It seems pretty simple, navigating a corner or bend with your horse. And yet, for many riders, this becomes a complicated task really quickly. The issue is not the turn or the bend. No, the issue is that they are trying to turn their horse, rather than simply setting things up and allowing their horse to turn. As the rider,…
What are your plans for your riding this week? Specific plans… Not what you think you will do. Or what you ‘might’ do if you have time… One of the biggest things that hold riders back, particularly riders who are working alone, is the lack of a plan. And this does not have to be the case. Yes, I get…
You can feel it when your horse ‘hollows’, right? And I bet you can also feel it when your horse ‘grows a hand’ and begins to carry himself. There is either a feeling of contraction or expansion. Okay, so because we agree on that, it makes sense that your horse can probably feel the same thing… Right? And yet, so…
Posture. It’s something that many people (equestrians or not) have memories of a parent or teacher correcting them on! And perhaps this is why many riders don’t want to hear about their posture when it comes to their riding. However, no matter what way you approach your riding, or what discipline you choose to work with your horse on, posture…
Self-carriage is a pretty big topic when it comes to riding and riders in general. And it should be. It is an important aspect when it comes to training moving in the right direction. However – you knew there was a ‘however’ coming, right?! Often we put the cart before the horse when it comes to self-carriage in riding. We…
Last week I caught myself telling a story. One about not really having a ’suitable’ horse to ride. Now, a while ago that was the case. However, now? Now I am blessed to have a farm filled with ‘suitable’ horses… Stories are a funny thing. They are usually part of an experience that was very real at some point. However,…