Strides for Success

Tag: rhythm

  • Riding a Horse with a ‘Chip In’ Habit at Take Off to a Jump

    Riding a Horse with a ‘Chip In’ Habit at Take Off to a Jump

    You are cantering towards the jump… 3… 2… 1… But instead of the ‘Jump’ that should have followed the 1; you get a chip in.  A moment where your usually trusty horse decides to test both of you by inserting a little ‘half stride’ in there before takeoff!

    The result is you do a great Thelwell impression and your horse does his best helicopter move; straight up and straight down…  Not a good feeling for anyone!

    Riding a horse that regularly includes a chip in or three is not enjoyable for anyone; the rider, the person watching, or the horse.  Of course, it can happen to anyone, we call have days where we get the stride to the fence wrong. However, for some horses, it becomes a habit that can seem almost impossible to break. That extra little half stride…

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    What A Chip In Looks & Feels Like

    This habit is uncomfortable and does little for building confidence to clear a course of fences safely.  However, before we look at how to begin working with a horse who adds a little stride here and there, let’s back up. It is important to first realize what this is and why it might be happening.

    When a horse chips in before a fence, he has literally fitted an extra stride into a space. A space that there was really not enough room for that stride…

    He decided that, rather than taking off where he initially met the base of the fence, he would get creative.  He would add a quick little half stride in there and then take off.  It often results in a ‘cat jump’ which is all four legs really taking off and touching down at the same time, due to the loss of impulsion or energy.  It can also result in a ‘helicopter jump’, which is a jumping effort, but with an extremely steep up followed by an extremely steep down, with just the width of the fence in the middle!

    In both these situations, the horse is not using his back or body to the best of his abilities and it feels really uncomfortable for the rider.   Because of the loss of ‘flow’ in the stride, the rider very often ends up either too far ahead of the movement or left behind.  Both scenarios will usually result in both horse and rider not being correctly prepared for the next, upcoming jump.

    Why Your Horse Might Chip In

    There are lots of reasons your horse may chip in before a jump or fence.  It is also worth remembering that most horses will do this at some point in their training.  However, we are dealing today with a ‘chip in addict’, or a horse that does it more times than not.  In order to identify why we must first look at the horse’s approach to the fence…

    Is it rushed?  Maybe he leaning or pulling on the reins and being heavy on the forehand?  Or is he moving forward? Perhaps are you literally scrubbing and kicking every stride just to get to the base of the fence?  

    With regards to the rushing or leaning, this may be due to a lack of training.  This will often result in a lack of confidence in your horse.  He may be off the mindset that he must ‘just get it done’ as quickly as physically possible.  Unfortunately when this happens, the rider’s reaction and how they deal with it plays a big part in not only the result for that particular fence but also the long-term as well.

    Retracing some basic steps in his training is very often the way to begin overcoming this challenge

    If your horse is on the other side of this coin, he is not taking you to the fence at all, this can also be a training issue.  However, again, it may also show signs of a lack of confidence in his abilities.  I strongly suggest that, whatever the cause, take things back to basics.  It truly is the key to building and developing correctly.  And to show your horse that he can indeed successfully make it from A to B over a fence.

    Could It Be You?

    Sometimes, a horse that chips in is doing so because of how he is being ridden by the rider…  A nervous rider often tends to throw themselves into their jumping position a little early.  This will encourage the horse to ‘chip in’ before the fence.  Unfortunately, this is often a difficult and vicious cycle to break.

    The rider is nervous because the horse is rushing, the horse begins to chip and rush even more because the rider collapses before the fence and ‘drops him’, both emotionally and physically. This causes the horse to rush even more.  And so it goes on and on…

    If you feel that this is the issue, I would strongly suggest working over a single pole and practicing your timing and your balance.  The light seat is wonderful and will help you do this.

    Riding a Horse that Chip In before Take Off at Jumps

    Begin By Improving Flatwork

    So, once we have discovered why your horse chips in before a fence, we can then look at how to begin working through it so we can get a good take-off point and reach each fence in the best possible way.

