Strides for Success

Tag: audio horse riding lessons

  • Working with an Online Equestrian Coach or Trainer

    Working with an Online Equestrian Coach or Trainer

    Working with an Online Equestrian Coach or Trainer

    As equestrians, we may be at the point where we need to face up an uncomfortable truth; ‘normal’ may not be returning for quite a while.  Harsh, but true.  Simply put, I feel that this means that this is as good a time as any to begin settling in and making yourself comfortable with this ‘new normal’.   For now, anyway.

    [smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1144-Working-with-an-Online-Equestrian-Coach-or-Trainer.mp3″ title=”Working with an Online Equestrian Coach or Trainer” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Thinking of taking a virtual riding lesson? 3 ‘checks’ to consider first…” hashtag=”virtuallesson #equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    The lives of so many riders have changed dramatically over the course of the past 90 or so days.  Things we took for granted have become coveted luxuries.

    Time in the saddle is one of these things for many riders.  For others, it is being able to work with a trainer or instructor in order to keep developing and moving forward.

    However, even in the midst of all this uncertainty, there are ways of making it work.  There are resources out there that, up until now, maybe you would have never considered.  You simply didn’t have to!

    But, in this ‘new normal’, these once unconventional resources are the very thing that will help you continue to improve and develop your skills as an equestrian.  And, help you to continue to develop your horse as well.

    My Experience as an Online Equestrian Coach

    I have been training and coaching riders online for seven years now.  Long before Zoom was a household name!  In that time I have discovered a few key areas that determine whether or not someone will benefit from online coaching.  That is what I want to share with you today.

    If you are considering working with an online equestrian coach or trainer, see the following points as a checklist…  Check that you are ready to show up in all the areas mentioned and then make your decision based on that.

    Q1. Are you Coachable? ☑️

    The first point is one that, at face value, most riders will reply something along the lines of ‘Yes, of course, I am” to. However, I want you to dig a little deeper here.   Coachable means that you are open to new suggestions. New or different methods.

    It means that you are open to trying new things in your riding style and method, often things that you may have previously disregarded or not had much success with?

    A willingness to learn and be open to new things is essential when working with any trainer or coach.  However, when online it really becomes important because of the lack of in-person contact.  At the end of the day, it comes down to the rider’s commitment to being coached.

    It is far easier to continue to inspire someone to keep going when I am in the same arena as that person.  It becomes a lot more difficult virtually.

    Q2. Are You Willing to Show up? ☑️

    Again, this is a question most riders will automatically say yes to, without giving it a second thought.  However, and again this is from experience, it takes commitment to be consistent virtually!  I have had many experiences over the years where the training session was scheduled.  I jumped on the call; only to be stood up.   The most annoying part of it all is that it usually was because ‘something came up’ in the other person’s day.

    A couple of months ago, I found myself in this same situation again.  Stood up.  When we did eventually get in contact with the rider, she had simply over-scheduled herself.  ‘Overly ambitious’ were her words.

    The thought struck me; if it was an in-person lesson and we were meeting in the arena, would she have also been a no-show?  I can almost bet the answer to that is no.

    And yet, many people see online as being not as important.  Less relevant somehow.  Time is time.  When you schedule an appointment with someone, you are scheduling their time.  If you are to successfully work with an online equestrian coach or trainer, you need to see ‘online’ as being equal to ‘in-person’.

    Q3. Are You Willing to Do the Work? ☑️

    And yes, another ‘but of course!’ question when we ask it first.  But really.  Working with an online equestrian coach or trainer means that you must be able to hold yourself accountable.  And, in my experience, it is this accountability that many riders struggle with.

    There are a whole host of ways to build accountability into your riding, I have a post HERE listing a few.  My suggestion is that, if you do decide to enlist the services of a virtual or online equestrian coach or trainer, put a few in place BEFORE you begin your coaching.  Accountability is easy when the going is good.  When you are finding success with your horse and you are making progress.

    However, accountability is essential when the opposite shows up in your riding.  And it will show up.  When things are tough.

    The times when you can’t seem to get the exercises correct or your horse is not cooperating.  When things are not going to plan is the very time when you should double down and stay the course.  However, it is also the time when it will become easier to embellish, exaggerate or tell an outright porkie or two about your efforts and progress!

    Accountability is being able to honestly communicate how things went with your trainer and then working with them to steer things back on track again.

    Working with an Online Equestrian Coach or Trainer

    So there you have it, 3 simple questions:-

        • Are you coachable?
        • Are you willing to show up?
        • Are you willing to do the work?

    If you can honestly, hand over heart, answer yes to all of the above; congrats!  You are ready to take this new step in your riding journey.  Again, this may not have been the solution you had in mind when you started out 2020.  However, as the world begins trying to navigate this new territory, this is one of the most accessible ways for riders to continue to be coached or instructed.

    And, in my experience, there is often added benefits to working with an online equestrian coach or trainer such as being able to review the lesson, over and over.  As many times as you need.

    No, it is not the same as having an instructor in the arena with you, but right now, it might just be even better.  You get to continue your journey with your horse, from the relative safety of your own arena or paddock.  For many riders, that beats putting both themselves and their families at risk of contracting or spreading the virus, hands down.

