Strides for Success

Tag: planning

Creating a Program for Your OTTB or Ex-Racehorse
Do you have an OTTB or ex-racehorse that has just made the transition from the racetrack? Or maybe your thoroughbred has been with you for a while, but you’re just struggling to make progress and move forwards in your training together…

Ex-racehorses or thoroughbreds are wonderful horses. They are so versatile, intelligent and sensitive. They can literally turn their hooves to almost anything equestrian related.

However, often those same qualities that make them such great horses to work with can, sometimes, work against them. Riders find themselves becoming ‘stuck’ in the training.

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I’m on a bit of a mission to help riders of OTTBs change all of this. Get out of the weeds and back on track. Begin enjoying their horse again…

The Adjustment Period

Many riders assume that this must mean standing in a field for months on end. There is this feeling that he must ‘learn to be a horse again’. While this can benefit some horses, I have found that not all horses ‘need’ a complete ‘time-out’.

The adjustment I am talking about is due to your horse doing certain things a certain way for a long time up to this point. Now you are asking him to do things differently. It will take time for him to adjust.

Your expectations of your horse now are different to what others have had of him in the past. He needs to learn how to respond to these new expectations.

A New Language

Your job is to explain to your horse that; “Things are different. There will be a learning curve. I will explain to you how I want you to show up with me. I will do this by being consistent in how I show up with you…”

How your horse has been ridden up to this point is very different to how you will ride him. He must learn a new language.

Your aids are different. How you expect him to respond to each aid is different. Even how he must behave on the ground is different. His behaviour in ‘social situations’ is different.

Even the language on the ground is different. A great example of this is mounting up. Have you ever been to watch racehorses work on a regular Tuesday morning? It is all business at the yard and schooling track. There is no dilly dallying going on.

There is also no waiting patiently by the mounting block while their rider fuffs and faffs with stirrups and reins…

Fitness Versus Development & Strength

When your horse comes off the track, he will probably have a certain level of fitness already built up. However, how he has physically developed, due to how he was trained, is not really ideal for what you want in a ‘riding horse’.

I’m going to make a big assumption that you did not get your ex-racehorse to race on? Therefore, his body needs to learn how to become strong doing ‘other’ things…

How your horse develops in order to be successful at dressage or jumping or trail riding is different from how he previously was. Meaning that he won’t be ‘great’ at these new things straight out of the box.

Expecting ‘engagement’ and ‘self carriage’ straight from the track is a recipe for disaster… From an emotional, mental and physical point of view.

Get Clear on What You Want to Communicate

In order to successfully ‘re-develop’ your horse, you need to have a clear intention regarding what you are trying to achieve. In my experience, one of the biggest mistakes riders make with their ex-racehorse is trying to do too much, too soon. The ‘throw everything against the wall and see what sticks’ approach. It is a cluttered approach.

The issue shows up in the gaps in the horses training. The bits that didn’t stick! And, unfortunately, these often only really become evident further down the road when bigger questions are asked of the horse.

In order to successfully re-train or re-school your ex-racehorse, you need a clear idea of where you are. And where you want to go. You need clearly defined ‘steps’ that will take you to the end goal.

Becoming intentional about your long term goals will allow you to also become clearer about what is needed right now. It helps you plan out your rides, week by week.

Working with Your Horses Intelligence

You may find that because your horse is so intelligent, he can become bored quite easily. If you continue to hammer on and on about something, his attention will probably begin to drift. Which is when things begin going wrong.

This is especially true when you are continuously trying to achieve something that requires one of the ‘missing pieces’. Your horse simply can’t do or can’t understand what is required.

Having a clear intention for each ride is essential. And that intention must be part of a clear step by step program that you are going to use to get your results.

Stick with Your Plan

Suppleness is key to riding. In this regard, you need to be supple in your approach. Horses have a great way of making a mockery of our lovingly created plans for them and their training!

You job is make the necessary adjustments and shifts, that keep you both working forward and back on plan.

All horses are different. You can have two horses with the same breeding, coming from the same yard. And yet they will be completely different horses. Different personalities, temperament, likes and dislikes.

Begin able to take a basic plan and then make those subtle changes to suit each individual horse is essential to moving things forward. This means that both horse and rider are happy and seeing the results they want from their rides.

