Strides for Success

Author: Lorna Leeson

  • Teaching Your Horse to Rein Back

    Teaching Your Horse to Rein Back

    . Teaching Your Horse to REin Back Correctly
    Have you ever found yourself out on the trail needing to reverse?  Or even in the arena, knowing that your horse reversing in a calm, quiet fashion would be a really useful achievement in that particular moment?

    You ask him to go back.  However, rather than the smooth, no-fuss reverse you were imagining, it rather feels like you left the handbrake on and he begrudgingly edges ‘back’.  Head raised in protest.  Hooves seemingly glued to the ground beneath them.

    By the end of the exercise, your horse, rather than having gone straight backward as requested, is far closer to a 90° angle from where you began…

    Rein back is a really useful movement for your horse to know.  It’s also one that can really begin at any time in his education. From being first handled in the stable, to later in the dressage arena. It is a nifty little tool to have when there are gates to be opened along the trail.

    However, having that smooth movement, which you can truly direct your horse where you require him to go, like a lot of things, takes practice.

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/626-Teaching-Your-Horse-to-Rein-Back-Correctly.mp3″ title=”Teaching Your Horse to Rein Back Correctly” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Struggling to go backwards with your horse? Here’s how to get started today – the right way…” hashtag=”equestrian #horseriding” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    What Is Correct Rein Back?

    This practice begins with becoming really clear on what happens when your horse performs a rein back that is correct and balanced. We know that he must reverse, or go backward, however how he gets there is vitally important to the overall success of the movement.

    When a horse moves in rein back, his legs move in diagonal pairs. His right front leg and his left back leg move backwards together. This is one step. Then his left front leg and right back leg move backwards together, step two. As he moves back, he should remain straight and his hind quarters will begin to move a little more underneath him with each passing step.

    His back should remain relaxed, as will his head and neck. When he has moved back as far as you desire, he should then promptly move forward again when you ask him to.  Without hesitation

    What Should The Rider Do During Rein Back?

    While your horse is moving back you, the rider, should remain upright.  You will use your core to lighten your seat bones a little. Your lower legs will move back slightly.

    Your legs are really important due to how they ask your horse to move.  Timing is everything.  You will use your leg to ask the horse to lift his leg.  They ask the question. The rider can use their legs either together or one by one, depending on the situation. Forward movement is then ‘resisted’ by the riders hands.  then resisting any forward movement with the hands.

    This all sounds easy enough, however, unless the groundwork has been correctly laid, just following the above directions will not achieve a seamless, relaxed rein back.

    In fact, many bad or faulty rein back performed by riders are the direct result of a lack of groundwork and patience when it comes to explaining to the horse what they expect from them.

    Explaining Rein Back to Your Horse

    As I mentioned at the beginning, horses can be introduced to rein back early in their lives. This is generally in the stable or stall when asking them to move backwards is something that will occur often daily. Rather than just pushing or shoving horses around the stables, think about using this basic movement as a start for when they are later under saddle.

    From this, and regardless of your horse’s age, I suggest first taking him out to the arena.  Have him fully tacked up if necessary.  You are going to begin to explain rein back to him with you on the ground.

    Ask him to halt correctly, which is square.  Once he is standing still, not fidgeting, place your hand on his chest (where it joins his neck) and using a little pressure, push him back while asking him verbally to do so as well. Use a single word all the time, I suggest ‘Back’.

    This is so that later, when you are in the saddle, you can use the same word to convey rein back intially to your horse. 

    When you begin, just ask for one or two steps. Don’t worry too much if they are crooked or if they are a little hesitant to begin with. What is important is that you reward any step in the ‘right’ direction and then ask him to move forward immediately after going backwards.

    Thinking Forwards, While Going Backwards…

    The going forwards as soon as the rein back is finished, is vitally important. Allowing him to stop and wait after he has performed a few steps of rein back will begin to set him in a ‘sticky’ mindset. Horses must always think ‘forward’, so make sure you keep instilling this throughout his groundwork exercises and his ridden exercises.

    Try Not to Pull or Haul Your Horse Backwards

    You may notice that I did not mention ‘pulling’ or ‘resisting’ with the reins or the lead rope when I spoke about asking for the rein back. Rather only using your voice aids and the pressure from your hand on his chest.

    This is really important to note; the rein should never be used to ‘pull’ the horse backwards.

    The horse must first understand the concept of moving back and then later, when you are in the saddle, the rein is merely to tell the horse “Okay, not forward here, rather backwards with that leg you have lifted in the air.”

    When a rider uses the rein to actually move the horse backwards, it generally results in the horse lifting his head and neck, which causes the horses back to stiffen and tense up. 

