Horse Listening

5 Quick Tips To Get Out Of That Riding S.L.U.M.P.

What can you do when you eventually fall into that riding slump (we've all been there) when you feel like you've hit a plateau?

You know the one. When every ride feels alike. You end up doing the same things with your horse. You see little progress being made.

Rest assured that this happens regularly to all of us. In fact, it's part of the learning process. There are the times when you seem to improve each ride and then there are the times when nothing changes - or maybe you even regress!

Fear not, dear rider. When you find yourself in this situation, remember the acronym, S.L.U.M.P. Follow these wise tips and see if you can nudge your way out of the plateau a little sooner than later.

S: Simplicity

Clarity is the key to communicating with your horse from the saddle. There's nothing more difficult for the horse than to try to decipher half-messages. Look for ways to simplify your messages to the horse.

Don't be wishy-washy; instead, be sure, convinced that you know what you're asking for. If you wanted a trot from the canter and your horse kept on cantering, try again. Did you miss something in your aids the first time you asked? Did you kick and pull at the same time? Think your aids through and clarify.

Avoid being harsh under all circumstances. It's not about just getting louder and fiercer with your aids. Settle down mentally and see what you can do to change things without causing your horse to become tense or stiff or worried. As the leader of your two-being group, you owe it to your horse to maintain calmness and clarity.

L: Learn

Look to yourself to trouble-shoot any problems. Learn more. Ride more - maybe your body needs repetition to strengthen and coordinate the aids. Be humble and go back to the drawing board if needed. Take lessons, watch videos, ride at clinics. Improve your horse by improving yourself. Each horse will teach you different things, and the key is to be willing to put in the work to take on new challenges.

U: Urge

As in, urge your horse to move. Just go forward. Forward can be the solution to almost every riding issue, whether in walk, trot, canter, laterals or back-ups. Always think forward. Get your horse to step to the bit, engage in the hind end, round over the back and respond to the bit. Then... (you guessed it)... go forward again! Live in forward.

M: Maintain

Then remember to maintain your horse's tempo. Avoid letting the horse's legs just go faster faster faster. After you've infused the horse with activity and energy, control it. Half-halts are the key at this point, not clutch-and-grab the horse's face and hold on for dear life!

Maintain an even tempo using your seat, while posting when you're posting trot or from well-timed half-halts. Breathe! Then let your horse breathe as well. Keep the horse straight to maintain balance and regulate the leg speed.

P: Prepare

When things don't work out, just regroup and give it another go. Although your horse should eventually respond instantly and in balance and strength, maybe it's ok to give him a few strides to prepare for the transition or movement. For now, maybe you can take some time, establish the preconditions for the next movement and then do it when your horse is ready.

Or change the topic, do something you and your horse are good at, then go back to the hard part. Accept a less-than-perfect performance from your horse but make sure you're at your best as much as possible. Put extra effort into being prepared for your ride - mentally and physically. Your horse will improve as you develop.

Whenever you find yourself stuck, remember to S.L.U.M.P your way out of your slump! And as always, once you give something a try, be sure to listen to your horse. He will always tell you when you're on the right track!

Horse Listening – Book 3 Now Available!

I'm so excited to announce that the third book of the Horse Listening Collection is now online and available to purchase!

This book not only explains the why behind skills and strategies horse people use every day, but it also explains how to learn and apply the skills. The final section shares an introspective look at the impact horses make on our very lives.

Click here to learn more.

Horse Listening - Book 3: Horses. Riding. Life.

Reader Review for Horse Listening - The Book

“I love Kathy's blog so I knew that I wanted her book as soon as it came out! I find myself rereading different sections as I am in different "phases" of my riding. I highly recommend this read for any equine enthusiast!” - Cdh, Amazon Five Star Review

From the writer of the popular Horse Listening blog comes a new compilation about one of the most enjoyable and rewarding activities of all time: horseback riding.

In this third book of the Horse Listening Collection, Kathy Farrokhzad takes you on vivid “ride” through the three fundamental aspects of the sport: horses, riding and life. Thoughtful and practical, the tips and ideas will support your personal and riding goals so you’ll establish an even better relationship with your horse.

40 chapters (196 pages) take the reader through an introspective journey designed to ultimately benefit not only the rider, but the horse. Learn about:

horse ownership and horse care
the theory behind the riding strategies
goal setting for the rider
specific rider skills

Purchase Here!

