lessons/training – Page 10

The Benefits of Cantering Round and Round the Ring

canter long — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Or straight on the trail! If your horse is safe and the trail is suited for a longer canter, by all means, try this in the great outdoors.

There is no greater feeling of cantering on - and on, and on. Although you probably ride the canter regularly in your daily rides, there is something different about "living in" (an expression I first heard from Robert Dover) canter until it becomes normal - and effortless.

Just like the other gaits, the canter offers both the horse and the rider many learning experiences. Although we often ride the three-beat gait during any given ride, chances are that you're in and out of it in less than a minute. Because even just one minute of consistent canter seems like an awfully long time when you aren't used to it!

So here is something to practice: if you think your horse is fit enough, go ahead and give this a try. After an adequate warm-up, head into the canter. And don't stop. You can even time it with a watch. Go long enough to start to find the benefits below, but not so long that you'll run your horse into the ground.

If your horse loses balance and falls out (without you asking for the downward transition), calmly get your balance, put the trot back together, find your good trot rhythm, and head off into the canter once more. You can change leads through a simple change (through walk or trot) or flying change. Just be sure to pick up the new lead and continue on as if nothing happened.

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Start with one minute in canter. Then as you and your horse get fitter over the next few weeks, go to two minutes non-stop, then three. As with anything else in riding, the more you canter, the more effortless it becomes.

As you and your horse continue along, you will both strengthen and let go of tension. But there are many more benefits to discover.

Balance and Coordination

Many horses don't expect to maintain the canter for very long. For that very reason, they learn to disengage in the hind end after several strides and get longer and longer and... trot!

If you work at maintaining the canter, the horse learns that he should stay active in the hind end in order to feel better balanced. He'll learn to respond better to your seat and leg aids. He'll develop that "oomph" that he needs to keep going.

A longer canter will also give your body a chance to develop balance. You'll negotiate through the energy surges and drops from your horse. Your core muscles will work longer and develop their own intricate contractions and releases that will help your body stay in the saddle and maneuver within the horse's movement.

As you move around the arena, you will go from straight lines to curves to turns and circles. Both of you will strengthen in your ability to work through these changes of balance if you just give yourself enough time to adapt.

Conditioning

When the horse canters, his breathing rhythm ties into the rhythm of the strides. Cantering long term develops the lungs and muscles, making for a workout that is quite different from the walk or trot.

Same goes for the rider. If you canter long enough, you get a nice core workout that you might feel the next day!

Breath Development

Since the horse can only breathe with the canter strides, he will learn to breathe every step. Some horses puff in rhythm with the strides - those horses have already learned to regulate their breath according to the movement.

You might notice your own improvement in breathing as well. Many riders can easily hold their breath for the duration of a few canter circles. But even at just one minute, your body needs to finally let go and take a breath! You will be forced to breathe if you can maintain the canter long enough. Once you know how to breathe, you will have an easier time breathing at any gait.

Equalizer

The horse that speeds up in the canter will have enough time to settle down and discover that he'll run out of steam if he keeps rushing. He'll likely soften through the body, slow a bit in rhythm, and find a happy place where he can just keep going, but at a nice controlled pace.

The horse that likes to quit will learn that he has to give a little more - and even more. Soon enough, he'll get used to giving more and will develop the balance and coordination needed to keep going.

Suppleness

Once the horse settles in the canter rhythm, his topline muscles will find a release and he'll develop a better swing within the movement. At the end of the canter session, you might discover that his back loosens in the trot as well. His longitudinal suppleness will develop seemingly on its own.

You will also benefit. Many of us freeze up at the idea of cantering (and not even know it). If you put your body in the situation, and keep it there for some time, your tension will slowly dissipate, especially as your muscles tire. Once the release happens, your body can work on maintaining better posture over the long term.

Of course, don't overdo it. Keep your horse's current fitness level in mind. If you do go for a whole minute, be sure to give your horse a nice walk break afterward so he can catch his breath. If your horse is fitter than that, find the "just enough challenge" point without pushing him beyond his ability. Always err on the side of caution when doing something new or difficult.

Do you canter for extended periods? If you gave this a try, let us know how it went in the comments below.

Buy 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.