    This, in turn, causes the actual steps of the rein back to become choppy and short and, if persisted with, fall out of sequence. So rather than the legs moving in diagonal pairs, the horse will move each leg individually. When this happens, it is not a true rein back.

    Finding a Helper When You’re in the Saddle

    Take the time to truly make sure your horse understands what is being asked of him on the ground.  This will help when he then has to work things out under the saddle.  Where he has the added distraction of a rider’s weight on board!  Once you are in the saddle, I suggest finding a sympathetic helper on the ground who will take your space in front of the horse to apply those same groundwork pressure at the front of the horse.

    From the saddle, you will set up the square halt, and then, lightening your seat bones a little in the saddle and sliding your lower legs back slightly, ask your horse to lift his leg.

    At this moment, your helper will apply pressure while you say the ‘Back’ and resist any steps forward with the rein. As before, look for one or two steps initially.  Then move your horse forward into immediately when you are finished with the rein back.

    Be sure that you remain upright in the saddle. Many riders will lean forward a little to try lighten their seat bones.  This can be quite off-putting for the horse and unbalance them further. Also, make sure you are not pulling on the reins. They are only there to ‘direct’ your horse as to which way he must move his legs. Think of them as a detour sign, rather than as a gear stick!

    Rein Back in Your Day to Day Schooling

    Finally, once your horse clearly understands what is required of him in the rein back, you can begin working this into your everyday schooling sessions. As he becomes stronger and more balanced, he will be able to perform a straighter and longer rein back.  4 to 6 steps are generally ample.

    Just make sure that you ask him to move forward each time immediately into either walk, trot or canter.  He must continue to think ‘forward’ rather than ‘backwards’.

    Rein back will help to not only supple your horse.  It will also begin strengthening this hind quarters for later work that will require more collection. And, it’s a pretty handy movement to have when out on the trails with your horse!

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Other Resources to Help with This Topic

  • Building Confidence in Your Riding Abilities

    Building Confidence in Your Riding Abilities

    Have you ever had the misfortune of a plan going awry when in the saddle?  Perhaps something small such as a refusal or run out, or maybe something a little ‘bigger’ such as a fall or stumble?  Either way, since it happened, you find that whenever you are in a similar situation or are reminded of it… Things are just, well, different.

    Losing your confidence when riding is one of those things that no matter how small or insignificant the initial incident, has all the potential to grow into something that literally robs your enjoyment when riding your horse.  If this is not bad enough, what frustrates so many riders is that while losing it can be so simple – regaining it is a process that takes time, effort and patients from all parties involved.

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/616-Building-Your-Confidence-in-Your-Riding-Abilities.mp3″ title=”Building Confidence in Your Riding Abilities” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Struggling with confidence in the saddle? This might help…” hashtag=”confidence #horseriding” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    However, regaining your confidence can be done and I believe approaching it with a plan of action which is tailor-made to each rider is the way forward.  Very often riders tend to become frustrated with how long it is taking to build their confidence again.  However, confidence is a little like plastic; if you force it, very often the result will be breaking it permanently.

    I think it is really important to recognise that a loss of confidence is very often focused on not believing you are able to do something.  With anything we believe or want to believe, we will look for proof of this being true.  Maybe your horse acting a particular way, or a similar thing happening every time you try a specific movement.

    Building Confidence in Your Riding Abilities

    However, rather than becoming stuck in the ‘Yes, when I try this, the result is that’ mentality, rather begin looking for the reason it is happening.  Only when you discover the reason, can you then begin to dismantle the fear.  Breaking the fear or the lack of confidence down into smaller parts is necessary to begin building it back up again.

    Think of it like a puzzle that has been put together incorrectly.  There are probably some parts that are correct, however there is also many parts that are incorrect, leaving the puzzle unfinished and wrong!  Like remaking the puzzle, breaking all the pieces up – separating them in your head  – so you can then see each piece clearly on its own, is the easiest and most effective way of then putting them together correctly to achieve the correct result.

    Separating your fears up into smaller parts is, in my opinion, important for two reasons.  Firstly; understanding something well and knowing the whys and hows of something helps to dispel a lot of the fear associated with it.  Secondly; very often the thing causing the ‘lack of confidence’ is a symptom of something else.

    The longer you continue to try treat the symptom, rather than remedy the cause, the more your confidence will continue to erode.  Not unmasking the underlying cause is like trying to patch a dam with a band-aid

    So taking all this into account I suggest starting off, regardless of your particular situation, in a smaller space than you would normally ride in.  Here on the farm, we will start nervous beginners in the round pen which we use to lunge the horses.  I then allow the riders as much time as they need to feel confident and ‘in control’ in that smaller space, before we move into a larger area.