Horse Listening – Book 3: Horses. Riding. Life. is available in both digital and print (paperback) versions.

Buy the print version ONLY $24.99

Buy the digital version (supports all Kindle and iPad/iPhone readers). ONLY $9.99

Both versions of the books are available internationally.

** Additional charges (such as duty) may apply. **

PayPal/Personalized Signed copies!

Would you like your own signed copy? I can sign one and send it directly to your mailing address! Pay by PayPal.

Click here for more information.

Bold Transitions That Look Effortless And Feel Great

This one is good for the horses that tend to "suck back" before transitions and/or "run out" after the transitions.

There are transitions and then there are Transitions. The good ones are precise, strong and balanced. They are so clear and easily done that it looks like the rider didn't do anything. The horse stays round, energetic and bold. The gait change is matter-of-fact, easy. In fact, good transitions are critical for a seamless, harmonized ride.

The opposite is easily obvious to the onlooker. Poorly executed transitions are sluggish and slow to develop. The horse seems to labor through the transition, the rider has to use obvious aids and still it takes time to get the gait change. The horse hollows his back, falls further to the forehand and maybe stumbles or runs through the rider's aids. The rider might struggle to keep balance through the lurches until the gait change finally happens.

For the purposes of this exercise, the word "transition" can mean several changes:

- upward or downward progressive transitions (walk to trot, canter to trot)

- upward or downward non-progressive transitions (walk to canter, trot to halt)

- change of direction (trot from the left to the right)

- straight line to turn (change of direction across the diagonal to a left turn into the corner)

Exercise

We often talk about it but we often forget to actually do it. Every transition can benefit from it. There is nothing more important for it.

What is it?

Energy. Impulsion. Oomph.

It actually sounds simple. All you need to do is ask for a little more energy before and after the transition. Let's try it with a progressive, upward transition.

Let's say you are trotting to the left and want to pick up a canter after the next corner. This is a good way to encourage a young horse to canter as the horse sees all the space ahead of him as he comes out of the corner.

As you approach the corner, you feel your horse slow down momentarily. This is quite normal, especially if you are riding in an indoor arena - the horse backs off a bit when he's faced with the walls that appear to come at him. A more trained horse understands that he is going to turn through the corner and have the long side ahead.

Your "oomph" moment occurs a few strides before the transition.

Use both your legs for energy and lighten your seat to allow the energy over the back.
Then do a small half-halt before asking for the gait change.
Ask for the canter.
Once the horse is cantering, ask for another energy surge.
Use another half-halt afterward to not allow the horse to just run out from under you.

You see what I mean. It's basically like you are strengthening both your body (in terms of tone and energy) and your horse's movement as you go into and out of the transition.

Done well, there will be no obvious lurch or energy surge. In fact, the remarkable result will be that it looks like nothing happened at all, except a fluidity of movement, a calm, relaxed tempo, lack of conflict and confident, bold movement. Think connection, steady, consistency.

The reason this happens is that the horse won't slow every few strides, won't break stride and have to change gait again and won't have to go through the resultant imbalances. The rider won't kick the horse every few strides, won't wait for the gait change and then have to recover and won't be lurches in the saddle again and again.

At first, it might seem like you're asking for energy many times before and after the transition. You're right - you probably are! It will take time for you and your horse to become accustomed to the amount of energy it takes to move freely through the many changes we require over the course of a ride. After a while, it simply becomes second nature to prepare and complete all changes this way. Once you get used to doing it yourself, your horse will likely be right there with you with no hint of suck back or run out. Because as you know, all riding problems start and end with the rider!

Next time you ride, give this a try. Those five steps above happen very quickly in rapid succession, so prepare ahead of time and know what you're going to do before you go through with it. Maybe have someone on the ground to help be your eyes and tell you how the horse looks to, through and after the transition.

How did it go? Let us know in the comments below.

Stop printing off the articles! Your favorite training articles are compiled in this beautifully bound paperback book. Have everything at your fingertips - this book can be taken to the barn as a quick refresher or leisurely read at home.

From Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

"Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic

development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals....

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans: they work hard to improve their horse’s way of going.

Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse’s longevity. Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse’s health and well-being.

Or not."

Just as with all the Horse Listening Collection Books, this book is focused on helping the rider improve for the sake of the horse. But this book goes deeper into the best training articles from the blog - horse-centered theory, strategies and ideas you can try with your own horse.

