Hunters and dressage riders often don't see eye to eye, but surprisingly in this case we do. Rising trot without stirrups is a fine thing—if and only if, a rider has mastered basic position. This is because riding without...
The hunter division on the open circuit requires a certain look to be successful: workmanlike yet elegant, functional but with a bit of flair. Regardless of your horse’s pedigree or conformation, you can groom him to have the proper...
It may sound overly simple, but a dressage test is truly a test of geometry. Judges will score an average mover that makes accurate figures higher than a fancy mover that drifts off the rail and makes egg-shaped...
Braiding your horse's mane is easier than you might think. Practice these steps for a neat and polished look in the show ring.
For step-by-step mane braiding instructions, click here
For step-by-step tail braiding instructions, click here
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Learn what western pleasure judges are looking for and see some of the common faults of gait that you should avoid with your western pleasure horse.
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The canter’s rocking-horse, three-beat rhythm presents a problem for novice riders trying to master their position at this gait. In trot, the rider’s body position remains stable since the horse’s head and neck don’t move in this two-beat gait....
Q: I am working with a Thoroughbred hunter/jumper prospect. When we jump crossrails, he’s fine. But when we try small verticals he bolts to the jumps and then kicks his heels in the air. How can I help him...
It can be tempting to saddle up your horse on the first warm day of spring and go for a long ride. However, assuming your horse has been out of work all winter, he’s not only lost muscle tone,...
Shifting the shoulders at the trot to correct a horse that overbends at the neck
Ellen demonstrates how to get better control of your outside rein and stop pulling on the inside rein by turning the horse’s shoulders. She moves...
Here, Ellen rides Tvauri forward and sideways in approximately equal measures, while keeping his body parallel to the long sides of the arena; his forehand is correctly slightly in advance of his hindquarters.The aids to leg-yield from left to...
