Strides for Success

Tag: walk

  • Confidently Assessing Walk on a Different or New Horse

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    Whether you’ve just purchased a new horse, or the opportunity to regularly ride a different horse, the first few rides can feel a little daunting. Especially if you are coming back to riding after a break or you’re used to riding another horse. One of the best things you can do is to begin assessing where you are both at in terms of training and communication. This episode is the first in a week of 5 lessons called ‘First Rides for Confidence on Your New Horse’ which are available now inside of Daily Strides Premium. 

    Those first few rides have to happen and if done right, can set a positive tone for both of you as you work together going forward.

    And these rides are the perfect time to really pay attention, assess where you both are in your training together and then build your relationship together.  In this episode, I will walk you through an exercise you can do while in the saddle to begin figuring out where you both are in your training.

    Finding & Stacking Wins

    Wins are not just for the competitive riders in the world.  All riders can find and ‘stack’ wins when working with their horses.  The key is to really notice them. So often we take the little things for granted.  However, it’s these little things, when accumulated and put together; that make the partnership great.

    Each time you have a set expectation of your horse, and your horse meets it; that’s a win! Especially true when it’s a new horse that you’re not really sure of or familiar with.

    The more ‘correct answers’ your horse gives you, the stronger the understanding between both of you becomes.  See it like a list of boxes that your horse must check.  Anything he doesn’t understand must be worked on – and will be.  But it’s also important to appreciate all of the ‘checks’ he did get. This will build both of your confidence in yourselves and in the partnership as a whole.

    1. Assessing the Shoulders

    Begin in walk with your new horse and pay attention to your horse’s shoulders.  How well are they moving?  Are they covering the ground or are they a little ‘choppy’ or ‘short’? It’s important not to lean down or over to do this.  Just ‘glance’ down with your eyes. You may have to move or plait/braid your horse’s mane if it is hiding or covering the shoulders.

    The shoulders are something you can ‘see’ when you are riding. And you are going to use this to assess what you can’t see.  The hind quarters.  

    Once you can identify the shoulders moving, begin to tie that into the feeling in your seat.  The movement of the shoulders will coordinate with the swing of your seat as your horse walks. You’ll notice both a backward and forward swing to your seat. And also a ‘left to right’.  The left to right is created by your horse’s barrel or rib cage moving as the horse walks.  And this will correlate with his back legs…

    2. Engaging the Hind Quarters

    The reason your horse’s barrel is swinging left to right is simple; it must move to create room for your horse’s back leg to come and step in underneath it.  So, if you’re not feeling that left-to-right swing through the barrel, there’s a good chance your horse is not using his hind quarters.

    Think of ‘engagement’ as being a committed relationship between your horse’s back end and the front end. No committed relationship; no engagement!

    If your horse has training and development under his belt, you will also see that the distribution of his weight has changed slightly so the front end is not so heavy.  However, even if your horse is very green or unfit, the ‘engagement’ we are talking about is a connection or relationship.  The energy is flowing through from the back to the front.  And all horses can do this, regardless of where they are in their training journey.

    3. Balance Through Corners

    A great way to assess this with your new horse is to pretend you’re a marble, ball, or egg! If your horse’s back is a tray and you are on the tray, what would happen while you’re riding on the straight? So down the long side of your arena. Is the tray tipping slightly to one side of the other?  Or is it perhaps tilted to favour the back or the front?

    Ideally,  you (the egg or ball) will remain nicely balanced in the centre of the ‘tray’, both on the straight and as you ride through corners and bends. 

    Often we don’t feel when our horses is tilting or tipping.  Especially through corners and bends.  However, play this game the next time you’re in the saddle.  Close your eyes if you can (and it’s safe to do so). And feel if you are ‘tipping’ somewhere you shouldn’t be!

    4. Noticing Relaxation / Tension

    Building from the previous exercise, you can then begin to add your use of the half halt before and during the corner into your assessment.  Does your horse respond to your half halt? And if so, does this have an impact on any of the previous elements of the ride?  How his shoulders are moving, the swing of the hindquarters, or you ‘rolling off’ the tray that is his back?!

    When riding a new horse, moments of incorrect tension will be pretty frequent and normal initially.  You are both getting used to each other…

    The important takeaway is to notice and begin refining so that the smoothness is maintained more easily.  I also suggest riding a 20m square when doing this work, as it will allow the corners to ‘come more quickly’ for you and your horse. And you will get more opportunities to work on improving it the next time.

    5. The Ears of Your New Horse

    My final idea for assessing the walk with a new horse is to watch his ears.  I realise this seems like a strange one, but bear with me! As you are riding the square or the rectangle in walk, and doing the above exercise with half halt and corners, do the ears change?  Do they get higher, indicating that he may be ‘hollowing out’ through is back? Or maybe they are dropping lower; possibly bracing against you? Or are they tilting (one higher than the other), showing a lack of straightness?

    When you are riding a different or new horse, the best thing you can do early on is to assess exactly where he is right now in his training. Then use this to create a plan to improve. 

    As the rider of the new horse, your job is to see how you are both getting along from the beginning.  And it is often so much easier to do this using what you can actually ‘see’.  Such as the shoulders and ears. Couple this with what you can feel, you’ll get a pretty good idea of how the ride is going.

