Schooling

A Willing Trot in Showmanship

Updated:

March 7, 2014

By Lindsay Grice - When your horse resists coming forward you will inspire him to do so by dialing up the level of discomfort and immediately releasing the pressure when he trots. Your timing is the key.

How to Pep Up the Lazy Horse

Updated:

February 19, 2014

By Lindsay Grice - Riding should not be an aerobic workout like riding an exercise bike. Self-carriage is when a horse maintains his pace, straightness, and frame or outline when you lighten up on your aids. You’re not really riding until you take the training wheels off!

Mismatched Horses & Riders

Updated:

February 19, 2014

By Will Clinging - What makes a suitable horse and rider combination? This is a personal question that needs to be addressed on an individual basis. Too often I have worked with people who think they have found the perfect horse, the “horse of their dreams,” which is a problem in itself because a horse should not be acquired as an emotional decision.

Out of the Saddle Exercises to Improve Your Riding Skills

Updated:

January 7, 2014

Belinda Trussell, out of the Saddle Exercises to Improve Your Riding Skills, horse riding exercises, correct rider position

In all disciplines, we want to be able to train our horses to move up the levels and perform different maneuvers for us. Without a supple body, a horse isn’t capable of that... and if you haven’t got a supple rider, then it’s not going to be possible to have a supple horse.

Practice Maintaining Impulsion on Course with the Figure-8 Over Fences

Updated:

November 14, 2013

Practice Maintaining Impulsion on Course with the Figure-8 Over Fences

With Karen Brain - Impulsion is the desire to move forward with more energy than is required to just ‘go forward. It’s an eagerness of energy being offered by the horse within each step while still in easy control of the rider.

Pre-Saddle Training for the Young Horse

Updated:

September 17, 2013

By Lindsay Grice - There are quite a few things that horse owners can do at home to assist the training process. Saddling and riding is one more step in the horse’s education (which largely consists of yielding to pressure and counteracting his “fright-flight” instinct).

When to Use Spurs

Updated:

June 6, 2013

By Lindsay Grice - I describe spurs as a megaphone for your leg aid. Every horse should learn to respond to a clear but subtle cue from the rider’s leg. If that cue is understood but ignored, the rider should immediately amplify the aid until the horse responds.