    A good place to start working with your horse on the flat and improving his general responsiveness and understanding of your aids in the saddle.  Does he listen when you half halt?   Or do you find yourself pulling and hauling to get him to ‘steady’ a little?

    Does he move forward when asked to do so from your leg?  Or do you have to kick and click like a crazy person to get any sort of movement happening?!  These are basic training issues and need to be addressed before we even think of turning our hoof to jumping.  It sounds repetitive, but this is because it is true… You have to have the basics mastered before you can move on to more ‘exciting’ things in the saddle!

    Your ability to balance things with a half halt while keeping your horse moving forwarding is vital to being able to approach any fence successfully.  Keep in mind that a horse who chips in every now and then is a horse who is not so confident in jumping.  He needs a rider who can allow him to build his confidence in a controlled, systematic and patient environment

    Figure Things Out for Himself

    So, once you have the basics working, I suggest beginning to allowing your horse to figure things out on his own, without a rider, in a controlled environment.  This can either be lunging or loose schooling, but the word controlled is the important one in the previous sentence!

    Loose schooling or lunging a horse over fences does not mean chasing them into a frenzy around the arena at dizzying speeds.  

    It is simply creating a situation that is conducive to an optimum jumping effort, either one or two fences.  Then allowing your horse to approach and work things out himself.

    The benefit of loose schooling is that you can have two jumping efforts, 2 measured and correct stride lengths apart from each other.  The first jump, a cross pole, is to set your horse up correctly for the second fence, which can also be a cross pole or an upright or parallel. Due to consistently meeting the second fence at the correct distance, your horse will begin to figure things out himself.

    Distance & Spacing of Poles & Jumps

    It is also important to remember that the ‘correct distance’ is what is correct for him, not trying to force him into a standard jumping distance.  Rather allow him to first build his confidence in his own abilities using a distance that suits his current way of going or current stride.

    Once he is able to begin ‘picking’ a correct take off point, without any anxiety, you can then slowly begin working over adjusted distances

    Also, don’t see the loose schooling or lunging as a once-off occurrence.  Rather, try to incorporate them into his training for as long as necessary.  Very often with horses, it is a lack of balance that causes them to be unsure of the jump, leading to a chip in here and there.  The rider will definitely affect this balance or lack of, so allow him time and space to work it out alone before then adding a rider into the equation.

    Using Groundpoles while Riding

    As well as the above, you can begin working over ground poles in the saddle with your horse.  Laying out a single ground pole and cantering over it can be a helpful exercise for both horse and rider.  With regards to the horse, we are looking for a balanced and rhythmic approach and also, a canter that is taking you to the fence, rather than you having to ask and push for every stride.  Try to keep the rhythm as consistent as possible, and the hindquarters underneath the horse.

    You can also use this to begin training yourself to see a better stride before the fence.  Simply counting backwards from where you think there will be three strides before take off is a fantastic exercise to get you in rhythm with your horse and begin seeing the stride.  Only when you can actually see the stride can you then look at adjusting the stride.  Before that it is just the luck of the draw – never a good idea when there are jumps involved!

    As you canter in on your ‘approach’ to the fence start 3…  2…  1…  Jump.   If you get in wrong the first few times, don’t worry.  Just keep trying to gauge that point where you are three strides away.  Later you can make things a little more difficult for yourself with 5…  4…  3…  2…  1…  Jump.  You will find that the more you ‘tune’ your eye into the approach, the further out you will be able to see if the take-off point is a good one or is a little too far away or close.  This will give you time to adjust the strides in between which will, in turn, allow you to arrive at the jump in a better position to clear it comfortably.

    Related Distances

    From here you can add more poles on the ground at ‘related distances’ to each other.  Work at maintaining the forwardness of the canter while keeping the rhythm and balance all the way through.  Also, work on your timing of the jumping position.  As I mentioned earlier, it is tempting to get into it a little early if your horse is rushing, but this will only make the problem worse.

    Try to use your 3…  2…  1… to steady yourself and only allowing your body to follow your horse at the ‘Jump’ part

    Once both you and your horse are more comfortable and have stopped any added strides or half strides before the pole, you can begin to build some small fences where the poles are.  Remember that if your horse chips in,  a lot of the time it is a confidence issue, so don’t be tempted to push him further than he is comfortable.  Just because he is ‘able’ does not mean he is comfortable doing it!

