Horse Listening

Riding Straight Through the Turn

Do you have trouble with your turns? Does your horse flatten out in the corners, falling in rather than going deep into the turn?

Maybe your horse "pops" a shoulder to the inside or outside?

On a circle, do you find yourself drifting out at times, falling in to the middle of the circle at other times or even doing both from stride to stride?

If so, then it is important to focus on straightening your horse through the turns.

Go straight in a turn

Although it sounds like an oxymoron, travelling straight through a turn is essential in maintaining the balance of the horse. Moving straight allows the hind end to step underneath the horse and bear the weight correctly, rather than falling heavily to the front legs.

A straight-moving horse negotiates a turn effortlessly. He can keep his round outline and move boldly into the next strides simply because his able to use his body in an efficient way.

There are many ways to work on straightening, including stepping out and other techniques. In this article, we will focus on one aid to help keep the shoulders stay centered so that the horse's stride can reach forward and through the body rather than fall to the inside or outside.

Keep in mind that this is just one small aspect of the whole aiding process - but a missing rein aid could be just the part that is permitting the lack of straightness.

Keeping the shoulders in the body

1. Lower your hand to wither height.

2. Keep the contact short enough so the horse feels your aid, but not so short that it interferes with the horse's movement.

3. Steady the rein momentarily as the horse begins to fall to the inside or outside. Use a direct rein pressure (rather than indirect). DO NOT PULL BACKWARD!

4. Release the rein aid as soon as the horse's shoulder is stepping forward and through the body.

The trick is to redirect the energy

The idea is to take the same energy that the horse is going to use to step sideways, and redirect it forward and straight. You can think of it as a "bounce" - as in, bounce the shoulder away from the rein toward the center of the body.

As always, the key is in the release of the rein. Remember that this is a correction. As with all corrections, you only use it during the moment that it is needed, and no longer.

If the rein is held too long, the corresponding hind leg may be blocked from reaching underneath the body, and the effect will be directly counterproductive to what you are trying to achieve. So you have to feel for the moment, apply the aid, and then release it as soon as possible in order to allow the free movement forward.

You can use this rein aid on the inside rein or the outside rein, depending on what is happening with the movement. You could even use them consecutively. If the horse is falling in, use the inside shoulder block, and before the horse falls through the outside shoulder (a common reaction), apply the outside shoulder block.

Theoretically, the outside rein should be the rein that provides stability for the horse anyway, so it should be active through the correction.

So there we have it! In real time, this aid takes less than a second and should be used in conjunction with the usual seat and leg aids. As with most corrections, be sure to encourage impulsion at the end of the correction, since without energy forward, there is no point to anything!

Your horse will let you know that you are on the right track if he seems to move freer, swings through the body better (releases tension), rounds and/or gives you a hearty snort!

What other tips do you have for straightening the horse?

Buy the book for many more riding tips!

Personally signed books available! Give the best gift for the horse lover in your life (or for yourself! ). Send me a message for more information.

From the first book in the Horse Listening Collection: Horse Listening, The Book

"There are many reasons why we enjoy riding horses. Maybe one of the most appealing facets of riding is the sense of freedom: freedom from our own limitations, freedom from gravity, freedom to (literally) roam the Earth. Time stands still while we have the privilege of feeling movement from the back of our four-legged friend.

Riding gives us the place to just be.

Of course, there are other purposes too. Some of us revel in the challenge of learning the skills required to becoming a good team member of this unlikely duo. Riding is like no other sport or recreational pursuit simply because of the equine partner that must not only carry us, but also do so effortlessly and gracefully. As we develop our specific skill sets, we also grow as human beings in character, emotional maturity and mental acuity.

But there is one other motivation that drives some of us to persevere in the never-ending learning process that is horseback riding: improving the horse. As your own skills develop, you begin to realize that not only can you meet your own needs through riding, but also that you can even become an instrument of benefit for the horse."

And so begins the book that reflects the most important learning I have had in all of my riding years: that I want to be the best rider I can be for the sake of my horses.

This book is geared toward the rider:

- the rider's motivations

- the essential skills for the rider

- some specific strategies

- solutions to common problems

- and the results: the great horsey moments we get to experience

Along the way, you will find chapters that discuss everything from the seat to the leg aids to the reins, discussions on half-halts, imbalance, halts, straightness and more!