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Horse Listening Is Now On Periscope!

If you haven't heard of Periscope, it's a new live stream platform from Twitter. Basically, I can use my phone to play a live stream of whatever I'm doing while I'm online. If you follow my account, you will be notified when I go online and you can join me any time during the live stream or up to 24 hours afterward.

The stream gets automatically deleted after 24 hours of being online.

Periscope is meant to be an informal platform - so don't expect TV-like spotlights or memorized scripts. In my case, it's going to be horses, barns, me dressed for the barn, and just some good ol' down-to-earth chatting. Plus I still have to learn to use my phone so I get the best picture and sound. I realize that my first stream was very gray - maybe because of the white snow in the background - but I'll work on that.

If you like it, stay online and connect with me through the chat dialogue. You can let me know where you are, what you're doing, and if you have any questions you'd like answered. I can read the chat as I video.

There's also this thing where you can "like" what I'm saying by "giving hearts". Just tap on the bottom right side of the screen and a heart will float up the side. It's cute and gives positive feedback.

You can watch it on your phone or your laptop or other device. As long as you get the link off Twitter, you just go to the page and click on the play button. That's all there is to it!

Well, I'm going to give it a try for the next while. I'll probably video things mostly from the ground, as I usually have to hold the camera myself. But I'll play with different ideas and see how we can connect through Periscope.

You might still be able to see that first stream before it goes offline. Just click here: https://www.periscope.tv/w/1BRJjNApzoRJw

Thanks and let me know what you think!

18 Reasons To Establish “Forward” Energy

Riding your horse "forward" is almost indispensable for all riding. Movements fall apart when you are not forward. Lack of forward is the root of many unwanted things in riding, including crookedness in the horse (leaning in or drifting out), loss of balance (on the forehand), and bucks (runaways, spooks, balks, and a variety of other such escapades).

Riding forward is often an elusive concept when you're first learning to ride. It requires an increase in energy but paradoxically, the energy can't be let "out the front". It's not exactly about just getting the horse moving faster - this is where the ideas of impulsion and then engagement become more critical.

It isn't always easy to establish and maintain a forward, energetic but contained movement. Whether in walk, trot or canter, both you and your horse have to ride in a forward - but not running - manner. When you first start working on it, you might find yourself teetering between sluggishness and too fast.

This is where half-halts become essential. Well-timed half-halts help to contain the energy while simultaneously allowing the energy "through". They help establish and maintain the horse's balance - from an initial on-the-forehand balance (in the young or uneducated horse) to a level balance, and finally to an uphill balance (collection).

Don't worry if it takes a while to really establish this energy. The more you try it, the easier it will come to you and your horse. Keep working on it even if it doesn't seem like you're improving because one day, things will fall into place and your energy burst will be followed just right by a half-halt and your horse will find his legs underneath him and able to carry.

Along the way, you'll begin to really understand why forward energy is a prerequisite to almost every movement in riding. The following are dressage movements and concepts that simply cannot be successful without that forward "oomph". Other disciplines also need the same energy for their movements.

Straightness - energy keeps the shoulders going straight "between the reins" without falling out or into the arena
Balance - not enough forward energy restricts the horse's ability to step underneath himself and maintain balance on turns or straight lines
Contact - stabilize the horse's front end by allowing energy to come over the topline and into your hands
Half-halt - there can be no half-halt without enough forward energy
Bend - a horse needs to step into the bend and that requires significant energy forward
Circles - horses tend to want to disengage in circles because of the extra effort it takes to keep moving on a never-ending turn
Transitions - need an increase in forward energy to be sharp, strong and well balanced
Swing (through the back) - the up/down swinging movement of the back comes from a well engaged hind end
Spooking - cannot happen if the horse is moving forward energetically
Leg Yield - needs a strong forward inclination even while moving sideways across the length of the arena
Corners - require an extra boost of energy to counteract the restricting nature of the tight, often going into a wall kind of turn
Shoulder-In - must keep the energy up while bending through the body
Haunches-In - require that extra "oomph" to bring the hind end to the inside track while keeping the front on the rail
Half-Pass - need to maintain that forward-sideways energy similar to the leg yield
Halt - can only be engaged after an energy boost pushes the hind legs underneath the body
Collection - there is nothing to collect without energy coming through the body
Lengthen/Medium/Extension - there is nothing to extend without energy coming through the body!
Back up - energy must go forward before it can translate into steps backward

What do you need forward energy for? Add to the list below in the comments.