Before You Begin…

Before you begin any plan with your horse, I strongly suggest having a few things seen to first. Horse housekeeping! This will help you to also avoid a lot of roadblocks along the way.

I have created a free checklist & healthcare journal for you to use with your ex-racehorse. You can download it, for free, HERE .

If you can remain focused on a goal and create a plan to get you there, retraining your ex-racehorse becomes really enjoyable. It is a learning journey and you the rider will get just as much out of it as your horse will.

Happy Riding

Lorna

Some other helpful resources for you on this topic:-
August 27, 2019
Having a Plan for Each Ride
What this episode is all about & how it can help you:-
- Understand what inside and outside are when it comes to your aids
- Take the confusion out of applying your aids correctly
- Get started reframing how you think and apply your aids
- Think and ride with your horse…
Do you often find yourself in the arena, ready for action… But without much of a plan for what that action will look like?! Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, this is the single biggest challenge faced by equestrians – and one that many don’t even realise they have to begin with.

Riding for the sake of riding is great initially. However, as time went on, you will inevitably find yourself wanting ‘more’ from your time in the saddle. That ‘more’ can be achieved by developing your relationship, both ridden and on the ground, with your horse.

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Developing yourself as a rider rarely just happens by magic. In order to really begin feeling excited and inspired to ride, you need to have something specific to work towards.

In this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast you will learn why I believe a plan for your ride is the key to really keeping the fun in your riding. You will also find out how I suggest you go about creating a simple plan. You will also and how to follow it.

Every Plan Begins with an Intention

My Mam always told us growing up that common sense is not all that common. Case in point when it comes to a plan. It seems like basic ‘common sense’ to begin with an intention – and yet, so many riders (including myself) often fail to do this.

Creating a plan from nothing, towards nothing, is practically impossible! It makes sense that if you know where you are and where you want to go, a plan can be made to get you there.

Your intention is the where you want to go part. What is it that you want to, ideally, achieve? Is it a feeling? Perhaps it is a specific movement or exercise. It may be a certain level of responsiveness or suppleness. A new movement communicated and understood. The options are endless. What is important is that you take the time and choose one.

Choose a specific intention for your ride. Then use it throughout the whole interaction between you and your horse.

Using this Intention Through the Whole Interaction

Riding is a conversation between horse and rider. However, this conversation actually starts long before we ever get into the saddle. It begins on the ground. This is why having a set intention for your ride, before your ride, is so vitally important.

Allow your intention to set the tone for the whole period of time you spend with your horse each and every day

This intention will colour your interaction with your horse while you groom. While you tack up. And later, while you cool down and untack. This will help to give your whole session with your horse a specific feel or tone.

It will help you to both focus and connect with each other before, during and after the ride itself.

Spend Time Thinking About & Planning Your Warm Up

This intention will flow through to your warm up as well. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your warm up is separate from the exercises you will ride later. I see time and again how riders waste this important opportunity to really get their horse aligned with their intention for the ride.

Focus on how you can create a seamless transition from your warm up into the ‘exercise’ part of your ride.

Your warm up should support the upcoming exercises. Spend some time observing other riders in their warm up. So many will have a routine they do, day in and day out. Which is great if this is a tried and tested plan that helps to get them both in the best possible physical and mental space for the upcoming schooling…

Not so great if this is a run of the mill ‘walk two laps, trot two laps on each rein and canter a circle or two!  If an observer can see where your warm up ends and where the ‘schooling’ begins, you & your horse can definitely feel it!

Blend elements of your upcoming schooling into your warm up. Support the tone you have set before mounting up. Allow the intention to carry through into the actual ‘ride’.

Review, Review and Review…

Think about this; how can you know if something is working, if you fail to look back and actually check?! It sounds so simple. Too simple actually. But spending time reviewing how things actually went, will allow you to ‘course correct’ in the future.

Noticing what needs work will allow you to build a library of exercises on things that you and your horse actually need to work on.

These exercises can then help you to begin planning out your rides in a way that will really and truly move you both forward. It will allow you to move forward, together.

Simple Exercises Done Well

Choose exercises that are simple. Now, keep in mind that simple and easy are two completely different things. Simple means that you don’t need dozens of poles. It also means that you can use the same exercise, but add small variations.

Variations on a group of simple exercises will allow you to focus on different aspects of you and your horses training; without constantly having to coming up with new, fancy exercises!