    First Rides for Confidence on Your New Horse

    If this is something you would like more step-by-step help with, I am encouraging you to join us inside of Daily Strides Premium. You will get 5 episodes of audio horse riding lessons to use that will help you and your horse from the very first ride.  And they are not only for ‘new horses’.

    These lessons are also great for riders and horses who want to figure out what to work on next in their training and work together. Especially if working alone without a trainer or coach.

    So if you have your new horse, or you are getting to know a different horse to the one you are used to, let me help you both.  Those first few rides are really important ones; for both you and your horse… In this group of lessons you will steadily move through the different gaits with your horse, in a way that will build your confidence; and allow your horse to get used to you as well.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    More Help for Riders:-

    Connect with Lorna online:-

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! You can use the first and original audio horse riding lessons to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, and have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

  • Feeling Tired 20 Minutes into a Ride? Here’s What to Do…

    Feeling Tired 20 Minutes into a Ride? Here’s What to Do…

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    That feeling. When you had the best of intentions about what a ride was going to be like for you and your horse. Only to realise, 15 to 20 minutes into the ride, that you are ‘beat’!  Your legs are just not doing what you want them to do. Your head and shoulders feel like they weigh a tonne and self-carriage on your part is just exhausting! And as for coordination and concentration; nope and nope!

    If you are noticing a pattern where you’re feeling physically ‘done’ 20 or so minutes into each of your riding sessions with your horse, you need to begin working on changing that for you and your horse.

    Physical fitness is an essential part of improving as a rider. You don’t have to be as fit as a flea, but there is a certain level of physical abilities that are essential if you are to improve as a rider – and as a trainer for your horse.

    The good news is that there are a few simple key areas you can focus on in your next ride so that when you hit that point where you’re feeling tired, you will have a few ‘go to’ exercises and practices to help you squeeze out a few more minutes of goodness in your training!

    Quality Over Quantity

    Before we go any further, I want to reiterate that I do not believe in ‘Clock-In Riding’.  Clock-in riding is when you set a goal of a specific amount of time that you and your horse will work together for a ride. 30 minutes or 45 minutes are popular ones.  My big question is WHY?! If you and your horse have achieved something great at the 23-minute mark, is it essential that you continue on for another 7 minutes to ‘reach your goal’? No, absolutely not!

    Instead of setting goals about the amount of time you will spend in the saddle, rather set an intention for what you would like to work towards or achieve while riding. 

    More often than not, continuing on after you’ve achieved the thing you set out to work on will only result in actually lowering the quality of the training session! Shift your mindset so that you begin to focus on and then celebrate the quality of the work, rather than the quantity of the work.

    The tips I’m sharing with you today are ideas to help you go a little further ‘if’ you still NEED to go a little further in that particular training session. They are not for you to use to hit an arbitory ‘time goal’… Okay? Okay :)

    Use Your Walk Intentionally

    The walk is always a great place to catch your breath.  However, spending 10 or so minutes of each riding session aimlessly wandering around an arena trying to stop yourself from ‘blowing’ too hard is not time well spent.  So my advice is to begin becoming intentional with your walk.

    You can measure the walk in lots of different ways; the rhythm, the length of the stride, your horses frame, your ability to follow with your seat without doing funky dance moves with your shoulders are just a few to mention…

    I’m going to suggest focusing on the length of stride and your horse’s frame as a great ‘allows us to regroup and also continue to remain focused on the work’ exercise for when you’re feeling tired. Work on transitioning from a more ‘medium’ walk; it does not have to be medium in the truest meaning of the word, you can also use the word ‘gathered’ walk or ‘put together’ walk. To moving into more of a ‘free walk on a long rein’.  These two different ‘types’ of walk have the potential to show a massive difference in how your horse is working and using his body.

    And when you are working on improving the quality of both of the walks and creating smoother transitions between, your body is allowed to rest and prepare for the next more challenging exercise you choose to ride.

    Position, Position, Position

    One of the most noticeable symptoms when a rider is feeling tired is how drastic their overall position and posture changes! Your position and posture are essential to ride well. And when you begin to notice that your energy is fading, you MUST check both.

    When tiredness is creeping into to the rider’s body, the horse will also usually begin travelling a little differently. Many times the horse becomes heavy in front.  Hanging on the bit…  And because the rider is feeling ‘beat’, they often just brace against the horse.  This usually results in any wins that might have happened during the ride being wiped out!

    If you feel like your horse is becoming heaver on your hand, check your position first. Are you supplying him with something to hang on (your arms and shoulders)? Rather than using your aids to ask him to begin carrying himself again?

    Allowing your horse to hang on your arms and shoulders will not help either of you long term. And if your legs and seat are feeling too tired to ‘ask’ him to make a change, bring it back to walk and try there. Allowing yourself to continue on with a bad position or posture will only lead to far worse habits further down the line! So be careful!

    Transitions & Half Halt

    These are another great way to lighten your horse up in front and put less physical pressure on your upper body. When you are feeling tired, riding good-quality transitions can be a challenge. So make it easier by riding these transitions in the walk.  Work between walk and halt.  And then walk and trot.  You can add intentional and well-ridden transitions between being ‘straight’ and riding through a bend, curve, or corner.