    Your horse’s ability to see a stride takes time to establish, just like yours.  Give him that time and it will pay dividends later when you are out on the track.  Count yourself down to the base of each fence, 3… 2… 1… at all times initially (in your head when in the company of others if you want!), but use it as a way to balance both of you on the approach to the fence.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Connection for Equestrians

    If you are interested in finding out more about how you can begin re-schooling your horse in all aspects of riding, Connection might just be what you are looking for. Each week you will receive 5 audio ‘lessons’, where I give you step by step instructions.  You can listen using a free app on your phone, on your computer, or via your favorite podcast app.

    This makes it really handy to use and listen to while riding your horse; in the saddle.

    We cover loose schooling, working over single poles, related distances, and also working on improving your eye to see a stride. There are also diagrams with the actual distances for you to replicate in your arena.

    Find out more over at https://stridesforsuccess.com/join

  • More Advanced Exercises for a Young Horse

    More Advanced Exercises for a Young Horse

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    You have spent the past few months diligently improving your young horse’s standard of education. A lot of time invested on the basics of moving forward in a balanced rhythmic way.  He is happy, you are happy and the next natural progression is to ask for the canter.

    However, it seems all those carefully cultivated hours in the arena fly out the door as soon as you ask for the upward transition.

    Your horse begins running on his forehand, each trot stride becoming longer and faster… He eventually breaks into a canter of sorts, but nothing like what you imagined it to be!  Unbalanced, uncoordinated, and no rhythm whatsoever!

    Introducing ‘New’ To Your Young Horse

    Often it seems that no matter how much preparation we put into preparing our young horse for his first departure from a trot into a canter, the canter falls a little flat and well below our expectations.   But rather than becoming frustrated and demoralized with your horse’s apparent lack of understanding, see this as being the next step of the ladder with regards to your horse’s education. And one that, if he graduates from, will see him in a great position to really begin working from.

    Just like when you first began riding your young horse in walk and trot, your horse is going to feel very unbalanced and unsure of himself when you do ask for the canter when in the saddle.  

    This is due to the canter having a three-timed beat which depends on your horse’s outside back leg starting and propelling the rest of his footfalls and body forward in each stride.  In the trot, it is far easier to remain balanced. This is due to the effect the diagonals have on balancing him with each stride. However, the canter is almost one-sided and extra strength and development are required of your horse in order to really ‘power’ into.  Power into it and then remain balanced through each stride.

    Preparing the Transition

    As with most things concerning riding, the preparation that leads up to the transition will have a massive outcome on the success of the transition itself

    See the trot as now being the foundation for setting up the canter.  Not only from a rhythm and balance point of view. But also with regards to developing strength through his body.  Use your half halts in the trot to begin asking for his hind legs to engage a little more. This may only be for a stride or two each time. However, it will allow him to begin building the muscles necessary for a good canter later.

    More Advanced Exercises for Your Young Horse

    Be Patient Through the Transition

    When you feel that you have prepared the trot enough, you can start thinking about the canter transition itself.  It is tempting to ‘push’ your horse into the canter at first. Using your upper body in particular.  However, throwing your upper body forward will only serve to unbalance him even further.

    Rather think of sitting up tall. 

    Then asking with the correct aids.  Including, perhaps most importantly, your voice and seat.  And, from here, allowing him to break into the canter himself.

    He may run for the first few strides of trot before then almost falling into the canter, but this is to be expected initially.  Your job is to remain balanced and ‘quiet’ throughout. This will help to build his confidence in his ability to actually move into the canter under the saddle.

    Make sure you follow through your body and also your hands and arms.  Catching him in the mouth or bouncing on his back, particularly in the first few transitions, will only serve to punish him. It may also cause him to associate the canter with anxiety and tension

    Once in the Canter

    Once he has actually transitioned into the canter, remain quiet but keep him moving forward.  Very often with a young horse, the canter may be a little ‘fast’ at first if forwardness is to be maintained.  This, again, is to be expected and rather allow him this. It will help him to begin to settle into this new gait and find his balance and rhythm himself.

