Do you find that when asking your horse for canter, you tend to 'over do' some aspects of your aids?  Perhaps you throw your reins at your horse, or you try to 'push' too much with your seat or upper body...  You are shoving and bumping about in the saddle and when your horse eventually 'strikes' the canter, you are so far from where you want to be position wise, that it takes the first 5 to 10 strides just to get your limbs back listening to you before you can even begin to turn your mind…

On the Road to the Canter

Cantering Cole has been tough for me, but it’s my own fault.  I never taught him to canter on the lounge line before I started riding him—or for that matter—all winter when I was lounging him before I rode him.  I have to confess, part of the problem is I don’t like lounging.  I see nothing wrong with it, but my time is limited and I prefer riding.  Once I…

Yet another gem from my alter ego "Shakespeare 'The Equine'"

Enjoy!

Ghost Hunting



It’s in the corner

Can’t you see…

Although Annette trains on Development Programme for her flatwork and dressage skills, she has had a long break from jump training. I always make sure even flatwork enthusiasts keep up with very basic jumping sessions unless they specifically ask not to leave the ground.

VIDEOS:

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Ah my little child, she is quite the charmer. Lately when being taken out to the field, she's been squealing and rearing. Her very favourite means of letting you know she's ready to be seriously naughty. So, we've put on her rope halter, it only takes one good thwack of that with the nice heavy lead rope... consequences, and it's done.

Had a very lovely ride on her today. I think I may have convinced her that I am more patient than she is, I'm not going to give in just…

So, last night Maggie and I had a lesson. We were outfitted with the running martingale, which is working well, although it got adjusted a bit tighter. Beauty of the running, it only engages when you need it and it doesn't help you actually ride your horse or get it round. It also takes away Maggie's favourite game of throwing her head in the air and doing whatever the hell she really wants to do... always a bonus.

So, we warmed up and then out comes the longe whip. Now we're…

Champion Suprême d'Eté

Deutsches Reitpony (RHLD), 1m45, palomino

Père/father: FS Champion de Luxe

Mère/mother: Power Lady (x Power Boy)…

So sad to hear that Oki Doki is no longer with us….who needs cheering up? The great thing about age is the ability to enjoy the little equine things that possibly were once hidden by the pursuit of rosettes in earlier days:…

Despite the heat this past weekend I did some training kind of riding with my horse. I went to the barn early so that I could ride while it was still cool compared to the blistering heat we've been getting later on in the day.

My horse was anxious to get to work, futzing a bit while grooming, a sign he was anxious to get riding. I'm very lucky in that he is abundantly clear with his emotions and when he's wanting a ride he'll try to drag…

Happy children and happy summer riding days. Full of friendship and partnership with both their ponies and other riders. How lucky these young riders are as long as they come under the wing of a good coach. A coach who fully understands that what children learn first tends to stay with them, just as with a young horse. So our young riders and young coaches need excellent coaches. They don’t need to be high-level coaches of elite performers,…

Conditions: Amazing weather - high 60's no bugs no mud. able to hack both horses before and after rides. rode both in double. Rode outside in FEI ring (This ring is called the FEI ring as during the USDF dressage show, all the FEI rides are in this ring. It is a beautiful ring with great footing and 2 permanent judges booth - the actula ring is not up - so the dimensions are greater than 20mx60m

Caddymaster: OK and YIPPEE! I am…

Caddymaster First let me mention his half brother Tip Top who underwent colic surgery this past weekend. I have loved following Tip Top's career. I was also very keen on Max - another master offspring recently retired. So I hope Tip Top does well, at 16 yo, I wonder if he will be show fit again? definitely not going to WEG.

So Caddy was great today so let me start there. I was able to ride outside and hack before and after the ride. It was an absolutely…

Conditions After work light enough that I was able to ride outside. Hack before and after ride

Tia Quick ride. She has not been worked outside since october/november. After my hack went to "woodchip" ring where the footing is really good. She settled right into work with rising trot and big figures 20m - 15m circles and 3 loop serpentines with me emphasing the straightness.

Quick walk break then picking up the…

March 7th will be my first hunter show with Summer, we will be entering the X-Rail Division at Arbutus Meadows in Parksville. Ive been planning for this show for about a month now, she has been ridden for 6 days a week for a month in preperation for this show. This will be my second time cantering a course, I havent cantered a course in like 4 years! But yesterday was my last lesson untill the show, and I must say that we are pretty good now, except for the occasianal run-out, we both have…

Conditions I was really exhausted after the work week and the ring was crowded with lessons. Rode caddy and Tia - but really, just got them out of the stalls and walked trot and canter in both directions

Caddy had a massage today. the report seemed really on with reports of tightness through the poll and top line, I didn't have her do Tia as she is so sensitive that I wanted to be there (and also so problem free).

Conditions: post-call day off :) Last night was very quiet on call, so whole night to sleep :). Snow mixed with rain, no hacking.

Tia: lesson: Rode in double worked on 1) changes 2) pirouettes 3) med towrads extended trot at end.

1) So I've been thinking of an article that Hubertis Schmidt published where he said the neck should be straight, a stride before the change, soften the new inside rein. The first ride I…

weight 145

Conditions: nice day. good hacking. overall quiet ring until boogaloo

Caddymaster Great ride. Hacked before and after schooling in ring. rode in double

started with Kyra's ABC's much better than yesterday!! Then a bit of heather blitz's walk exercise

Approached warm up differently

1) if he is not good don't go on. i'e if the neck…

Conditions: still raining all day so horses with no turn out. Rode after work. Ring very crowded with Caddy one other horse with Tia.

Caddy: rode in snaffle. Focused on speed control. Suppleness in neck and connection. Worked with lots of transitions. Needs to be rounder and more through, but I think I am on the right track. Difficult ride as jumping lesson going on in…