    Another bonus to virtual lessons is that you get a digital journal of your progress in your riding and lessons you can ‘retake’ time and again with your horse.

    If you are interested in online training and virtual riding lessons, you can find out more CLICK HERE and HERE.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Other Resources for This Topic

    Equestrian Fitness Challenge ’24

    Let’s walk together for 21 days and have a chat about how you can do much more than you think you can as a rider and an equestrian… I am so excited to bring you along on this journey for the 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    There will be a daily walk, a 10 minute daily yoga practice, and lots of tips, ideas, exercises, and ways to improve so that you can show up as the best version of you – for you and your horse.
    Sign up today and let’s transform your riding – one stride at a time! 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge

    Connect with Lorna online:-

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! You can use the first and original audio horse riding lessons to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, and have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

  • Working Together on Your Trot – Audio Training

    Working Together on Your Trot

    Are you open to having a little fun together today in your riding?  If so, I have created this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast for you to listen to as you ride your horse.   If you are subscribed to the podcast already, you will find this episode on the date it was originally published; the 20th of January 2020.

    [smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1132-Lets_Work_Together_A_Little_on_Your_Trot.mp3″ title=”Let’s Work Together on Your Trot” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Going riding later today? Give this a listen while in the saddle…” hashtag=”equestrian #horselover” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    If you are not already subscribed to the Daily Strides Podcast – why not?!  You can find all the detail and subscribe using your favorite app HERE.

    Okay, so assuming that you have now gone ahead and found the episode on your phone, I suggest giving it a listen now and then again when you are actually riding your horse.

    The goal is to increase your awareness around what you are doing while in the trot in order to more positively influence the trot itself.

    Other Episodes to Help with Trot:-

    There are a few more episodes of the podcast I wanted to bring your attention to that also deal with this topic or support some principles mentioned in this episode.

    Remember, start somewhere, and then build from there…

    Working Towards a Consistently Better Quality Trot

    When was the last time you went out riding with the sole intention of improving your trot?  Trotting is a gait we spend a lot of time when in the saddle.  Yet, for many riders, it is an afterthought in their schooling plan…

    I think the reason for this is due to most riders feeling like they have ‘mastered’ the trot when they can manage a few ‘up-downs’ without being bounced out of the saddle!  It tends to get put on auto-pilot after that point, and promptly forgotten about it!

    If this has been the case for you and your horse, today is the day we take the trusty trot off of auto-pilot and begin consciously working on establishing and maintaining a better-quality gait.  Read More…

    Conscious Transitions Between Walk and Trot

    So there you are, walking along and at some point or another, you find yourself having to ask for trot.  You might walk a little faster, perhaps include a little jig jog or two until, 4 or 5 seconds later, you are finally trotting.

    This is not ideal at all!  But what is it about transitions between walk and trot, and not just walk to trot, but also trot to walk, that has a lot of us think they are not so important?

    Is it because it is the first real transition up the gears that we usually get to grips with when learning to ride? Most riders will have experienced going from walk to trot within the first lesson or three.  Or is it because we become so used to the trot being a wee bit bouncy, to begin with, that we are less than careful about trying to create a smooth transition into it?

    Whatever the reason, the transitions between walk and trot are some of the most overlooked by riders and it’s a pity because it is a transition that when given the attention it deserves, it can really and truly change your whole experience in the saddle and help you create that seamless communication between rider and horse. READ MORE…

    Finding the Correct Diagonal in Trot

    There you are, happily trotting around the arena, delighted at the fact that you can ‘post’ correctly; until someone goes and bursts your bubble by pointing out that you are on the wrong diagonal…  “Sit for two” they shout your way…  And you’re thinking ‘Come again?’!

    Being on the correct diagonal is to do with rising or posting to the trot.  We know that when our horse trots, his legs move in diagonal pairs, the front inside with the back outside and the front outside with the back inside.

    Your horse’s way of traveling, in diagonal pairs, is what creates the two-time beat that we experience in trot.  The 1,2,1,2,1,2…  or, when we rise or post to the trot, the up, down, up, down, up, down.  READ MORE…

    Rising or Posting to the Trot

    Have you ever sat down (no pun intended) and thought about how correct your rising or posting in trot actually is?

    Rising or posting in trot is one of the first aspects we learn when starting out riding a horse… We happily spend hours trotting around the arena or along the trail, up-down, up-down, up-down, without ever stopping to consider if the movement we are performing is helping or hindering our horse, or our own performance as a rider.

    The trot is a two-time beat, 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2. This 1 2 is caused when the pairs of diagonal legs move together underneath you; off-fore with near hind (creating the 1) and then near fore with off hind (creating the 2).

    Understanding and Refining Your Halt Halt

    Riding horses is all about balance.  It’s a balance between your aids, it’s actual balance sitting on your horse.  However, one of the most essential, yet difficult balancing acts is the half halt.  There is an ever-shifting balance between the aids, the rider and the horse.  In this episode, I want to dig a little deeper into the half halt with some practical advice you can use immediately to get results.