    Riding transitions that include the walk allows your body to ‘keep up’, even when it’s feeling tired.  And allows you time to rest a while still continuing with the training so not to break the focus. 

    However, remember that you will need to have first checked over and ‘tweaked’ any position or posture issues.  I like walking serpentines here.  They include so many different elements and are just as beneficial in the walk for rider and horse.  Use the centre line (the point where you cross it each time) as the point for your transitions.  Maybe halt on the centre line.  Or trot the loops and then 3 strides of walk as you straighten out while crossing the centre line.

    Of course, before and after all of your intentional transitions you will sprinkle a couple or more half halts. This will help you to remain connected and help your position and posture. 

    10m Circles in Walk

    My final suggestion for when you’re feeling physically tired while in the saddle is 10m circles in walk.  I like to ride these before I begin ‘working’ again in trot or canter. And, of course, I say 10m but this can also be 12m and 15m depending on you and your horse’s training level.

    10m circles in the walk work well to reestablish the connection between horse and rider after a little break to catch your breath. Especially if you are then going to trot or canter. 

    You may find that after the walk and especially when you’re feeling tired, the trot and canter can become a little ‘flat’ or ‘front heavy’. Neither of which you will want. So the smaller focused circles in the walk with the intention of ‘gathering’ things up again, can really help you both to re-focus.

    Stop Feeling Tired…

    Again, all of the above suggestions are made for you to try when you are really focusing on quality over quantity in your riding. Not just to help you ‘push on through’ for another 20 minutes in the saddle! At the end of the day, it will be up to you to increase your physical abilities so that you tire less or later in the ride. Obviously, riding itself will really help with this. But there are also other things you can do…

          • Prioritize enough good-quality sleep
          • Watch what you eat – especially what foods cause inflammation in your body
          • Stay hydrated throughout the day – not just after you ride
          • Increase your suppleness – yoga
          • Improve your stamina and fitness with cardio – walking and hiking are great
          • Create more control over your body and aids – strength training and workouts

    There will be days when your body is just ‘bushed’ at a certain point in the ride. Start listening to your body and know when you need a short ‘rest’ to recover, or you need to end the session and dismount! There is no shame in feeling tired.  And very often ‘pushing on through’ will only cause more issues down the line for you and your horse.

    Equestrian Fitness Challenge ’24

    And in the meantime, work on improving your overall strength, fitness, and stamina as a rider. The all-new and free 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge is a great place for you to do this.  It is walking and yoga-based (no workouts), so it will ease you into becoming a better version of yourself in the saddle gently. You can sign up HERE or by visiting https://equestrianfitnesschallenge.com/24 
    There will be a daily walk, a 10 minute daily yoga practice, and lots of tips, ideas, exercises, and ways to improve so that you can show up as the best version of you – for you and your horse.
    Sign up today and let’s transform your riding – one stride at a time! 100% FREE 2024 Equestrian Fitness Challenge
    Remember, there’s so much you can do to improve your riding, especially your energy levels.  Don’t just accept feeling tired as being the end of your training session.  Begin to work with your body so that you and your horse can go further in your training together.
    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    More Help for Riders:-

    Connect with Lorna online:-

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! You can use the first and original audio horse riding lessons to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, and have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

  • Groundwork: Take a Walk with Your Horse…

    Groundwork: Take a Walk with Your Horse…

    Groundwork; Take Your Horse for a Walk
    Have you ever considered all the different ways you communicate with your horse, every day?  All of the aids you have at your disposal to ask your horse to do things the way you want him to do things.  Imagine if you could become a little more mindful about what you are doing and how you are doing it…
    [smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1128_Take_a__Walk_with_Your_Horse.mp3″ title=”Groundwork; Take a Walk with Your Horse” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”When walking is not just walking with your horse…” hashtag=”equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]
    When you are with your horse, there are so many different aids you can use, such as:-
          • Thoughts
          • Body Language
          • Position
          • Voice
          • Seat
          • Legs
          • Hands
          • Artificial aids
    Each time you begin working on a new aid, it has to learn how to blend with all of the aids you have been previously using.  You have to learn how to blend it, and your horse has to learn how to understand it.

    Learning Takes Time

    So many riders expect to be able to begin using a new aid or applying an older aid in a different way and for it to just ‘work’.  They become discouraged when they meet the enviable resistance, both from the horse and their own other aids, towards this ‘new aid’.
    As you develop as a rider, you must be open to learning new things and new ways of doing things.  Different horses will require different approaches.  Understanding that there is a Balance of Aids and it is your job to try and keep it actually alive and well in your riding is key.
    I am going to suggest that, in order to really see how this balance plays out, begin playing with your new (or different application) of aids while on the ground with your horse.

    Groundwork

    So many riders see groundwork as being ‘with’ your horse.  Yes, you can use groundwork as a way to build your relationship with your horse, particularly natural horsemanship.  However, I would love for you to begin playing with groundwork in a way that will encourage more conversation in your riding as well.
    Using what you are doing on the ground, while beside your horse, to really enhance the conversation you then have in the saddle, while riding your horse. 
    Becoming mindful regarding what you are saying and how you are saying it when on the ground has the potential to literally change everything in your riding.  Remember, this is something you do every single time you get in and out of the saddle.  It is also something you do on the days your not even riding your horse.