What Is A Neck Bend? And What To Do About It.

straight neck — Well positioned neck on a turn. Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Have you seen a horse doing the neck bend? Maybe you do it unintentionally, thinking that it "feels right".

On a turn, you "bend' the horse, and the horse's neck comes far to the inside. The body continues on the same original arc, but you've got that head and neck pointing in the direction you want to go!

Sometimes, the horse's body actually drifts out even though the neck is pointing in. Other times, the horse takes a tight turn to the inside, almost stumbling over his front legs because of the sudden movement.

Neck Bend

The neck bend looks exactly as it sounds. The rider goes to bend the horse, and instead of achieving a tail-to-head arc through the body, only the neck juts to the inside. It looks almost like the neck comes off the body and does its own thing, regardless of what the rest of the horse is doing.

It might be caused by the rider who is pulling the neck in with the inside rein, or it might be caused by the overly one-sided horse who prefers to carry his neck to one side of the body. If you feel carefully, you might notice the outside rein getting longer and the inside hand pulling farther back.

The neck bend causes the horse to be imbalanced. No matter which movement he performs, his neck is essentially taken out of the equation and the horse moves out of straightness. Crookedness can cause many problems over the long-term, from misbehavior to soundness concerns.

Needless to say, all horses and riders have a stiffer and a more supple side. We work diligently on developing both sides equally in effort to become truly ambidextrous in the long run.

True Bend

True bend happens through the whole body. The hind end has a slight inclination to the inside, the rib cage is actually lifted off the inside leg, and the whole front end - from withers forward, not just the neck - is correspondingly pointed to the inside. Some people describe a good bend as a "banana curve", which gives us a good image to keep in mind (although no horse can really bend to that degree).

"Bend" is one of those constantly challenging basics of riding, no matter what level you ride at and the experience of your horse. Bend allows the horse to move in balance around turns. Proper body positioning encourages adequate weight-bearing of the inside hind leg, freedom of movement and swinging through the back. A lateral bend encourages (and allows) longitudinal flexion - the lifting of the back that results in "rounding" and better weight carriage of both the horse and the rider.

From Neck Bend to True Bend

1. Straighten the neck.

I know this sounds counter-intuitive. You want to bend so the neck should be bent, right? Well, not exactly. Make sure that the neck comes out of the shoulders naturally. Use your outside rein to support the neck. If the horse wants to take his neck to the inside, use a resisting (not pulling backward) neck rein aid to prevent him from pulling in.

In contrast, if you find yourself pulling his neck in with your inside rein, stop! Even out your reins and start working on a nice neck rein to doing the talking.

2. Point your body into the turn.

Starting at your seat, position yourself so that your whole body is looking just about a quarter of a circle ahead on your circle. Your torso should be on top of your seat (not collapsing/leaning in or out). Your shoulders will be also pointing in the direction of the turn - not too much but also not too little. Your head should look natural - about 1/4 of a turn ahead - don't crank your own neck to the middle of the circle!

3. Use your inside seat and leg.

Start the horse's body bend with your weight on the inside seat bone and your inside leg at the girth. You can pulse your inside leg in rhythm with the horse's strides rather than keeping one even pressure through several strides. If necessary, you can let the horse drift out a bit until he understands that you want him to take more weight on the inside hind leg. This should help him move his rib cage slightly away from your inside leg.

4. Use your outside leg.

The outside leg asks the horse's hip to come to the inside. Position this leg behind the girth. This leg also prevents the horse's hips from drifting out too far.

5. Use the inside/outside reins.

The inside rein is responsible only for the horse's flexion through the jaw. Use a direct rein pressure on the inside rein until you see just the corner of the inside eye and no more. The outside rein is the neck rein. It should indicate the direction of the turn and act as the barrier that prevents the horse from stepping out too far.

Start with a mild bend and work toward a deeper bend over time.

Developing a true bend on a 20-meter circle is hard enough for a stiff horse and rider. So start there, and work on achieving and then maintaining the bend over the whole circle. As you both get stronger and more evenly supple, make the circle smaller in increments. 15-meter and 10-meter circles require progressively deeper bends. In all cases, make sure it's not just your horse's neck that is coming in but that there is a nice arc through the whole body.