    What is the half-halt?

    The half-halt is a communication aid between you and your horse.  It is your way of bringing your horse’s attention back to you, in order for you to then give directions about what you want him to do.  READ MORE…

    Increasing Your Horses General Responsiveness

    Are your horse’s response times a little dismal?  Do find yourself asking… and then waiting… followed by maybe asking again…  then maybe, just maybe, on the fourth or fifth request, you are lucky enough to get a response?!  Responsiveness is the factor that can make all the difference with you and your horse when working together.

    Riding is a little like day-to-day life in this regard; quick response to something will often set the tone for how the relationship will proceed from that point.  Slow or non-existent response times lead to frustration, hold-ups, loss of attention and energy.  They leave an overall bad taste in your mouth.  READ MORE…

    All the Episodes Straight to Your Phone

    Remember, you can get all the above episodes and hundreds more straight to your phone when you subscribe to the Daily Strides Podcast.  There are new episodes published every Monday and are perfect for helping you to do more with your 50% of the ride.

    Happy Riding

    Lorna

    Other Resources to Help you in Your Riding:

  • Become Crystal Clear on Counter Canter

    Become Crystal Clear on Counter Canter

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    You have finally managed to truly be able to dictate what lead your horse strikes off with, each time, in the canter.  The shouts of ‘Wrong Leg’ following you around the arena are a thing of the past… However, now everything you have learned is being turned a little on its head when you realize that sometimes, you can indeed canter on the ‘wrong leg’!

    Cantering is fantastic.  And when we are learning how to canter we tend to become a little obsessive about being ‘on the correct lead’.  It is often drummed into us as being the ‘inside front leg’.  So, it goes without saying that the potential to get more than a little confused when counter canter is first introduced is quite high for most riders!

    Why Counter Canter?

    So why do we bother with counter canter?  Counter canter is a great way to increase your horse’s balance and suppleness.  It also gives both his brain and his body a great workout.

    The counter canter will help to maintain a level of discipline and responsiveness to your aids. 

    This is because you are asking for your horse to not just assume what must happen (such as a flying change or a change of lead), but, to rather wait for your instructions and then follow them.   It is also a great way to increase collection in the canter through the use of the half-halt.

    Is Your Horse Ready for Counter Canter?

    However, it is really important to first make sure that your horse is indeed ready for the counter canter.  Being ready will entail being able to ride a balanced canter.  Also, to be able to change gears within the canter to some degree.  So, shortening and lengthening the stride in the canter.

    It also involves moving forward off your leg and a certain level of self-carriage in your horse, as you ideally want him to lighten the front end while performing the counter canter.

    Becoming Crystal Clear on the Counter Canter

    Inside Versus Outside

    Another factor that can have a big influence on the success of the movement is how the rider perceives ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ when riding their horse.  We are generally thought at the beginning of our training that the inside is the side closest to the middle of the arena or circle.  This, in turn, makes the outside being the side closest to the rail.

    However, as our knowledge and understanding of riding grows, it’s important to ‘update’ this thinking with the true meaning.

    The inside and outside are dictated by the flexion of your horse.  

    So with the counter canter, the inside is the side that is leading the canter, the leading front leg of the canter.

    Straightness in the Canter

    The other extremely important prerequisite is straightness, both through the canter itself, but also in the transitions both in and out of the canter.  Very often, we riders tend to get a little carried away with the concept of our ‘inside leg’, particularly in the canter.  It can often be to the point where our horses are essential doing travers or haunches in as they canter.  I think this is due to riders hearing all the time that the horse must be ‘bent around’ the inside leg’.

    I find that thinking of your inside leg as being more of a ‘wall’ that keeps your horse going in the direction you want is more helpful.  Then using your outside rein as the second wall, will help you remember to keep your horse straight between the two.  

    Yes, there is a slight flexion to the inside, but your horse’s back-end and front end must continue on the same track.

    Moving Off the Track…

    Therefore your horse’s responsiveness and understanding of your aids and what you are asking are also vitally important.  Particularly the fact that he must not always move away from your outside leg.  In the counter canter, you will ask him to place a little more of his weight on his outside hind leg, and you will use your outside leg to ask for this increased engagement.

    If your horse only knows your outside leg to mean he must move away or over, he will begin curling his hindquarters away from your leg, rather than maintaining the straightness you desire.  This is essential for using his outside hind leg to create the energy required to keep the balance and rhythm in the canter.

    The reason I mention this here is that very often when a rider is riding counter canter, the hindquarters are being forced out rather than maintaining the track the front end has created.

    Let’s say you are tracking right, and riding counter canter (so cantering on the left lead).  Your horse’s hindquarters must not swing out more to the left as your round the bend to the right, they must rather continue to follow the shoulders, which will create a path and an arc on the circle or track you have chosen.

    Walk to Canter

    So assuming your horse is capable of all the above, you can begin thinking about counter canter.  I like to first introduce the concept of using walk to canter on the long side of the arena.  The reason for this is, if you have not asked for a counter canter previously, your horse will be so used to the true canter, that he may quickly become confused and frustrated by the rules suddenly being changed.

