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…

Ride Like You've Never Been Thrown

Part Four

True Grit

I have named this final segment ‘True Grit’ as I believe that this woman is the epitome of the term. She is strong minded and even stronger willed. She was competing at Congress before…

Leg yielding is generally most riders first introduction to lateral movement; lateral meaning sideways.   This weeks audio horse riding lessons aim to not only explain leg yielding to you in easy to understand terms, but also to give you some nice exercises you can use while riding your horse to begin working his muscles and joints in a different, and beneficial way.

At the beginning of the podcast this week I mention that leg yielding and, quite frankly, riding…

As the cold weather drags on, it tends to feel like the end of winter is nowhere in sight. Luckily, we’ve come up with some fun activities for you to help beat the winter riding (or non-riding) blues.

Host a Barn Movie Night

Bring together students, boarders, trainers, and everyone else in your barn for a barn movie night. Choose a…

One of the things that a lot of Daily Strides listeners have in common is the fact that the time they have to devote to riding and improving their riding skills, is generally in short supply… And rides can become something that are squeezed in between the million other things we have going on in our lives.

In times like this, when we are riding, we are set out looking to achieve an active, working trot… But due to lots of different factors, this can end up just…

As published in the Rider Newspaper

Ride Like You’ve Never Been Thrown

Part 3

A Diamond Dozen

When I started writing this series of articles to assist those who have…

This weeks lesson is a little bit different... I hope you enjoy!

One of the biggest disadvantages to riding alone is the fact that while you may think and feel like you are doing everything correctly, there is a big chance that in actual fact you are not.

Many riding centre's and equestrian facilities install mirrors in the arena for this exact reason; however that can be a pricey solution...

Today, I present you with a much easier, cheaper solution that you can use…

The half halt is possibly one of the most important, and yet most underutilized tools, particularly where novice riders are concerned.

This weeks lessons are designed to make you more conscious of how often you are using your half halt and improving every ride by doing so.

So, firstly, why do we use the half halt?

The half halt can be used for a couple of different reasons;

1. Balancing or 'steadying' your horse
2. Letting your horse…

Are you still searching for that perfect New Year’s resolution? We’re here to help. These New Year’s resolutions can work for many riders – hopefully you’ll find an idea in this list that inspires you as we kick off 2015!

Become Physically Fitter

While losing weight is a popular New Year’s resolution, resolve…

As published in the Rider Newspaper

Shirley, you joust!

She is pretty as a princess, courageous as a knight and ‘certifiably crazy’.

Yes, she is pretty as a princess and not only brave, she is motivated and compelled to excel at everything…

You have just finished cooling down from what, in your mind, was the best lesson you have had in months…

Do you have a 'horsey' blog?  

Are you writing about your experiences with your horses, whether they be on the ground or in the saddle?

I am looking for some 'Equine Inclined' bloggers to use the Strides for Success audio horse riding lessons for three months, free of charge, and when finished write a review on their experiences with it.

Strides for Success creates Daily Strides which is aimed at novice riders wanting to improve their riding and horsemanship skills.…

Many riding camps offer campers the option of bringing home a camp horse at the end of the summer. Camps save on the upkeep costs of their horses, and some lucky campers get to enjoy having “a horse of their own” for the year until it’s time for the horse to return to the camp in the early summer. But is bringing home a camp horse a good option for your…

Is your horse's topline lacking? A good topline both improves a horse's appearance and makes it easier for him to carry himself properly. If you're looking to develop and strengthen your horse’s topline, these exercises can help you do that.

Before You Start

Before you begin working on your horse’s topline, remember that for these exercises to be…

When you were young did your riding instructor encourage you to watch the lessons of older, more experienced riders? Watching experienced riders is a popular way to learn about desirable riding techniques. But have you ever considered that you can learn from younger, less experienced riders too? If you haven’t spent some time recently watching younger riders in their…

If you have your own barn and a few empty stalls, it might be tempting to open your facility up to boarders. Bringing in boarders has some advantages, in that it can bring in some money and will create more activity at your barn. But should you take on boarders? Before you decide to make the leap, consider how it would affect your particular situation.

The Financial…

Taking your horse camping or for an overnight trail ride can be a great experience, but securing him overnight is a challenge that you will need to plan for ahead of time. There are a few different ways to secure your horse, so depending on your situation and your horse’s behavior, you can pick the one that works best for you.

Picket…

Do you videotape your riding lessons? There are a number of benefits to taping your lessons, and given how easily you can record with phones and tablets today, it’s really not a difficult thing to do. If you’re not already taping your lessons, here are some reasons you might want to start.

See What Your Trainer Means

Videos of your…

I fell in love with the Trakehner breed the moment I sat on my first Trakehner. He was the half sibling to Julie, my trakehner mare. He was my gateway drug. I rode him once. The next day I rode Julie and I was hooked.

I'm a stubborn person and I guess that is why I love the breed.

The problem is that it takes me a while to figure things out. What on earth am I talking about?

Well, I have a degree in communications and minors in both writing and equestrian…