Does the thought of any sort of prolonged periods of sitting trot fill both you, your bum, and your horse’s back with a sense of dread?! Perhaps the find the more you try not to bounce; the higher you appear to go?! Sitting trot is probably one of the most confounding things to master when you first begin riding. And…
Feel… A hugely important component of successful horsemanship and something that is often considered as a talent that you are either gifted at birth with or your not! From years spent helping and watching people ride, I do agree that some people seem to have a more natural feel than others. However, I have also found that, often, riders who…
Do you find that often when you ride, your hands begin to do their own thing? Waving about, flagging some imaginary air traffic, conducting a symphony, or just bouncing up and down like a jack hammer?! To make this even more frustrating; it seems like the more you try to ‘quiet’ or ‘still’ your hands the worse the problem becomes……
There seems to be two types of riders in the world, those that love an OTTB and those that don’t! I am squarely in the former category and if you are also there, well make yourself comfortable because this week on Daily Strides we are focusing on basic exercises you can begin implementing with your OTTB today that will help…
Have you used ground poles in your schooling before? Do you perhaps think ground poles are only really useful for jumpers or competition horses? Ground poles are a fantastic tool for horses of all disciplines. They help to improve self-control, balance, focus, suppleness, elasticity, coordination (including hoof / eye) and strength in both the horse and the rider. Another added…
Have you tried it? For many riders, the mention of riding bareback is enough to see them running to the tack room for a saddle! However, for those that pluck up the courage – it can change so much… Bareback riding is a super way to improve your posture and position as well as balance, skills, and feel. However often…