It takes years for both the horse and rider to become truly supple on both sides. Every time you add a new movement, you will likely need to revisit the bend within that movement. But don't despair - just keep working on it at all times and be aware of that dreaded neck bend!

5 Ways to “Relax” While Riding A Horse

On the ground or in the saddle, the one thing that we can't do around horses is relax. They often say that some of the worst horse-related accidents happen when the horse has been standing around quietly and people have let down their guard, not expecting anything to happen. That's because just by virtue of their sheer size, horses can hurt us in one unfortunate moment.

The same goes for when we're in the saddle. Too much relaxation can prevent you from being athletic and aware enough to ride through a sticky situation.

So what's the alternative? Here are some suggestions. Every time someone tells you to relax, replace the word (and concept) with some of the tips below.

Release or loosen.

I think the words "release" or "loosen" are much more accurate in terms of what we should be doing while we are on the horse's back. Focus on one area of your body (say your elbows, lower back or knees) and try to release the joints. You might not even have to release or loosen all the time - just in short duration that last as long as your horse's strides. Find your horse's rhythm, and loosen in sync with the rhythm.

This allows you to support your weight and balance, keep your contact without fully letting go, but still find moments when you can allow the horse's energy through your joints and body.

If you can loosen after being tight for some time, you might feel a dramatic softening of your horse's tension, or maybe a surge of energy forward. Often, the horse will sigh or snort or just look more content.

Tone.

Remember that little kid that could make herself feel almost weightless when you went to pick her up? Maybe you were one of those kids when you were younger. Those children can make themselves light as a feather by tightening their bodies and wrapping their arms and legs around you once they're "on board". You can probably carry those children for a long time without feeling tired - because they are doing half the work for you.

Try doing that while you are riding your horse. One of the ways you can look like you are relaxing on your horse is to NOT be a blob. In other words, hold yourself up. Be tall, be strong through your core, don't slouch and avoid falling to every imbalance. Trust me, for those of us who are not used to holding our bodies in a toned manner, it might be difficult at first. But give it a try. See what your horse thinks of it. If you do it long enough, it becomes easier. And maybe, your on-the-horse toning might become more of a habit even when you're off the horse.

Harmonize with the horse.

One of the key methods to relaxing on the horse is to harmonize. If you can ride in better coordination with the horse's movement, everything becomes easier for both you and the horse. Nothing makes you appear to be more "relaxed" than being in sync with your horse to the point that an onlooker cannot tell where the aids come from.

Feel for your horse's footfalls. Time your aids according to the horse's strides. Find the best rhythm for your particular horse. And do your best to move within the horse's movement.

Breathe.

And I don't mean big long yoga breaths while you meditate on your deepest secrets and passsion! No, this type of breathing is much more practical. Make sure you are taking in a breath and releasing a breath in rhythm with your horse's movement. This is the kind of breathing that keeps circulating oxygen to your muscles and brain, so you can think and stay in balance! 🙂

If you find yourself huffing and puffing after a few minutes of trotting or cantering, chances are that you aren't breathing "enough" for the energy output you are producing. This usually happens when you are focusing on one aspect of riding so you forget to breathe. Until your body can automatically breathe regularly while you get down to riding, you need to have a strategy that will teach your body how to breathe while you ride.

I know it sounds silly, but try this. Think of a song that is easy for you to sing. I usually tell riders to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star -or pick a song that you know off by heart! But try it. You don't even have to sing exactly. Just say the words out loud enough that you are forced to breathe.

Do it while your horse is moving, and say the words in rhythm with the horse's movement. That's the key. Find your horse's rhythm, sing according to the gait, and keep riding. If you do this enough, your body will start to take over and breathe on its own.

Lengthen your leg.

Tension radiates through your body if your legs are tight. If you knee grip and contract through the thighs, your body automatically becomes less supple and more reactive to the horse's movements. I know how hard it is to loosen and lengthen the leg in movement. But it doesn't mean you can't try over and over again until it becomes more automatic in your muscle memory.

So there you have it. Looking relaxed on a horse can be a difficult and often lengthy process of developing your riding skills to the point of maintaining good basic equitation. The next time people tell you to relax while riding, tone your core, lengthen your leg, harmonize and breathe. They won't know any different!

What is your take on the word "relax"? Do you have any other alternatives? Comment below.

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

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.