    Begin by testing your horse’s responsiveness to your aids.  

    As you are warming up your horse and then beginning to work him, use your half halts to begin engaging him a little more, both his body and his attention.  Ask for circles and turns, on both reins to loosen him up and also, tune in his responsiveness to your inside leg.

    Transitions within the Canter

    From here, in the canter itself, ask for transitions (lengthening and shortening) within the canter.  As you canter, begin to collect things up a little more.

    Remember, when you are collecting your horse must continue to move forward.  Ride the ‘can – ter’  ‘can – ter’  ‘can – ter’.  Test if you can maintain forwardness, rhythm, balance and straightness while doing so.

    When you are sure that your horse is responsive and carrying himself sufficiently, ask for a walk down one of the long sides of the school, however about 2 meters from the outside track.  The reason I say this is because very often our horses associate the outside track with cantering on the correct or true lead.

    Your aim here is to have him listening to you and also in the frame of mind that ‘anything is possible’.  

    Before you reach the middle of the long side (E or B if your arena is marked) ask for the walk to counter canter transition.

    Initial Counter Canter Attempts

    You may find that your horse gets a little confused initially.  He may not be quite sure where to put his legs and may even do a flying change one or two strides into the canter.  If the transition is less than great, bring him back to walk, circle around and repeat the process, but this time adding a few more half halts beforehand, so your horse is really paying attention.

    Once he is in counter canter, allow him to canter on and round the bend in a large arc.  Do not try to ride into the corners or to make a small curve or semicircle.

    Try to maintain the ‘can – ter’  ‘can – ter’  ‘can – ter’  and also, try to keep the hind legs in line with the shoulders as you are riding.  I find that focusing on the ‘channel’ between the inside leg and the outside rein often helps with this.

    Improving Each Attempt

    When you have ridden a semicircle or half circle in the counter canter and are on the other long side of the arena, bring him back to walk.  Use your time in the walk to assess how the counter canter went;

        • Was the rhythm maintained throughout?
        • Did the canter continue to move forward or did it get a little sticky in places?
        • Was your horse straight through the shoulders and hindquarters?
        • Did he respond to your aids and then wait for your further instruction?

    When you and your horse are confident riding the counter canter in larger shapes you can then begin to ask for more difficult turns as well as moving into the counter canter by changing the rein in the canter but not changing the leg.

    Developing the Counter Canter

    Movements such as serpentines, where I would initially suggest a 2 looped serpentine, and shallow loops can be incorporated into your schooling session.  Also, look out for any stiffness on one side or the other and work towards loosening and then developing your horse slowly over time, so he can perform the movement to the same degree on both sides.

    The counter canter can seem confusing to both horse and rider which is why I again stress the importance of making sure your horse is ready for it before you introduce it.

    Happy Riding

    Lorna

    Additional Resources to Help with This Topic

  • Retraining a Horse that Evades Your Contact

    Retraining a Horse that Evades Your Contact

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    Are there days where your horse’s camel impression is worryingly accurate?  He lounges along, his back all strung out resembling a cable that’s sole purpose is to work against you.  His neck stretched out in what must be an extremely uncomfortable way, his nose pointing skyward…  And it seems that all your efforts to establish a correct contact are falling on deaf ears?!

    Or perhaps your horse is the other end of the spectrum? As soon as you pick up a contact he curls his head so his lips are close to touching his chest… Leaving you with loopy reins that have no contact at all with said horse’s mouth?!

    The unfortunate fact is that horses evade contact in many different ways and for many different reasons which all have the potential to ruin a good performance or ride.  However before we go any further, let’s get clear on what is correct, ‘true contact when riding a horse…

    What is True Contact?

    Contact is your connection with your horse through your rein aid.  You must offer a stable, consistent contact through your hand and rein, which in turn, your horse will then accept with his mouth.  However, the contact that we can ‘see’ in the above description is merely the end result of a lot of other communications and aids.

    Things that are ongoing and happening between horse and rider. Their culmination is what produces a consistent, soft, and accepting contact.

    In order to create correct contact, the horse must be moving forward from behind.  So the rider must first work on activating the hindquarters, then allowing that energy to connect through to the front, before they can then harness and direct it using their contact.

    Responsibility and Responsiveness

    In order to achieve correct contact you need to be responsible and your horse must be responsive.

    This means that you are conscientious in how you ask for and respond to your horse’s contact that will cause no discomfort or pain to your horse.  He must be perceptive and reactive to your aids when he receives them.

    Very often riders forget or just don’t know about the first, vitally important, responsibility on their part in order to achieve a correct contact. Because of this, they become focused on ‘head carriage’.  Or if their horse is ‘on the bit’.

    Instead, I want you to think of contact as being the result of a carefully set up and orchestrated use of your different aids when in the saddle. And this culminates in your horse accepting your conscientious, soft, and elastic contact.

    How Does a Horse Evade the Contact?

    So, how does a horse evade the bit or contact?  Horses generally do this in a few different ways.  They either become ‘above the bit’. This is where their noses are ‘skyward’ and the whole back, from tail to ears, is hollow.

