I remember the excitement I felt when I began working with my pony ‘alone’ at home in the fields when I was younger. The feeling that anything was possible if I was only willing to put in the consistent effort and work. And the feeling that there was just so much to do and so little time to do it!…
Getting into canter on an easygoing or lazy horse can be exhausting! And while we do love our laidback equines… Can we all be honest in admitting how, sometimes, just a little more enthusiasm would change everything? The good news is that you can quickly begin to change this in your horse. You see, often, the trot to canter is…
The key to a good quality trot is to remember that your horse must be moving forwards at all times. I call this forwardness in the trot. This is not to be mistaken for running, rushing, or jig-jogging. True forwardness requires that you, the rider and decision-maker, must be thinking forwards throughout your ride… And, in this case, in the…
Rhythm is often a funny thing when riding. The reason for this is that rhythm, in the true sense of the word, is any beat that is on repeat… And, most horses tend to have a beat or two that they repeat. This leads many riders to struggle with rhythm. Their question is “if there already is a rhythm, why…
Some days does it feel like a mammoth task just to get your horse to put one foot in front of the other? He has no motivation whatsoever to do anything with any hint of enthusiasm or energy… But first, I want to be clear; the term ‘lazy’ is not one that I enjoy using when it comes to horses.…
The opportunity to work with a young or green horse comes with great responsibility. You have the potential to place a lasting imprint on this horses riding career; and his opinion of being ridden in general. In order to produce a well rounded riding horse, there are a few basic principles that you should pay attention to. Things that, when…