Special in this book are the "In The Ring" sections that give specific suggestions based on the preceding chapters. Take these to the barn to try with your own horse!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Would You Be So Kind As To…

... nominate Horse Listening for the 2013 Equestrian Social Media Awards? This is the first year that Horse Listening is eligible to participate in the nominations.

Nominations open December 10, 2013.

________________________

Updated December 11, 2012

Click here for the nominations page link.

Scroll down to #17. But you might find you want to nominate many others too... there are a lot of categories.

Be sure to "sign" on the bottom of the page when you're done.

Here is a neat link to listen to the founder of the ESMAs (good background information, if you are interested in knowing more).

Chris Stafford Radio

___________________________

If you are not familiar with these awards, here are a few details:

The PagePlay Equestrian Social Media Awards (ESMAs) were set up in December 2010 as a way of bringing together the global equestrian community through social media. They were initially designed to allow fans and followers of UK and Irish businesses, brands and professionals to shout about who they felt really flew the flag for the equestrian industry.

During 10 days, on the run-up to Christmas Eve 2010, people were asked to nominate their favourites in 15 categories. We received so many nominations that we split each category into two groups; A. UK/Ireland and B. International. In 10 days we received just under 4000 nominations. The top 10 within each category got through to the finals – which closed at 1pm GMT on Friday 18 Feb 2011.

The 181 finalists were announced on 13 January. They represented a range of equestrian sports, including racing; eventing, western, dressage, and show jumping.

The ESMAs are now a global affair with finalists representing from each continent!

The awards have featured in a number of equestrian industry and leisure magazines and on a multitude of prominent equestrian websites across the globe.

Now, in their third year, the ESMAs are recognized internationally as THE online award for equestrian pursuits. There are many categories - and blogging is just one.

If you have enjoyed the content here on Horse Listening, and come back regularly to read the newest posts, would you consider nominating us in the blog category?

Judging criteria are as follows:

Judges and members of the public are asked to use the following criteria:

• Innovation – are they thinking outside the box?
• Individual – is their content original?
• Inspiration – are you compelled to act, buy or share?
• Interaction – do they involve fans/followers and encourage discussions?
• Information – is it accurate, interesting and useful to their audience?

The final results are based on both the judges' and the public's voting. So the more nominations, the better!

If you do consider nominating, take a look through the categories list - you may have other sites you would want to nominate as well.

Horse Listening has moved from its meager beginnings last year to becoming a full-fledged website, newsletter, store and newspaper column. Horse Listening communities are also active on Facebook and Twitter, with daily comments, "likes" and "retweets" - all testament to your interest and encouragement.

Aside from maintaining the blog content in the new year, I will be working on other projects as well. Keep an eye out!

Thank you for your readership, comments and support over the past year. If you do nominate the blog, I thank you in advance for your kindness and consideration.

Kathy

Listening Corner – Riding Goals Defined

Theme: Riding Goals Defined

At some point, you're going to find yourself wondering: why am I riding?

No two answers are going to be the same, and your own answer might change as time goes on. Regardless, the moment that you find yourself evaluating your successes and considering your challenges will be the moment that your decisions will be impacting both you and your horse.

In effect, you're going to identify and set some horseback riding goals.

Horseback riding is distinguished from all other sports due to a very unique characteristic that no other sport can match: the relationship between two beings so different from each other seeking to combine into one elegant whole. When setting your sights on bigger/higher/better/rounder, you must consider not only how to improve your own skills (as in other sports), but also how you can be the best possible teacher/leader for your partner, the horse.

Although as the human partner, we have options on what we want to do when, we must keep in mind that the horse does not have a similar choice. In fact, the horse is dependent on the rider's decisions. This is when goal setting takes on even more significance. The rider's responsibility to the horse becomes a key factor in determining the progress (and health) of both partners and should not be underestimated.

Many people have written in the past about developing solid goals - both for the horse and the rider. Below are some short excerpts from excellent authors. Read on for a few thought-provoking tips and suggestions on the whys and hows of goal setting in equestrian disciplines.

First of all, evaluate your horse physically and mentally.... Moderate faults do not ordinarily disqualify a horse, but if you have no idea where you might find the horse's weakest link, it will be more difficult to plan a program.

The second step is to write down some reasonable short-term goals.... The earlier you can start and the smaller and steadier the progressive increases can be, the more opportunity you will have for review and revision.