    Or they can also become ‘behind the bit’. This is when they begin to curl their head and neck back towards their body, nose to chest, which leaves the rider very little options when it comes to contact at all.

    Lastly, there are some horses that when you have ‘closed’ all open doors, will still try to evade by wriggling around, never truly connecting with the rider through the reins at all.  It feels like someone has replaced your horse with an eel!

    Retraining a Horse that Evades Your Contact

    Why Does a Horse Evade the Contact?

    All of the above descriptions lead to a less than pleasant picture to look at. And all also look extremely uncomfortable for the horse!  So what is it exactly that brings them to act like this?

        • The rider is asking incorrectly – This can be due to ignorance or incorrect training on the riders part.  Very often riders will only focus on their horse’s head and where it is, rather than what is happening underneath them that is leading their horse to travel like that.
        • Unsteady contact from the rider – Many riders continue to do this, even though they understand and know about the importance of a steady and ‘safe’ contact for their horse.

    Some riders continue to use the reins as a safety harness rather than work on developing an independent seat.

        • The horse is unbalanced – Young and underdeveloped horses will find it difficult to accept a contact for any great length of time.  This needs to be worked on and developed slowly, over time, using correct aids and techniques, in a way the horse can understand and trust.
        • Over or incorrect use of a gadget or training aid – This is particularly evident with the usage of draw reins, where horses begin to evade the contact by coming behind the vertical or bit.
        • The horse’s conformation makes him more inclined to travel like this initially
        • Physical discomfort – Such as pain in the back due to tack or another disease or injury.  Also problems with teeth and correct fitting of the bit.  All physical discomfort should be ruled out before continuing on with and retraining your horse.

    Contact as a Development Step

    So often we think of contact as being just holding the reins, however the contact that you create is so much more than that.  This is both in terms of communication between horse and rider and also as a vital piece to moving on up the training scale with your horse later.

    It is your job as the rider to create or provide a contact that is consistent, kind, soft, following yet effective.  

    Once you have done this, your horse can then accept this contact and trust you that you won’t catch him in the mouth or drop him by releasing and letting go of the contact.

    Your level of contact will depend on how much energy you are asking your horse to create with his hind quarters.  Contact is merely gathering up and then giving that energy some focused direction of where to go

    Therefore it is impossible to have contact if you horse is not using his hind quarters to push himself forward  and having forward energy.  It is the lack of this forward momentum that causes a horse to begin to lean or become heavy on your hand and essentially evade the bit.

    Reschooling a More Correct Contact

    So assuming that you have an independent seat and your hands are thoughtful and balanced, once a horse has begun to evade how can you then begin to re-school or retrain him to a better way of going? Nne where he is happy to accept your contact?

        • Forwardness & Responsiveness
        • Rhythm
        • Suppleness
        • Straightness

    Begin working on assessing how responsive your horse is to your aids.  If you ask for more, does he respond and begin creating a little more energy into his movement?  Is this response immediate or does he think about it for a few steps?  If his response time is a little ‘wanting’ I suggest carrying a schooling whip and backing up your leg aids with it each time he shows begins to procrastinate or ignore your aids.

    Once he is responsive then make sure he is indeed moving forward, pushing from behind.  It is impossible to direct what is not there, so make sure your horse is using his hindquarters with each stride.

    Then work on creating a rhythm in the gait you have chosen.  I suggest working on a 20m circle, and using half halts and transitions on the circle to further engage the hindquarters as your horse is working.

    Straightness to Enhance Contact

    Straightness is important.  Firstly to correctly channel the energy where you want it to go. But also so you can quickly lock any doors that your horse will try to open once you have blocked his initial ‘evade of choice’!

    Many horses will look for another way of evading when you shut down the initial window of opportunity!

    Finally, don’t be afraid of creating contact with your horse while riding.  Many riders are worried about hurting their horse’s mouth, or pulling on the reins and never truly get to experience and feel how wonderful it is to communicate with their horse in a consistent, safe, following contact.

    Happy Riding

    Lorna

    Additional Resources for Equestrians:-

    Retraining a horse that Evades Your contact

  • The Correct Diagonal In Trot

    The Correct Diagonal In Trot

    Finding the Correct Diagonal in Trot

    There you are, happily trotting around the arena, delighted at the fact that you can ‘post’ correctly; until someone goes and bursts your bubble by pointing out that you are on the wrong diagonal…  “Sit for two” they shout your way…  And you’re thinking ‘Come again?’!

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/SFA486-Finding-the-Correct-Diagonal-in-Trot.mp3″ title=”Finding the Correct Diagonal in Trot” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Struggling with your diagonal in the trot? This will help (no looking required!) ” hashtag=”trotting #horseriding #equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    What is the Diagonal in the Trot?

    Being on the correct diagonal is to do with rising or posting to the trot.  We know that when our horse trots, his legs move in diagonal pairs, the front inside with the back outside and the front outside with the back inside.