Try This Exercise to Improve Your Rein Contact

Take enough pressure to feel the "horse" (on right).

Regardless of whether you are just beginning to ride, or if you've ridden for years, there is a way to develop your horse's trust and confidence, especially as it relates to his mouth and head.

As we progress in our skill and coordination, we eventually learn that we can ride from our seat and core first, before we use the hands. But the hands are the first thing we tend to want to go to, especially when we find ourselves in a sticky situation.

So this article is about how you can "take contact" in a predictable, consistent manner. Although we are talking about the reins in this article, bear in mind that nothing in riding is done in isolation, including taking up the reins. Whenever you use the reins, you should first be riding forward from the seat and legs. However, we will focus on just the reins at this time.

If you can learn to give and take the bit in a calm, sure way, the horse will always benefit. It doesn't matter if you ride in a snaffle bit, a curb bit or riding bitless - the technique works the same way on all reins and on all rein lengths. If you are not already doing this when you develop your contact, give it a try and see what happens.

Try This Without the Horse

Play with the feel of contact and rein pressure with the help of a friend. One of you is the horse while the other is the rider (you can take turns).

1. Take up the pressure to a point that it feels good for the "horse". Not too much but also avoid leaving the reins too loose. Have the "horse" pull on you left and right, and practice moving your hands with the pull in a way that doesn't increase the pressure regardless of what your horse does. In reality, your horse won't be pulling in this manner, but it is a good way to develop steady contact regardless of what is happening.

2. Then give the reins incrementally in a way that the "horse" doesn't feel like she was dropped suddenly with nothing in the mouth. You create space with the reins but you don't just give it all away at once.

Rein pressure 3 — The slight give - almost not noticeable to the onlooker, but the horse will certainly feel the difference.

3. Now just for fun, try dropping the reins. Take up the pressure and suddenly let go. This will let the "horse" feel what it's like to suddenly have no pressure on the "mouth". Also try jerking - sudden pulls and drops in the rein. This is exactly why you don't want to drop the reins suddenly, or jerk the rein contact on and off.

rein pressure 2 — The sudden drop in the reins.

The give should be so slight that it's almost not possible for an onlooker to see the difference in rein length. What she will see if you are riding a horse, however, is the response of the horse - he will round, soften in his head, neck and eyes and generally appear less tense or forced into position.

Now Try It on the Horse

Take a steady and firm hold of the reins. How much you want to shorten the reins depends on your bit and riding style. Let's assume you are riding in a snaffle bit. Shorten the reins enough that you have some pressure on the horse's mouth, as required by your horse and the situation. In most cases, a light but steady pressure is ideal.

Keep your hands in front of the saddle and shorten the reins enough so that you can feel the horse's mouth. Maintain an even pressure regardless of what the horse does, or what your body does to balance. Avoid increasing pressure unless necessary.

Try giving the reins. There are many occasions when you want to "release" the reins to the horse.

Maybe your horse softened his poll or jaw or lightened the pressure on your hands. You want to let him know he's right by giving a little in the reins.

Maybe you want to give him a little "space" to move forward to the bit or lengthen his neck. By giving him this slight release and forward aids from your seat and legs, he can step deeper underneath his body and increase in impulsion.

In any case, give the reins smoothly and steadily forward. It should feel like you are almost pushing the reins forward rather than dropping them. Avoid making an abrupt change of pressure. You can always give the reins out more and more (as in the case of a stretchy walk, trot or canter) as the horse reaches forward toward the space you have created.

With a little experimentation, you can find out the amount of pressure your horse likes the most. Some horses want very little rein pressure while others feel secure with more pressure. While you want to always work toward the least amount of pressure necessary, don't feel that you can't take pressure.

As long as you do it smoothly and calmly, your horse will learn that he can trust the hands at the end of the reins!

What are your thoughts on rein pressure? Comment below.

Buy the Book! Horse Listening Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises to Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Stop wandering round and round aimlessly!

Horse Listening Book 4 is a compilation of the best patterns that have been shared on the Horse Listening Blog. The book is divided into five sections: Warm-Ups, Left and Right, Straightness, Suppleness and Collection. Each section has specific exercises and theory based on its topic.

But there's more!