Creating a library of simple exercises will allow you to pull one out of your back pocket when you find yourself in need of an idea or two. You are now prepared for the days when things don’t go to plan. Having already identified exercises that will benefit you and your horse will ensure that you are consistently moving forward in your riding.

Progress Requires Planning

The long and the short of making real progress in your riding is that there has to be some sort of thought out plan in place. If you have a trainer, coach or instructor they will do this for you. However, if you are working alone, it is up to you to do the planning.

I suggest investing thirty minutes of so, once a month to this process. Making it an enjoyable thirty minutes, will help ensure you get around to doing it ;)

I have more detailed articles on this which I will link to below. Planning does not have to be complicated or difficult. It just takes a little dedication and consistency. When applied, you will begin to reap the benefits in your riding.

A little effort on your part upfront, will ensure that those days of wandering aimlessly around an arena become a thing of the past for you and your horse.

Happy Riding

Lorna

Other posts, episodes and resources that relate to this topic:-
Daily Strides Premium

Each and every month inside of Daily Strides Premium I host a live ‘Review and Planning’ call. In there, you will go step by step through the month that was. You then take that information and begin planning out the coming month. When you will ride. What you will work on. And of course all aligned with your goals for you and your horse.

Do you need to be competing? No! Do you need to have competitive goals or ambitions? No again!

In fact, I love working with riders who just ‘enjoy’ their horse; helping them to build and strengthen their relationship. No competitions necessary ;)

Couple this with the live Q&As and the members only private group ~ we are here to help you remain accountable as team leader for you and your horse.

All of the trainings are easily accessed using your phone, meaning that you can take them with you where ever you are going. These trainings and so much more are available for you immediately when you join Daily Strides Premium. Find out more HERE
June 25, 2019
Simplifying Your Plan when Working Two Horses
What this episode is all about & how it can help you:-
- Figure out how to choose a theme or topic
- Be specific about what you are going to do with each of the two horses
- Align your schooling with the goals for each of the two horses
- Understand that adjustments are often essential
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Planning what to work on with your horse is often a task that many riders neglect. Often this is due to having failed at making it simple enough that you can follow. This ‘threat’ doubles when you add a second horse into the mix.

Creating one plan can seem daunting enough; now to create two plans for two horses, who have different needs and goals can seem impossible. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be…

In this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast I take you step by step through a process that works where planning for two horses is concerned. It works because it is simple to do. Simple and easy. In fact, once I explain this to you, I’m confident that you will feel like this is definitely something you can do in your riding and schooling.

Why is Planning for Two Horses So Difficult?

Well, the real answer here is that it actually isn’t! It is often the rider who makes it difficult by over complicating the whole process. In riding, there are thousands of different exercises you can ride with your horse. Add lunging and groundwork into the mix and that number multiplies significantly.

Don’t allow yourself to get caught in the trap of thinking that complicated exercises or school movements are necessary in your schooling.

Any rider who has a successful relationship with a horse will tell you to focus on the basics. Get those right and then work on from there. Now, obviously when you are working two horses, particularly if one is more developed than the other, more challenging questions are necessary.

However the question or the desired outcome should remain the focus of your schooling – not the exercises you are using to apply the question…

Choose a Theme or Topic for Each Horse

I know, it seems so obvious; and yet so many riders fail to do this. I recommend having a monthly theme or topic that part of a bigger 3, 6 or 12 month goal. Another way of choosing this is what came up during your last clinic or lesson… However you decide to choose a topic, the important thing is that you do just that – make a decision or choice!

Having something that you want to work towards or achieve for each of your two horses will make deciding what to actually do in the saddle with each of them so much easier.

Your topics or themes do not have to be the same. Now, of course, it will make life a whole lot easier if they are similar or related. But again, this does not necessarily have to be the case.

Working two horses using two completely different themes or topics does not have to be difficult. Your approach is what will determine the outcome; keep that in mind as you plan your exercises.

Choosing Schooling Exercises for Your Two Horses

Be careful here; this is where most riders overcomplicate and confuse both themselves and their horses! If your ‘plan’ is too complicated or time-consuming, you are not going to stick to it. It’s as simple as that!

Think of the basics. Keep things as simple as possible. And use your chosen theme as the perspective you approach each exercise from.

