Riders stop riding for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes, it’s a conscious choice; an injury, a change in circumstances, or a loss of confidence for example. Other times, life simply gets in the way. But whatever the reason, it doesn’t have to define your riding journey going forward. You’re maybe like many other riders, the reason that you’ve stopped was…
As riders, we can often have a very negative association with tension. Yet, without it, neither you nor your horse would remain upright! Take away the tension and both of you will go limp and become a ‘dead weight’ immediately. So, instead of seeing tension as the enemy – it’s key to begin reshaping your understanding and your ‘practice’ of…
If lunging is just not working for you and your horse, there is a whole element that you are missing out on when it comes to your training and your work together. In the previous Daily Strides Podcast episode and post, I spoke about 5 ways that you, the person lunging, might be struggling. In this post, I want to…
Hands up if, at some point in your riding journey, you’ve been guilty of thinking that lunging was a simple matter of your horse going in circles. Don’t feel bad, I’ve been there too. Most riders have, and so many still are! Lunging is so much more than just running in circles. It is an amazing way to connect with…
As a rider, I bet that part of what you love about being an equestrian is the bond that you have with your horse. However, this bond, for many riders, takes time to develop and strengthen. This is because building a connection with your horse takes more than just time in the saddle. It requires attention. As well as understanding,…
Just last week, I noticed a rider literally dragging their horse from the stables towards the arena. The rider was about a meter in front of the horse’s head. Her face was red with effort! And her horse was literally going nowhere slowly. It occurred to me that so many riders make things really difficult for themselves by not having…
