Riding through a bend is something you will have to do every time you get in the saddle, whether it be the 4 corners of your arena or just the route you take to get from point A to point B.  It therefore makes good sense to work on your ability to navigate those bends successfully, without losing balance, rhythm, energy and focus each time you encounter a bend.

The Daily Strides Podcast episode for this topic is …

Does the thoughts of riding shoulder in leave you feeling less than confident in your riding abilities.  Are you a little unsure about the angle, the bend and the degree of collection required in order to successfully ride the movement? Shoulder in is super for encouraging suppleness and collection in your horse, however if ridden incorrectly, things can quickly begin going the opposite way of your desired results...

The audio version of this…

I have a confession to make.....

I was feeding my horses, checking on the water, and generally mooching around the field, hanging out with them,  when suddenly my phone rang.   It was my long standing close friend and 'adopted' big brother Paul, one of the best Music Perrformance Coaches in the business.  I was delighted as it seemed such a long time since we had chatted.  Whilst we were chatting I found myself confessing something and it kind of came from…

Good morning, now then I promised that I would share some more tips about self belief, so here is tip number two for you.

Self belief is feeling good enough; its the feeling that you can handle whatever life, or your horse throws at you? Its about having a healthy appreciation and acknowledgement (we often forget this bit), of your abilities and talents. Its not about anything superficial.

Its about being OK with you, and OK with where you are at with your…

Have you ever found yourself riding a hot horse where the slightest touch of your leg sends them shooting forward with the speed of a snake strike?  Even worse, once they start on that forward trajectory, they get heavier and heavier on your hand, they get more and more unbalanced until eventually there is an epic tug of war happening; horse and rider pitted against each other, often at speeds, which for the space you are currently occupying, are breakneck! …

For a while I always thought to get a Warmblood one crossed a hot-blooded horse with a cold-blooded horse. It made sense to me. Hot + Cold= Warm, so a hot-blooded…

I don’t use spurs, because I don’t want to make my horse dull!”

If you’ve shared this opinion with so many riders I meet, you’re in good company!

But what if I suggested that the opposite might also be true?  As a woodworker might choose smaller chisels to refine the details of his project, so spurs give a rider precision in delivering his cues,…

Don't cry for the horses that life has set free. A million white horses forever to be. Don't cry for the horses now in God's hands. As they prance and they dance in a heavenly band. They're ours as a gift, but never to keep. As they close their…

Huh?

Not to get all woo- woo on you but as a trainer I have the ability to sum up some of the key features in your real life, off-the-horse persona by how you ride and handle your horse. And your horse gives away those secrets.

Think about it...

Does your horse respect your space and boundaries? Or does he push you…

I finally found a couple of free evenings and finished a sword-holder and stirrup lance-bucket, so I can now strap my repro 1908 British Cavalry Sabre onto my repro 1912 UP saddle and re-introduced Oakley to the sport of tent-pegging.

Last time we did this was over 2 years ago, and he was... skittish. He got terribly upset at the sound of the sword drawn from the scabbard, he was nervous about the sight of a drawn sabre, tried to escape from the waving pennant on the lance, and did…

The Akhal-teke horse is truly remarkable. Pictures of the Akhal-teke have been found dating back to the 9th century B. C. which means it's older than the Arabian horse. The Akhal-teke was favor by Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Marco Polo as a mount…

Happy New Year! We’re fresh into 2015, and now is the perfect time for change. This month we’ll be showcasing a series of “New Beginnings” blogs, each of which will give you a look at a potential area of change in your life with horses. Today’s blog focuses on a change that can be both exciting and intimidating: choosing a new…

Stacy Westfall. Beezie Madden. Debbie McDonald. These are just three out of many great riders out there.  Stacy Westfall is best known for her natural horsemanship, riding bareback and bridle less every time. She's competed in many competitions, appeared at the Quarter Horse Congress for guest performances. She is best remembered for her farewell routine on Wizards…

One of our certified Saddlefit 4 Life® saddle ergonomists in Europe recently came across this horse – which had a shoulder blade that was higher than the withers. She said that the 'best' fitting saddle for it had a half panel to accommodate this unique conformation, but asked for my advice. Does anyone else recognize seeing a horse like this before?…

The Spanish Riding School



With its world famous Lipizzaner stallions and dressage training and techniques, the Spanish Riding School is definitely a Mecca for any horse lover. Take in one of their daily shows and be awed by the power and grace of…

When you train at something long enough, sooner or later you're bound to hit a wall. The same is true of riding – despite schooling and lessons, at some point you may find yourself unable to advance past a certain skill or aspect of riding. So, what do you do if this happens?

Don't Panic

Remember that every rider, no matter how…

Do you have a Halloween horse show coming up? Are you planning to ride in a costume class? Costume classes are great opportunities to show off both yourself and your horse in a whole new light, but when you introduce costumes to horses, things can get interesting. Follow these tips to ensure that you and your horse stays safe and relaxed during your costume…

Vintage Dinamico....Manolo likes to long line using his one ring cavesson. These images are not finished Piaffes but a succession of steps during Piaffe schooling.



There are a few things Manolo considers crucial when schooling Piaffe. Thefirst one is that the horse be physically ready to start schooling as…