    Start with Bringing Your Horse for a Walk

    Think about when you are leading your horse, there is a mutual agreement in place.  You are walking and expecting your horse to walk with you.  Hopefully, you’re not having to pull or drag your horse along and your horse is also not pulling or dragging you along!  It cuts both ways.
    Just having that simple unwritten agreement in place is a foundation you can build on in your riding.  If this is not the case, I strongly suggest you give THIS EPISODE a listen and start there.  
    But assuming that you and your horse are happy to walk with each other, why not begin playing and experimenting with your aids there?  Soft, gentle and subtle changes in your aids can make a huge difference in your overall conversation with your horse.
    Turning your shoulders slightly can either invite your horse to ‘walk on’ a little more, especially if he is not feeling very confident.  And, similarly, a twist of your shoulders the opposite direction can have a ‘whoa’ effect on your horse’s walk and energy as well.

    Pay attention to Your Position and Language

    Your eyes and where you are looking can have a huge influence over your horse’s way of going.  The same with your core.  If you apply a little ‘half-halt’ to your core, in the walk on the ground beside your horse, begin looking at how your horse notices and responds.
    You can only begin refining your aids when you truly commit to becoming mindful about your aids themselves
    Look at how your horse responds and then play with how you can influence that response by approaching the conversation a little differently.  Try a different aid.  Or change the balance of the aids you are applying.  Play and experiment and then commit to being consistent enough that your horse can actually begin taking part in this new, more refined conversation.
    Your horse is literally waiting to have a conversation with you; let groundwork be the place where you can really begin taking that conversation to the next level. 

    Groundwork for Riding

    I would love to help you to take this to the next level with your horse.  I have a program ‘Groundwork for Riding’ which will give you exact exercises you can begin applying today with your horse.
    The exercises are for use before or after your usual riding, so that you can really begin complementing what you are working on in the saddle with what you are doing before you get into the saddle. 
    If you are looking for fun ways to engage your horse, without having to spend more hours in the saddle, this program will do just that for you.
    Happy ‘working with your horse from the ground’
    Lorna

    Other Episodes, Posts, and Resources on This Topic

  • Using Lateral Work to Improve Your Walk

    Using Lateral Work to Improve Your Walk

    Using Lateral Work to Improve Your Walk

    What this episode is all about & how it can help you:-

    • Recognise what a ‘stuck’ walk looks and feels like
    • Understand why the walk can so easily deteriorate in horses
    • See the benefit of using lateral work to begin improving the walk
    • Start to become more aware of how you are asking questions of your horse

    Funny how, sometimes, it is the more basic things that cause us to become ‘stuck’.  The walk is a good example of this!  It is probably the first thing most of us do on a horse, and yet, it often becomes a real ‘sticking point’ for horse and rider.

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1098-Using-Lateral-Work-to-Improve-Your-Walk.mp3″ title=”Using Lateral Work as a Tool to Improve Your Walk” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Is your horses walk feeling more ‘stuck in the mud’ than graceful and forward? Here is how lateral work can help get you & your horse unstuck” hashtag=”equestrian #horseriding” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Even stranger is that most riders don’t really understand or realise this until it is too late.  Too late for what?  Well, the walk is the one gait that riders have a real ability to negatively impact in their horses training.  Unfortunately this can have long-term repercussions in the horses way of going.  Maybe even long after the rider has began working on improving things. 

    In this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast you will learn how you can use simple lateral work to begin either improving or maintaining the quality of your horses walk.  Simple exercises and movements that will help both you and your horse get ‘unstuck’ in the walk. 

    Why the Walk Can Become Stuck for Many Riders

    I think that many riders fail to see how important it is to ride a good walk.  Usually this is because it was one of the first things they ‘successfully’ managed to do when in the saddle.  However, being able to remain in the saddle while the horse moves is not really a true measure of success as the journey progresses. And yet, we often fail to revisit the walk in our training.

    We forget to include it when assessing how effective we are using the energy.  And we see it as the ‘rest’ between the work, rather than the work itself.

    You probably use the walk to learn a lot of different movements or techniques in your riding.  The walk is also used to ‘practice’ things, in a slower sequence, before trying them out in trot or canter.

    Because of this, the walk is the one gait we tend to make a lot of our mistakes.  Repeatedly.  Mistake after mistake, slower and slower.  All in a bid to get things right in our head and body.

    This is why I feel the walk needs even more of your attention when developing your riding.  Focusing on riding a good quality walk is essential for your horses foundation, and yours as a rider.

    The Walk is Different to Other Gaits

    Okay, so I realise this is pretty obvious!  It is, after all, not the trot, canter or gallop.  However, it is also different because there is no ‘moment of suspension’.  It lacks the same energy that the other gaits have to move them forward.

    Once the forwardness has been blocked or is not included in the horses way of going, the gait itself tends to change – and this is rarely positive.  