    Very often an empty arena can look massive to a rider who is feeling a lack of confidence in their abilities.  Because of this, we will then divide the normal arena with poles and uprights, so there is 1 third on one side of the poles and 2 thirds on the other side of the poles.  The riders will then move from the lunging arena into the smaller of the two sides of the main arena and remain there until, again, they feel a level of ease and confidence riding there. Finally, after sometimes months and after ‘graduating’ into the bigger side of the arena, they can ride around the whole arena.

    The thing to remember is that most riders are capable from the beginning of riding in the ‘bigger’ arena, however it is their lack of confidence or belief in themselves that holds them back.  Those beliefs need to be changed over time, by consistently proving to the rider that they can indeed handle themselves in the situations they find themselves in.

    On top of riding in a smaller, more comfortable space, I strongly suggest taking everything back to basics.  Very often a lack of confidence is a lack of knowledge about what to do in a particular situation.  For example, the horse becomes faster through the corner.  Or, the basic seat is wrong, causing the upper body to be in front of the vertical when riding.

    Unmasking those fundamental flaws in the riders technique and then working on replacing them with correct techniques is key to a solid, secure seat.  Going back to basics also confirms to both horse and rider the way to apply the aids correctly and respond to each other

    Another suggestion I have is to build your actual physical strength in the saddle.  The stronger and more supple you become, the easier you will find it is to firstly move with your horse in a way that feels ‘natural’, which will in turn help you feel more comfortable.  But it will also allow you to react better to any situations that may crop up when you are in the saddle; such as your horse spooking, or your horse bucking, or even your horse just leaning and becoming heavy on your contact.

    Once you can take things back to basics in a space that you are comfortable with, you will slowly begin building your confidence, ride by ride, day by day, week by week.  Will it happen overnight? Most certainly not, however it is one of those things that, unbeknownst to yourself one day you will realise that you are feeling confident in the saddle where before you were nervous or anxious.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    If you feel that having an instructor in your ear, talking you through simple movements that will help you increase not only your effectiveness in the saddle, but your confidence in those abilities, check out Daily Strides Premium.  In there you will find 5 audio programs on this ‘confidence’ topic, in the Confidence Collection – a collection of other audio programs designed to help you begin feeling happier and more at ease in the saddle.

    The Confidence Collection is just one of the many collections inside of Daily Strides Premium.  In fact, there are over 600 audio horse riding programs in there for you to listen to while riding (or walking the dog!). Find out more by visiting https://stridesforsuccess.com/join/

  • Improving Your Dressage Scores

    Improving Your Dressage Scores

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/611-Improving-Your-Dressage-Scores-Part-1.mp3″ title=”Improving Your Dressage Scores – Part 1″ social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    You halt, salute, and exit the arena from your latest dressage test. Your best ‘free walk on a long rein’.  Now, your thoughts turn to your scores; how well your dressage test went…  That one circle may have looked a little more on the triangular side… But, on the plus side, you aced the canter leads each time and you’re almost sure the halt was a square one.

    However, when the actual test scores are handed out, you realize things did not go that well – at all!

    Riding a dressage test can be a nerve-wracking endeavor at the best of times.  Firstly there is learning the test. Then having to ride the actual movement while thinking about preparing the next movement. It is not an overstatement to say that there is a lot going on both physically and mentally.  All this while keeping a grin pinned to your face.

    Am I the only person with vivid memories of that pony club instructor drumming it into you that judges like to see you enjoying yourself?! 

    Add this to the fact that your trust teammate, your horse, might have other ideas about how to impress the judges with his athletic abilities…  Dressage can often seem very clinical.  The comments and accompanying scores from the judges often repeat themselves over and over; regardless of the test or day, it was ridden on.

    However, if the same movements are consistently producing the same comments, perhaps the judges might have a point?  

    So, taking that into account and working on the items that are showing up for you each test, here are some other simple tips you can begin implementing today that will help you to improve your overall scores and feel better after your next test.

    1. Plan your warm up

    Preparation is everything and this is also true for better results with your dressage test.  Even if your next test is months away, begin now on finding the best warming up sequence for you and your horse.  Focus on exercises that encourage relaxation as well as responsiveness.  Also, exercises that help your horse to loosen up and become supple through his body.

    Often the difference between a mediocre and a good test is the amount of time and preparation spent warming up.  A few circles and transitions is not enough to really have you both ready to ride a great test when you enter the arena

    Also, remember to keep in mind that different circumstances that are outside of your control may necessitate you having to have a few different warm up plans ready.  Factors such as wind, the length of time traveling to the competition grounds, the horses you are sharing the practice arena with all can affect both you and your horse.  Take the time to figure out what exercises work best to overcome those different challenges and help you both to relax and concentrate on the task at hand.