There is a Special Center Section dedicated to only Transitions - something that we can all work on throughout our riding careers. And finally, scattered throughout the book are chapters that clearly explain theory, technique and skills that can help improve the featured exercises of teach Section.

Use these 20-minute exercises!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Heel Healing: Here’s An On-the-Horse Leg Stretching Exercise

I've already written about the heels of the rider before. In that post, I explained why I think we should not be forcing our heels down while we ride. Even though we've been told again and again to get those heels down, and it might in fact look good to an uneducated observer, forced heels cause all sorts of problems for the rider and even for the horse.

From collapsed heels to tightened calves and thighs to stiffened seat and lower back, forcing your heels down can affect the clarity and effectiveness of our aids to the horse. And while I said in my article that forcing ain't the way to go, I didn't mean that we should placidly accept the fact that we can never ever get the heels to be lower than the stirrup.

There is one main reason to lower the heels - to lengthen the leg and position it so that the rider's center of balance is evenly distributed on the horse. Many people explain that the rider's legs should be hanging softly in line with the hips, so that if the horse were taken out from underneath the rider, she could still be in a balanced enough position to stay standing up.

So what can we do if our heels don't drop on their own, if we shouldn't force them down?

Do we completely give up on the concept and hope that it's fine to ride along with a stiff leg with tight ligaments and tendons? Well, not really.

In my previous article, I did mention an off-the-horse technique you can use to develop more stretch through the backs of your legs. However, there is an exercise you can do on the horse that will also be of benefit. Try this especially in walk, then canter and finally the trot (yes, even if you post the trot).

You can try it first at the halt just to get the feel.

The secret to dropped heels is in the release of your muscles, ligaments and tendons from your hips all the way down. Here's how.

1. Stand up in your stirrups.

Stand right up. Get your knees straight and go high enough that you are well off the saddle.

2. Lean forward.

Slowly tilt your body so that your thighs are resting toward the pommel. At this point, your thighs will hold your balance for the moment.

3. Let your feet go as far back as possible.

Once you have balance on your thighs, your feet will be free to slide back. Your knees should still be straight at this point. Push the feet past the girth just for a few seconds.

4. Sit down straight in the saddle.

Now sit toward the front of the saddle (don't lean back into the cantle). Make sure you aren't leaning forward or backward.

This is obviously the point where you allow your knees to bend again. But keep your feet in the same position you had them when you were still leaning forward. This way, your hips open enough to allow your feet to fall naturally (well, it might not feel very natural!) under your seat. Ideally, if you had a plumb line drawn from your hips to your heels, your heels would line up with your hips.

Your knees should be straighter now than before. The angle in your knees will be more open, and your leg will feel longer.

5. Allow your heels to drop.

The key is to allow.

Don't let your toes go right through the stirrups. Make sure the balls of your feet are on the stirrups.

At this point, if you were able to really lengthen out your leg, straighten your knees a bit and sit toward the front of the saddle, you should be able to let your heels take up the extra length by dropping below your stirrups.

And voila, you will find a magically longer leg with heels that want to hang toward the ground! 🙂

I often like to hold on to the bucking strap (or the horn in a western saddle) to really stabilize my seat toward the front of the saddle. This allows me to open my hips more and free my legs to do the stretching that is needed.

Now what?

Well, keep your new position in each of the gaits! Easier said than done, I know! But you won't get there without the practice so get on with it!

You have absolutely no excuse at the walk! Every time your horse is walking, you check and fix your leg position.

As you get better, you won't have to stand up in your stirrups to establish the open hips and long legs. You should be able to find the "feel" just by briefly taking your legs up off the saddle and then extending your leg down.

You might be able to even correct your leg position within the horse's movement.

If you have a chance to give this a try, let us know how it worked out for you. Or give us other leg position fixes.

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

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.

6 Steps To A Well-Balanced Change of Direction

turn — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

How often have you seen a horse and rider negotiate a change of direction, only to flatten out through the curve into a straight line, causing a sharp, imbalanced scramble far misplaced from the original intended location? In mild cases, the rider hangs on adeptly, perhaps unseated but still able to negotiate the inaccurate change of direction. However, the sharp turn always runs the risk of unbalancing the horse to the point of tripping or stumbling, and the rider falling off.

