When it comes to horses, riding, and training rhythm is often misunderstood and taken for granted. I think this is because horses are generally good at creating a pattern, but also, we tend to simply accept the first version of rhythm that’s served up to us! And while that version will certainly be a pattern, it’s the quality we need…
Contact is something so many riders want to achieve when working with their horses. However, it’s always worthwhile remembering that your horse was not born knowing how to be ridden. This means that contact is something both of you must learn about and then refine through your work together. For many horses, the challenge is made even more difficult when…
This article was originally published on stridesforsuccess.com in January 2022 by Lorna Leeson How many hours do you devote to training your horse each week? Have you ever considered that you might just be the ‘team member’ that needs more work…? That you might just be the ‘cap’ on your horse’s progress in his training and his development? Regardless of…
If you enjoy jumping with your horse, riding that clear round is all important. Luckily there are a few key areas you can work on in your training that will help you to begin seeing more of them. Adjusting the length of your horse’s strides is just one of those. And it’s also a pretty useful exercise for all horses…
Dressage is a funny thing when we really think about it. Riders pay someone for their opinion on how well they are riding for those few minutes. And how well their horse is responding and performing for those few minutes. And yet, often when riders receive their marks, it can feel like harsh criticism! Remember, dressage is all about the…
As riders, we have all heard of the half halt. Many riders use it regularly to, let’s be honest, varying levels of success! And while it can be easy to say that your horse is just not all that responsive, and just leave it at that. I think a better plan would be to tweak your approach and see if…
