fall.
Soften the reins too much at the beginning of a lengthening, and you may find that you lose your stored energy. Which will likely cause your horse to quicken his stride rather than giving you a true lengthening.
From Facebook fan Suzan Mchugh ~ "I used to put a tiny smiley face sticker on the crown piece of the bridle. When I saw it I took a breath! It worked and relaxed me. If you breath your hips relax!!"
Dressage is natural for horses, but that does not mean it is always easy for them. Since we cannot explain to them why we are asking them to do things that require increased effort, and go against their natural instincts to try to do things in the easiest way possible - we must handle any inevitable resistances that might show up with patience in a quietly persistent manner.
Gustav Steinbrecht on the French school of Baucher ~ "The greatest example of such quackery is Mr Baucher, who with the audacity of his claims and the enormity of his promises, has brought the entire equestrian world into uproar and confusion. His method consists in gradually and cunningly robbing the horse of its natural power, which Mr Baucher considers to be the enemy, and to thus make it subservient. He renders his horses so wilted and limp by unnatural bending and twisting in place and so thoroughly robs their natural forward action, that the poor creatures lose all support and are no longer good for any practical purpose."
The more spirit a horse has, the more difficult he may be to train. But once you have developed a good partnership with the horse, this same spirit will make him a tremendous competitor who will fight for you when things get difficult.
The more you can find a deep, plugged in seat in the down phase of the rising trot, the more you can sort of "suck" the horse's back up into your seat in the rising phase.
It is wise to remain at least slightly seated on the takeoff of an open ditch jump, and to look for the feeling that your horse jumps out in front of you. If you are too far forward, and/or are ahead of your horse's motion as he begins to take off, he can easily lose heart and jump weakly (and therefore losing confidence). Or he can even change his mind completely and stop, in which case you would then likely become a victim of the laws of physics. ;)
"There are only few mouths that cannot be taught a good rein contact by giving the horse the appropriate degree of balance, provided it is otherwise well conformed." ~ Borries v.Oeynhausen
Try to always be aware of the amount of tension that you may be carrying when riding, and whether you are breathing softly and evenly, or holding your breath. Talking or humming quietly is a good way to ensure that you keep breathing throughout your ride.
Horses have to learn that the free walk is a purposeful movement, not break time. Make sure you are conscious about teaching your horse this concept by training them to stay attentive, straight, in front of the leg, and reaching towards the connection in your free walk work.
"The outside rein is for me like the wall on the track, or the edge of the autobahn. The outside rein is the border and it maintains the horse." ~ Ernst Hoyos
"The four commandments of dressage are: 1) rhythm 2) tempo 3) frame 4) length of the stride. Sounds simple, right? You must own and embody every commandment." ~ Robert Dover
It is important for a rider to know why we do each of the various movements and exercises, not just how to do them. Otherwise they won't actually know exactly how and when to use them to improve the horse.
Long slow distance work is an important part of the conditioning program for every horse. But it is especially important for older and young horses. Older horses need to keep limber, and young horses need to build a base level of tendon, ligament, and bone strength.
Each time your seat touches down in the saddle in the rising trot, think of dropping your shoulders into your elbows, while keeping your chest wide open and your spine stretched tall.
A tense, tight back is a blocked "bridge" for the energy that should be moving from the horse's hindquarters to the rider's hands. You must address the tension in the back before you will be able to achieve a good connection.
Changing directions frequently can help to keep your horse more straight, as each time you change direction you momentarily break the pattern of leaning one way that your horse might have been falling into. And it can help to improve rider symmetry as well!
"Be as elegant as royalty. Embracing your inner princess (or prince) is vital in becoming a dressage superstar. And that means no brash or aggressive movements when your horse isn’t listening." ~ Robert Dover
Being a good rider, and being someone who understands the details of the concepts that make a good rider are two very different things. One can be both... but one does not guarantee the other. This is why it is not really a good idea to pick a riding instructor based on their ability to ride.
Everyone knows that we need our horses to be relaxed to perform well. But that starts with our own relaxation! A rider must be relaxed to give clear and precise aids to their horse, and to set the tone for the horse to be able to relax.
