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A Balanced Horse

Having a balanced horse is not only a physical term but also a mental one. Mentally, horses need to be balanced in order for us to ride them correctly and safely. A horse who is not balanced will not be content where he is.  Instead, he will be attracted to magnets such as the gate, barn, and other horses. When your horse is balanced mentally, he will be on your aids ready to do anything you ask while staying relaxed. Continue reading A Balanced Horse

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Trail Training Part 1: Going Away From Home

The reason that many horses bolt, buck, rear, or balk on the trail is because they want to go back to the barn, other horses, their pasture, etc and you aren’t letting him. If the horse misbehaves by doing any one of these behaviors he learns that he can escape the pressure, go back to where he wants to be, or you may even end the ride, get off and take him home. You must start at the cause of the problem and figure out the source of your horse’s need to be at a certain place. Continue reading Trail Training Part 1: Going Away From Home

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Teach Your Horse to Be Responsive to Your Leg

Every horse should be responsive to all of your aids, but some lazy horses will learn to ignore them. While others will move off, but not at the speed you want. Instead, they will plod along barely picking up their feet. This lesson will teach you how to make your horse listen to your leg, and go forward quickly at the speed you want. Continue reading Teach Your Horse to Be Responsive to Your Leg

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Downward Transitions Part 1

Do you dream that you could come from a full gallop to a walk by only using your seat? It is all very possible by practicing subtle cues in your training sessions. Here we will start from a walk and build up to stopping the horse from your seat at faster gaits. Continue reading Downward Transitions Part 1

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Downward Transitions Part 2

Now that you can confidently stop your horse with your seat from the walk on a loose rein, it’s time to advance to stopping from the trot and canter. Continue reading Downward Transitions Part 2

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Moving The Five Body Parts

The horse has five main body parts. They are the head and neck, the poll, the shoulders, the rib cage, and the hindquarters. It is essential that you have control over all five parts of the horse on the ground and under saddle. The basic groundwork lessons that I have described earlier will give you control of all the body parts on the ground. Here, we will talk more about moving all the parts while riding. Continue reading Moving The Five Body Parts

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Side Passing Under Saddle

Teaching the side pass will teach the horse to move off your leg and prepare him for exercises including leg yielding and flying changes. When your horse is starting to learn the side pass it is important that you break the maneuver into pieces that he can easily learn.

Continue reading Side Passing Under Saddle

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Refine The Stop

Does your horse stop when you say “Whoa.” or does he push through the bridle and continue on? Maybe he stops when you give him a rein cue but you would like to refine your cues. If either of these situations sound familiar this lesson will help you teach the horse to stop on your seat and voice cues alone from any gait. Continue reading Refine The Stop

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Softening and Slowing The Trot

Many horses have a less than perfect trot. Two of the most common issues are horses that trot hollow with their head held high in the air, and horses that trot too quickly resulting in a rough ride. Many times both of these behaviors occur together and can be very frustrating to any rider. In this article I will give you some tips on how to quickly and effectively solve your horse’s problems at the trot. Continue reading Softening and Slowing The Trot

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Vertical Flexion

Lowering the horse’s head and neck will relax an inverted horse and teach him to give to bit pressure. This is exercise also teaches the very beginning of collection. Continue reading Vertical Flexion