    Your horses way of travelling, in diagonal pairs, is what creates the two-time beat that we experience in trot.  The 1,2,1,2,1,2…  or, when we rise or post to the trot, the up, down, up, down, up, down.

    Posting or rising on the correct diagonal in trot is when you are sitting or down when your horse’s outside shoulder (and inside hind leg) are on the ground.  This means that you are rising or posting when the same outside shoulder and inside hind leg and moving forward.

    There is a well-known ‘rhyme’ to help riders remember which diagonal pair is the correct one to post.  It goes ‘Rise and fall to the leg by the wall’.  This pertains to the front leg closest to the wall, or the outside shoulder, which when we are first being introduced to a diagonal, is the easiest way to establish if you are correct or incorrect.

    So, Why Worry About Which Diagonal You’re On?

    Remembering which diagonal is the correct one is important.  However, understanding the reason you ride on one diagonal or the other will help you move forward in your riding training.

    It actually has little to do with the outside front leg, or shoulder.  It has more to do with the inside hind leg, the other half of the diagonal pair to the outside front leg, which is creating the energy and impulsion in the trot.

    As your horses inside hind leg comes onto the ground, this is the point where he is most balanced.  

    Your being ‘down’ at this point will help to maintain this balance, particularly around turns, bends and circles.

    Using Diagonals to Help with Equal Development

    The other consideration or factor with riding the correct diagonal is that you are equally conditioning or working your horse’s back and hind end.

    As your horse trots, his hind legs are constantly pushing him forward.  If you were to always ‘sit’ or be in the ‘down’ part of your rising trot on the same hind leg, that constant one sidedness would begin to show itself over time in a lack of suppleness through your horse’s back.

    Therefore, while you are in an arena or an enclosed space and assuming you are working your horse equally on both sides, you can use the wall or fence as your ‘outside’ reference.  

    However, as soon as you leave the arena and perhaps are on the trail or the road, there is no ‘outside’ or ‘inside’.  When posting to the trot along a long straight road, it can be easy to forget about diagonals.  This can potentially be an issue for your horse.  This is because your outside and inside may not change for long periods, if ever.

    Therefore it is important that you are consistently changing your diagonal periodically throughout the ride.

    Learning to Feel which Diagonal You Are On

    Learning to feel which diagonal you are on at any given time takes consistent effort and focus on your part.  You should aim to eventually be able to literally feel which diagonal you are riding on at any given stride.  I will explain more about that later in this post.

    However, initially I recommend using  your eyes to make sure you are indeed riding on the correct diagonal.  Seeing is much easier than feeling initially. And you can use your sight to ‘train’ your feel over time. 

    I suggest beginning in walk where you can learn to distinguish, using a glance of your eyes, where your horse’s outside shoulder is at any given time.   The term glance is an important one here/  This is because if we begin to lean or even tilt our head down to see what is going on with the shoulder, it changes our weight in the saddle.  This will, in turn, unbalance our horse.

    So, while you are walking, glance down at the outside shoulder and notice it going back and forward.  Many instructors will recommend noticing the forward and coupling this with your ‘rise’ or ‘post’.

    In my experience it is far easier for you as a rider to notice the ‘back’ part of your horse’s stride.  Once you have that pinpointed, you simply couple this with the ‘down’ or ‘sit’ part of your rising trot.

    While in the walk practice your posting or rising to correlate or synchronise with your horse’s outside shoulder position in every stride.  It also helps to say it out loud; “back,    back,    back,     back” and again, match this with your ‘down’ action.

    Putting This into Practice in the Trot Itself

    From here you can begin to pick up working trot.  However, this time, before you give any notice to your horse’s shoulder, I recommend you say “back” each time you are down or sitting as you are going through the motions of your posting or rising to the trot.  Saying it out loud, will help as well.  Once you have been repeating this for a few strides, where it becomes almost like a rhythmical mantra of sorts, you can then begin to glance down and see where your horse’s shoulder is.

    The reason I suggest repeating your new ‘back, back, back” mantra out loud is that you may find it difficult to keep paying attention to what you are doing, while also figuring out where your horse’s shoulder is!  It all happens quite fast when actually working through this.

    So, while you are repeating “Back” each time you sit, you can begin to see if this does indeed align with your horse’s shoulder being back at the same time.   If it does, fantastic, you are on the correct diagonal.

    Changing Your Diagonal

    However, if you see that you are rising on the incorrect diagonal, you can simply sit for two.  This means that as you are going up, down, up, down, up, down with the trot, you will put two downs in there.  Your sequence will be up, down, up, down, down, up down, up, down.  

    By sitting for two beats, or indeed any even number (four, six, eight etc) you will swap your diagonal and when you go ‘up’ again, it will be on the opposite diagonal.

    Developing Your ‘Feel’ For Your Diagonal

    Once you are able to tell which diagonal you are on with just a quick glance, you can begin to develop your ability to feel the correct diagonal.  Again, I am going to suggest beginning in the walk.

    First notice how your seat bones move backwards and forwards.  It can initially feel like they are moving together, but try to isolate this a little more; they are actually moving individually.