How often has it happened to you? If your horse is used to leaning into a change, or dropping a shoulder or cutting corners, then this article is for you!

Changing directions smoothly can often be as challenging as achieving any well-balanced transition. Most horses are stronger on one side than the other, much like their human counterparts. Suppling the horse enough to be able to bear weight equally on both sides takes time, quality practice and a solid understanding of how the aids can assist the horse in maintaining balance while remaining loose and athletic through a turn.

There are many types of turns - a change of direction across the diagonal, several changes of bend through a serpentine, a teardrop that starts toward the end of the ring and arcs back to the rail, and so many more. They can be done at all gaits and require the same sort of balance change regardless of location or type of turn.

The approach to any change of direction can be narrowed down to 6 steps that are similar regardless of gait or placement of turn. Let's use this most basic change of direction as an example. I call it the "S change" (because it looks like an S and spans from one end of the arena to the other). I'm assuming you are riding in a 20x40 meter arena but please feel free to modify based on your own needs.

Let's say you are approaching a change of direction at X (in the center of the ring). You are on the left rein at A and you will go through X to turn right.

1. Approach a straight line - still bent in the original direction.

This means that you are using your left turn aids - weight on the left seat bone and body pointing slightly left. At this moment, you are riding the turn more as if it were half of a 20-meter circle, even though it won't be a full circle. You do not go into the corner of the ring. You hit the rail just past F but then come off the rail withing 3 strides, back to the original 20-meter circle. However, instead of continuing on the circle, you head for X.

Your horse should be both flexed and bent to the left. Make sure he is looking in the direction of the turn (flexion) and also lightly bent to the left through the rib cage. Only flex and bend enough to be riding in line with the curve that is needed (in other words, don't overbend the horse).

2. Half-halt (usually on the outside rein).

Several strides before you come to X, apply a half-halt. This helps to rebalance your horse and lets him know something is going to change.

3. Straighten.

Now, instead of continuing on the original left circle, you are going to head right.

BUT - at this point, many people make a mistake. They often go directly from the left bend to the right. It's almost as if they are driving a car or a bicycle and turning the steering wheel (or handlebars) from left to right. This gives the horse no time to reposition his legs or carry his weight.

Instead of just switching your aids left to right, wait for a few strides. Straighten the horse and allow him to get his hind legs underneath him. As you go over X, be straight! If you give yourself 3-5 strides of straightness, your horse will be able to be much more balanced going into the turn. So imagine that you should be straight two strides before X and two strides after X. You can always cut the number of strides shorter as your horse gets better at rebalancing into the new turn. But at the beginning, give him plenty of room.

4. Half-halt (usually on the outside rein).

Yep. Use another half-halt at or just past X. There is going to be another change to the new direction. Again, the half-halt helps him rebelance to the hind end and gives him a hint that something new is coming.

5. Flexion and bend to the new direction.

I like to break this part down into two quick stages. First, use your new inside aids (right) to get your horse looking to the right. This is flexion. Then, use your turn aids to bend the horse to the right. Note: You are still moving straight over X at this point - do not actually turn yet.

6. Turn.

Once you have your flexion and bend, simply allow the horse to complete the change of direction. The new bend should be in line with the new curve and you will proceed to hit the rail for 3 strides, then come off the rail. Don't go into the corner but head to C as if you are on a new 20-meter circle.

These six steps take a matter of seconds to complete. There isn't much time, so know what you're going to do ahead of the S, and then just do it!

I know what you're going to say. These 6 steps complicate matters far too much!

In fact, the steps simplify things for the horse. I know we all want to just sit there and let the horse handle everything, but when we can break things down into mini-steps, the horse almost always benefits - in a physical, mental and even emotional way. So riding actively, helping the horse navigate through the change of bend through a straight line, and rebalancing with half-halts invariably sets your horse up for more success in the long run.

Practice these steps in your changes of direction over and over again. If your horse has a habit of leaning into the turns, it might take a month or more of gentle repetition to see significant changes. But if you do stick to the plan, one day you just might notice that your horse flows through direction changes as if he were just born that way!

Try this over the next while and let us know how things went in the comments below.

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How to “Fill Up” Your Outside Rein for a True Neck Rein

"Use your outside rein!"

"You need a better neck rein so you can balance the horse better."