    2. Practice the actual entrance

    So like many things in life, first impressions count and with dressage, the first impression is how you enter the ring right up to when you track left or right at the top of the arena.  Very often we practice over and over how straight we are on the centerline and also, how straight and square our halt is.  These things are really important.

    However, if the ‘turn’ itself into the arena is not a great quality bend, it will take the first few strides of your journey up the center line to sort out and fix.  

    This will leave you with less focus and preparation for your halt.  I suggest laying out a mock ‘A’ with mock ends and corners the arena and practice firstly establishing a good, forward going gait before you ‘enter’.  Also, work on the bend as you enter to make sure you are on the centerline from the word go.

    Make sure that the quality of the gait you enter in is one which you intend to continue on with

    Many riders tend to use the time before they hear the bell to show their horse any ‘spooky’ objects around the arena.  I suggest if you can, work on desensitizing your horse at home, so you can use the minute or two before you enter A to really establish focus and forwardness in your horse.  Of course, new situations will always have the potential for your horse to react in a different way.  But working through different scenarios and ‘spooky objects’ at home will not only help desensitize your horse but also help you figure out the best way to regroup and refocus your horse if he should have a ‘moment’ in the arena.

    Improving Your Dressage Scores

    3. Quality of Transitions

    With all the stress and nerves surrounding remembering and riding your dressage test, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking about your transitions as merely a way to get from A to B (with the A and the B being the important parts of the equation).  However, transitions make up quite a large percentage of the scores in your test.  They are key to riding a good A or B at all!

    The first transition you will meet is usually the one into the halt on the center line.  Take the time to practice this, not just the straightness and squareness of the halt, but also how your horse ‘steps down’ into the halt and then, how he propels or pushes himself out of the halt into whichever gait you choose.

    Work on refining your aids, the more subtle the better.  Also, pay attention to how responsive your horse is both preparing for, during, and riding out of any transition.   This is a part of your test where a point here or there can make a big difference to the overall score at the bottom of the sheet.

    4. Understanding what the judge is looking for

    We all think of accuracy as being ‘hitting the markers’ and this is true, but I find that very often accuracy is also reading the test correctly beforehand so you understand what the judge is looking for with each separate movement.

    Very often riders try to run before they can walk regarding what they expect from their horse in dressage

    The temptation to look at higher level horses and riders and then try to emulate them in lower level tests is always present.  However, it is important to keep in mind that depending on the level of the test, trying to ‘skip ahead’ without getting the basics correct is a recipe for disaster.  A good example of this is lower level riders who are obsessed with their horse’s ‘head carriage’.  Rather than working on encouraging relaxation, rhythm, balance, and a sense of forwardness, they pull their horses ‘on the bit’.   Another hang up of riders is aiming for a lot of self-carriage by fixing their horses into a stiff frame.  Instead, focus on straightness, consistent contact, and impulsion.

    The dressage levels are created for a specific reason; to build strong foundations.  Then, with each progressive level, another layer of sound training from which both horse and rider can grow from

    Take the time when learning and then riding the test to figure out what the judge is looking for with your particular level. Put your focus on working towards delivering exactly that to the best of your abilities both in your warm-ups and when performing the actual dressage test in the arena.

    5. Create mental ‘checkpoints’ to help you refocus

    Imagine if there was a speaker in your ear, that every once in a while reminded you to carry yourself, or half halt, or whatever it is that you forget to do. This can make all the difference for you and your horse if you take the time to do it.   See the ‘speaker’ as being the voice in your own head.  I suggest using the corners as your ‘checkpoints’.  Every time you ride through one, you will mentally remind yourself to check that you are indeed doing (or not doing as the case may be!) that one thing that makes all the difference.  Make this a habit every time you ride.  Begin with consciously saying it out loud as you ride into each corner and later, it will become second nature to you as you ride your schooling routines or a dressage test.

    Using the corners as checkpoints will also ensure that you pay attention to riding every corner, which can be a game changer when riding a whole dressage test

    The corners are the easiest place to rebalance and make any small adjustments necessary to keep your horse working with you for the duration of the test, and because they appear so often, this will ensure that both you and your horse are focused throughout the performance on the job at hand.

    There are many ways to improve your dressage scores.  Keep in mind that a few points here and there are what make all the difference to the overall scores.  Also, try to improve marginally from one test to the next, perhaps 2 or 3 points on each outing.  This way you will make your overall goal of reaching the next level an attainable one, but also a sustainable one.

    Dressage is more like a marathon than a sprint.  Pace both yourself and your horse, master the basics and from there, you will begin to see the results you want at the end of each score sheet.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Connection for Equestrians

    This is the first in a series of 5 audio programs on this topic. The Daily Strides Podcast episode that appears above is a general overview, while the other four programs are step by step instructions you can follow from the saddle to help you improve your dressage scores.