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

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.

Long Reins – And How To Stay In Balance

Does this happen to you? You are working on a stretch over the back at the trot, but the moment you let your reins out, your horse goes faster and faster until he feels like he's going to go head first in the sand. Or you let your reins out and your horse throws his head up, hollowing his back and breaking stride.

Keeping balance on a long rein can be harder than it looks. The longer your horse gets, the more difficult it is for him to keep his legs underneath him.

Yet you know it can be done. You might have seen people doing it nonchalantly without any apparent effort. But the half-halt was there, even though the horse was stretching long and low and the reins were let out.

That's because the horse didn't just speed up. He stayed in balance, kept up his energy, showed a beautiful swing through the back and just kept going. He looked great!

But when you tried it yourself, the result wasn't exactly the same. When you lengthened the reins, your horse stuck his neck out and even higher. He sped up, taking the longer rein as a signal to go faster. Or he got longer and longer in the body until he eventually had to break from a trot to a walk.

If something like this has happened to you, you're not alone! We've all been there.

The key is in knowing what to do when, with good timing and a nice feel on the reins.

When To Use A Long Rein

In dressage, we ride with long reins when we want the horse to stretch over the top line. He takes the bit forward and downward, allowing his back to be the highest point. You will often feel an increase swing in the movement, especially in the trot, if the stretch is done correctly.

Alternatively, you may use a long rein for your particular riding style. The hunter under saddle horses move with a long neck and so need a long rein even as they move with good activity and impulsion. Many of the western disciplines also go in a longer rein with little pressure on the bit. In any case, the horse's balance must be maintained, preferably in a non-intrusive, invisible manner.

How to Half-Halt On A Long Rein

This is where the half-halt can be handy. All good riders use some version of the half-halt (in western riding, it might be called a "check"). Whether you use your whole body, seat, back or fingers, you need to do something to help your horse stay in balance.

Here is something you can try.

Shorten the reins (even though they are long) until you have a soft contact with the mouth. You can play with the strength of the half-halt. Many times, you won't need more than a finger squeeze on the reins to keep the horse from falling to the forehand. Other times, you can use your seat. In trot, post slowly to encourage a slow tempo (but keep up the energy). Give your horse time to bring each leg through to the next step.

Keep your rein length and make sure you start with energy coming from the hind end and over the back. If you want your horse to stretch more, see if your horse will take the rein out from your fingers. If your horse is not used to stretching over the back, he might not be willing to take the bit forward. You might need to try this a few times.

Once you are riding on the length of rein you want (it can be given out all the way or some of the way), the trick is to keep the horse balanced, with the same impulsion and the same leg speed. Keep the rein tight enough that you can still feel the horse. Then go ahead and work on the half-halt all over again.

Many riders tend to stop riding once they let the reins out. You have to continue riding with all your aids regardless of the length of the rein. In fact, if you imagine that you can ride pretty much the same way regardless of rein length, you'll be on the right track. Long or short, keep a light contact, keep your horse moving over the back, and use half-halts to maintain your horse's balance.

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

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

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.

7 Great Tips For Beginner Horse Riders

Horse riding is becoming an increasingly popular activity. The attraction is simple - the horses... the physical challenge... the fact that anyone can begin to learn, young and old(er). If you are new to riding, you might be overwhelmed by all the opinions that are out there. Here are a few ideas to help you navigate your way through your first steps (walk, trot and canter).

Find a great instructor.

In some areas, you might have trouble finding multiple instructors to choose from. But work on it. Watch your prospective instructor teach a few lessons. Take a look at the condition of the school horses and other barn animals. Get a tour and see what the atmosphere of the barn is like. Finding an ideal barn and instructor is like finding a great friend or job. It takes time and you have to try it out for a while to know if it's a good fit for you.

Safety first!

Learn what you need to do to keep yourself safe, especially for the first few months. Although most horses are well trained to not do anything unexpected, horses are flight animals and really can't be completely trusted at any time. Be aware of your personal space when you work around the horses. Keep your feet clear of hooves, maintain an appropriate distance (don't let the horses rub on you or nibble on you), and make sure the horses hear you and know where you are as you approach them or work around them.