    Riders really have to work hard to change the natural rhythm of a horses trot or canter.  If they are successful, any changes are usually only temporary.  The energy within the trot or canter itself will usually result in the horses natural way of going rising to the top when the rider stops interfering .

    This is why it is so important to be mindful that your horse is propelling you both forward in the walk.  Every stride, the hind legs are swinging underneath you and thrusting you both forwards. 

    What a Bad Walk Looks Like

    The walk should include your horse swinging through his back and moving with a sense of purpose.  When these vital elements are missing things quickly become ‘stuck’.  The movement will lack rhythm.

    The steps almost become erratic and ‘pottery’ to watch and listen to.  Often the horse is weaving and wandering.  It just lacks ‘enough’ energy.  

    If we dig a little deeper into the ‘bad walk’ we will see that often the horse is not connected through their back.  Meaning that the hind quarters have fallen out behind the horse.  This is when the horse switches into ‘front wheel drive’.

    The shoulders pull the horse forwards, rather than the hind quarters pushing the horse forwards. 

    The lack of connection leads to a hollow back, due to a lack of strength and development.  And this, in turn, leads to an ineffective and often heavy contact between the horse’s mouth and the riders hands.  It is not a pretty picture and doesn’t inspire anyone!

    Why Lateral Work Can Help Improve the Walk

    There are lots of ways to either begin ‘undoing’ the bad habits that have crept in, or improving things with your horses walk.  However one of the best ways I have found is using lateral work.  It really can be used with riders of most levels, as well as horses at most levels of their training.

    Lateral work literally demands the focus and attention of both horse and rider.

    There are no real half measures with it.  You are either both working together on the movement or you are not.  Also, in order for you to successful ride a lateral movement, the gait leading up to the movement itself must be of a good enough quality.  Meaning that you are already working on the walk before the lateral movement is asked for.

    The second reason I find lateral work to be so beneficial for both horse and rider is down to one simple requirement.  Rhythm.  If rhythm is lost or broken, it was not a correct movement.

    Lateral work NEEDS rhythm to be present in order to be deemed ‘successful’.

    To Move Laterally is to Move Forwards and Sideways

    The third reason that I feel lateral work is often the best way to improve the walk is pretty simple.  Lateral is forwards and sideways.  Not sideways and forwards.  So many riders think of lateral work as being sideways.  Moving across.  It is not lateral work if it is not first moving forwards.

    Forwards is key to successful lateral work and successfully working in the walk. Making them the perfect combination to improve the walk

    This can be confusing because some lateral work, such as turn on the forehand, don’t actually require forward movement.  However, the forwardness here is how the horse and rider thinks. There is a correct sequence that must happen in each movement, in order for it to be successful.  Thinking forwards is the foundation to each of those sequence, whether moving forwards or not.

    Less Shoving, More Asking

    So, lets say you are going to begin by working on turn on the forehand.  The number one mistake riders make is to ‘shove’ their horse over using their seat.  Make sure that your seat bone does not become a shovel digging a hole in your horses back!

    This can often be one of the ways the walk can be negatively impacted to begin with, shoving rather than asking. 

    When you ‘shove’, whether it be in walk or moving laterally, your horse will begin to hollow out through his back.  He does this to get away from the discomfort caused by your overly enthusiastic seat bones digging into his back!

    When your horse hollows his back, the connection between back and front is broken.  The energy ‘leaks out’. 

    The result is a lack of forwardness, which negatively impacts whatever you are doing.  Walking or moving laterally.  As you are working on your turn on the forehand, focus on ‘asking’ rather than shoving your horse around!

    Asking Questions that Allow Responses

    The final thing I want to touch on in this post is how you are asking questions of your horse.  Are you allowing him the room or time to respond?  Or are you asking and then becoming upset when he is not quick enough with a response?

    The reason I ask is that, often, riders are not asking the right questions at the right time.  They are asking when it is practically impossible for their horse to respond. 

    Timing is so important in riding.  Walking is a great place to begin working on your timing.  Become aware of what is moving where underneath you at any given time.   For example, when your horses foot has begun moving is a good time to ask him to ‘change’ or ‘modify’ that movement.  Rather than when his hoof is bearing weight on the ground.

    The walk is perfect for becoming great at feeling what is moving where underneath you at any given time.  Lateral work is perfect for using this information to ask specific questions at the right time.

    Start Small and Build Up Daily

    You spend so much time in the walk.  I am going to suggest that, beginning today, you become a little more intentional with your walk.  It is not just a rest period.  It is a gait that deserves to be worked in just as much as any of the others.

    Each time you are in the saddle, focus on how ‘forward’ your walk is.  Notice if there is a rhythm present.  Are you allowing the energy to flow, or are you ‘shoving’ it somewhere else?

    By consistently working on developing a more active, correct, rhythmic, forward moving walk you can begin improving your horses walk, regardless of how far down the path of ‘stuck’ he has become.

    Happy Riding

    Lorna

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

    Daily Strides Premium

    So I mention turn on the forehand quite a bit in this post, however that is just one of many ‘lateral movements’ you can use to begin working on your walk.  If you would like step by step help and reminders (such as ‘don’t shove, ask’) as you begin incorporating these into your riding, I am going to suggest joining Daily Strides Premium today.  In there, you will have instant access to audio trainings on all the different lateral movements, as well as so much more as well.