    To find out more about how you can get all this weeks programs inside of Connection, you can visit www.stridesforsuccess.com/join/

  • Riding a Bounce to Improve Overall Strength

    Riding a Bounce to Improve Overall Strength

    Have you ever experienced popping over a jump with your horse, when he suddenly realises he needs a little ‘more’ if he is going to clear the jump?  He stretches, or pushes, a little farther than you expected and suddenly you find yourself very much behind the movement and bracing for the inevitable ‘thud’ that your backside connecting with the saddle will create on landing!

    Or perhaps your horse has a frustrating habit of hanging a hoof here and there over fences, which leads to poles on the floor and a less ribbons than you would like hanging on your wall!

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/601-Correctly-Riding-a-Bounce-to-Improve-Overall-Strength.mp3″ title=”Riding a Bounce to Improve Overall Strenght” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Do you include bounces in your pole work with your horse? Here’s how to get started…” hashtag=”equestrian #jumping” twitter_username=”Strides_success” ]

    Developing both you and your horse’s physical strength is essential for successful, safe and injury free jumping.  But doing so without ‘jumping the legs off’ your horse is often a challenge for many riders.  This is where incorporating a simple bounce or two into your schooling, initially as ground poles and later as actual jumping obstacles, can help you both become stronger and more in control of your body over jumps and fences.

    For many riders, the thoughts of riding a horse into a bounce is a daunting one.  However, it need not be and in fact, will help you not only become stronger, but also give you a greater understanding of how your horse uses his body both before, during and after a fence, and how you must move to stay in sync with him throughout the effort

    A bounce, simply put, is when a horse lands from one jump (or canter stride) and as he touches down, immediately takes off again over a second jump or ground pole.  There are no ‘non jumping strides’ between the two obstacles; the front feet will touch down and then as the back feet near landing, the front feet will pick up again to jump the second jump.

    Successfully navigating a bounce requires quite a bit of athleticism from your horse, as well as quick thinking.  They are a super way of teaching horses to ‘snap up’ their front legs and also, to use their hind quarters over a fence and on landing to propel them forward again.

    Learning to Correctly Ride a Bounce to Improve Overall Strength

    For the rider, the bounce requires balance and micro adjustments throughout the body in order to stay with the horse, poised over the saddle, rather than getting too far ahead of the movement, or being left behind.

    It also helps riders to react quicker to what is happening underneath them as the horse is continually having to shift the weight between back and front throughout the sequence

    Riding through a grid containing more than one bounce also requires the rider to understand impulsion and how the horse’s energy must be controlled.  If the horse is ‘chased’ through the fences, he will not have time to make the necessary adjustments to successfully clear the obstacles.  Similarly, if the riders fails to create enough impulsion or energy, the horse will be unable to make it through the line without having poles down along the way.

    Before you begin introducing your horse to a bounce, it is important that he is confident jumping both individual fences and also related fences, such as doubles with one or two non jumping strides in between.  The rider must also be able to stay with the horse over fences and have a secure and balanced jumping position when jumping related distances.

    Start by placing a single pole on the ground and cantering over it.  Feel how your horse moves over the pole, and also, how you remain balanced, while getting off his back, as he canters over the pole.  Once you are both comfortable with this, you can then add a second pole between 3m and 3.7m or 10′ and 12′ away from the first.  Canter your horse over the poles and make adjustments to the distance as necessary.

    Work over the poles on both reins, approaching from different directions.  Working over the bounce when still only ground poles is a great way to test your horse’s rhythm and balance.

    See if you can maintain a consistent rhythm before, during and after the poles

    This is also a great opportunity to see how well you can follow your horse before increasing the difficulty.  I suggest keeping the weight dropped into your heels, your back straight, your shoulders open across your chest and your seat moving with your horse and ‘hovering’ when actually moving over the poles, in a light seat.  You can also use this exercise to assess your hands and shoulders.  Are they ‘following’ your horse’s mouth, continuing to maintain a consistent contact with your horse at all times?

    It is tempting to try avoid landing heavily on your horse’s back, or catching him in the mouth by ‘over preparing’ yourself for the jump.   Over preparing will result in you getting into your jumping position too early, and will see you leaning on your horse’s neck and shoulders for support.  Use your practice over the ground poles in order work on this, rather than when there are actual jumps involved, as it will make it much more difficult for your horse to lift his shoulders and perform a clean jumping effort.

    Remember to wait for your horse to begin over the pole, and then follow his lead

    Also notice how centered your horse is over the poles.  Later, when you are both comfortable popping through the bounce, you can begin to build cross poles, which will help keep your horse centered through the line.   But for now, notice if there is a tendency to drift one way or the other.

