Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4428
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.
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4427
"Tempo enables dressage to become dancing. Rhythm is the regularity of the pace. Tempo is the speed of the pace." ~ Hilda Gurney
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4426
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.
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4425
"First, [the rider] has to be ambitious. Mentally, he has to be well balanced and consistent. He has to be tougher on himself than on the horse. If he gets after the horse too much, he will not get far. One must really be able to push oneself harder
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4424
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.
Lesley's Corner
Jumping Rideability Exercise # 3
This exercise is a great way to test and confirm your horse's rideability when jumping, as well as check on the balance and overall quality of your jumping canter. Read on to learn all about it!
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4423
True bending from nose to tail requires that the horse understands all three of these things: how to move away from lateral leg pressure, how to move into the connecting outside rein, and the aids for inside flexion.
Lesley's Corner
Clashing of Aids vs the Coordination of Aids
It is NEVER productive, or correct, to give your horse conflicting aids - kicking and pulling at exactly the same time. That only causes great resistance, and/or a horse that becomes deadened to the aids. Learn how to use the coordination of your aids, for far better results!
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4422
Everyone feels like they have the one horse that is so different and unusual that conventional and classical methods will not work for them. But the truth is, the basic principles will work on 99% of horses. Yes, every horse should be treated as an individual. But classical principles still
Lesley's Corner
A Funny Story - With an Important Message! (Current freebie!)
This funny story shows why it is so important to ensure that your students really understand what your terms mean! And of course the same is true for training a horse. You need to make sure they truly understand what your aids mean, or you may be setting yourself up for unnecessary frustration!
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4421
If you and your horse have been having the same problem for a while, chances are the two of you have developed a set of reactions that serve to trigger each other's behavior. You will need to figure out what those are to get past it.
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Tip/Quote of the Day # 4420
"When the rein back is started on demand and carried out without haste, it is a magnificent exercise which should be repeated frequently." ~ Nuno Oliveira