Circles; for something that we spend so much time ‘doing’ with our horses, many riders are more than a little confused when it comes to how to ride a circle. And while the basic ‘riding a circle’ is fairly simple and most all riders can manage, the issue of riding a well-balanced, good quality, well-maintained circle is what leaves many…
It is probably the most ridden shape for most riders, the trusty circle. And yet, a lot of circles are uninteresting, uninspiring, and (if we’re being completely honest here) a total waste of time for you and your horse. When ridden with a little intention and purpose, the trusty circle can become one of the greatest ways to develop your…
What does your average ride or training session with your horse look like? Do you have a riding routine that you follow? If yours is leaning towards, or if it already is, a little too predictable; maybe it’s time for a change? While riding the same sequence often can sometimes be beneficial to your riding and training (more on that…
What goes up, must come down. For every upward transition you ride with your horse, you will follow it, at some point, with a downward transition. For many riders, these can prove a little more complex to balance. Having to prepare and then guide both yourself and your horse ‘downwards’, while continuing to maintain forwardness, tension, and energy… It can…
How well do you ride upward transitions? For many riders, it can feel a little frustrating and ironic how many of them are anything but ‘upward’ as far as energy and lightness go! In fact, sometimes they can feel quite the opposite; flat. If you would like to improve your upward transitions, I want to break them down, step by…
Many riders have a desire to school and develop their own horse. Yet, a lot of these riders don’t actually know what horse riding skills they need in order to make this a reality. The fact of the matter is that you are always training your horse. Every single interaction. Through your actions, intentional or not, you are always communicating…