    Keep in mind that your horse is always influenced by your position in the saddle, so make sure you are riding in a balanced way through the line yourself

    It is common for riders to ‘duck’ one side or the other of the horse’s neck over fences…  Not a good habit to cultivate, so if it is there, nip it in the bud now!  Think about keeping your chin centered over your horse’s neck or mane as you move with your horse through the bounce.

    Once you are both comfortable riding through a single bounce of ground poles, you can begin to add more poles to the line.   Continue to assess the distance and adjust it to suit your horse’s comfort levels.  Later, as you both become stronger, you can then begin asking more difficult questions of your horse by asking him to adjust to set distances, but to begin with, build his confidence levels by building the lines for him and his preferred lengths.

    You then begin to build actual jumps where the poles are.  Depending on the height of the jumps, you may have to adjust the distances again for your horse, and always move through the line from both directions to help keep your horse fresh.

    Keep in mind that riding a bounce takes concentration and strength from your horse; therefore riding a line of bounces is quite taxing.  Don’t over do it, rather work through it and then leave it for a while, to return later when your horse is fresher.  Working your horse through this when he is tired, either physically or mentally, will only lead to mistakes and injuries.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    If you are interested in finding out more about bounces and how they can help you and your horse, perhaps the four other audio horse riding programs about this topic can help you. You can get theses, and hundreds more lessons, in Daily Strides Premium.  You can find out more by visiting https://stridesforsuccess.com/join/.

  • Weight Aids & Seat Bones for Turning & Bending

    Weight Aids & Seat Bones for Turning & Bending

    The bend is approaching and you begin preparing both you and your horse to ride straight and accurately through the turn. However, as you ‘shift’ your seat bones into ‘position’ your horse begins, well, almost side stepping… The further you get through the turn, the further your horse is from the path you had planned; in fact, he has derailed altogether from the ideal ‘train tracks’ you had intended to stay on as you rounded the bend.

    As riders we learn early on about how important our weight distribution is to our horses way of going. We learn about positioning our seat bones, so we can indicate to our horses what exactly the next movement should be. We also learn that our weight aids are fundamental to all aspects of successful communication with our horses in the saddle.

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/591-Weight-Aids-and-Seat-Bones-in-Relation-to-Turning.mp3″ title=”Weight Aids and Seat Bones for Bending and Turning” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Weight Aids and Seat Bones for Bending and Turning Your Horse” hashtag=”Podcast #equestrian #horse” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    What we don’t learn is awareness of how the other parts of our body directly or indirectly affect how and where our weight aids are applied with our horse. There is also not a lot of time spent on figuring out how loud or how quiet we can communicate with our horses through our weight aids. In fact, most riders seem to think that a ‘one size fits all’ approach is sufficient regardless of the circumstances, situation or horse involved.

    Learning to correctly feel and then master your weight aids in the saddle is key to developing good feel as a rider. Those subtle shifts and movements, which happen when you direct your muscles to move, rather than your actual weight or bones themselves. This is very much apparent when turning your horse and that is what I want to focus on today.

    So let’s begin with focusing on how your carry yourself in the saddle. Many riders make the mistake of going a little too overboard when told to ‘relax’ through their body.

    Relaxation is key to good riding, however the level of relaxation is also important to consider; particularly when it comes to how it affects your weight aids and seat bones in the saddle when riding

    Ideally you want your muscles to ‘carry’ you in the saddle, enough that your hips and seat are free to move with your horse and follow the motion. Following when riding is a little like following when dancing. The dancer that is following must remain in control of their body, walking that fine line between too relaxed or ‘slack’ and too tense or ‘rigid’. All the while they are looking for cues from their partner and then taking the responsibility on themselves to respond to those cues in the agreed manner.

    Riding is the same. Following does not mean you slouch in the saddle, looking like you have had one too many before you mounted. It rather means you carry your upper body, so your hips and seat are then willing and able to follow the horse’s motion as he crosses the ground.

    Bending and Turning Your Horse Using Your Weight Aids and Seat Bones

    Think about it, your hips and seat bones can not possibly be free to perform a full range of motions if your upper body is heavy and slouching on top of it. Many riders mistake this for ‘shoulders back’, which is unfortunate as this only serves to increase the excess tension and therefore rigidness in the body, rather than simply carrying yourself, through your ribcage and positioning your body in the best possible place from which to begin asking your horse to turn using your weight aids.

    Once you are sure that you are indeed carrying yourself and, as a result, correctly following your horse wiht your seat, you can then begin looking at how subtle changes in different areas of your body will affect your weight aids and therefore what you communicate to your horse through your seat.

    So to begin with, let’s focus on the half halt.  One of the reasons we apply the half halt is to bring your horse’s attention back to you and let him know something is coming up.