    Trainings you can use and listen to where ever you can take your phone… And all easy to pop onto your phone.  You can even use them in the saddle. 

    Couple This with Built In Accountability…

    When you join a Daily Strides Premium Member you will get built-in accountability.  A real person from our team will be reaching out to you on a fortnightly basis to help you build and then maintain momentum with your progress in the saddle.

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

    Daily Strides Premium is packed full of step by step trainings for you to use in the saddle. All 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

  • Conscious Transitions Between Walk & Trot

    Conscious Transitions Between Walk & Trot

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/521-Concious-Transitions-Between-Walk-and-Trot.mp3″ title=”Conscious Transitions Between Walk and Trot” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Working on Walk with your Horse? This will help :) Walk and trot – the most overlooked transition in horse riding!” hashtag=”focusonthebasics #equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    So there you are, walking along and at some point or another, you find yourself having to ask for trot.  You might walk a little faster, perhaps include a little jig jog or two until, 4 or 5 seconds later, you are finally trotting.

    This is not ideal at all!  But what is it about transitions between walk and trot, and not just walk to trot, but also trot to walk, that has a lot of us think they are not so important?

    Is it because it is the first real transition up the gears that we usually get to grips with when learning to ride? Most riders will have experienced going from walk to trot within the first lesson or three.  Or is it because we become so used to the trot being a wee bit bouncy to begin with that we are less than careful about trying to create a smooth transition into it?

    Whatever the reason, the transitions between walk and trot are some of the most overlooked by riders and it’s a pity because it is a transition that when given the attention it deserves, it can really and truly change your whole experience in the saddle and help you create that seamless communication between rider and horse.

    Begin where you are – the walk

    As with most things, the quality of the transition will only be as good as the gait leading up to it. invest time in establishing and maintaining a good quality walk with your horse.  Your horse should walk on and use himself correctly.

    Next time you are on your horse in walk begin to question the quality of the walk.

          • Is your horse responsive and listening to you?
          • Are you having to force him forward?
          • Are your connections with your horse equal?
          • Do you have an actual plan for what you want to happen?!

    Assess your past attempts at transitions

    Next, turn your attention to your past transitions and how they were…

          • Does it take your horse 4 or 5 ‘asks’ to eventually fall into a trot?
          • Or perhaps he is the opposite and shoots forward into the trot
          • Does your horse hollow his back as he picks up trot?
          • Does your horse ‘fall’ a little to one side or the other as he steps into the trot

    Most of the time our horse is responding to what we have allowed to continue, either with our lack of consistency or our ignoring the smaller, but essential details.

    One of the biggest reasons for poor transitions between walk and trot is a lack of responsiveness from both horse and rider.  Responsiveness is something that is mirrored in horse and rider – meaning that it is generally both parties at fault when it is less than ideal…

    Fine-tuning the responsiveness

    If your horse is a little dead to your leg, have a schooling whip on hand to back up your leg. You will probably find that 2 or 3 well-timed taps with the schooling whip is enough to send a message that your leg is something he should listen to.

    You may find that initially, he will run forward when you apply the whip, he will soon learn that there is no need to run away and charge forward.  The whip is merely a signal that he must pay attention to your leg and, therefore, begin to ‘step’ into the trot from your leg.

    Of course, the opposite of this is being a little too sensitive to the leg. If you experience this,  I suggest rethinking a little about how you are riding your horse. Are you teaching him that your leg is only used when he must go faster?

    If so, you need to begin reintroducing him to the fact that your leg is not something to run away from.  You can do this by being consistent with how and when you use your leg.  It is also good to be aware of what your leg is doing when it’s supposed to be relaxed (hint; this does not mean daylight between it and your horse’s sides!)

    You can also evaluate at your seat. Perhaps your horse is sensitive enough to begin reading your seat aids to move forward. If this is the case, you need to begin being more mindful about how and when you are applying them.

    Putting effort into your Preparation

    Preparing to trot from a walk requires just that; preparation. You need to begin to think about how you are signaling to your horse with your seat that he must move into a trot.

    Think about ‘allowing’ the energy to begin flowing underneath the saddle a little more.

    Practice how using your seat and weight aids can communicate either a whoa or a go to your horse and becoming consistent with applying them each and every time.

    Conscious Transitions Between Walk and Trot

    Understanding and Correcting Bad Habits

    Very often the hollowness which is generally accompanied by short, pottery or choppy strides is because we are simply not allowing our horses to trot. We often think of ‘allowing’ as being everything to do with our reins and hands, however, keep in mind that your rein aids are connected to your seat aids, so you must also allow through the seat.

    Rather than becoming a close peg and clamping down with your pelvis and thighs on your horses back when he begins to trot, think about opening up and allowing that energy to flow through your legs.

    Very often the reason people ‘clamp’ is because they are worried about the bounce they will experience when their horse takes the first few strides of trot. The irony of this is that the trot is far more uncomfortable when your horse is taking those short, choppy pottery steps – which a lot of the time is happening because your seat, legs, and upper body are like a vice grip on him!