    The canter requires quite a bit more effort from him than the trot, so he will probably tire quickly.

    Try to ask for the downward transition into a trot before he naturally breaks into trot himself.  

    You will usually feel the lack of energy in the canter, it will seem to become more strung out, rather than bounding forward.  Again, make sure you are balanced and quiet through the transition, using your voice and seat first.

    Re-Establish, Rinse & Repeat!

    As soon as he has come back into trot, begin the work of re-establishing a balanced rhythmic trot.  It may take quite a few strides initially, particularly after the first few canter to trot transitions… However, keep in mind that working forward in a balanced and rhythmic trot is something that your young horse knows how to do. So insist on it!

    Working in and out of the canter initially is a great way to begin developing your young horse for more prolonged and balanced canters.  

    Be sure that the trot is balanced and working before asking for the canter again each time.  Also, try to be consistent and regular with your aids both into the canter, while cantering, and then back into the trot.

    Developing Over Time

    Over time, your horse will begin to strengthen up and carry himself for longer periods, in a more balanced and rhythmic canter. The lenght of time will depend on many things.

    However, how mature your horse is and/or how much time you have spent working on the more foundational aspects of his schooling, will play a big role in how quickly he progresses, both physically, mentally & emotionally

    Continue to use the walk, trot, and halt to reinforce the aids and responsiveness.  Only when he has truly mastered the canter for longer periods can you then begin thinking about making adjustments within the canter itself.

    Initially, you will only ask for short canter periods each time, perhaps 5 or 6 strides of a better quality canter rather than laps of ‘racing’ and running around the arena, which will only serve to teach him how to incorrectly maintain the canter when being ridden.  Then slowly you can begin to apply the half halt in the canter itself, so to shorten the canter strides.

    Remember that forwardness is the foundation to all his gaits, so make sure that you keep him moving actively and with energy regardless of what you are asking.

    Schooling your young horse in the canter takes time and consistency. However, all the initial investment will pay off handsomely when your horse is able to maintain a balanced, forward-moving canter from which you can begin to make adjustments.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources for Equestrians

    Are you looking for step by step instructions to listen to as you ride your young horse? I have created 5 audio horse riding programs specifically focusing on this topic. To find out how you can get these lessons (and hundreds more) visit https://stridesforsuccess.com/join/

  • Exercises for a Young Horse

    Exercises for a Young Horse

    Young horses!  It is such an honour as a rider to be one of the first people they get to work with, however can sometimes feel like you are riding an eel!  They are moving up and down in the rhythm and if there is a dance that you are both moving to, it quickly becomes evident that no one is really sure of the correct moves or steps!

    Horses need to be allowed the time and space to begin working out how they can carry themselves, with all this new equipment and also, how they can then carry the added weight of a rider on board their backs as well.  When given the necessary time and when the correct guidelines are there to help, your horse will soon become more confident in his abilities to carry you and confidence is key for balance.

    The reason the ‘dance’ seems so staggered is due to the lack of true balance.  So, in saying this, balance is first and foremost for young horses.  However very often riders try to do this job for their horse, rather than allowing the horse to figure it out on their own.  This usually results in a horse that insists on holding on to or grabbing the contact and being unable to relax enough through their backs to truly use themselves correctly.  This, as I am sure you can imagine, will inevitably lead to all sorts of trouble and problems further down the line.

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    Before we go any further, it is important to stress that the rider must be experienced, sympathetic and patient. Young horses should not be ridden by riders who lack a balanced and independent seat.  It will only make the horse’s job much more difficult and very often results in a loss of confidence, that will have repercussions all through their riding career.

    When working with a young horse, remember it is the quality of the work, rather than the quantity that is important.  Ride for shorter periods and rest often throughout each ride

    Many factors will influence how quickly your horse progresses, such as age, breed, build, confirmation, groundwork, consistency and even his upbringing.  Remember, even if your horse is the ‘ideal age’ to start, he may still not be physically or mentally ready to begin work.  Again, slow and steady will win out over pushing your horse to do things he is not ready for.

