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…
There is a tendency for riders to ‘hold’ a little too much during the downward transitions. And while the half halt is essential to the preparation and transition itself… Too much can lead to a very ‘stuck’ feeling when the horse actually makes it into the new gait! A little like ‘stuck in the mud’. In this episode, I am…
There are certain times of the year when circumstances mean you can find yourself with either more or less time with your horse. December, August, and April are just a few that pop into my mind. Some riders find they have more time, and other riders have significantly less! It just depends on your unique circumstances and situation. What is…
So you are a place in your canter where you want to begin to do a little ‘more’. After a quick ‘google’ of all the different exercises, you see a canter to walk pop up a few times. Canter to walk?! Without a handbrake?! Yes, and even better, this will begin to prepare you and your horse for so much…
Riding, just like life, is about enjoying the journey rather than just the destination. However, when you’re transitioning from the trot into the canter – and your horse seems determined to show you just how fast he can actually trot beforehand; well, the journey is not all that enjoyable! I don’t know of a single rider who enjoys the ‘rush’…