Thirdly, plan a one-week, a one-month and a three-month program.... Use your one-month and three-month plans as references only. If you look too far ahead, you may miss what is going on under your nose. Review everything once a week and make progressive adjustments up or down in your programs.

Finally, get started today. Since the benefits of progressive training are continuous, any delay could put a cap on your horse's eventual achievement. If your untrained horse is not sick or tired, he can do a little more today than he did yesterday.

Equus Reference Guide, Principles of Successful Conditioning - Training Your Horse For Any Sport. Fleet Street Publishing. (1989). pp.45-47

Ideally, the rider uses the minimum amount of work to the maximum advantage. She structures her sessions so well that each step builds on the last, and this kind of build-up makes even the most difficult exercises seem comparatively much easier. She achieves her aim without any unrealistic goals threatening either herself or the horse, and this requires her to base her work on a recognition of the horse's needs and limitations, rather than focusing solely on her own. Her attention shifts away from herself to the horse. And thoughts such as, I wonder if I can get this horse going as well as I did yesterday, or, I'm not going to give up until I've put those extensions through, are replaced by, He's bound to feel stiff today, so I must work him lightly, or, If he feels ready, I'd like to work again on the extensions.... She has a far more genuine love for the horse and can put herself in second place, knowing that the time she spends preparing the soil will result in a strong and beautiful planet.

Wanless, Mary. The Natural Rider: A Right-Brain Approach to Riding. Trafalgar Square Publishing. (1987). p. 243

Riders must promote their horse's well-being by maintaining their state of comfort, which incidentally, fosters the extension of the horse's serviceable life. Therefore, riding should consist of three goals:

1. RESTORATIVE RIDING is designed to reestablish the purity of the horse's natural gaits, his balance and regularity of rhythm under the added weight of his rider.

2. THERAPEUTIC RIDING aims at developing the horse's ambidexterity....

(a) Straighten the horse by aligning his spine parallel with the line of his traveling on the ground....

(b) Load the horse's hind legs evenly by applying properly functioning driving aids and appropriate exercises....

3. ATHLETIC RIDING goals may be pursued only after the restorative and therapeutic ones have been addressed. However,... these riding goals must be mixed and blended successfully. They overlap, run parallel, and support one another. The art of riding is not severely compartmentalized.

de Kunffy, Charles. Dressage Principles Illuminated. Trafalgar Square Publishing. (2002). p. 123.

If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email

Enjoy more Listening Corner themes:

The ‘Art’ of Riding: When does riding transform from being a purely physical endeavour based on skills and technique, to “sculpting while progressing through space?” (de Kunffy, 1992, p.3)

Studying the Circle: The circle is used so frequently, not only in dressage, but in almost all disciplines, that we would be remiss to not include it in our “studies” about riding and training.

The Rider: Although the world around the horse has changed over the years, the horse itself remains essentially the same, and therefore the requirements of riding are essentially unchanged.

New! Horse Listening Merchandise Now Available

Dear readers,

I'm excited to announce the opening of a CaféPress shop for Horse Listening products!

There are so many different types of merchandise available:

T-shirts of all types and sizes for men, women and children
mugs and travel cups
bags
even a doggie shirt

The reason I opted for this company is that you can order merchandise from anywhere in most common currencies. There is a 100% guarantee - you'll like it or you can send it back.

And by all accounts, the items are of good quality.

I currently have two designs but the best part is that I can add more in time.

If you have the inclination to carry a little bit o' Horse Listening around with you, please take a browse through the store and see if there is anything in there that you would want to purchase for yourself or for a fellow Horse Listener. You can even mail an item directly to a recipient of your choice.

Click here for the Horse Listening store.

As always, thank you so much for your readership and support.

Kathy

P.S. There is a 15% off rebate already at the store until Dec. 10th if you use the discount code "SHOPUP".

Stepping Out of the Rein Lameness

Some people call it "rein lame".

Some people blame everything under the sun.

But we know that it is often caused by incorrect riding.

You know what I'm talking about - it is the kind of riding that allows the horse to move crookedly. It's about the riding that does not acknowledge (recognize?) that the horse is constantly travelling on the forehand, pounding the front legs into the sand day after day with no improvement.

It ends up being demonstrated by the horse with a shuffling or running gait, the pinned ears, the tense body - even though his legs move and the "buttons" work (sometimes), even the non-horsey onlooker can pick up on the horse's misery.