Focus on your seat development.

The seat is the source of all great riding. The seat is also the hardest area of the body to coordinate. You'll find that using your hands and legs will be much much easier than learning to follow the horse and influence him with your seat. But there is no better way. If you are lucky enough to find someone who will lunge you, there is no better way to start riding. If not, find an instructor who puts a lot of emphasis on seat development early in your riding career.

Develop excellent ground skills.

If you have a chance to learn to work the horse from the ground, grab it! They say that you only ride as well as you handle a horse from the ground, and I think there is a lot of truth to that. Take lessons, watch others and practice as much as you can. There are so many ways you can learn ground work: showmanship, round penning, lunge work (for the horse), in-hand showing... there must be others. The more you can do from the ground, the better you will be prepared to ride. Your horse will also know you as a communicator/herd leader.

Volunteer or work at a barn.

More time spent with horses means more experience. They often say that if you want to know something really well, you have to learn it from the "ground up." Nothing can be truer in riding. If you can get a paid job working at a barn, even for one day a week, you will learn invaluable skills that will propel you in the right direction. If not, consider volunteering. Working alongside experienced staff will give you the opportunity to learn and get feedback - reducing your learning curve by a lot.

Check and double-check your tack.

In many riding schools, you will be required to groom and tack your own horse. There is nothing better than spending some time with the horse you're going to ride, so get in there and get dirty! When you tack up, make sure you know how everything is secured. Check your tack before you go into the ring, and then check it again before you mount. If you are unsure of anything, be sure to ask your instructor before you get on. Your tack will keep you safe - but only if it is on properly!

Ride more than once a week.

It might be difficult to ride multiple times in a week in a riding school, but take the opportunity if it comes your way. Take two lessons a week, or see if you can eventually part-board a horse. Maybe you can rent a horse for a "practice ride." No matter how you do it, your skills will improve exponentially if you can increase your time in the saddle.

Breathe in rhythm with the horse's movement.

Even if you are otherwise athletic and have a lot of experience in other sports, your initial riding experiences might be different than what you are used to. One of the things that go first when you begin to trot and canter is remembering to breathe. A good trick is to force yourself to breathe in conjunction with your horse's movement. If you are posting, breathe on every other post. In canter, breathe every other up stride. Force your breath if you have to initially, until your body takes over. Otherwise, you will likely hold your breath and soon end up panting and losing coordination.

Do as you're told!

Your instructor will (should) always have your best interests in mind. So if she tells you to drop your hands, drop them. If she shows you how far to open your rein, or to soften your knees on the saddle, do your best to follow her directions. Sometimes, what you need to do may feel awkward or even wrong to your muscle memory. That might be because your body has normalized the wrong feeling. Just give it a good try.

Ask questions.

BUT... do ask questions when things seem unclear. If you want to be an independent thinker, you do need to know why you are doing things at certain times. There is no other way. However, there is a protocol to asking questions. While you are riding, just keep riding. Save the talking for in between the riding spurts, or for the end of the lesson. Don't be gabbing while she's giving instructions, because when you are on the horse, there is little time for conversation. That is the time you should be "do"-ing.

Be patient.

If you feel like you're all thumbs, don't worry! Pretty much everything to do with horses, including the riding part, is going to be different than anything you've ever done. Just figuring out how to put a bridle on might take you weeks to really do easily, simply because of the straps and buckles that we don't normally manipulate otherwise.

Have fun!

Well, this is the most important part, even while you are learning and stepping out of your comfort zone. Pet your horse, enjoy the feeling of being in the saddle, and enjoy the companionship of like-minded people.

Do you have any tips for people who are beginning to ride horses? Please leave them in the comments below.

Get Rid Of That Tension: Four Steps To Improved Suppleness

Suppleness can be an elusive concept for many people as well as horses. On the one hand, "finding" suppleness can be a rather long term and difficult undertaking, especially for novice horses or riders. On the other, suppleness is the key to all good movement. Without suppleness, you and your horse are left to always ride in tension and with a counterproductive posture.

Each component listed below takes time to learn and develop. In fact, you will likely need to go through these steps every time you learn something new with your horse. Every new skill will cause a certain amount of tension until both you and your horse figure out how to do the movement with better balance and impulsion.

