Imagine a dressage rider sitting the trot so well that she appears to be apart of the horse, or a show jumper quietly transitioning his horse from a standstill into a collected canter. Both these riders have put a lot of time and effort into riding their horses correctly. They also have worked with trainers every day and that’s not always possible to do. Here I’ll give you some tips on how you can make big improvements in a small amount of time. Continue reading Connected Riding
Have you ever been upset or at least confused about a placing that you have received after a hunter class? If so, a common response to not placing in a class is “The judge doesn’t like my horse.” “My horse is a paint and the judge doesn’t like paints.” Usually a response like this comes from a lack of knowledge about how hunter classes are judged and how the judge keeps score. Continue reading Hunter Round Do’s And Don’ts
Riding without stirrups can greatly improve your position and seat. When riding without the irons you must make sure that you are riding correctly. Sometimes when your feet come out of the stirrups you feel insecure, and may improperly grip with your legs or adjust your seat to this new feeling. Here I will give you some tips on how to properly practice stirrup-less to improve communication between you and your horse. Continue reading Stirrup-less Lessons
There are four important angles that are key to correct riding. Those four angles include the elbow, hip, knee, and ankle. Using these angles effectively allows you to give subtle aids to communicate with the horse. Continue reading Riding From All Angles Part One: Upper Body
If you don’t live in a place where the weather is warm year round you unfortunately are faced with the challenge of riding, keeping fit and up to date on training during the winter. Or like many riders you unable to own a horse or ride as often as you would like. However, there are opportunities to improve your skills that will only cost you a little time and some dedication. Continue reading Four Ways to Improve Your Riding Without a Horse
To achieve controlled bridleless riding you must rely on your entire body to steer your horse instead rein cues. To start teaching this, you need to use your legs and seat to cue your horse before using the reins on a regular basis. Even if you never plan to ride your horse bridleless, teaching him to stop and steer using your seat and legs can help you advance and eliminate the need for strong rein cues. Continue reading Bridleless Riding Part 1