"Horses are interesting creatures. They are extremely obedient (most of the time) and will jump out of their skin if we asked them to. But appreciation is key when it comes to learning a new movement or doing a good job." ~ Robert Dover
If your horse is the type to sometimes get behind your leg when jumping, you must start your courses with more energy in your canter than you think you need. I see so many riders starting off with a nice quiet canter, and then run into trouble because their horse doesn't respond instantly to their leg when they need them to.
If your horse is heavy on one rein, and even somewhat empty in the other - fight your instincts to take back on the heavier rein. It won't help. Instead focus on engaging the hind leg on the heavier side to put the horse more up into the opposite rein.
"You can do this. I promise you, it’s not the end of the world. We’re not curing cancer, or ending world hunger. We’re just riding around on horses here." ~ Robert Dover
The concept of collection is often best introduced to the horse in the canter, as that is very often the gait that the horse finds it easiest to learn how to "sit" more behind.
Quality feedback needs to be very specific. It is not that helpful for an instructor to tell you that something was "good." They should be able to tell you what exactly was good about it, and why that quality is so important. This is the difference between merely stroking someone's ego vs turning them into a truly great and well educated rider.
"The basic techniques, or what they call basics, are more difficult than what comes later, this is the 'Trap of Dressage.' Correct basics are more difficult than the piaffe and passage." ~ Conrad Schumacher
"When you don't have a confident position, it’s saying to people you don’t believe in yourself. So sit up, shoulders back, chin high, and ride your best test." ~ Robert Dover
"Everything comes back to this first thought of creating energy, trapping energy, recirculating energy, and directing energy into the beautiful things that we have in our mind that we create which becomes dressage." ~ Robert Dover
"When my elbows are supple and hinged, I'm less likely to tighten my forearms, and I'm more likely to recycle the energy from the hind end." ~ Becky Rickly
"It hardly needs to be mentioned that, in order to ride good corners in the arena, you have nothing more to do than to apply the same aids as for enlarging the circle. Just as we don’t need to mention that spiraling out on the circle is a preparatory exercise for shoulder in and spiraling in on the circle is a preparatory exercise for the haunches in." ~ Kimmerle
"Collection is indispensable, to bring the horse into the balance that makes him feel really, really educated. An educated horse in the balance, it means that he will live longer, it is healthy for the horse." ~ Rafael Soto
"The difference between an incorrectly compressed horse and a collected horse is that he collected horse can put his nose toward the ground (stretch) while staying round." ~ Nuno Oliveira
"In defining 'collection,' I like to use the word 'compression' because when you compress something such as a spring, it wants to push back. If you take a spring that’s 12 inches long and you compress it 1 inch, it wants to push back that 1 inch. If you think of collection as 'fluid compression that wants to push back,' you’re ahead of the game, so don't lose that concept!" ~ Scott Hassler
If you shorten the reins when your horse is not thinking forward, he is likely to become even more stuck and behind your leg. Always get him thinking forward first!
To achieve correct alignment on circles and turns, think of keeping your shoulders aligned with your horse's shoulders (or where you want them to be), and your hips aligned with your horse's hips (or where you want them to be.)
If you regularly ride using a lot of leg pressure, you will usually find that you need to keep using more and more leg to get things done. This is because many horses are looking for the opportunity to let their riders do as much of the work as possible! If this sounds like you and your horse, you need to make the decision that from TODAY forward, you will not ever try to physically "push" your horse along with your leg. Teach him to respond to light aids!
"Many riders have expectations that are too high and they ask too much of their young horses too quickly. The remount in the cavalry had two years of primary school to become a riding horse. For today’s young horses this has become a luxury rarely enjoyed. The drive for success and money is not only restricted to our sport, but excessive ambitions can do lasting damage to young horses." ~ Susanne Miesner
"Collection should make the horse more beautiful than he was beforehand, not less beautiful. If the horse loses the expression, the elevation, the beautiful contact, the energy, the fluidity of the gait or the way his legs are animating, we can’t be satisfied that we’ve achieved collection." ~ Scott Hassler
Every time you get on your horse, try to let go of any old baggage that you might have between you... and ride the horse you are actually on at the moment.