I use these steps to help me stay focused on what needs to be done when. In other words, you can't go to increase the energy if you haven't found a clear rhythm yet. Do this for every single movement - a simple trot circle, or a walk pirouette, a lengthen or a half pass. It doesn't really matter what you're doing. Just work on each component of the movement in this order, and work towards reducing tension and improving suppleness.

1.Rhythm

First off, find rhythm. Pay attention to your horse's footfalls. Is he doing a clear 2-beat in the trot? Can you hear an even 1,2,3 - suspension in the canter? Listen closely, feel for the footfalls, and make sure the rhythm is crystal clear.

If you hear muddled footsteps, take note of your aids. Maybe you need to strengthen your seat aids, or use more leg for better impulsion. Maybe you need to actually slow down a bit to allow your horse enough time for each footfall.

In each case, focus on finding a good rhythm for your horse. He should be able to maintain it, regularly, for several strides. Don't go on to Step 2 until you have a clear, strong rhythm.

2. Energy

Next, work on energy level. There are times when almost all horses need to increase energy. It might happen as you come into a corner, or when you are turning on a small circle. Your horse might "suck back" in a lateral movement like a shoulder-in or leg yield. The idea is to get the rhythm first, then recognize when your horse is letting the energy "out the back end."

Use your legs and follow with your seat. Ask your horse for more energy, which should translate into bigger strides and a rounder back. If your horse flattens and just rushes along, use half-halts to rebalance. Make sure you have rhythm, then ask for energy all over again.

3. Longitudinal Flexion

Once you have rhythm and energy, you can focus on getting your horse to move "over the back." The energy you now have can be transferred over the back to allow your horse to round better. Half-halts help a lot, but equally important is your seat and upper body balance. Try to stay with the horse's movement (don't get left behind) and then lighten your seat (tighten your buttocks) so that you don't inadvertently stop the energy in the saddle area.

Ride the energy, go with the forward motion, and then use your half-halts to keep your horse's balance from falling to the forehand.

4. Lateral Flexion

After you have the horse moving over the back, you can focus on side-to-side flexion and bend. I find that once the horse finds longitudinal flexion, he'll flex laterally much more easily than if he was tight over the back. So first, you must have rhythm, energy and roundness.

Then work on the sides. You can ask for a mild flex to the inside (or outside too) using just your upper body position and light fingers. Or you can work on a true bend using your seat, leg aids and upper body and hands.

When bending, make sure you don't overbend - a 20-meter circle or turn has only a mild bend. Increase the amount of bend as your circle gets smaller. But make sure you bend through the body, not just the neck. Your leg, seat, upper body and hands should be also bent according to your circle.

Use the outside rein to prevent an overbend but use your inside leg and seat to create the bend in the first place. Be sure to have mini-releases on your inside rein (make the rein "flutter") so you don't take steady pressure and prevent the inside hind leg from coming under the body.

There are surely many other ways to improve your horse's suppleness but I find this method works well, especially if you are riding without an instructor. You can just go through each part in your mind.

As you get better at it, you'll go through each step fairly quickly. In fact, you might get through all four steps within 2-3 strides of your horse. Do you have rhythm? Great, then get some energy. Enough energy? Then let the energy come over the back. Enough roundness? Then let's work on bend.

Final note: I find that as you go through these steps with your horse, your own tension starts to dissipate as well. For some people, breaking down the steps helps a lot to focus their intention. Other people might want to keep things more cohesive, and try to get it all together at the same time.

In all cases, listen to your horse. Look for a rounder, swingier movement. Listen for snorts and deep breaths. Feel for lightness, better balance and maybe even floppy ears!

What do you do to improve suppleness? If you give this method a try, let us know how it worked out.

Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

From Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success:

"Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic

development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals....

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans: they work hard to improve their horse’s way of going.

Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse’s longevity. Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse’s health and well-being.

Or not."

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Horses. Riding. Life.

Author: Horse Listening

5 Quick Tips To Get Out Of That Riding S.L.U.M.P.

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening – Book 3 Now Available!

Horse Listening - Book 3: Horses. Riding. Life.

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Bold Transitions That Look Effortless And Feel Great

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

From Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

Horse Listening Is Now On Periscope!

18 Reasons To Establish “Forward” Energy

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

Long Reins – And How To Stay In Balance

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

7 Great Tips For Beginner Horse Riders

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

Get Rid Of That Tension: Four Steps To Improved Suppleness

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success