Have you ever been lunging your horse and find yourself saying “Whoa there Tonto” a little too often?! That moment when your horse seems to go from cool and calm to tripping over themselves as the speed quickens! I can 100% hand over heart say that, from experience, this has the potential to make even the calmest of riders stress…
If you’ve ever asked for a half halt and felt… well, nothing – you’re not alone! So many riders don’t really use the half halt in their riding because they find that it either doesn’t work, or it’s a little ‘too much’ for them and their horses! I know many riders can feel a little daunted when they hear the…
There is always a look of pure satisfaction on a rider’s face when they finally ‘get’ the rising trot! You know, they stop bouncing about and can actually work with the horse, in rhythm. And that is an important stepping stone for all riders. More than likely, when you were first learning how to ride the trot, your instructor taught…
Have you ever caught yourself mid-ride, wondering, “Wait, what am I even doing right now?” You’re trotting along and suddenly realise your reins have slipped, your heels are up, or you’re staring at your horse’s neck. Riding on autopilot isn’t a bad thing – if what’s running in the background is actually helping you. In fact, putting the right things…
Ask any rider what they want to make happen when it comes to their riding aids and, hopefully, creating truly independent aids will be high up there on that list. Because, let’s face it, your aids can only be as clear and useful in direct relation to how independent they are. But saying you want independent aids and working towards…
Whether you realize it or not, incorrect or bad posture is hurting your riding. And your horse’s way of going. And this habit will usually continue unchecked for sometimes years. I don’t believe that riders ever initially set out to ride in a way that will negatively impact things. Usually what happens is that riding a certain way either produces…