Most of all, the problems are obvious in the horse's movement. A judge might call it "losing rhythm" or "uneven". A coach might notice that the horse limps when on circles or turns. Although it is easy to overlook the inconsistencies, a careful observer might be able to see bad steps. On the horse's back, you feel the horse taking limping steps, although it is difficult to identify which leg or where the limping comes from. The vet sees the tightness and tension but further diagnosis identifies nothing wrong at all.

Often, problems caused by riding can be fixed with riding. It is just a matter of knowing what to do in order to counteract the problems.

(Click to tweet that if you agree.)

What to do?

1. Step out (weight to the outside shoulder). This "step" can be one step or several steps. For a younger or less experienced horse, you can actually allow the horse to drift out into an almost leg-yield. The step out can be done both on a circle or on a straight line. Regardless of where the horse is positioned, the step must be initiated by the inside hind leg. Use your inside seat and leg to initiate the step to the outside.

2. Create a bend. Stiffness and crookedness are the main reasons for allowing a build-up of tension. The inside seat and leg also help to develop a bend in the horse's body. However, you can regulate the amount of bend - it can be fairly shallow especially for the stiffest horse. You can work your way up to a deeper bend as the tension falls away.

3. Use the outside leg behind the girth to capture the horse's hip and to prevent him from swinging it out. There always has to be an outside leg to create a "wall" to help the horse know just how far to step out.

4. Use the outside rein to prevent the neck from swinging to the inside. Of course you must use the outside rein! A floppy outside rein will encourage the crookedness that is probably already plaguing your horse. If there is nothing to provide an outside "wall" for the bend, there will be no bend! Let the horse curve into the outside rein. That outside rein is also going to govern just how far you want the horse to step out (#1).

5. Use the inside rein to maintain flexion to prevent stiffness all the way from the jaw to the tail. The inside rein has only one job: to maintain a soft flexion. Keep the horse looking to the inside of the bend (circle) by using a light (on/off) contact. Do not let the nose point to the outside, but also avoid pulling the horse into the bend or circle with just the inside rein. There should always be mini-releases when the inside rein is being applied, or you will block the inside hind leg from having a chance to reach under the body.

6. Finish with impulsion. Once the horse has stepped out and because of the movement, loosened up and released some tension, ask for a bit more of a step underneath from the hind legs. Remember to always finish any lateral work with an increase in stride length and energy.

_____

How often you use the "step out" depends on how stiff the horse is and how often the bad steps occur.

The key is to catch the bad steps early, and then work with the bend and shift of weight to the outside to get the horse to release his tightness and tension.

The Results

If you notice a wider lateral step through the shoulder (to the outside), and less of a limping feeling, then you know you are on the right track.

If the horse becomes calmer/stronger/bouncier/rounder, you know this is the way to go.

If the horse gives you a snort, a chew on the bit, and soft ears, you know you've hit the jackpot!

Essentially, you are looking for the release of tension that allows the horse to use his muscles to bear weight and produce the locomotion. You are seeking a condition that allows the horse to NOT put excess strain on the joints, tendons, ligaments and skeleton.

Ideally, you are doing your best to put the horse into his happy place, so he can enjoy his work and develop in a positive manner.

There are likely many other exercises that can address the same problem.

P.S. Can you achieve the same results with a step (or steps) to the inside? YES! All the same ideas apply - then, you can "play" to the inside AND the outside of the circle/bend on a straight line and develop both sides of the horse's body!

Have you used any exercises to help with rein lameness? Please comment below.

Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Available as an eBook or paperback.

If you found this post helpful, you might also want to read:

Top 10 Ways to Reward Your Horse: A happy horse is a willing partner, and many horses will give everything they have if they feel your acknowledgement and generosity of spirit.

Demystifying “Contact” in Horseback Riding: Does “contact” have other-wordly connotations? Here is why effective contact is within reach of the average rider.

From a Whisper to a Scream: How Loud Should Our Aids Really Be? Should we be “loud” in our aids, or should we be working as softly as we can in hopes that our horse can respond to lighter and more refined aids?

Do You Make This Timing Mistake When Riding Your Horse? Have you ever given your horse an aid and got nothing in return? There could be one other variable that you might not have considered…

5 Life Lessons From Horses

If we can learn anything from horses, it is that many concepts hold true as clearly in life as they do in the world of horses.

