The understanding of the term “on the bit” is one of the most important concepts to understand when it comes to many disciplines of riding, not just dressage. The term “on the bit” is deceiving, as there are many physiological changes a horse moving in correct engagement will make. So what is it? How do […]
What Does it Really Mean to Get Your Horse “On The Bit?” Read More »
Recently, I was looking at my most listened to podcast episodes, and surprisingly the most popular one is an episode I did about bits 4 years ago! The audio and content quality both needed a boost, so I wanted to revisit this important topic for you all again, both on my podcast and here in
I often help clients who need advice on how to communicate in better harmony with their horses. They may have all the skills necessary to train their own horse, but they’re at a sticky spot and looking for a second set of eyes. In these situations, I always start by learning about the client’s training
When Training Your Horse Isn’t Going Well Read More »
I have a strong belief that in order to be an effective rider, we need to look at biomechanics instead of focusing on equitation. If we understand why it’s important to have correct posture for both ourselves and our horses, it holds a lot more value than the “heels down, sit back, hands together” version
Focusing on the Why of Rider Position Read More »
The canter pirouette is an advanced dressage maneuver that requires many prerequisites in order to perform it correctly. But, what exactly is it? How do you ask for it? And, how do you teach it to your horse? Let’s get into detail about this beautiful movement. What is it? The FEI definition of a canter
How to Introduce the Canter Pirouette Read More »
Have you ever tried riding a circle and as soon as you pulled back on the inside rein, you felt your horse’s shoulder falling away to the outside? There’s a biomechanical reason behind this, and through learning how to turn your horse with their whole body in mind, this issue should eliminate itself, resulting in
Activating “Power Steering” With Your Horse Read More »
Sometimes, your walk and trot can feel amazing but the canter becomes strong and all rhythm and tempo is lost. It can be frustrating and leads many riders to the tack store in search of a stronger bit. However, it’s important to take a look at the underlying causes of why your horse is getting
How to Work With a Horse Who Gets Fast in the Canter Read More »
When the outside rein is used correctly, it can influence how your horse’s entire body is moving and is an important tool in many riding disciplines. Incorrect use of your outside rein commonly results in balance and steering issues. So how do we use our outside rein? What’s its purpose? And how do we develop
All About the Outside rein Read More »
When new riders first hear the term “collection,” it’s common for them to misconstrue this as the horse simply taking shortened strides. When first attempting to ask for collection, I commonly see far too much rein aid used to simulate what an inexperienced rider thinks is collection. It’s important to remember that while the end
An In-Depth Look at Collection Read More »
When we first start talking about straightness, the concept sounds really simple – the goal is for your horse to be able to walk, trot, and canter on a straight line. However, straightness is far more complex as we begin taking a deeper look into it. Today, let’s get into detail about how straightness fits
All About Straightness Read More »