    So assuming that you have assessed the situation and have deemed it the right time in your horse’s life to begin introducing him to a more ‘structured’ training program, I suggest by starting off on a long rein.  You can begin teaching your horse this on the lunge initially and then, when you’re on his back.  The long rein will allow him to stretch out his back muscles and overall body, which will encourage relaxation and rid him of any excess tension

    Start at the lunge.  This will allow your horse to loosen up, and also work out any excess energy that he might be ‘storing up’.  It also gives you a great opportunity to assess him further which will then help you to create a more structured plan.  Which gait is the most balanced and comfortable for him?  Which rein, if any, does he prefer?  You can then use this information when you mount up to help relax him and start by doing something he enjoys and working on the side he goes better on.

    Keep in mind that lunging is not just chasing him around the ring; he must begin with relaxing, just like he would if on a long rein and then slowly beginning to work into a contact, with emphasis on moving forward at all times.  You can also use the time on the lunge to reinforce the voice aids.

    Exercises for a Young Horse

    When riding a young horse, the focus should begin on rhythm and balance within that rhythm.  As I mentioned before, you as the rider must be balanced in your seat and able to move with your horse as he works forward.  At no point should you begin trying to ‘shorten’ him or force him into a ‘frame’.  If he is to develop correctly he must learn to balance himself and from there, then look for your contact and accept it happily while moving forward all the time.

    Another thing to keep in mind when riding a young horse is that he will be naturally a little ‘downhill’.  His body must strengthen, over time, before he can begin to transfer that weight back onto his hind quarters, and during this period it is your responsibility as the rider not to add to the weight being carried by his front end by leaning or slouching

    When working in the arena, vary the work and sprinkle breaks or rest periods throughout the ride, which will allow him to relax and stretch out on a long rein again.  This will help to make sure he does not become stiff or tense which will in turn, ruin the work you are trying to achieve.

    Work on basic school figures such as large circles, all the time trying to establish the rhythm in the gait.  You can also work in some transitions, however I find that it is better to work in a chosen gait for a few minutes, allowing him to become confident in his balance and rhythm, rather than chopping and changing gaits.  Transitions are a wonderful tool when schooling horses but I have found that if too many are incorporated into the early rides, the horse can tend to become a little choppy, short and tense through his work, rather than moving forward in a relaxed  and loose fashion.

    Keep in mind that you are there to guide; he must learn to balance himself.  So correcting him is important, but it should be only that, a correction, rather than a constant support or aid

    After a few weeks or months, depending on your horse, and once he is happily carrying you around the arena you can begin introducing ground poles into his schooling sessions.  You will know the time is right when he has found a certain rhythm and balance to his way of going, which he can adjust in and out of with ease.  Like everything else, incorporating the poles too early will only serve to do more harm than good, so proceed with caution and only when you are confident that he is confident!

    Start with a single pole on the ground, which you can allow him to walk over.  Walk over it, from both directions quite a few times until it becomes a non-event in your horse’s head.  Keep in mind that your horse might just jump the pole on the first few occasions and take the precautions to avoid any discomfort for him or you if this happens!  Make sure that you do not punish him when he successfully navigates the pole by catching him in the mouth or becoming heavy on his back.

    Once he is happily walking over the single pole, you can then begin trotting up to and over the pole.  Again, we want him working over the poles happily and relaxed before you move on to anything more complicated.  This may take a few rides, however your patience while he is finding his way here will be worth it later.

    Poles can be used in all sorts of ways when riding a young horse, as both obstacles to navigate over and also guiding rails to ride between or around.  Depending on your horse, you can use them to help reinforce a concept and also, to ask for more flexion and a way of asking him to ‘use’ himself more.

    Riding young horses can be a challenge, but when done with patience and kindness as well as consistently, it pays off as both a rewarding for the rider and it sets the horse up for a happier, healthier working life as well.

    Happy Riding!

    Exercises for Riding a Young Horse

  • Maintaining Balance Between Jumps

    Maintaining Balance Between Jumps

    The bell rings, you set off aiming for the first fence, you pop over it… And suddenly it’s like everything begins to speed up and rather than being the pilot, you have somehow been relegated to passenger status.  All the ‘if this then that’ scenarios you have spent months practicing are just gone and you are hoping that somehow, through the grace of God, you will make it through the two finish flags, still on board!