    Then begin to take notice of how they move up and down as well.  For example, as your left seat bone moves forward, it will have ‘dipped’ lower than your right seat bone. As this is happening, your right seat bone will also be on the move.  It will be moving backwards, and will be higher than your other seat bone.

    This backwards, forward, up and down feeling you are noticing is happening because your horse is moving.  His hips are moving your hips and seat bones.  What is important is to recognise that his hips are moving, because his hind legs are moving.

    Therefore, if you start to become mindful of how your seat bones are moving and where they are moving to, you will know exactly what is happening with your horses legs.

    Feeling the Movement in the Sitting Trot

    Once you can feel this movement in the walk, you can begin working in sitting trot.  Many riders think of sitting trot as being a purely up and down movement, however, this will change when you begin to focus your attention on your hips and what they are doing as you ride the sitting trot.

    You will feel that at each ‘bounce’ (beat one) of the trot stride, one of your hips will be higher than the other one.  The next bounce (beat two) will produce the same result, but on the opposite side.

    This is caused by the diagonal pairs of your horse’s legs in the trot moving underneath you.  From here, you can begin to isolate what your outside hip is doing.  When it is up, you can begin to rise at that point in the trot.  This will be the posting part of your trot.

    You rise as your horse’s inside hind leg is moving forward underneath you and as his outside shoulder is moving forward.  You will then ‘sit’ as your horse’s inside hind leg and outside shoulder are on the ground and your horse’s body is moving over them.

    The Correct Diagonal Impacts Your Horses Development

    As mentioned, when you are riding on the correct diagonal, your horse more balanced on turns and circles.  However, the correct diagonal will also affect your horses way of ‘going’.

    When on the correct diagonal, as his inside hind leg moves up and forward, you are rising along with it out of the saddle.  This literally frees up more ‘space’ for your horses inside hind leg to move into.  

    The more developed both you and your horse become, the greater the importance of this ‘space’.  As riders, we want to give our horse instructions, aids, when they will be most effective for our horse to take action on.

    How our horse engages or uses his inside hind leg is one of the biggest factors in the quality of the gaits our horse produces.  The balance, rhythm, tempo and just overall performance.  Therefore knowing where your horse’s hind legs are at any given time, regardless of the gait you are in, will help you to begin timing the application of your aids more effectively. 

    Developing Your Ability to Ride the Correct Diagonal in Trot

    Effective application of aids and timing of aids leads to clearer communication between horse and rider.  It has a direct impact on the overall quality of the conversation in the saddle.

    Therefore it makes sense to take the time to begin learning what is moving when underneath you; and then implementing that in your day-to-day riding.

    Happy riding!

    Lorna

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  • Working Long and Low

    Working Long and Low

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    So often when we are riding, relaxation for both ourselves and our horse is one of the goals for the ride.  This being so, you may have tried working him long and low. And probably during warming up or cooling off.

    However, you may also have noticed that asking your horse to work long and low can be pretty hit and miss…  He might get faster and faster as he becomes really unbalanced and begins falling onto his forehand…

    What is Long and Low?

    Working your horse long and low involves stretching and elongating his topline, from the tail to the poll.  

    It helps to build his topline, strengthening the ‘suspension’ muscles underneath you and also, create more longitudinal suppleness, which will benefit your horse greatly while being ridden.  So often when riding we think of suppleness as bending and flexing from left to right and while this is true, this is lateral suppleness.

    Working your horse long and low helps with his elasticity and flexibility from tail to poll, along his back, which is essential to his correct development.

    Riding your horse long and low

    Increasing Flexion with Long & Low

    When riding your horse in a long and low frame, you will feel his hindquarters swinging underneath you.  This is due to the muscles in his back becoming more supple and loosening up.  This can only happen when your horse relaxes enough through is back, allowing the energy to flow and connect.

    This results in your horse developing an increased range of flexion and movement in his joints, which will allow for a bigger, more flowing, step or stride. And a more sound horse!

    Your horse should remain balanced, in rhythm and have a consistent forward movement while he is working in the long and low way, whether in walk, trot or canter

    Riding ‘the Rainbow’

    When you are correctly working long and low, think of your horse’s back as being a rainbow. And you’re perched on the top of that rainbow!  And just like with a rainbow where the ‘colour stripes’ begin at one end and follow through right to the other end, your horse’s energy should do the same.

    From the hindquarters, right through the back and to the contact with your hand in front.

    First Forwardness…

    First and foremost, there must be forward energy or impulsion happening in the gait.  This must come from the horse’s hindquarters coming in underneath him and ‘pushing’ off with each step.  It is also vitally important to maintain contact with your horse’s mouth.

    As your horse reaches forward and stretches down, your hands must follow.  Otherwise, you restrict him and may cause him to lean and get on his forehand.  

    Your job is to help keep the impulsion and the contact consistent while the horse is working long and low, all the while being light in the saddle. This is so his back can rise up and almost ‘arch’ underneath you.

    However, often riders do not understand the mechanics behind this frame and this generally results in a few different ‘variations’ of the movement. A lot of these ‘variations’ will result in your horse failing to maintain the balance, rhythm and forwardness that is required.

