Is there a more frustrating and exhausting experience when riding to match that of being on a horse that is not paying you a blind bit of notice?! You are on board kicking and pumping away. And all the while your horse is just meandering along. Ignoring you completely and acting as though he is on a relaxing Sunday outing.…
Walking… Does your horse do it with a sense of purpose, or is he rather resembling a slowly rolling ball of jelly; going nowhere slowly? The problem many riders have is when we ask our horse to ‘walk on’, he becomes tense and stiff… The walk, when it is a good walk, should be forward-moving, unrestricted, and natural. There should…
Do you find that when you ask your horse for a more expressive trot, he just seems to begin running onto his forehand with you, becoming heavier and heavier with each stride? You’re not alone! Many riders set out looking to achieve an active, working trot… But due to lots of different factors, this can end up just ‘running’…
The half halt is possibly one of the most important tools riders have when communicating with their horses. It is also probably the most under-utilized! And this is particularly true where novice riders are concerned. As a trainer, I believe that if you can become more conscious of how and when you are using your half halt, you can begin…
There are certain times of the year when regular riding becomes a little struggle; winter can be one of them. Sometimes summer can be equally as troublesome for many riders. Due to this being an issue at some point or another for so many riders around the world, I thought it would be fun to try approaching this seeming ‘drawback’…
Is there a feeling similar to ‘that’ feeling? The one where you’re happily riding your horse and you begin to feel that subtle lift in your horses back underneath you. This ‘up’ feeling is often accompanied by perhaps a head shake, or a swish of the tail. You just know, with a growing sense of dread, that at any moment…
