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…
Jumping, it has the ability to thrill and to strike fear into riders, sometimes all at once! However, if approached in a systematic and patient manner, most of the fear will dissipate allowing both you and your horse to enjoy jumping; whether it be a pop every now and then, or a trip round a course of fences weekly at a local…
Have you ever found yourself riding a hot horse where the slightest touch of your leg sends them shooting forward with the speed of a snake strike? Even worse, once they start on that forward trajectory, they get heavier and heavier on your hand. It becomes more and more unbalanced until, eventually, there is an epic tug of war happening. …
A couple of weeks ago I was faced with a particularly irritating scenario; the clients who had booked for the final lesson of the day didn’t show… Not a word of explanation… Nothing! I am sure you have had similar experiences, whether you work with horses or not, and can relate to how I was feeling at that point; tired, frustrated and annoyed!…
There’s always a desire among riders to develop their seat in the saddle. Most riders understand that developing this one aid is a key part of improving as a rider. But what does it really mean? And how can you start to do it? Developing your riding seat begins with understanding that your seat must be used to signal to…