    In fact, you can almost think of your half halt as being a big flashing arrow, directing your horse’s focus to your seat so he can begin to get further directions on what to do next

    Not using your half halt will probably result in your horse’s attention being elsewhere and therefore, any subtle movements with your seat to communicate with your horse will have a good chance of being ignored.

    That being said, it is also worth noting that applying the half halt and then following it up with an incorrect, overly exaggerated or heavy use of the seat and weight aids is just as ineffective as not using the half halt at all.  Think of your half halt as the opening part of the sentence which will then, in turn, lead up to the actual question you wish to ask your horse.   Become clear on what you want to ask, before you draw your horse’s attention to your seat to begin with!

    Once you have his attention, think about what you want of your horse as he rounds the bend.  Ideally, your horse’s spine should replicate the arc of the bend or circle.

    Your horse’s spine will stay on the arc all the way through, from his poll or ears to his tail or dock.  Similarly, your spine will too stay centered over your horses, not leaning one way or the other, not twisting and not collapsing to either the inside or outside.

    His hips will travel along parallel either side along this arc, however his inside hip will come slightly forward or ahead of his outside hip.  Your hips or seat bones will be in this same position.  Then look at the shoulders; again, they should remain parallel to the central arc or track as he moves along (like train tracks), however the outside shoulder will have to move a little more forward in order to do so and, therefore, so must your shoulders.

    It seems like an awful lot to remember, and when starting out, it is!  I have found it easier for some riders to rather remember where their legs should be through the turn.  Because your legs are connected to your hips, by moving them into the desired position, your seat bones will generally follow suit and automatically also ‘slot’ into position.  However, as you become used to the inside and outside being dictated by your horse, regardless of where you are in the arena, you can begin rather making the subtle shifts with your seat bones, and then allowing your legs to follow suit.

    So back to how we can use our muscles, either for good or bad, to influence our weight in the saddle.  Find a hard chair or stool and sit down with a hand under each of your seat bones.  Now, begin by moving your shoulders, the right one forwards the left one back and then vice versa.  Notice how a very small movement of only an inch or so, will change how the pressure being exerted on your hands from your seat bones feels.  Similarly, think about ‘weighting’ one of your seat bones.  Many riders will literally ‘bear down’ on that particular seat bone, shifting their upper body to do so.  However, feel that when this happens, your seat bones actually begin ‘sliding’ towards the opposite side.

    Now, rather think of ‘weighting’ that seat body through a combination of elongating the muscles on that side of your torso, and sending a tiny bit more weight or pressure to the heel of that leg.  Notice the subtle change in the pressure being applied on your hand.  It only takes small but precise adjustments with your muscles to ‘weight’ the seat bone.  The more you can learn to control your muscles, the clearer your communication will become with your horse.

    Very often riders use their weight aids in the wrong way; namely leaning with the upper body while will result in their seat shooting to the outside

    The result is that your horse will move completely differently to how you had planned, because he is trying to remain balanced and, literally, stay underneath you.  If you find this happening a lot, go back to making sure you are symmetrical, balanced and straight in the saddle and, once you are sure of that , begin insisting on it from your horse also. Always think about your own body and what you are communicating with your horse while riding  through the corner.

    I really think that being a little ‘picky’ or obsessive about riding in the correct position will help you to make sure that your body is in the best possible place to apply the correct aids for any given movement or direction.  It will take concentration and consistent effort on your part initially, but as your ‘feel’ increases, you will find that merely thinking about it will result in your body shifting slightly in the saddle – and the more consistent you are with always riding in the correct way, the more effective your horse will be at reading the small, subtle changes in your weight and position.

    Happy Riding

    Lorna

    I have written another blog post on applying your weight aids HERE >>

    Get to know your core muscles better which will give you more control over them by joining the FREE 30 Day Rider Fitness Challenge…

  • More Advanced Exercises for a Young Horse

    More Advanced Exercises for a Young Horse

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/586-More-Advanced-Exercises-for-a-Young-Horse.mp3″ title=”More Advanced Exercises for a Young Horse” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    You have spent the past few months diligently improving your young horse’s standard of education. A lot of time invested on the basics of moving forward in a balanced rhythmic way.  He is happy, you are happy and the next natural progression is to ask for the canter.

    However, it seems all those carefully cultivated hours in the arena fly out the door as soon as you ask for the upward transition.

    Your horse begins running on his forehand, each trot stride becoming longer and faster… He eventually breaks into a canter of sorts, but nothing like what you imagined it to be!  Unbalanced, uncoordinated, and no rhythm whatsoever!

