There is a tendency for riders to ‘hold’ a little too much during the downward transitions. And while the half halt is essential to the preparation and transition itself… Too much can lead to a very ‘stuck’ feeling when the horse actually makes it into the new gait! A little like ‘stuck in the mud’. In this episode, I am…
Have you ever fallen into the trap of trying to actually get your horse to canter? It’s a sneaky one that hides in plain sight. And it is an exhausting one as well. The good news is that you’re not alone! Over the years, I have seen so many riders make this mistake. Because trying to make your horse canter,…
For many riders, posture is something that they rarely think a whole lot about. It’s a basic that you ‘set and forget’. Meaning, you figure out what it is and how it feels, and then you are diligent in putting it onto autopilot. Which then frees you up to focus on other things. And this works well; until it doesn’t……
There are some things that many of us simply accept in life. Rainy days. Horsehair is everywhere in Spring. The rhythm in the canter. And yet, while we cannot change the weather (okay, debatable) and we definitely cannot get around the necessary loss of the winter coat… The Rhythm in the canter is definitely something we can have a more…
All riders can be put into one of two categories when it comes to the canter… Those who can move their seat in the canter with their horse – and those who can’t. This is a bitter pill to swallow for those on the ‘can’t’ side of the fence. And yet, it is something that they would secretly love to…
Timing is something we all understand. When it is working for us, it feels good. If it’s a little off, things tend to feel rushed or stressed. I think our horses feel the same mixed bag of emotions and tension when the timing is off. In fact, bad timing often is the very thing that causes a ‘hop, skip, and…