I personally recommend choosing four exercises a month. Then just riding them using the specific individual filter or perspective that you have already chosen for each of your two horses. This way it doesn’t matter how far apart your two horses are in their training level. They will both be worked in a way that benefits where they are right now in their development.

Most basic schooling exercises can either be worked on using a different focus, perspective or filter. And simple variations can be added where necessary to the existing basic exercise.

Less Time Planning; More Time Implementing

Following the above suggestion will give you more time to actually school or ride. While setting up different exercises for each of your two horses might be a novelty at first, I can guarantee you that it will soon become a chore. And we all know what happens when the fun is gone from something we once enjoyed!

Choosing the same exercise for both horses will help you to simplify your whole schooling plan.

The same exercise does not mean having the same intention, as mentioned, it simply means that you have more time to work on how the horse is actually working through the exercise. Less time moving any poles or markers. More time in the saddle actually working on what you want to improve with your horse.

Riding the Same Exercise Differently with Two Horses

So now that you have your four exercises for the month, what is next? Well actually putting it all into practice and riding your both of your two horses through one of the exercises. Let’s use an example here; one of your horses is a 4-year-old green horse who is still working on establishing rhythm, particularly through bends and circles. The other horse is a 12-year-old who is competing and working towards the next level. Straightness is key for this horses overall development and strength.

Remember, everything when riding is related; meaning that nothing worked on will be done in isolation from other schooling principles.

I would suggest one of your exercises being a simple serpentine. With your first horse focus on riding the exercise as accurately as possible, and trying to maintain the rhythm throughout the whole exercise. You can later begin adding some transitions into the same schooling exercise. With your second horse, obviously the same will apply with the added focus of straightness through the exercise.

The same exercise, ridden the same way just using a different filter or perspective depending on your end goal or focus with each of your two horses.

The Advantages of Working Two Horses Using the Same Exercises

As you begin working your two horses using the exercises you have chosen, use the fact that you are working two different horses to your advantage. Begin noticing what challenges are coming up.

Often a green horse can bring your attention to a missing element with a more advanced horse. A basic missing element which otherwise might be overlooked.

The other advantage of working two horses through the same exercise is that it highlights some potential pitfalls which are being caused by you, the rider!

If two completely different horses at two different levels are having the same issue show up; one of the common denominators is you – the rider!

Is there something you are doing that is causing both horses to have a similar issue with the same exercise? If so, what can you do to begin replacing this with something that is more beneficial to both yourself and your two horses?

Working two horses at the same time does not have to be complicated or stressful. Remember, simplify where you can. Then just enjoy the process. You are, after all, blessed that you have two horses to work in the first place :)

Happy Riding
Lorna

Other posts and episodes that relate to this topic:-
March 19, 2019
Creating a Consistent Monthly Review in Your Riding
What this episode is all about & how it can help you:-
- Review each month so that you can make adjustments for the next
- Use past experiences to build a plan that you can implement and make work in your riding
- Track some key metrics with regards to your riding to help you improve
- Help set up your plan for the upcoming month in your riding
[smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1081-Creating-a-Consistent-Monthly-Review-in-Your-Riding.mp3″ title=”Creating a Consistent Monthly Review in Your Riding” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Making a habit of review each past month in your riding will help you reach ‘do-able’ goals for the coming month…” hashtag=”equestrian” “planning” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

We are all about planning here at Strides for Success. I regularly remind riders to take the time to create a plan for their riding. However, a plan is really only as good as the review that follows it.

Creating a plan for your monthly review of your riding plan will help you to become more consistent in your progress. It will allow you to make changes where necessary and continue doing what works.

In this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast I give you a framework for your monthly review with regards to your horse riding. I give you a few ideas with regards to what to track and how to use this information to create an even better plan for the upcoming month.

I am going to suggest sitting down somewhere quiet once a month, sipping on something nice and really deep diving into what worked and what did not where your riding was concerned.

There are so many different things that you can track. I’m going to suggest a few obvious ones, however feel free to add to this, or drop some of these, as you see fit…

I have Free Planning Audio download ready for you to use to actually help you plan out your month in more detail. You can get that delivered straight to your inbox by clicking the link and letting me know where to send it

Monthly Review 1. How Often Did You Actually Ride?

It seems so obvious, doesn’t it? And yet it is often the most overlooked part of many riders process when it comes to using their past performance as a roadmap for the future. How many times did you get into the saddle this past month?

More importantly, does the amount of rides that actually took place tally up with what you had planned at the beginning of the month?

If not, don’t feel too alone. Having unrealistic expectations initially is part and parcel of how you can refine this process every month. Often the planning process can get us so fired up and excited, that we tend to ‘overlook’ our normal day-to-day responsibilities and tasks.

By becoming consistent with your monthly review, you will be able to create a more accurate plan for the upcoming month. As you get more monthly reviews under your belt, your ability to more correctly forecast your expectations and goals for the month ahead will develop and grow.

The more often you do this, the more that your plan and your monthly review will begin looking more alike as each month passes.

Monthly Review 2. How Many of Those Were ‘Worthwhile’ Rides?

This is where you need to be really honest with yourself. Riding for the sake of riding often helps us to feel good; ‘yes, I rode 16 times this month’. But if you are finding yourself in the saddle, sauntering around the arena or plucking exercises out of magazines the morning of your ride, chances are you’re not making much progress.

Planning out your rides means that you have to become really intentional regarding what goals and outcomes you are looking for. Each ride should have a purpose or intention behind it.

Yes, some can definitely have the intention of ‘just riding to enjoy ourselves’ behind them, but if this becomes your regular reason for riding, things are most likely going to stagnate quite quickly where progress and satisfaction are concerned.

If you find yourself riding for the sake of ‘checking off’ another ride for the week, I strongly suggest you revisit your strategy!

‘Worthwhile’ rides are those that are moving you and your horse forward in your training. Use your monthly review as an opportunity to see where you can begin making small changes that will help each ride become more ‘worthwhile’.

Monthly Review 3. Wins for the Month

Do you, like many riders, have a habit of being a little harsh on yourself where ‘wins’ are concerned? We all have aspirations for the different areas of our lives that are important to us. Your riding is no different. However often noticing the little wins that are moving us towards those greater aspirations is lost on us.

I want to encourage you to notice and then record your wins, no matter how small they are. Small wins are the stepping-stones we need in order to actually reach the bigger, loftier goals we set for ourselves…

Wins show up in all different ways. A win could come in the form of a day that you managed to get the attention or focus of a horse that initially was not actively engaged in what you were doing. Or one of your smaller wins may be figuring out that a particular time of day or warm up routine sets you and your horse up for a more productive schooling session.

I feel that recording your wins in your monthly review will also help you to keep going when things are tough. They will help to inspire you about trying again and also, they help us to develop a more positive mindset where our abilities as a rider are concerned.

Monthly Review 4. What Lessons Were Learned?

Just like the way that any plan is really only as good as the review of the plan that came before it, your monthly reviews will only really begin to show fruit if you are consistently using them to course correct. We all learn new things every month about ourselves, our horses and our riding.

Using this new information to shape the upcoming months will help you tailor the plan to your specific circumstances and requirements.

The more customised you can create the plan for you and your horse, the more success you will have when following it. Times of day, length of warm up, changes in diet, changes in routine are a few that spring to mind.

Lessons learned are also those you discovered in the saddle itself. Perhaps it was regarding flexion or suppleness. Maybe it was to do with carrying yourself and engagement of the hind quarters.

What is important is that you record what worked and what didn’t work with regards to you and your horse. This will also include how you worked through any issues that cropped up.

Monthly Review 5. What Needs More Work?

Yes, this is a pretty obvious however often forgotten part of the monthly review progress for many riders. There are always things that need a little more work when it comes to riding. What could do with a little more understanding or explaining? What needs a little more practice?

Keeping track of the things that need more work gives you the perfect goals or themes when planning out your upcoming months riding

Making this Fun & Exciting…

I’m going to be honest, this is probably not going to be the most fun item on your to-do list initially! However, I strongly suggest making this time a ‘date’ with yourself and turning it into an enjoyable time. Enjoy a favourite cup of tea or coffee, a glass of wine or gin… It will be what you make it.

What I do know is that after a few months, the insights and understanding you will gain from performing this simple monthly review will be priceless. If used to plot your course going forward, they have the potential to change everything for you and your horse.

So, begin this month. Grab a journal or notebook and begin recording your riding over the past four weeks. Then use this knowledge to plan out your upcoming month.

Happy Reviewing!