If you listen carefully, you can find answers to your questions from every interaction with the horses.

There are many important insights we learn from horses that can serve to guide us as we live life and develop, learn and grow. Here are just five:

5. Keep Finding Your "Edge"

In riding, you are always evaluating where you are with your horse. You try to ask your horse to bend a little deeper, step a little stronger, swing a little bouncier. You work on aiding a little softer, sitting a little deeper, developing a more consistent contact. Whenever you have achieved a level of mastery in a skill, you assess where you're at and look for the next step. Riding is an act of constant learning, improving and discovery.

The concept of finding your "edge" is about knowing where you are at the moment, and pushing yourself that one bit further toward either a new level of understanding/ability, or toward an entirely new skill.

Day-to-day life can be that way too.

Socrates was the first to identify the paradox of learning: The more you know, the more you realize you know nothing.

There are so many levels of understanding in any one thing. Just as you can learn a riding skill deeper, stronger, looser or better, so can you develop your skills and understanding in all aspects of life. So get out there, learn, do, and keep on finding your edge! Becoming a lifelong learner is not just a nice-sounding cliché - it is a way of life!

4. It's All About Finding the Right Balance

Gravity sucks the same way for everyone!

Learning to find a useful, correct balance in horseback riding takes time and perseverance. However, once you have achieved even a basic level of balance, things flow more smoothly, riding becomes easier, and your horse becomes happier!

Similarly, when you can find balance in your life - the balance between work, play, studying, and doing something for your self, things somehow seem to go smoother, easier, and you might even find yourself becoming happier!

3. Find Your Happy Place!

Help a horse find his happy place, and he will be enthusiastic, cooperative and confident in his work. He will be loose, forward-thinking and perky-eared.

Find your happy place in life, and you will be the same! 🙂

2. Never Get Bored

From the outside, it looks like the horse and rider are going round and round and round in circles. From the inside, you are so focused on the process of developing so many things WHILE you go around those circles, that you never have a chance to get bored! The same goes for the horse - keep the training varied and comfortable, and the horse will rarely sour from the work. Anything that feels good, whether on circles or on a trail, can be enjoyable for the horse and keep him mentally coming back for more.

Finding the things you love to do in life will leave you satisfied and content. Finding a sense of purpose and reaching for that ultimate goal will make a mystery out of the mundane, keeping things fresh and challenging for years to come.

1.Learn to Listen

Anyone who has spent time with horses could agree that listening is key - no, CRITICAL - to experiencing the best our equines have to give. Regardless of whether you are riding or on the ground, there is a constant communication occurring between you and your horse. Even if you don't know it, or can't interpret the communication, it is happening and your horse is picking up signals from your (in)actions. As you develop your horse "speak", you will realize how much you can read from your horse's behavior and subtle communications.

The same goes with life. If you can listen carefully enough, you can "hear" so many critical messages that are sent your way daily! More importantly, the concept of listening to our fellow humans, from a personal level to a global level, is critical to the development of humankind. Communication is key in all aspects - from making friends as children, to learning skills at school, to maintaining personal relationships, to holding jobs and securing business deals - life is communication. And the most critical step in communicating is listening.

What life lessons have you learned from your horses? Let us know in the comments below.

New – Emails From Your Horse!

Announcing a new and exciting phase for the blog!

Do you ever wish you could understand what your horse was telling you?

Now, you can sign up to receive weekly emails!

With Love, From Your Horse!

Take a look:http://wp.me/PVRxl-19d

Drawing a Circle (in Sand)

One of the most fundamental exercises in most riding disciplines is the circle. As a newcomer to horseback riding, you will likely meet the circle early on in your career, as it is beneficial in many ways to both the horse and the rider. As a veteran rider, you are all-too-familiar with the smooth curves and rounding suppleness that results in your horse after a series of various sized circles.

But what really is a circle? What does it look like when completed correctly and what figures can be classified as NOT circles?

Moving straight but not really...

It is true that riding round and round the ring on the fence line (or rail) is one of the easiest things you can be doing on horseback. The second easiest thing to do (not necessarily well) is to ride a straight line from end to end of the ring. Just point the horse's nose and hang on!