    [smart_track_player url=” https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/SFA466-Maintaining-Control-Between-Fences.mp3″ title=”Maintaining Balance Between the Fences” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”The most important part of jumping? Successfully riding between each of the fences…” hashtag=”truestory #equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Jumping tracks or courses is what many riders aspire to achieve with their horse . However, the majority of riders who love jumping and want to jump spend so much time focusing on the actual jumping part and so little on polishing up their technique between fences, that when they reach their goal of completing a course of jumps, the fact that they are on the ground, navigating from one fence to the next, for about 95% of the round, results in luck (as opposed to planning and skill) that dictates if the poles stay up or not (and if the rider remains mounted!).

    Maintaining Balance between the jumps

    Much of our success jumping tracks or a course of jumps comes from the quality of flatwork preparation we put in before hand, rather than time spent actually jumping.  Maintaining balance, rhythm and control around the track is what makes the difference between consistent clear rounds and having the odd sporadic moment of success amid usually disappointing rounds peppered with poles down and refusals.

    I believe this must be mastered in two parts. Firstly, perfecting your position over a fence (which I have exercises you can use HERE >> ) and then secondly, once you can seamlessly shift in and out of your jumping position, you can begin working on remaining in control for the entire duration of the ride!

    Courses are made up of jumps that are connected together with either straight lines or turns between them.  The problems begin when your horse begins to speed up on the straight lines which can use you, the rider, to become anxious and nervous. This is also what leads to a lot of run-outs and flattening over fences which can bring the poles down. Riding a course of connected jumps also magnifies problems with bending, turning and suppleness. Any issues here will result in your horse losing balance around corners which often results in a loss of overall control while riding the track and you becoming flustered with just too many things to do to bring it all back where you want!

    One of the reasons that jumping is broken up into different phases or parts is to show riders that each separate piece must be mastered in its own right before being put together. The phases are; the approach, the take off, the jumping, the landing and the getaway. When all pieces are ridden correctly the result is an effortless, graceful jump that sets you up perfectly for the next obstacle on your course.

    As mentioned, today we are chatting about the part between the fences. Many riders just focus on maintaining control between the fences, however they go about achieving this the wrong way. Constant pulling on their horse’s mouth will only result in the horse falling onto the forehand and pulling back. By failing to also factor in balance and rhythm, is often leads to a loss of rhythm and impulsion, which results in a loss of balance.

    Here are some exercises you can do to really establish and then maintain that all important balance and rhythm around your tracks.

    I suggest beginning by working over poles on the ground, and once you have gotten the knack of regulating and maintaining your horse over the poles, only then begin to build small jumps. I also recommend beginning each exercise in trot, so you can focus on your position and how you are riding the line or pole, before cantering the exercises. If you encounter any problems, take it back to trot again and work through the problems.

    Sometimes our desire to ride more complicated and challenging work with our horse results in us rushing over basic training issues. These same problems are easily masked when the stakes (or jumps) are low. However, ignoring basic training flaws will inevitably always result in an even bigger problem later down the line, when more difficult questions are being asked.

    Take the time to correct any basic issues early in your horse’s training; focus on building a strong correct foundation to work from

    Begin by setting up a pole or a jump on the centerline approximately 6 to 8 meters before X. As you ride up the centerline toward the pole, focus on maintaining your rhythm and not allowing your horse to speed up or slow down.
    Also pay attention to how straight your horse is on approach and, how easy it is to keep him on that straight line. If he tends to wander or weave left or right, use your legs to bring him back and then continue to ride the line you have chosen.

    Also consider how well you can continue to preserve the rhythm after the pole and around the bend when you reach the top of the arena. There should be no visible difference in your horse’s stride, energy or your level of control throughout the line, both before and after the pole.

