Recent Articles in Tip/Quote of the Day!

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, you will breathe in that rhythm.

Lightness is not the looseness of the contact, it's the way the horse moves over the ground.

A horse that is well balanced, with the right amount of impulsion for the jump at hand, can comfortably leave the ground from just about any reasonable takeoff spot.

"Make him a short horse with bigger paces rather than a long horse with shorter paces." ~ Stephen Clarke

When working with horses, always be mindful of the feedback you are giving your horse at any given time... whether intentional or accidental. When your horse misbehaves, make sure you don't give him an accidental reward by stopping to regroup (which to him is a rest and a reward.) Keep moving, get the horse to do something (anything) well, and THEN stop to regroup if you must.

A word about the double bridle: The curb bit is a tool for refining the aids, not for applying more force. If the double bridle is used because otherwise the rider can’t ride his horse on the bit or because he can’t control it, neither the horse nor the rider is ready for the double bridle.

When strength is needed, such as when riding a strong horse, a rider needs to be able to find their strength in the center of their body - their core. Many times they attempt to find their strength in their arms or shoulders instead, and this is counter productive. As instead of being an anchor against the horse's strength, the horse thinks the rider is instigating a pulling match.

You should strive for the feeling that you can feel your horse's hind legs in your hands in your connection.

Riding is about 80% mental. Control of your mind is even more important than control of your body.

From Facebook fan Jessica Fuller Stewart ~ "When my horse is truly forward he can not bulge his shoulder in the corners as easily. If I let him back off just a little in the corner he can then bulge very easy. Forward is everything!"

"A tense horse's lateral suppleness can be improved by very forward canter leg yields." ~ Carl Hester

Some riders seem to think that if they can just sit perfectly enough, their horse will naturally bring his body together and move in a balanced way. And that is not necessarily true. While it is very important to sit correctly, horses are likely to remain on the forehand until the rider actively improves the horse's balance through specific exercises.

Many issues that you might have at the canter are usually there at the walk too... but just don't bother you as much because you're not going very fast. And it's easier to fix things at the walk, so it is wise to start there. 

From Facebook fan Alexis Soutter ~ "While teaching the girl who rides my horse this week, it was reinforced how important it is to be willing to pause and regroup if you and/or your horse are stressed or upset. By going back to an exercise you do well and re-establishing your breathing, rhythm, and connection, you're much more likely to succeed at whatever else you're trying to accomplish when you go back to it (even if that's another ride). If you try to just 'push through it' you might complete the exercise, but at the risk of damaging the communication and trust between the two of you. Better to back off but continue to put deposits in your horse's trust bank then force the issue and empty that account." 

A still tail carried close to the horse shows the inactivity of the back muscles in the loin area.

“The secret in riding is to do few things right. The more one does, the less one succeeds. The less one does, the more one succeeds.” ~ Nuno Oliveira

Your basics are the base of your success. The stronger your base, the further you will go.

On the meaning of the phrase "Having the horse between the hand and leg" --

"When I close my leg, the result is a change from potential energy to kinetic energy. When I close my hand there is enough kinetic energy to balance back into potential energy." ~ Jocelyn Thibodeau

In all situations, and at all levels, riding in rhythm gives the horse confidence.

"A horse with good foot work will rarely fall. A horse who is not given the chance to practice that footwork because he is always brought to the right spot will come big time unstuck when the s*** hits the fan and the fallible human on top gets it wrong."  ~ Lucinda Green

"The horse must collect as a result of many transitions, not because the rider’s hands have asked for collection. Lots of transitions – that is what gets the horse’s hind legs underneath him." ~ Christoph Hess

"I make my students ride in gallop position in trot and canter with no rein contact and no hands on the neck, as there is no point in trying to progress until a good balance is in place. It is a great concern to me that so many riders are out of balance between fences, and then too stiff and upright on the approach to the fence" ~ William Fox Pitt

Generally, the slower you are approaching a jump, the more leg you may need to apply in the final strides.

"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

Always introduce new exercises in a slow and progressive manner, so you are building confidence and not inviting problems.

For success in learning to ride, as with most things in life - talk less and listen more.

Always finish an exercise with a proper transition to walk, don't just fall into a heap.

Think of riding your downward transitions in an uphill manner, so that the horse’s poll comes up as his croup lowers and his hind legs come under his body.

Always keep your spine stretched upward when riding. When you slump, your head and shoulders will become heavy, and your horse will likely become heavy in your hands.

Always finish each ride on a good note. Do something your horse does well so he can feel good about himself.

An anxious horse will tend to not be able to hear your aids, as his nerves will override them. Your first goal needs to be to get your horse to relax.

"Think of using your skeleton to turn your horse, not your muscles." ~ Catherine Haddad 

This idea may not "click" with everyone, but I think it will help many to better use their body without negative tension in the muscle, which only causes resistance in the horse. 

Don't confuse being left behind over a jump with a defensive seat on cross country. They are very different. The rider who is in a defensive position on cross country is a nickel behind the motion, while still not interfering with the horse in any way. The rider who is left behind is catching the horse in the mouth and slamming their backs on landing, both the ultimate punishment for the horse jumping the fence. If you are getting left behind often, it may be time to move down a level and work on your basics.

"Horses don't WANT to jump badly! They jump badly because of US! Ever seen a horse get loose in a steeplechase? It jumps like a BIRD!" ~ Jimmy Wofford

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.

"If a horse becomes more beautiful in the course of his work, it is a sign that the training principles are correct." ~ Colonel Podhajsky

It is much easier to keep your horse forward and straight when you are looking up and in the direction that you want to go! 

"Boldness comes from confidence, and confidence comes from success. So it's the trainer's job to create lots of success." ~ Jack Le Goff

"Expressive and relaxed collected work shows that the rider has understood the steps that led up to it." ~ Klaus Balkenhol

Rhythm is the key to success in ALL riding disciplines.

"In the last few strides there should be a transfer of responsibility for the jump from the rider to the horse." ~ Eric Smiley