What is perhaps less well known is that moving along a straight line is in fact one of the most difficult movements a horse has to learn. Although moving along a straight path is an easily completed "figure", moving straight correctly is rarely achieved. Watch carefully and you will notice the horse's hind end pointing toward the inside of the ring, or the hind footprints not falling over the front footprints.

Enter the circle!

Just like people, horses have a preferred side and tend to want to bear more weight to that side. They are just as uneven as we are. Becoming more ambidextrous is as long of a process for them as it is for us to learn to use both sides of our bodies. And perhaps ironically, one of the most effective ways to develop better straight lines is to ride a circle.

Why should you even bother with a circle?

The primary intention of riding a circle is to help your horse loosen in the muscles and develop suppleness in his movement. It evens out the horse's ability to bear weight in the hind end and stretches both sides of the horse.

If you feel the horse stiffening on a long line, change course and head into a circle.

If you find your horse is distracted or spooking at something outside the arena, the circle is a tried-and-true method to bring his attention back to the (boring) center of the ring.

If you find your horse being uneven in his striding, or leaning in/drifting out, or moving in an otherwise "crooked" manner, then the circle is just right to help him straighten out through his body.

If your horse is a runner and speeds up with increasing tension, put him on a circle and allow him to slow down thanks to the increased weight bearing of the inside hind leg.

What does a circle look like?

A correctly ridden circle is even and round. I know - that must sound obvious! However, unless you have spent hours on perfecting the circle, you will agree with me that it is easier said than done!

Regardless of where you position the circle in the arena, it should be evenly spaced and round. You must end the circle where you began it, and the diameters should be even - if it is a 20 meter circle, there should be twenty meters from end to end regardless of where you are currently positioned.

The "NOT" Circle

The "NOT circle" isn't quite nearly as useful as the "NOT Canter"!

There are many variations of the not circle - and all of them are not circles!

A - This circle is one of the most common not circles mainly because of its pseudo-roundness. While you are riding the figure, you are quite sure that you have completed a round figure. That is, until you either look at the footprints in the sand or listen to your instructor's feedback! This circle does not start nor end at the same place and isn't quite evenly round. The horse probably fell in to the middle shortly after the beginning of the circle.

B - This is another common not circle because it is so easy to lose sight of the second half of the circle. Riders often start with good intentions (staying round through the first two quadrants of the circle), and through various inaccuracies - maybe the horse falls in to the middle, or the rider pulls on the inside rein too strongly - the circle ends in an abrupt straight line.

C - Here is another common error - the circle that follows the rail. In the end, you discover that you made a rectangle that basically left one rail and headed straight to another. This figure completely negates the purpose of the circle as the horse doesn't bend through the body. On the other hand, a well-ridden square - OFF the rail - is an extremely beneficial exercise although not at all what we are discussing here.

D - Despite the fact that this final not circle is ever so close to being true, it is not even through the quadrants and therefore ends up becoming more of an oval than a circle. Once again, the horse can avoid bending on the long sides and likely uses the rail as a guideline on where to go.

Parting Thoughts

"The intended effect of working on circles can be achieved only on condition that the correct line of the circle is followed as accurately as possible, but it is difficult to convince riders of the importance of accuracy. Many want quick and easy results and soon lose heart when they discover that riding a correct circle is not as simple a matter as it seems." - Alfred Knophart, Dressage: A Guidebook for the Road to Success (p. 31)

So get out in the ring and be the rider who practices circles to perfection. Work on developing your horse's suppleness and bend, and help him learn to carry more weight on his inside hind leg. Learn the circle aids well and soon enough, "drawing" round, even circles in the sand will become (almost!) second nature!

Go straight in a turn

Keeping the shoulders in the body

The trick is to redirect the energy

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips!

If you have enjoyed the content here on Horse Listening, and come back regularly to read the newest posts, would you consider nominating us in the blog category?

Theme: Riding Goals Defined

What to do?

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

5. Keep Finding Your "Edge"

4. It's All About Finding the Right Balance

3. Find Your Happy Place!

2. Never Get Bored

1.Learn to Listen

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

New! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Recent Articles:

Announcing a new and exciting phase for the blog!

Do you ever wish you could understand what your horse was telling you?

Now, you can sign up to receive weekly emails!

With Love, From Your Horse!

Take a look:http://wp.me/PVRxl-19d

Moving straight but not really...

Why should you even bother with a circle?

What does a circle look like?

The "NOT" Circle

Parting Thoughts

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding