Training

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 […]

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

It’s not uncommon for a dressage judge’s comments to state “needs more impulsion” when reading through their feedback. So, what exactly does that mean? Here’s a little hint – it doesn’t mean go faster! Now with that said, what goes into creating more impulsion? How much impulsion do you actually need? When and how do

I see lots of less experienced riders who try to get their horse on the bit by overusing their hands. This attempt to “get their head down” can appear successful to novice onlookers who haven’t yet learned what it truly means to have the horse on the bit. I’d really like to get into detail

Most often, when we talk about suppleness, it’s in reference to the horse’s ability to bend through the body in movements like circles, corners, and turns. Those are great examples, but in the big picture it’s a small part of what the term suppleness really means. Suppleness is described as looseness and flexibility in the

Most of us think in musical terms when we picture rhythm. It’s the beat that sets and regulates the speed of the song. So what does rhythm have to do with riding, and why is it important? Rhythm is one of the most important foundational aspects of training. It must be established and understood by