Lorna

Other Posts and Episodes that Relate to This Topic:-
- Free Planning Audio
- Planning Worksheets – Undated
- Planning for Progress in Your Riding
- Keeping a Horse Riding Journal
- Riding Alone; How to Keep Moving Forward
January 28, 2019
Planning for Progress in Your Riding
What this episode is all about & how it can help you plan your:-
- Goal – especially that is it ‘do-able’
- Calendar – figuring out what days you actually can ride this month
- Themes – the stepping-stones that will take you to your goal
- Exercises – what you will actually be doing each and every ride
[smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1077-Planning-for-Progress-in-Your-Riding.mp3″ title=”Planning for Progress in Your Riding” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Feel like you’re riding the same year, over and over… This episode of the Daily Strides Podcast will help you create a plan that works” hashtag=”Planning” “equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

I want you to be honest with me here… If I was to compare the picture that is you and your horse from this day last year, to todays picture, would there be a positive change? Is it evident that you have both made progress in your training and your relationship?

In this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast I give the actual step by step process I recommend riders go through when creating a plan for their progress on a month by month basis. If we were to work together, actually in the arena with me as your trainer / coach / instructor, there will be a plan we are working on.

We would have sat down, discussed things. Figured out what you want, first and foremost, and what we can do to get you there in the most enjoyable way possible for you and your horse. This ‘plan’ would also be ‘do-able’.

Riders who are working alone are not doing this for themselves. They are ‘thumb-sucking‘ when it comes to what to work on each ride. This is leading to, at best, mediocre results for all their hard work.

Creating a ‘do-able’ plan does not have to be difficult or hard. It also does not have to be time-consuming or challenging.

Here is a basic template you can use, month on month, to ensure that the ‘picture’ you see today will be very different from the ‘picture’ you will see this time next year.

Your Goal – It Must Be Do-Able

Do-Able. It is a great word, isn’t it? It is also a word that a lot of riders seem to forget about when it comes to setting goals within specific timelines! They choose monthly goals that, given where they currently are in their riding or training, are just not realistic.

In my experience, riders tend to overestimate what they can achieve in a month and underestimate what they can achieve in a year…

Tony Robbins said this about people, using a one year and 10 year time frame. The good news is that, as a rider, you don’t need 10 years to make big changes a reality. You can do so, so much in one year. It all starts with becoming realistic about those monthly goals.

Most people will tell you to ‘think big’ when it comes to your goals. I am going to tell you the opposite for your monthly ones. Think ‘steps’ not great big bounds forward.

Think simple and do-able. It is the smaller stepping stone. The ‘big goal’ is your yearly one. I am also going to suggest writing 4 or 5 different ideas for this first ‘do-able’ goal. You are not going to choose one just yet; the goal will depend on your schedule…

Your Calendar – Planning Out What Days You Can Ride

Next step is actually getting your calendar out and having fun with markers. Okay, you don’t actually have to do that, but I highly recommend it ;). Get your calendar out and literally cross off the days where you cannot ride. The work trips. Or the hospital and doctor appointments. Perhaps it is days where you have project deadlines for work.

Crossing off the days you cannot ride, allows you to quickly see what days you actually can ride. This allows you to create a plan that actually works with your current schedule.

Ideally, try to ride four days a week. Four is greater than three and it is a great number to really move forward in your riding. Four days a week means sixteen rides a month. Sixteen opportunities to move things forwards towards your goal for you and your horse.

If you can only ride two or even once a week, make that work for you as well. The important thing is that you are actually specifying the days that you have decided that riding is one of the top priorities for that day.

From here, have a look at your list of potential goals. Choose the one that is actually ‘do-able’ with your upcoming schedule. This way, you are setting yourself up for success, rather than disappointment.

Your Themes – They Will Take You Towards Your Goal

Now that you have decided on the goal and you have identified the days you can actually work on making it happen, you need to break that goal down. I suggest having two different ‘themes’ that will, when worked on individually, come together to help you get to the goal.

Horse riding, like most things, usually requires more than one thing to happen in order to see results. Working on two themes simultaneously will help you increase your chances of making your goal a reality.

The themes must be ‘do-able’ and they must be something you are currently doing at a basic level. Choosing two themes that both involve you and your horse to learn something new will only confuse you and slow you down. Think simple and ‘do-able’…

Think of the themes as being the details that will take you to the goal. Two paths that are running side by side in order to create the path to take you to the goal.

