Blog
A seemingly minor issue where you can gain or lose points in a test (or just make the judge crazy) is how you make your transitions in and out of the halt. Let's begin with Intro and Training Level rides where the directive permits transitions between trot and
Blog
Sometimes what I see makes me crazy(er); so here are my own thoughts on the topic that I wish you would take into consideration when you lunge.It is said that whenever you work with your horse you are "training" him— sometimes for worse, sometimes for better
Blog
I observed a very exotic horse on a show grounds the day before he was to compete. He was an Iberian horse of some sort who obviously had a lot of training. But unfortunately he was totally wired. A thumbnail: held together, tense throughout, unable to stand still in a
Blog
When Lesley put up a post about how driving habits could affect your riding, the first thought that came to my mind was “You don’t want to see how I drive...” Mostly because I like to go fast in a car, the faster the better... kind of like the
Blog
An old friend of mine, Colonel Aage Sommer (DEN) used to say “One counter canter is worth ten true canters.” It was implied, but allow me to state it outright: one good counter canter! The benefit of counter canter is not that you can manage to canter around on the
Blog
(“Where did the support I am used to go?”) I’ve been starting to ride a horse for a woman. She is an adult amateur jumper rider with a big warm blood – easily over 17 hands. She describes him as very strong, almost like a freight train, particularly on his
Blog
The national weather service has issued an advisory complete with a mapped out cone of uncertainty for the “potential development of a tropical disturbance” which would be named Fred. Be clear: at the moment it does not exist, but there are indications that it might in the future. This is
Blog
Ten or fifteen years ago the USDF proclaimed it the Year of Transitions. To emphasize that idea separate transition scores were introduced which bracketed lengthenings and mediums both in trot and canter. Good enough. It’s better than just fading out or dribbling into false collection at the end of
Blog
By and large judges don’t like to give low scores. Most of us are equally unhappy at giving undeservedly and misleading high scores. We want to give the right score without running the dagger through our poor riders’ hearts. This situation arises more frequently and understandably at schooling shows
Blog
So much of the time, I talk to people about creating expression or energy. Routinely at clinics filled with lower level or amateur riders, the majority of them under-ride their horses. Dominant themes are getting the horses quicker to the leg, more attentive, and more active. But there are exceptions.
Blog
("The wall has a magnetic quality which pulls your horse towards it.") Open spaces are a great advantage at times when you are schooling. No corners or turns coming up in a few strides to break the rhythm or cause anticipation. But at times solid boundaries can help.
Blog
When people speak of weight aids, they are referring to something that your seat does, but don’t think of your "seat" as just those two little protuberances on the bottom of your pelvis. I prefer to think of my seat as beginning somewhere in the back of