Try this little experiment: Spend some time doing a turn on the forehand in hand (on the ground), so you can really watch what happens to your horse's body when he steps underneath himself with his inside hind leg. While he may remain hollow at first in tension, as he relaxes into the exercise you will usually see him naturally becoming "rounder" in his body, and therefore lowering his head and neck. You will also likely see him chewing the bit softly. This is an example of how changing how the back and the hind legs are working positively affects the front end.
If you regularly spend lots of time working on the basics, such as straightness and suppleness, you will be likely to find that the more difficult movements will fall into place naturally.
The fastest cross-country horses are not necessarily the fastest horses in general, but the ones that are the easiest to set up for the jumps. So make sure you are always working on improving your horse's adjustability.
When working with a horse that does not have a great natural lengthening, make sure that you don't ask for too much too soon. Compare this to a singer who is training their vocal cords… they gradually expand their vocal range until they hit their limit. This helps to prevent them from overextending themselves, and builds up confidence in their abilities.
A good halt is square because it was a good, balanced, well ridden halt. Not because the rider has taught the horse the "trick" of squaring up after an unbalanced halt.
The Dressage horse is supposed to be (and look like!) a "happy athlete". If the horse does not look happy in his work, that work is probably not correct.
"The horse's back is like a bridge that carries him and you, and the neck completes the bridge. All the energy created by going forward from the hindquarters to the bridle makes your horse's back strong and develops those muscles that create the bridge. Without energy through the neck, the bridge is out and you can't do anything." ~ Jennifer Baumert
"If you aren't sure [when jumping], ride forward, because being under paced is not only harder for the horse, it can make the fences dangerous at the higher levels... Fences are made to be taken at a certain speed, not much more and certainly no less." ~ Catherine Norman
The faster you are going on cross country, the more you must generally think of maintaining a contact with your horse's mouth on the takeoff of a jump. No big crest releases!
Training a horse is sometimes like peeling an onion... As you make some progress in one area, the next area that you need to focus on often becomes clear.
Take your time when riding transitions. Many riders seem to rush through them just to get them done. Be conscious of preparing for each one, and feeling all of the details while you are making the transition - being ready to abort the transition if things start to go wrong.
When riders stiffen their shoulders it can cause them to also have tense, tight arms and hands. To relax your shoulders, take a deep breath in, and exhale fully... looking for the feeling that your shoulders and elbows drop and become supple.
The more contact you hold on your horse's mouth between jumps (and of course, on the flat as well), 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.
"Our job is to prepare the line and canter, then ride forward to the jump. Riding forward to the jump is NOT accelerating to the jump. There is a difference. When riders get to a longer or shorter distance than ideal, the emphasis should be on the rider staying in the moment and conveying confidence to the horse." ~ William Fox Pitt
With horses, just like with people, let your actions speak for you. For example, you may think you are rewarding your horse when you say "Good boy" or "Good girl"... But if you do not also release the aid, your horse will not really feel rewarded for their effort.
When a rider does not have that classic straight line from their elbow to the bit, it is nearly impossible to have a quality contact. This is just one of the many reasons that having eyes on the ground is SO important. As many riders tend to ride with their hands either above or below that line, and have no idea that they are doing it. A good rein connection will elude you until you have found just the right alignment.
Always pay attention to how you finish every single exercise that you ride. Letting yourself or your horse fall into a heap as you pull up only creates bad habits for both of you. Always finish with a proper transition into the walk.
"The goal of training is to build the horse's mind and his muscles. Suppleness and relaxation require adequate muscle strength. Strengthening requires both contraction and relaxation. Blood flow and oxygenation occur when the muscle relaxes. If the muscle is kept in a constant state of contraction, it loses power and strength, and actually becomes smaller. Frequent rest periods, especially for a young horse at a free walk on a long rein, are necessary. The rest periods are not for a rider's fatigue, but to allow the horse to stretch and relax his muscles. The rest breaks will give you a completely new horse. This is the systematic gymnasticizing of the horse." ~ Klaus Balkenhol
Think of your leg, seat, and rein aids as the way you communicate with your horse. You don't physically push or pull him anywhere - you give him subtle signals. And if he doesn't initially respond to your subtle signals, you need to teach him to. EVERY horse can learn to respond to light cues, if taught properly.