Your Exercises – What You Will Actually Be Doing Each Ride

Once you have decided on your ‘themes’, you can enjoy choosing the exercises that will focus on those themes. Many riders find they hit a wall at this point. You might feel that you can’t think of one exercise, never mind four! You will, I promise you.

In fact, often simply allowing the ideas to percolate for a while will result in you having a flash of inspiration for the first exercise. And then the floodgates open. You will have 6, 10, 12 exercises that you want to work on.

Rein it in… Choose the four most do-able.Two exercises for each theme consisting of a longer one for rides of 40+ minutes and a shorter exercise for those days where time is not on your side.

However, don’t discard the other ideas for exercises. Make a note of them as you can will more than likely use them in the coming months. Having a ‘back up’ is also a good idea if you find that, two weeks in, things are not quite going to plan as you wanted. Swap one of your exercises out for one of the ‘wait list’ exercises.

Remember that most riding exercises or schooling exercises are often very similar. It is the filter we approach them with that changes. Same exercises with different variations.

Your Plan is Ready – Now Go Follow It!

The final step is to plot the exercises into your calendar or schedule. Once you have this done, you will have a plan for the month ahead. If you find yourself feeling tired or less than inspired on a particular day, it won’t matter as you already know what you are doing.

Taking action on your plan is essential to actually achieving the goal. It is the consistent deliberate actions that moves things forward for riders who make progress. By following this system, you too can make progress in your riding.

I have a free audio download ready and waiting for you HERE which goes into more details on all the above. It is a recording of a live online call that I hosted where I took riders through the process of planning their rides for a month. It goes into more detail on each step and, hopefully, will help to inspire you to take action. You can download it HERE .

Happy Planning

Lorna

Other Posts, Episodes & Resources that Relate to This Topic:-
December 31, 2018
Landing on the Correct Canter Lead After a Fence
What this episode is all about & how it can help you:-
- Understand the influence of your weight on the approach
- Learn how to ‘open a door’ for your horse
- Begin shifting your weight over the fence
- Effectively school on this to practice it
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Are you struggling with your correct canter lead when landing from a fence? Perhaps you approach the fence on the one rein, however the track or exercise requires a change of rein after the fence. You find that you often need to come back to trot in order to change lead. Or perform a flying change.

In this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast we focus on your correct canter lead on landing from a jump. I will give you some practical tips you can implement the next time you ride. However, like all things in horse riding, it will take mindfulness and effort on your part. But the results are well worth it.

Why the Correct Canter Lead on Landing is Important

Think back to the last time you were jumping. If you could add up how many minutes you actually spend jumping and place that side by side with all the minutes spent in between the jumps… So much of jumping depends on what you are doing on the ‘flat’ before and after (or in between) the jumps.

Now, obviously we first have to master actually getting over the fences. Getting from A to B. However, once we have that, our focus then really shifts to the part on the flat between the fences. Having to continuously either transition to trot to change lead breaks the flow between your fences.

Therefore being able to ask your horse to land on a specific lead will help the overall flow of your jumping.

Which leads to the question, ‘How do I tell my horses that I want him to change lead in the air over the fence?’. Now, you can do this over a smaller jump, however there is often not enough time for you to get clarity on what you are trying to do. Which means they are asking in a way which is not very clear to the horse.

For this reason I suggest you work over fences that are around 60 to 70 cm (2 foot to 2 foot 6 inches).

Can you work over smaller fences? Yes of course, you can apply this to working over a pole on the ground if you want. However, I have found the riders gain more clarity – and have more time to make necessary adjustments initially – when the fences are a little more substantial.

Your Weight on the Approach

You must be very clear on where your weight is before the fence. If you are approaching the fence on the right canter lead, so your horse is leading to the right, you must be positioned correctly to reflect this. Your inside seat bone and leg, in this case, your right seat bone, should be slightly more weighted.

Being mindful and specific about the details on approach will help both you and your horse notice when things change or shift. It is the small, subtle changes that ask the horse to also make a change

Your horse will do everything in his power to keep both of you upright. Who wants to fall over, right?! So it goes without saying that if and when you shift your weight, he will try shift as well to remain underneath you.

Often the rider is sitting incorrectly on the approach to the fence. This is why being very clear on what you are doing before the fence is so important.

