As riders, we have all heard of the half halt. Many riders use it regularly to, let’s be honest, varying levels of success! And while it can be easy to say that your horse is just not all that responsive, and just leave it at that. I think a better plan would be to tweak your approach and see if…
There is a tendency for riders to ‘hold’ a little too much during the downward transitions. And while the half halt is essential to the preparation and transition itself… Too much can lead to a very ‘stuck’ feeling when the horse actually makes it into the new gait! A little like ‘stuck in the mud’. In this episode, I am…
Let’s be honest; many riders don’t really long for a ‘better trot’ in their riding. In fact, most are quite happy to simply work with what they already have right now and see the trot as a filler. A part of the ride that gets you from one thing to the next. And trotting, by its very nature, doesn’t really…
Timing is something we all understand. When it is working for us, it feels good. If it’s a little off, things tend to feel rushed or stressed. I think our horses feel the same mixed bag of emotions and tension when the timing is off. In fact, bad timing often is the very thing that causes a ‘hop, skip, and…
Timing… It’s an important element of great conversations. You can give all the correct responses, but if the timing is off – they are not as meaningful. And this affects the connection and flow. Horse riding is the same. After all, horse riding is just a word we use to describe the conversation between the rider and the horse. As…
Are you guilty of saying one thing to your horse, when you actually mean another? You’re not alone! This is the second part of a 2 part series all about blocking with your seat, and how to stop doing it! Part 1 is HERE Before we dive into the actual riding exercises you can do to discover if you have…
