Q. I want to show my horse in flat classes, such as hunters under saddle and hunter-type pleasure, but I’m struggling with his high headset. How can I get him into that long and low hunter frame?
A. A horse...
Q. I completed a successful eventing season at Novice Level last year and plan to move up to Training Level this year. I am worried about having cross-country time faults at Training. Do you have any advice?
A. The leap...
Q. I have been competing in the amateur hunter division for years, but I would like to try some eventing. My horse did eventing before I bought him, but I’ve never ridden outside of an arena. What sort of...
When working with a green horse, regardless of the type, you’re going to have some highs and lows. To help you keep your wits and your optimism about you, here are 10 rules to remember:
1. Building a bond with...
Q. I ride lower-level dressage and am having trouble getting my horse to halt square. Can you give some pointers? How can I feel the square halt?A. The halt is an important skill to master because not only do...
Q: Most of the time my green hunter is very brave at unfamiliar jumps. But every now and then at a show, he’ll suddenly slam on his brakes without warning. Then he makes this big effort from a standstill...
Football players wear them. Same for major league baseball players awaiting a pitch at home plate. Even bicyclists and many professional skiers consider them part of their standard attire. So why do a large percentage of equestrians continue...
You’re in the midst of a hotly contested hunt seat equitation class. Thankfully, your horse is listening to your aids and you’re zipping along confidently at the posting trot. And then the judge calls for the sitting trot. Gulp....
In Part One: Teaching Aids for Riding, Not Racing, we offered some firsthand tips and expert advice on how to begin reschooling the off-the-track Thoroughbred (OTTB) for a new career. It can be a tough assignment, but by understanding how...
Perry Wood, British clinician and author of Real Riding, How to Ride in Harmony with Your Horse, offers these exercises to teach a feel for the half-halt.Wood’s unique training style makes hard-to-grasp riding concepts easy to understand. The half-halt...