    If you can relax and think about ‘carrying’ yourself into the trot, your horse will then be able to get his back legs underneath himself and push himself forward, rather than pull himself forward.

    A Good Transition – Every Transition

    Finally, I have mentioned consistency in cultivating a better transition a few times now, but it is important to stress that you must be consistent EVERY TIME you go from walk to trot, not just in the arena.

    Picture your horse actively walking around, and then beginning to push off into the trot correctly using his hindquarters. He will continue to carry himself, his shoulders will be free to swing along in the trot and you will experience a wonderful rhythmic trot from the word go.

    The Downward Transition

    The same thought and effort must also go into the reverse transitions, the trot to walk. All too often a nice trot is ruined by a rider literally dropping an anchor and hauling their horse back into walk.

    Just like you had to think about allowing the energy to flow while still continuing to move with it going up a gear, you must now begin to think about containing that energy, while still moving with it – more influencing it than controlling it – to get a wonderfully smooth transition that sets up a great walk.

    A lot of horses will fall into the walk.  Others will raise their head and neck and pull against their riders as they are asked to walk.  Another common sight is the horse that will hollow their back, hold their ‘head carriage’, but the whole hindquarters disengages.  All of these are usually rider faults.

    Horses that pull against their riders, generally do so as a result of riders pulling against their horse! Think of your reins as an influence, not a hand-break!

    It is important to set the transition up with lots of half halts. It signals to your horse something is going to happen and it shifts the hindquarters a little more underneath your horse.  This allows the horse to use their body more correctly as they ‘gear down’, carrying and balancing themselves better.  It also ensures that the is forward energy is maintained into the walk.

    Taking Responsibility for Your Body

    Lastly, don’t mistake hunkering down with your body for using your seat when asking for a downward transition. Very often the hollowness in the horse’s back is from a rider that simply makes themselves heavy in the saddle, which results in the horse moving away from underneath them.

    Be sure to continue to carry yourself, and be prepared to then immediately follow your horse into the walk as he steps into it. This is with seat and hand.

    I challenge you over the coming week to really focus on the quality of your walk to trot and trot to walk transitions. Not only will you see an overall improvement in how you and your horse communicate with each other, but also an improvement in both gaits, walk and trot, as a result of this as well.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Finding the Gaps in Your Horses Training

    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

    Get Support & Guidance in Your Riding

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  • Refining Your Walk to Canter Transition

    Refining Your Walk to Canter Transition

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/SFA456-Refining-Your-Walk-to-Canter-Transition.mp3″ title=”A Better Walk to Canter Transition” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Using walk to canter to improve all canter transitions” hashtag=”canter #equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Do you find that when asking your horse for canter, you tend to ‘over do’ some aspects of your aids?  Perhaps you throw your reins at your horse, or you try to ‘push’ too much with your seat or upper body…  You are shoving and bumping about in the saddle!

    And when your horse eventually ‘strikes’ the canter, you are so far from where you want to be position-wise, that it takes the first 5 to 10 strides just to get your limbs back listening to you. This is before you can even begin to turn your mind to the quality of the canter happening underneath you.

    Why Introduce the Walk to Canter

    Assuming you have a fairly independent seat. And that your horse is schooled and developed enough to understand the aids to canter and then carry himself in the canter… I suggest beginning to improve your canter by introducing walk to canter into your schooling routine.

    Refining your walk to canter is a fantastic exercise for both horse and rider.  It will help you improve the actual canter itself. This is due to the fact that you arrive at the transition more prepared, more organized, and less hurried.

    It helps your horse by strengthening him and helping him to understand more subtle aids, due to you being more organized with giving them!

    Your Horse’s Canter

    Before you begin it is important you understand the canter itself and the aids to ask your horse to canter…  You probably know that your horse ‘leads’ with one of his front legs when he canters.

    Depending on which front leg you want him to lead with, you will ask him to strike off with the opposite back leg.  

    Canter has a three-time beat, so using the left back leg as his ‘striking leg’ he will then move his inside back leg (right back leg) together with his outside front leg (left front leg), meaning the diagonal pair move together.  The third beat comes from the leading front leg (in this case the right front leg). Then there is a short moment of suspension before the outside hind leg touches down again and the sequence begins over.

    Collection in the Walk

    Preparation is everything, so establishing a good quality walk is essential.  Ideally, you want to have a little collection in your walk, which you can achieve by applying lots of half halts throughout the ride.   Think of creating energy with your legs and then containing it or storing it, until needed, with your hands.

    The walk must not lose its forward momentum and your horse must not become ‘sticky’ in the walk, which often happens when riders are trying to collect things up.  Keep in mind that the half halt is only held for a split second; then released.  Rather up the quantity of the half halts, than increasing the length you hold them for.

    Timing Your Aids

    Regarding your aids and applying them… I recommend you begin by becoming aware of what leg is stepping down, onto the ground, at any given time underneath you.

    The reason this is important is that you need to apply your aids to ask for the canter either just before or when the outside hind leg is busy moving forward, coming under the horse, and before he ‘steps down’ onto it.