It is worth repeating; jumping has very little to do with the actual jumping of the fence. It is more to do with what is happening before and after the fence

‘Weighting’ is not Leaning or Tilting…

A word of warning; when I say that you must make sure that your weight is on the correct side, I do not mean that you must be leaning towards that side!

Leaning or tilting, particularly with your upper body will have the complete reverse effect. Leaning to the inside is usually accompanied by a shifting of the seat to the outside of the saddle. You definitely don’t want to happen!

Weighting it only means that you have a little bit more weight dropped into that inside seat bone and / or heel. In fact, it has more to do with your core than anywhere else in your body.

There are some links at the end of this post to other episodes and posts that go into more detail about weighting and how to do it correctly.

Opening a Door for Your Horse

Most horses seem to respond well when they feel like they have a ‘way to go’. I call it a door. Very often you have to open a door to show your horse which way you want them to go. You can do this through your rein.

You can use a more open rein to show your horse which direction you want to take on landing. Direction will determine ‘inside’ and ‘outside’, which in turn will dictate the choice of lead.

By using more of an open left rein, for example, he will begin realise that you will be tracking left on landing. This allows him to perform a quick switch and land on the left lead from the jump.

Remaining Straight While ‘Opening a Door’…

The down side to doing it this way is that very often because you have opened that door, the shoulders tend to follow through the same space! This results in losing your line. I’m sure you know how important lines are when jumping!

For example, let’s say that you are on the right lead approaching the fence, and want your horse to track left on landing. You can open your left rein as a way to indicate to your horse that you want to track left and therefore land on the left canter lead.

The potential is there that he can come off your line, veering slightly to the left. Now, for the most part, if you are indeed tracking left after the fence, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. You can correct him using your other aids.

However, if you are riding a related distance or a combination, veering off your line can have huge repercussions on the following jumps. In those instances, you definitely want your horse to ‘stay the line’.

Shifting Your Weight Over the Fence

We spoke earlier about weighting your inside seat bone. Where I suggest making this change or shift is as your horse is going over the fence.

This is a subtle, quiet shift. It does not mean that you throw your body one way or the other. A shift in the weight can sometimes be made by simply turning your head

I am sure you have often it said often when riders are training how important it is to ‘look for the next fence’. This is not only to be sure of where you are going, but also to make that subtle shift begin to happen.

When you and your horse are well ‘tuned in’ to each other, you won’t need to think about the shifts. They will just happen, as though on autopilot

In order to make this happen, I suggest beginning to work on this in your very next ride. You will find that, as you progress, it becomes automatic for you too. This allows you to focus your attention on other issues.

Refining Your ‘Subtle Shifts’

Initially think about just turning your head and looking in the direction you want to travel on landing. You could even allow your shoulders to follow a little bit as well. You will often find that this is enough to affect the weight in the saddle.

Keep in mind that refining your aids all depends on how well you and your horse have been conversing or communicating with each other up to this point.

If you have been doing a lot of unnecessary ‘talking’ by overusing your aids, then your horse is probably not going to listen as well as you would like.

You begin refining your conversation by only speaking to your horse when you have something worthwhile to say. Meaning that you only apply your aids or ask for your horses attention when you have something worthwhile to add to the conversation

Schooling to Practice Landing on the Correct Canter Lead

Every time you are approaching a fence, pay attention to how you are ‘sitting’ and make any necessary corrections. Have your inside seat bone and heel weighted a little.

Be clear on where you want to go afterwards. In other words, have a clear line planned out in your mind’s eye.

When you are in the air, shift your weight slightly from the inside to the outside. Said differently, swap your inside and your outside. You can also open your inside hand a little.

Finally, make sure you are looking in the direction you want to go as you go over the fence. As you are in mid-air you should already be thinking about the next fence and plotting your line. This will make enough subtle shifts in your body for your horse to pick up on, and for him to make the change.

A Word of Caution

This goes without saying, but let’s just include it here anyway… This episode and blog post is assuming that you have had all the necessary ‘checks’ performed on your horse.

Many riders struggle with canter leads due to problems with the horses back, legs, tack suitability or teeth to name just a few.

Make sure that your horse is sound and that there are no underlying problems which are potentially hindering him, or making it uncomfortable for him to land on a correct lead.

Happy Riding

Lorna

Links mentioned in the episode:-
October 16, 2018