Every hour you spend in the saddle practicing two point or riding without irons is preparing you for jumping courses. The rewards greatly outweigh all the hard work as the payback of being able to experience the joy of flying over a fence on the back of a horse. If you are a hunter or jumper rider than you may be wondering at what point in your training should you start raising the fence height, or even moving up a level. Continue reading Are You Ready To Jump Bigger Fences?
Dressage is the heart of all riding activities and disciplines. Dressage is training the mind and body of the horse to learn the basics for any discipline, all the way to advancing him to preform high level movements. Continue reading Beginning Dressage
Riding correct transitions allows you to learn feel, control, and timing. Moving between gaits only when you ask gives you control of his feet, which is necessary in any riding discipline. Transitions are also a great opportunity to learn how to feel what your horse is doing underneath you, and will help you learn timing of the aids. Continue reading Precise Transitions
Having your horse consistently pick up the lead you want and maintain it when you ask improves your performance in flat classes, helps get you to the right spot over fences and ground poles, and makes your horse more balanced overall. Continue reading Correct Canter Leads
A water jump may seem daunting but it is actually simply made up of a sunken road filled with water. Before attempting the water fence, be sure you and your horse are both comfortable jumping up and down banks and riding through sunken roads that don’t have any water in them. All of these tips will boost your confidence and prepare you for the water. Continue reading Jumping In and Out of Water
The added difficulty of jumping fences that are placed on hills builds your skills and challenges the horse’s athletic ability. Jumping up and downhill will improve your communication with the horse while strengthening your partnership. Continue reading Jumping Up and Downhill
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
All good riders have one thing in common…an excellent lower leg position. Having the correct angles in your lower leg help to absorb the concussion of riding, give proper cues, and hold you securely on your horse’s back. Knowledge of this important ingredient of riding is invaluable and sometimes overlooked. Continue reading Riding From All Angles Part Two: Lower Leg
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
Now that you have gotten your horse through the ground poles at the walk and trot it is time for the best part, the canter. When the horse can comfortably canter through a line of poles you are ready to tackle many other challenges, such as jumps and trail obstacles like boxes and gates. Continue reading Pole Progression: The Canter