The half-halt should be one of the earliest things that riders learn to master when learning to ride their horse. It is a vital part of riding well and being able to perform accurate, balanced movements with your horse. However, while many riders understand the concept of the half-halt in theory, unfortunately, the carrying out of the actual movement leaves…
When you are riding, is your horse carrying himself, or are you in-fact carrying him? Self carriage in horses can be explained as your horse carrying himself, without needing support from or relying on you, the rider, in order to continue and maintain the movement he is performing. Your horses ability to carry himself comes from him being responsible for his own…
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…
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…
Leg yielding is generally most riders’ first introduction to lateral movement. Lateral moving, when we’re talking horses, means sideways. It is a great movement to ride as it allows you to work your horse’s body in a different, yet equally beneficial way. Leg yielding, and lateral movements in general, are a test of our abilities as riders to move each…
Do you manage to perform a ‘clean’ trot to canter transition every time? This transition is often one of the most difficult to maintain balance and rhythm. And this is true for both horse and rider. The potential for your horse to run into the canter, instead of actually ‘striking’ the canter when asked is quite high. In this episode…
