Tip/Quote of the Day!
In a movement like shoulder in, where the horse is likely to try to evade the difficulty of bending his body by swinging his quarters out, it can sometimes be helpful to bring your dressage whip forward, and touch the horse with it right in front of the saddle. This
Tip/Quote of the Day!
"Every time you ride you are either making that horse better or making it worse!" ~ Lisa VanBuhler
Tip/Quote of the Day!
"All riders need very loose joints - loose hips, loose shoulders, loose elbows, loose knees, loose ankles. When I say loose I don’t mean uncontrollably loose, but they need to have a very good range of motion, and an absence of unwanted tension. A lot of riders when
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Always refresh the forward after any period of lateral work.
Tip/Quote of the Day!
"Travers improves the horse's bend and makes him more obedient and attentive to the calf aid." ~ Ernst Friedrich Seidler
Tip/Quote of the Day!
When you halt and salute the judge at a competition, remember to smile! This will send the judge the message that you are confident about your performance, which can impress the judge and may even influence your scores in a subconscious way.
Tip/Quote of the Day!
"Riding the upper levels becomes less and less about who is the most naturally talented ... It becomes more of who is the best mental competitor. Who can take the competition down mentally, and have the ability to stay focused on the task at hand regardless of what happens, that&
Tip/Quote of the Day!
A running martingale that fits correctly does not come into play unless the horse tosses its head, or tries to stick it straight up in the air. It should NOT be used to keep the horse's head down.
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Since the various available lateral movements all work to supple the horse's body in a slightly different way, it is a good idea to use bits of all of them in your training. Don't just do your favorites.
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Everyone talks about engaging the horse's inside hind leg - but the key to a good quality canter is sufficient engagement of the outside hind leg… as that is how each canter stride begins.
Tip/Quote of the Day!
So many riders seem to ride with tight elbows, and BUSY hands. Instead strive for relaxed and mobile elbows, and quiet and still (yet supple) hands!
Tip/Quote of the Day!
Proper hand position will help you to remain loose and supple in your arms. Deviating in any way from the perfect hand position will immediately cause your arm muscles to tighten.
