All Blog Posts Tagged 'rider blog' (978)

Memorizing tests and FREE DRESSAGE ARENA DIAGRAMS!

Hi everyone... a lot of you have been asking me about how i begin to diagram a pattern or how i start to memorize a test.

I start with these blank arena diagrams... I find them useful for a number of things.

1. Memorizing regulation tests.

2. Learning the exact geometry of the arena.

3. Learning my exact tangent points for movements such as circles and serpentines.

4. Drawing my tests from beginning to end.

5. Drawing each movement according to where the… Continue

Added by Ruth Hogan Poulsen on November 13, 2009 at 8:00am — No Comments

Day Off

My teaching was cancelled today, one of the things that are rather unsettling when you freelance, especially that the cancellations very often come day before and not much else can be arranged for in such a short space of time.

I thought it would be a good idea to do some resting but I am not convinced one day of rest is so beneficial. I actually feel my bones and joints more! Must be ceasing up. After half a day leisurely in bed I played a very very good housewife and spent good few hours… Continue

Added by Wiola Grabowska on November 12, 2009 at 7:08pm — No Comments

William Shatner to show his reining skills for Make-A-Wish Foundation

William Shatner to show his reining skills

November 12, 2009

Actor William Shatner has had his share of adventures as Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk and Boston Legal's Denny Crane. Now he's climbing aboard a reining horse to put it through its paces, and help raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma.

It shouldn't pose too great a challenge to the well known Hollywood actor and philanthropist.

Shatner is a longtime, dedicated breeder… Continue

Added by Laura on November 12, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

The Many 'Faces' Of My Horse...

It was love from the moment that I met my horse... I was completely smitten with my handsome boy. Over the past few months we have gotten to know one another, and I have come to realise that my equine friend has many 'faces'.

The Master Manipulator: He knows how to make his immense cuteness work for him when he wants something (like yummies or a neck scratch). It is the face that won me over when we met... and I think that he actually is able to crank up the cute factor by making doe… Continue

Added by Ferrous on November 11, 2009 at 11:30pm — 3 Comments

2010 Stallion Service Auction - LIVE March 14, 2010

The new 2010 Auction list is posted. Videos currently posted here are of stallions participating in the 2010 auction..
The list features stallions nominated to the 2010 CWHBA Stallion Service Auction plus other association material as available. The 2010 Stallion Service Auction will be offered live on March 14, 2010! Enjoy!

Added by Canadian Warmblood Stallions on November 11, 2009 at 6:30pm — No Comments

Trying out bitless bridles

Well, I am not entirely sold on the bitless bridle yet. We tried (mostly for the fun aspect) a bitless bridle on my mare - a very sensitive psp andalusian. What a ride. Wow, she was trying to figure that thing out from the very beginning - trying to anticipate our wishes. pretty much all she did was passage for the first 5 minutes, do some spins and maybe after 45 minutes could we get her to walk.

Trish Pitzel

Added by Trish Pitzel on November 11, 2009 at 7:10am — No Comments

I'm All In

OK, I hear you. Color me persuaded, if not convinced. The chance at riding in a Debbie McDonald clinic is one that should not be passed up. So I just went to the California Dressage Society website and handed over $65 for my 2010 membership dues.

The CDS regional amateur clinics are an interesting phenomenon. I don't know if other… Continue

Added by saddlebroke on November 10, 2009 at 3:00pm — 2 Comments

The Warm Up: Where the Test Is Won Or Lost

The warm up is the most crucial part of any competition. It's where the test is won or lost.

Too much warm up and your horse may be dull and less reactive to your aids.

Too little warm up and your horse may be more "exuberant" than you anticipate.

In this weeks installment I've listed exactly what you need to do in order to take the mistery out of the warm up.You never know how your horse will react to new settings until you expose him to them.

Don't wait until… Continue

Added by Colette Sossaman on November 10, 2009 at 8:00am — 2 Comments

Dave Barry on horses: "You Take The Horse; I'll Gladly Take The Dog"

Dave Barry on horses: "You Take The Horse; I'll Gladly Take The Dog"

Knight-Ridder Newspapers

RECENTLY a woman I know named Michelle came into the newspaper office with a big ugly wound on her upper arm. Realizing that she might be self-conscious about it, I said: "Michelle, what's that big ugly wound on your upper arm?" Sensitivity is the cornerstone of journalism.

It turned out that Michelle had been bitten by a… Continue

Added by Gary Stuart on November 9, 2009 at 5:30pm — 6 Comments

Who's Teaching Whom?

