Tip/Quote of the Day!

If you don't have forward, you won't be able to achieve a true half halt. And without an effective half halt, it will be hard to improve the horse's balance. 

The horse should always set the pace of the progression of both training and competing. Pushing a horse too hard, too soon will usually result in having to go back and start over. 

If your horse struggles to maintain a consistent rhythm, think of using your breathing to help him stay regular. This is one reason why counting is so useful, as when you count in a rhythm, you will breathe in that rhythm.

"You should always ride travers after the shoulder-in and not as often and long." ~ Michael Jung

A 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 to guide the water through the turn, a good connection on the outside rein is crucial to a successful turn on a horse. 

When the horse carries more weight behind (engagement), there is more stored energy in the stride (impulsion.)

Therefore to develop more impulsion in your horse's gaits, you should not make him run faster, but do exercises which increase his engagement behind, like transitions. 

"The idea of Dressage is to be able to slow your horse down while using your legs, rather than by using your reins." ~ Christoph Hess

"Remember, the conversation between you and your horse must never be dull or inert. It should be, 'Ask, receive, give. Ask, receive, give.' Ask with your body and legs; receive through your body into your hands; give primarily with the hands, but also with your body and legs, so that you can ask all over again, receive again and give again. The give is your thanks. If you don't give, you must ask harder the next time, and even harder after that, until you end up with a dead or resistant horse." - Sally Swift

"For me it is important that the horse is happy and you see it in the face, you see it in the tail, you see it in the swinging, you can listen, how the horse is breathing, these are the things that are important for a quality test." ~ Christoph Hess

Always have more time than your horse.

"Lightness sounds very good, if it is light, but it is better if it is not too light because a horse that is too light in the hand is more difficult to ride than a horse that is a little bit heavy on the hand. Okay we always have to talk about finding the right balance, but in the end, contact is nothing more than the contact to the hind leg, the contact that the rider makes between the mouth and the hind leg. This is the duty of the rider, to put these two together. The moment the horse starts to move, and he moves behind, you have to feel it in your hand, then you have to let it out." ~ Jean Bemelmans

Timid horses often love a consistent routine. Bolder/braver horses often need more variety in their training to prevent boredom.

The horse is not capable of true collection when their muscles are tense. No matter how hard you try to achieve collection, it will elude you until you can first achieve loose, relaxed, and swinging muscles.

Always use both reins together when steering, especially when turning between jumps. Using one rein only turns the horse's nose - but using both reins turn the horse at the shoulders, which means his body will more accurately follow your chosen line.

"Through the energy of impulsion mobilized from within himself, the horse is now prepared, in his physique and emotional attentiveness, to respond instantly to the slightest indications to change his tempo, posture, direction or gait." ~ Waldemar Seunig

Tightly clamped thighs make you slightly lose the depth of your seat in Dressage, and can drive your horse's back down into a hollow position.

"The purpose of dressage is to enhance our ability to control our horses; hopefully, after a long period of consistent training, our horses will calmly and generously place their forces at our disposal." ~ Jimmy Wofford

"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

Jack LeGoff on roundness ~ "If you have the body, you have the head - if you have the head you don't (necessarily) have the body." 

Riders have to be in self carriage before they can expect their horses to be in self carriage.

If you let your hot horse train you to take your leg off, they will likely be over-reactive when you need to put your leg back on to give an aid.

"The techniques you use for relaxation, stretching, walk breaks, things like that, a more competitive or nervous rider doesn’t pay enough attention to that. They think, 'I’ve got a test to do so I won’t keep stretching him until he’s relaxed, I’ll just get on with it.' That’s pressure." ~ Carl Hester

Any use of the inside rein can easily shorten the horse's neck.

"There are many horses that can only be taught through lateral bending, especially second degree bending, to let the rein aids go through to the hind legs." ~ Sigismund v. Josipovich

"If the calves are too far forward, the rider is unable to bring the horse under the centre of gravity." ~ Ingrid Klimke

"Once you have ridden cross country with short stirrups you will never ride cross country with long stirrups again." ~ Chris Bartle 

If you get to riding with your reins a bit too long, you will be tempted to use your hands in a backwards way. It is easier to make a connection with truly forward feeling hands when your reins are sufficiently shortened.

It is very important to treat each horse... and each situation, individually. When problems arise - sometimes the best answer is time, patience, and encouragement. While at other times, strong corrections might be in order. A big part of success in interacting with horses is being able to read each situation accurately. And that comes only with experience.

Shoulder in to the right engages and strengthens the horse's right hind leg, which will help to improve their ability to do haunches in and half pass to the left. And vice versa.   

From Facebook fan Jenn Elizabeth ~ "The biggest thing I can do to help my horse improve his form is improve my own."