    When I am teaching in the arena, I ask my riders from very early in their riding journeys to begin identifying the different legs underneath. We do this them by saying ‘Now…’ ‘Now…’ ‘Now…’ ‘Now…’  when a particular leg is ‘touching down’.

    It allows them to become familiar with the rhythm and sequence of the footfalls, so that they can then, while they are still repeating’ Now’, begin noticing how it ‘feels’ when that hind leg is beginning to lift up to moving forward and underneath.

    Next time you are in the saddle, do this exercise.  Feel how, when his inside back leg is moving forward, and this is nice and easy to feel in walk, your corresponding seatbone is ‘down’.  This is due to your horse having to swing his barrel slightly to the other side in order to make room for that leg to come underneath him.

    Your Seat Bones

    So, when the left back leg is coming forwards, your left seatbone will be slightly lower and also moving forwards.  While this is happening your right seat bone will be slightly raised and will feel as though it is ‘sliding’ back.  

    Once your horse puts his right back hoof on the ground, you will feel your right seat bone raise up. It will begin to feel like it is sliding backward, as your horse moves over the right back hoof.  While this is happening, your left seatbone will be lowered slightly. And sliding forwards, as your horse’s left back leg moves underneath him, preparing to bear the weight again.

    You will feel that as your inside seatbone is at its most forward point, your outside seatbone will be ‘back’ slightly and higher that the inside. Then, as the inside hind leg touches the ground, and your horse begins to lift his outside hind leg forward to put down underneath him, your outside seat bone will ‘drop’ and begin to move forward. This is, again, due to the shift in your horse’s barrel to make way for the leg coming underneath him.

    Asking for the Canter

    Now, I personally think the exact time to ask for the transition depends a lot on your horse and how responsive he is to your aids

    If he is a little ‘laid back’, you may have to ask just before your inside seatbone is at its most forward position. So before it begins to move back ‘up’ and back. However, if your horse is a little sensitive, or quite responsive, it may work better for you to ask just as your outside seatbone begins to ‘dip’ and move forward again.

    Knowing exactly when to ask comes down to ‘feel’. And, luckily, this can be learned through time and consistent practice in the saddle. There is a blog post and audio lesson on ‘Improving Your Feel in the Saddle’ HERE >>

    Often, we ask too late. Or at the incorrect time! And the result is either our horse trots, because he cannot get his legs into the sequence for canter. Or he begins to canter with his front legs first, not striking off with the outside hind.  This is not correct, and you will almost feel that your horse skips.  If this happens, bring him back to walk and try again.

    Be Clear About What You Want

    When setting up your first walk to canter transition, have a clear idea in your mind on how you are going to ask for canter.  Focus your attention on establishing a good, active walk with lots of energy.  Become clear on how you are going to apply your aids, and when.

    Your seat is vitally important in asking for the canter.  Often you hear of using your seat to ‘scoop’ your horse up into the canter.  This cannot happen unless you are truly carrying your upper body. And you ask for the transition at the correct time.

    Your inside leg will remain on the girth, your outside leg will ‘swing’ back. This is to indicate to your horse to strike with the outside hind leg and your hands will follow the movement when it happens.

    Using a Circle to Help

    Start riding a 20 meter circle, which will help you initially as your horse will already be positioned with a bend to the inside. This will increase your chance of a clean strike on the correct lead.  You will be working with your horse rather than against it.

    Resist the temptation to lean or push.  The canter is asked for with your seat first and foremost. Your legs and hands must also do their job in both indicating and allowing your  horse to canter

    The transition should be clean.  If your horse begins to rush in the walk, trots or jogs a little when asked, immediately bring him back to walk. From there, work on preparing a good transition all over again. Begin with the walk and half halts.

    Quality of Walk to Canter

    Keep in mind that the quality of the transition can only be as good as the gait leading up to it. So set your intention on an achieving an active, forward walk

    Once you have performed the walk to canter transition, remember to reward your horse with a kind word and a softening of the inside rein.  Let him know that he has indeed carried out what you asked.  If you are late to reward, he may not know for future reference what you are looking for.

    Continue with the canter for 15 to 20 strides. Pay attention to how quickly it takes you to establish a rhythm this time.  Have you managed to keep your upper body light in the saddle?  Is your lower leg where it should be?  Are you following your horse with your pelvis and hands?

    Continue to practice this on both reins and notice if one lead is easier to achieve than the other.  Also, keep your attention on how long it takes you to feel ‘in control’ of the canter.  And, if it happens somewhat sooner than if you canter through trot.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    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

    Additional Posts on this Topic

        • Setting Up Better Canter Transitions HERE >>
        • Keeping Canter Work Interesting HERE >>
        • 4 Steps to a More Comfortable Canter HERE >>

    Get Support & Guidance in Your Riding

    Riding a Smooth & Timely Walk to Canter Transition

    Some exercises can have a ripple effect all through our riding when we dedicate some time and energy to making them better.  I believe that the walk to canter is one of those exercises and I am excited to help you master the transition this month with your horse.

    This group of episodes is available for you to begin working with today, inside of Connection. They are suitable for all horses and riders who are able to canter. They will help you both become clearer on the aids, and more focused on timing and its importance.  And more balanced and responsive as well.

    Refining Your Walk to Canter Transitions