We have been continuing to work with 'The Squirt' and we are thrilled with the wee lad's progress. We have lunged him several more times with him wearing the surcingle, and he has settled into the routine quite well. He is adjusting nicely to carrying a bit, and we have progressed from a rubber bit to a 'Happy Mouth' bit so that he can adapt to a bit with some rigidity (the rubber bit is soft and bendy). The Happy Mouth bit is smaller in diameter and so it actually fits him better, and he seems… Continue

Added by Ferrous on November 8, 2009 at 5:06pm — 4 Comments

November Christine Traurig Clinic

On November 5th and 6th I had the opportunity to ride in a clinic taught by Christine Traurig. I had ridden under Christine before and had really enjoyed her lessons, so I was excited to be able to participate in the clinic. The last time I had seen Christine was early in the beginning of 2009, so I was anxious to see what she thought of my horse Verdicci and I. In July of this year we were able to represent Region 5 in the North American Junior Young Rider Championships in Kentucky, where we… Continue

Added by Catherine Chamberlain on November 8, 2009 at 11:42am — No Comments

Equine Science: Weekly News and Trivia Question - November 6, 2009

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Equine Science News blog – this week’s been a busy one for research news, so this post will be a quick overview of all the latest topics.

Many owners shoe their horses without a second thought, but ‘barefoot’ is slowly becoming more common place and now the public in the UK are being encouraged to comment on new standards for barefoot trimming. This comes after concerns have been raised about practitioners of ‘equine barefoot care’ (as it… Continue

Added by Chloé Sharrocks on November 6, 2009 at 3:43pm — No Comments

Bonfire Night and Horses don't quite go hand in hand. Or do they?

It was rather unusual day for me today as for one reason or another various clients didn't make it to their lessons and I spent most of the time on the yard. I also did a Birthday Party which was rather amusing as I had to "employ" mums as leaders as had no one to help me (where are all the helpers when they are really needed?! ;).

Did Kingsley boy at lunch time and as our RDA group uses indoor school I had no choice but to do his 10… Continue

Added by Wiola Grabowska on November 5, 2009 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Fit to Ride 1-2-3: Centered Riding, Balimo and Awareness

Hi, As you know, you can post questions to the Ride Fit blog, along with photos (if you have them and want to) and take advantage of the blog as a free online 'clinic' to help you with specific suggestions for getting more alignment between your riding, and your fitness activities.

Just as with other sports, there is no single workout you can pull out of a box that will make you a better rider. There are some principles: good posture, for example, is essential to good riding whatever… Continue

Added by Heather Sansom at Equifitt.com on November 5, 2009 at 4:00pm — 1 Comment

Are Horses Bold?

Are horses bold? What is the difference between bold and bolt? I think my horses, when frightened, bolt with boldness.

When I picture a bold horse a cross country eventing horse comes to mind. They bound over huge jumps and gallop off. How did they become bold?

What bold horses do you know? What makes them… Continue

Added by Karen Brenner on November 5, 2009 at 7:00am — No Comments

New News

Havent really been riding lately but still plugging along. Katelyn rode in the KHJA Medals this summer at the
Kentucky Horse Park. It was our first Medal Class and she rode well, her horse did great but of course he is a paint and the judges won't even look at him twice, but we DON'T CARE!!!! Greycee is coming along just fine, and will be spectacular next show year.

Added by katelyn freeman on November 4, 2009 at 8:58pm — No Comments

Modjo Working - With SPANA in Ethiopia

With Jeremy Hulme, SPANA’s CEO, off visiting our projects in Tunisia, this blog is from Simon Pope who oversees SPANA’s Communications Department.

Like many people of my generation, Ethiopia came into my consciousness about 25 years ago with the BBC reports about the drought and then the subsequent Band Aid / Live Aid initiative overseen by Bob Geldof. Now, a quarter of a century later, and with new BBC reports about droughts in the region , many… Continue

Added by SPANA on November 4, 2009 at 10:14am — No Comments

Just some waffling thoughts on the month that passed

To write or not to write? That's the question of the passed month. I've had so many thoughts in my head I was sure my cells would just burst at the start of one of the gorgeous sunny mornings of which we had plenty in October. Writing this blog has become such a giant habit for me, one that I really enjoy and I'm glad it helps some of you to stay in touch with me, allow some of you to have an insight into a struggling life of a riding instructor, lets… Continue

Added by Wiola Grabowska on November 2, 2009 at 7:00pm — No Comments