    Once you feel comfortable doing this in trot and canter, you can begin to work in more difficult turns and bends. Ride the same pole on the centerline, pop it and continue on straight again until you reach X or just afterwards. Once there, begin tracking right, in a half 10m circle. When you reach the outside track again (the long side of the arena), immediately track right taking you across the centerline on a diagonal line. As you reach the other side of the arena (just before the corner), track left and if you have continued to maintain the rhythm and balance, when you reach the middle of the short side of the arena repeat the exercise again, instead this time on the other side (track left after X).

    Again, begin in trot and only when you can truly maintain the rhythm, balance and control, practice in canter. If you cannot perform a flying change, ask for trot as you cross the diagonal each time and then pick up the opposite canter lead, in preparation for the next corner.

    There are many variations of this exercise you can do while riding, and of course building an actual jump instead of the ground pole is part of adding to this exercise.

    The second exercise I recommend is focused more on controlling your horse while continuing to create impulsion after the fence. Using the same pole or jump, approach in canter and on landing, allow your horse 7 canter strides, before bringing him back to trot. However, you will only keep the trot for 5 strides, before picking up canter again.

    As you become more in tune with controlling your horse while continuing to create energy, you can ask for the trot at 5 canter strides after the fence. What you are looking to do here is regain control of your body as quickly as possible after the fence, so you can correctly ride the getaway and begin building a good approach to the next fence.

    The last exercise I suggest can be built on from this. Once you have tracked left or right at the top of the arena, after popping your pole or jump, ride a 10 or 15 meter circle in the corner. Again, the focus is on maintaining the rhythm and balance. Your horse should not fall in on the circle, or rush around the circle.

    You can then begin to add a 10m circle in the corner before you begin your approach to the fence as well. It should be a fluid progression all the way, around the circle, down the line, over the fence, after the fence and again round the circle. No speeding up, no breaking into a different gait, no falling out through the shoulders, no swinging of the hind quarters, just a correct, forward going, balanced rhythm throughout the exercise.

    Lastly, I feel it is vitally important to understand how courses are built and the flow that the course builder has envisioned happening as different horse and rider combinations navigate the track. Take the time to study courses of jumps. Look at how they ride, the bends, the turns, the opportunities to rebalance the horse. By doing this, you will subconsciously begin to make subtle changes as you ride the jumps that will, if you have that correct foundation, make all the difference between a clear round and 4 penalties.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Maintaining Balance Between the Jumps

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  • What Makes a Good Walk?

    What Makes a Good Walk?

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/SFA321-What-Makes-A-Good-Walk.mp3″ title=”What Makes a Good Walk?” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”How to improve the walk with your horse…” hashtag=”horsepodcast” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Walking… Does your horse do it with a sense of purpose, or is he rather resembling a slowly rolling ball of jelly; going nowhere slowly?  The problem many riders have is when we ask our horse to ‘walk on’, he becomes tense and stiff…

    The walk, when it is a good walk, should be forward-moving, unrestricted, and natural. There should be a sense of purpose to it; evident in both horse and rider. 

    Unfortunately, as riders, we can often have a very negative influence over this gait, causing our horses to begin shuffling rather than walking! Here’s how you can begin to nurture what your horse naturally does in the walk, and create a good walk for both of you.

    The Rhythm of the Walk

    The first thing to do is begin identifying the rhythm your horse has in the walk. The walk is a 4-time beat. This means that each hoof is placed on the ground at a different point during each stride. The left back hoof is first, followed by the left front hoof. After which the right back hoof and, finally, the right front hoof.  This means that the two hooves on one side of the body go first, followed by the two hooves on the other side.

    When a horse has learned to adapt or change his way of going in the walk, often the hooves on either side of the body can seem to almost move together. 

    So instead of the regular 1…2…3…4…1…2…3…4…1…2…3…4… your horse’s rhythm begins to sound a feel more like 1.2…3.4…1.2…3.4…1.2…3.4… Now, essentially, this is also a rhythm. It’s a pattern that is repeating.  However, it’s not a great quality rhythm! Meaning it’s not a good walk. This is where I would recommend beginning when you are assessing your horse’s natural rhythm in the walk.

    Ask yourself; Are there four distinctive hoof beats? And are they all equally spaced? Meaning that all are given equal ‘time’ within each stride?

