There’s a moment in every rider’s journey, whether you’ve just started learning to ride, or you’re returning after a break, when you suddenly become very aware of everything that’s not quite right… Maybe your leg moves too much. Or you bounce in the saddle. Perhaps you struggle with consistency with your reins – they’re either too long or too tight. Maybe your transitions feel unpredictable at best!
It’s like your brain has opened a spreadsheet of faults and hit “highlight all.” And while it’s good to know what needs work, unfortunately, that’s often when the overwhelm sets in!
Whether you’re a fairly newish rider or a novice coming back to it after a break, trying to fix everything at once doesn’t lead to progress. It leads to frustration. The key is to figure out what needs work first. What is the ‘domino’ you need to knock to create that positive ripple effect on everything else… And because what you focus on grows, this becomes your starting point.
You don’t need to fix everything. You just need to find the domino. The one piece that, when it shifts, starts to positively shift everything else, too
The Problem with “Everything”
When you’re learning something new or re-learning something old, it’s natural to feel like you need to improve all of it. Every aid, transition, the whole thing. And so often, our natural enthusiasm to improve can trick us into thinking that this is possible. It is – but not by tackling everything at once!
Yes, eventually, you will work on each of the pieces and improve them. But often these skills won’t develop simultaneously. They stack and layer over time. Strengthening each other as you grow…
And so often, they all tie back to one foundational weakness that’s quietly knocking everything else off balance. Just like a single domino at the start of a row, identifying that one point can bring ease, flow, and stability to everything else.
Your Job? Find That Domino
If you’ve been feeling a little frustrated that things are not happening fast enough for you in the saddle, this is probably what’s happening. You’re trying to do too much! Maybe you’re working on your posture, your position, your hands, your leg, your transitions, your turns… and the list keeps growing.
Instead of piling more on and ‘trying harder’, what if you worked on finding that ‘first domino’?
Often, that first domino is something simple, but powerful:
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- Your posture or position
- Your breath and tension
- The timing of your aids
- The consistency of your seat
- Whether you’re even mentally present for the ride
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‘Fixing’, changing or improving any one of those things can cause a chain reaction that improves everything else.
Riding with Intention, Not Overwhelm
Imagine mounting up and having one clear focus. Maybe it’s “Today I am going to work on maintaining my position and posture in halt, walk, and trot”. That’s it. Forget about all of the other things. Your goal is to maintain, as best you can, your ‘lines’ when working with your horse.
As you ride, you start to notice that your seat naturally begins to follow the horse more smoothly. Your hands soften without you trying. Your transitions feel more prepared, and your horse responds better.
That’s the domino effect. You didn’t “try harder.” Instead, you maintained your focus on something worth your time, attention, and energy. You were more strategic with your time in the saddle.
The Basics Are Not Just for Beginners
I know I say this a lot, but it’s always worth repeating. I see so many novice riders fall into the trap of thinking that they are somehow ‘less than’ because they are working on ‘basic stuff’. “I should be past this already.” or “I learned this years ago.”. I even hear the odd “This is beginner stuff.”
But here’s the thing… The basics are never behind you. They are beneath everything you’re doing. They are the foundation of everything else in your riding – so it stands to reason that they are worth the investment of your time and energy
Posture, balance, timing, effective aids, and all of the other basics are not just box-ticking skills from a checklist. They’re the structure that allows you to build progress ride after ride. It’s when they are weak, shaky, or even missing that problems tend to crop up.
Riding with Focus Is Riding with Power
When you ride intentionally, with curiosity and focus, you begin to shift the entire tone of your riding journey. You stop feeling ‘behind’. You become curious about why things are the way that they are, and what you can do to change them.
And, maybe most importantly of all, you stop chasing that elusive ‘perfect ride’. Instead, you give yourself the opportunity to become grounded. Aware. Calmly effective.
Both you and your horse will feel it. And that is the domino effect at work for you in your riding. Keep It Simple. To help you get started, here’s your invitation:
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- Before your next ride, choose your focus domino.
- Ride with that one intention in mind.
- Reflect afterward—what shifted because of that focus?
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One Focused Ride Can Change Everything
If there’s one thing to take away from all of this, let it be this: Real progress in your riding doesn’t come from trying to do more, or fixing everything at once. It comes from learning how to see what actually matters — and then focusing on that, with calm intention.
It’s in those quiet, focused moments — when you notice your breath matching your horse’s rhythm… or your seat starting to follow more fluidly… or your aids landing with clarity — that the real transformation happens. Because that’s when you stop being a passenger. And you start truly riding.
Want Help Finding Your Riding Domino?
If you’re ready to get unstuck and finally start seeing real, consistent progress in the saddle, I’d love to invite you to join me for a free live webinar next week: From Passenger to Rider: 3 Shifts to Fix Your Position, Your Aids & Your Confidence (Without Riding More, Starting Over, or Turning Your Rides Into Boring Drills)
Whether you’re new to riding or finding your feet again after time away, this class will give you the exact framework to identify what really needs your focus right now — and how to build on it without overwhelm. And there’s a special bonus for those who join me live — and I promise, it’s worth it.
Save your spot here: https://returningtoriding.com
Let this be the ride where it all starts to come together. You don’t need to do more. You just need to do the right thing, at the right time, in the right way.
Happy Riding
Lorna
Online Training to Help Your Riding
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- Upcoming ‘From Passenger to Rider’ Webinar Waitlist
- Daily Strides Premium – Audio Horse Riding Lessons for Riders
- Information on Virtual Horse Riding Lessons
- Pivo Motion Tracking Software (*affiliate link for 10% off your purchase)
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Connect with Lorna online:-
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- Connect in the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/dailystridespodcast
- Connect in the Virtual Stable Lounge Private Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499737810323191
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