    Introducing ‘New’ To Your Young Horse

    Often it seems that no matter how much preparation we put into preparing our young horse for his first departure from a trot into a canter, the canter falls a little flat and well below our expectations.   But rather than becoming frustrated and demoralized with your horse’s apparent lack of understanding, see this as being the next step of the ladder with regards to your horse’s education. And one that, if he graduates from, will see him in a great position to really begin working from.

    Just like when you first began riding your young horse in walk and trot, your horse is going to feel very unbalanced and unsure of himself when you do ask for the canter when in the saddle.  

    This is due to the canter having a three-timed beat which depends on your horse’s outside back leg starting and propelling the rest of his footfalls and body forward in each stride.  In the trot, it is far easier to remain balanced. This is due to the effect the diagonals have on balancing him with each stride. However, the canter is almost one-sided and extra strength and development are required of your horse in order to really ‘power’ into.  Power into it and then remain balanced through each stride.

    Preparing the Transition

    As with most things concerning riding, the preparation that leads up to the transition will have a massive outcome on the success of the transition itself

    See the trot as now being the foundation for setting up the canter.  Not only from a rhythm and balance point of view. But also with regards to developing strength through his body.  Use your half halts in the trot to begin asking for his hind legs to engage a little more. This may only be for a stride or two each time. However, it will allow him to begin building the muscles necessary for a good canter later.

    More Advanced Exercises for Your Young Horse

    Be Patient Through the Transition

    When you feel that you have prepared the trot enough, you can start thinking about the canter transition itself.  It is tempting to ‘push’ your horse into the canter at first. Using your upper body in particular.  However, throwing your upper body forward will only serve to unbalance him even further.

    Rather think of sitting up tall. 

    Then asking with the correct aids.  Including, perhaps most importantly, your voice and seat.  And, from here, allowing him to break into the canter himself.

    He may run for the first few strides of trot before then almost falling into the canter, but this is to be expected initially.  Your job is to remain balanced and ‘quiet’ throughout. This will help to build his confidence in his ability to actually move into the canter under the saddle.

    Make sure you follow through your body and also your hands and arms.  Catching him in the mouth or bouncing on his back, particularly in the first few transitions, will only serve to punish him. It may also cause him to associate the canter with anxiety and tension

    Once in the Canter

    Once he has actually transitioned into the canter, remain quiet but keep him moving forward.  Very often with a young horse, the canter may be a little ‘fast’ at first if forwardness is to be maintained.  This, again, is to be expected and rather allow him this. It will help him to begin to settle into this new gait and find his balance and rhythm himself.

    The canter requires quite a bit more effort from him than the trot, so he will probably tire quickly.

    Try to ask for the downward transition into a trot before he naturally breaks into trot himself.  

    You will usually feel the lack of energy in the canter, it will seem to become more strung out, rather than bounding forward.  Again, make sure you are balanced and quiet through the transition, using your voice and seat first.

    Re-Establish, Rinse & Repeat!

    As soon as he has come back into trot, begin the work of re-establishing a balanced rhythmic trot.  It may take quite a few strides initially, particularly after the first few canter to trot transitions… However, keep in mind that working forward in a balanced and rhythmic trot is something that your young horse knows how to do. So insist on it!

    Working in and out of the canter initially is a great way to begin developing your young horse for more prolonged and balanced canters.  

    Be sure that the trot is balanced and working before asking for the canter again each time.  Also, try to be consistent and regular with your aids both into the canter, while cantering, and then back into the trot.

    Developing Over Time

    Over time, your horse will begin to strengthen up and carry himself for longer periods, in a more balanced and rhythmic canter. The lenght of time will depend on many things.

    However, how mature your horse is and/or how much time you have spent working on the more foundational aspects of his schooling, will play a big role in how quickly he progresses, both physically, mentally & emotionally

    Continue to use the walk, trot, and halt to reinforce the aids and responsiveness.  Only when he has truly mastered the canter for longer periods can you then begin thinking about making adjustments within the canter itself.

    Initially, you will only ask for short canter periods each time, perhaps 5 or 6 strides of a better quality canter rather than laps of ‘racing’ and running around the arena, which will only serve to teach him how to incorrectly maintain the canter when being ridden.  Then slowly you can begin to apply the half halt in the canter itself, so to shorten the canter strides.

    Remember that forwardness is the foundation to all his gaits, so make sure that you keep him moving actively and with energy regardless of what you are asking.

    Schooling your young horse in the canter takes time and consistency. However, all the initial investment will pay off handsomely when your horse is able to maintain a balanced, forward-moving canter from which you can begin to make adjustments.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources for Equestrians

    Are you looking for step by step instructions to listen to as you ride your young horse? I have created 5 audio horse riding programs specifically focusing on this topic. To find out how you can get these lessons (and hundreds more) visit https://stridesforsuccess.com/join/