    Seatbones and Hooves

    What you can begin doing today is syncing your seat bones with your horse’s hooves.  There is a direct connection between them and when you begin to understand it, you can be having a more positive influence. Your seat bones can help develop your horse’s walk. To begin creating a good walk.

    Your left seatbone is, basically, moved by your horse’s left hip. Meaning that you can beign to know where your horse’s back left hoof is at any point in the stride by paying attention to what your left seatbone is doing. 

    By knowing what is happening underneath you, you can begin to time your aids more effectively in order to have a better influence. Things like asking for the trot. Or even the canter. Your half halt. Noticing straightness or bending. When you begin syncing your seat bones to your horse’s hips, you have the potential to become more effective.

    Creating a Good Walk

    I go into much more detail in more recent episodes of the Daily Strides Podcast on how to do this and so much more. I will link to them all here and I highly suggest you give them a listen and begin improving things today.

    And, finally, if you would like to go further with your riding I highly suggest you give my free training series a go…Find the Gaps in Your Horses Training using this free audio series available for you to listen to in a private podcast feed – so just as easy as listening to the Daily STrides Podcast :) You can sign up for free HERE or visit https://stridesforsuccess.com/free

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

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  • Rhythm and Tempo and Adjusting the Stride

    Rhythm and Tempo and Adjusting the Stride

    Do you sometimes find yourself confused about the differences between rhythm and tempo and adjusting the stride of your horse when riding?

    Is is all a bit confusing whether or not while adjusting your horse’s stride, you are continuing  ‘maintain the rhythm’ or keeping a ‘consistent tempo’?

    In this blog post I want to quickly help you begin to identify the difference between rhythm and tempo, so you can work on improving and maintaining both in your riding.

    Begin in Walk

    I am going to suggest starting your work on rhythm and tempo in walk with your horse.  Begin by trying to identify the 4 time beat of your horse’s footfalls while he walks around the arena.

    Every stride your horse takes in walk should have a definitive 4 beat rhythm to it.  

    Those four beat; 1, 2, 3, 4,   1, 2 ,3, 4,   1, 2, 3, 4,   1, 2, 3, 4,  including the ‘quiet space’ in between the 4 and 1 make up the rhythm of your horses walk.   Think of it like the beat of your horses ‘walking dance’.  It is repetitive and ongoing as you walk around the arena.

    The Difference Between Rhythm and Tempo in the Walk

    Now, if you were to suddenly push your horse forward to a faster walk, those hoof falls would probably become 1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4, 1,2,3,4, .  Notice how the elements of the rhythm are the same as above, but they happening much faster?

    The rhythm is the sequence of footfalls within each stride.  The tempo is how often this sequence occurs in a given or set period or distance

    The tempo can be faster or slower…  Same rhythm, but just repeated more often in the same amount of time or space, or less often as the case may be if you were to slow things down.

     

    Rhythm and tempo and adjusting the stride

    So Rhythm is the actual pattern of the hoof falls; Tempo is how fast or slow they are occurring in a given time or space.

    Starting to Work in Trot

    Once you can identify the rhythm in the walk, I suggest picking up trot.  Spend a little time in firstly establishing the 1, 2, 1, 2, rhythm of the trot.

    If your horse was to suddenly change into the 1…, 2…, 1., 2.., 1…, 2., 1.., 2…, beat of the trot; his rhythm would have changed.

    When you can feel and count the rhythm of the trot, you can begin to experiment a little with changing the tempo up and down.  However remember to maintain the same rhythm throughout the trot itself.

    Keep in mind that often, when we are adjusting the stride, we don’t want to change the tempo or the rhythm, but we still would like to adjust the length of the stride.  Here, we ask our horse to cover more or less ground while continuing to maintain the same tempo and rhythm in the trot.

    Your horse can do this by either lifting his legs higher with each stride, to shorten the distance covered.   Or stretching his legs forward more with each stride, to increase the distance covered.

    This involves quite a lot of discipline and training for your horse to achieve.  It also involves you asking the correct questions and giving the correct directions at the correct time.

    I have more information for you on improving the trot and on basic rhythm listed below

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Other posts that are related to this topic:-

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