    Front-Wheel Drive Verus Rear Wheel Drive

    If the hindquarters are not stretching in underneath him, your horse will quite simply be in ‘front-wheel drive’. This is when he is pulling himself along using his shoulders rather than ‘rear wheel drive’; pushing from behind.  Horses that are in front-wheel-drive cannot then elevate their back due to there being no real support behind for the ‘suspension’ to happen.  They also cannot elevate their front end, which must lighten if true connection and suspension are happening.

    Simply put, if there is no forward energy or impulsion coming from the hindquarters to keep pushing that energy through, the ‘rainbow’ that is your horse’s back will cease to exist, making long and low impossible.

    Dropping the Contact

    Another incorrect method of the long and low movement being ridden that is often seen is the rider literally throwing the reins at the horse and hoping this will result in the horse stretching himself.  The rider completely fails to keep contact with their horse’s mouth.

    When asking your horse to transition into a long and low shape, the contact with your horse’s mouth is essential at all times.  Your horse must stretch into and reach for that contact.

    Even though your horse’s head and neck are much lower than where they are usually positioned when working, maintaining a consistent contact is essential if you are to contain the energy that is being created behind.  

    Your horse will reach down and almost stretch into the contact, which will see you lengthening your reins gently, stride by stride, as your horse stretches more and more.  However, your lengthening of the reins must happen in unison with your horse stretching, and most certainly not before!

    Blocking with Your Body

    One of the other, often seen ‘variations’ is the rider leaning forward with their upper body. They somehow think that if they themselves stretch long and low, their horse will follow suit!   Not only will this inevitably unbalance both the rider and the horse, but you are also literally ‘blocking’ your horse’s back from rising up to meet you.

    Remember, part of your horse working in the long and low frame comes from him engaging his tummy muscles to lift himself.  

    You must rather think of your riding position as lightning up with your horse. However, it is more of an up stretch, allowing for your horses back to then come up and meet you there than a forward lean.

    Start when Cooling Down

    I suggest that if you and/or your horse are new to this way of going to rather try after you have finished working your horse and are cooling down.  This way your horse is more inclined to want to stretch his back into the long and low shape and also, you will more likely to be working nicely in a balanced, rhythmic movement.

    While you can ask your horse to work like this in walk, trot and canter, I personally think trot is generally the easiest gait to ask in.

    This is due to the walk often not moving forward enough (with a great potential to get sticky and choppy) and the canter going the opposite way and moving too forward initially!

    When you are asking your horse initially, begin by doing something ‘different’ with how you ride, so your horse can see a difference.  One way of creating this difference is by positioning your hands differently.

    Try keeping your hands wide and lowered, but again, only as your horse reaches down into the contact.

    Maintain Forwardness & Flexion

    Remember to keep the forward energy happening throughout the movement.  Use a circle or bend to help with the flexion and suppleness, which even though more lateral, will help him also loosen up longitudinal as well.  You can begin to encourage this by using your inside rein to ask for some flexion through his poll towards the inside of your circle.

    Only ask for  3 or 4 strides of long and low initially, as your horse will have to develop himself to carry this frame for any length of time.

    Maintain Your Posture

    Keep in mind that you must be sitting up and allowing him to arch his back and bring it up. This is as his hindquarters come underneath him and as he stretches his head and neck down.

    If you are heavy or collapsed in the saddle in any way, you will block this energy resulting in your horse hollowing his back rather than lifting or arching it.

    Stay in rising trot rather than sitting trot.  This is because if you tend to bounce, the sitting trot will cause you to ‘dig’ into his back and encourage him to duck and hollow his back away from you, not lift his back up underneath you

    Maintain Contact

    Focus on keeping an unbroken line from your elbow to your horse’s mouth.  As your horse lowers his head and neck, you too will have to lower your hand to maintain this line.

    However, equally as important to remember not to completely straighten your elbows as this will cause a jarring effect on your horse’s mouth and again, result in him becoming hollow along his back and trying to evade your contact rather than trust it.

    When he has begun to drop his head and neck and stretch down, focus on your position.  Feel his back rising or growing in height underneath you and use this to remind yourself to continue to sit tall in the saddle and stay light.  Focus on balancing your shoulders above your hips, not leaning forwards, backwards or to either side.

    You’ll Know When You Feel It…

    Finally, remember to enjoy the amazing sensation when your horse correctly works long and low.  If you are wondering if you got it right or not, trust me, it is one of those things that once you achieve it, you will definitely feel it :)

    How long it takes your horse to understand what you are asking will really depend on your horse.  Some horses have become so used to leaning on the rider’s hands. Travelling on the forehand like this will take some time for them to build up the trust and strength to work long and low.  Other horses love it and almost naturally transition there after work to ‘stretch out’ their muscles.

    Either way, you must remain consistent through your aids and patient while asking your horse.

    Your horse must first learn to accept your contact before you can begin asking him to work in a long and low frame.  

    From there, it is up you to maintain the impulsion and forward movement that is necessary to maintain the balance and rhythm, that will result in your horse reaching for the contact and truly stretching his topline.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources on This Topic

    Working Long and Low