The key to riding good "across the diagonal" movements in the Dressage ring is to ride deeply into the preceding corner, while keeping the impulsion through the turns, so that the energy level stays consistent throughout the movement.
If you truly do a good job of preparing for each transition that you ride, you will be able to give an aid that is as light as a whisper to execute it.
"Although breeders have created a better horse, the market has created a demand for a stronger, healthier, more powerful horse. It's easier to sell a horse that looks like a carefully developed eight year old, and not like a three or four year old just beginning his career." ~ Klaus Balkenhol
If your horse feels locked in the jaw and is bracing against you, you are probably bracing and pulling against him yourself. He will probably never let go unless you do.
"It is important that the neck is open at the throat latch. Too many horses too short in the neck in all disciplines. Today’s horses are always in a frame, but often they don’t seek the contact properly, and you can’t give high marks to a horse that is behind the bit." ~ Christoph Hess
If your horse is not "hot" to your leg, and you need a lot of leg to keep him going, how will he ever hear the leg aid that asks for something more... like a lateral movement or a flying change?
As we should always be striving to make sure that our horses enjoy their work, reward and incentives should be especially generous when we are asking for things that we know are currently difficult for our horses.
A horse doesn't become supple by trotting round and round the arena. So don't stay in the same pace or movement for too long! Lots of turns, circles, and transitions will be the most beneficial.
The horse should always be the one who sets the pace of the progression of both training and competition. Pushing too hard, too soon, will usually result in having to go back and start over.
Keep your thumbs closed on the top of your hand, AND keep those thumbs pointing forward! Do not let your hand position deviate so that your thumbs point toward each other, as this will create a block in your connection.
When riding a Dressage test, you should always be thinking about damage control… Within each movement, sometimes it is best to be happy with 90% of what you are capable of, rather than risking what you have to push for that final 10%. It definitely pays to know your horse well, so you know how much you can get away with asking for at any given moment.
"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
A horse must first be able to travel in a connected long and low frame before a proper higher head carriage can be achieved. If you struggle with lengthening your horse's neck while still maintaining a soft contact - be sure to master this connection before moving on to more advanced work. If you don't, all of your more advanced work will likely be incorrect and will lack the back connection necessary for true hind leg engagement.
"Most riders know the required movements, but not the directives, and that is what we judges pay attention to. We look to see how the horse is ridden in these required exercises. Is the horse ridden to the contact? Does he maintain rhythm and regularity in all gaits? Does he show a degree of suppleness appropriate for his level? Does the rider keep a tempo that facilitates balance? Even for a simple circle the directives are explicit: 'consistent bend around the rider’s inside leg, placement and control over the size of circle, reach to the bit and the quality of the gait.'" ~ Lilo Fore
As the old saying goes, "You are only as strong as your weakest link." If there is a hole in your basics, or your horse's basics… it will hold you back. You must go back to the foundation, to find and fix any weak areas before you will truly be able to progress.
If you have short arms, you will have to be especially careful to make sure that you keep at least a little bend in your elbows at all times when riding. If your elbows become completely straight, you will lose your ability to follow your horse's movement with your hands.
When riding, always strive for the feeling that your horse is "short" behind the withers (because his hind legs are stepping deeply underneath his body), yet is "long" in front of the withers (with a neck that "telescopes" and reaches forward into the bit.) All "long" means the horse is likely strung out to some degree, and all "short" means the horse’s frame and stride are being cramped by the rider.
If you ask for too much angle in any lateral movement (more than your horse can handle at that moment,) you risk impeding the balance and fluency of the movement, which should be your top priorities.
"May every rider strive for a better connection with his or her horse by observation, closer understanding and patient groundwork. It matters not what discipline is pursued, only that there be a perfectly balanced union between the two – man and horse – so that the two become one." ~ Frederic Pinon