"Half-halt/check with the outside rein."

In any of these three scenarios, your instructor is letting you know that your outside rein is either not being used correctly, or it isn't active enough to be helping your horse. However, a neck rein isn't an outside rein that is simply pulled backward.

We often rely so much on our inside reins that we tend to forget the purpose and use of the outside rein. We can apply the outside rein as a direct rein, or a neck rein. Although both work to achieve better balance and communication with the horse, there are significant differences to each. Today, we will talk about why and how to create an effective neck rein.

We use the neck rein in all disciplines. Regardless of the style of riding, the neck rein can and should be used for basic communication. Using a snaffle bit, the outside rein is generally shorter and used with contact. Using a curb bit, the rein is longer and ideally used with less contact. However, in general, the neck rein is used in the same manner in all disciplines and for the same purposes.

What Is A Neck Rein?

This specific type of rein aid is identified by the way that it "wraps around" the outside of the horse's neck. In general, it sits gently along the horse's neck and is always available to act within the right moment in the horse's stride.

Why Use A Neck Rein?

The neck rein acts as a powerful communicator. Used with contact, it can help the horse maintain balance by half-halting the energy as it comes to the forehand. Too much energy left unchecked will cause the horse to fall forward onto the front legs. The neck rein can prevent the fall before it happens and help the horse maintain more weight on the hind legs. In this manner, when used at the end of a sequence of aids, the outside neck rein is a main actor in creating and maintaining collection.

Once you become more adept in using your body aids, the neck rein also can become the initiator of a turn. Rather than pulling on the inside rein, the horse learns to move away from the neck rein. So if you want to turn left, you apply the right neck rein and use your seat/leg/torso aids to indicate the direction. The horse feels the "wrapped around the neck" rein pressure and steps away from it. This way, you can limit the use of the inside rein to just maintaining flexion (so that you can see the corner of the horse's inside eye). The by-product of less inside rein is that you will not restrict the inside hind leg from reaching as far as it should to balance around the turn.

"Filling Up" the Neck Rein

I use the term filling up because the neck rein isn't about just pulling backward. In fact, the ideal situation is to hold the rein at the desired length you need for the moment, and then to "push" the horse into the rein. The horse steps toward the rein, feels the pressure and then responds.

- Use your inside aids to bend the horse.

Starting with your weight on your inside seat bone, then leg, then upper body, push the horse to the outside of the circle. As your horse gets better, and your timing gets better, your push will become lighter. But at the beginning, you may need a fair amount of pressure to be clear in what you want.

- Inside rein is for flexion.

The only thing your inside rein should do is to maintain the flexion in the horse's head - that is, to keep the horse looking to the inside of the turn. Otherwise, it should be softly fluttering in and out of contact as needed. What it shouldn't be doing is maintaining a rigid pressure on the horse's mouth.

- Maintain a steady outside rein

If you can keep your outside rein at a consistently "good" length (depending on your discipline), you will begin to feel the horse as he steps to the outside, thereby filling up the outside rein.

At this point, you will have the neck rein positioned and the horse stepping into it. Now, it is up to you to use it to your advantage. As mentioned above you can use it to rebalance the horse, or use it to initiate a turn. As your horse begins the turn, you can keep the neck rein in light contact, being fairly inactive, unless you need to as again.

Once you discover the power of the neck rein, you'll wonder how you ever rode without it. Using an effective neck rein is one more step in the direction of becoming more subtle and harmonious with your horse. Not only that, but it will also allow him to move with a straighter body and spine.

How and why do you use a neck rein? Comment below.

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Why Interrupting A Horse’s Stride Might Be Just the Ticket for Better Balance

Does your horse push down on the reins, getting heavier and heavier with every footfall? Does he fall to the forehand, seemingly oblivious to you, the rider, at the end of the reins? Maybe his legs move faster and faster, rushing through your requests and leaning heavily onto his shoulders. Maybe he communicates discomfort through pinned ears, grinding teeth or tension.

If your horse has moments where he feels like a tank running through everything in his way, don't despair. Many horses (and riders!) go through a pulling phase at some point in their development. Rest assured, he likely doesn't want to pull you around the ring. But because of either the rider or the horse or both, he ends up sending most of his weight and energy to the front legs. The result is a pulling contest between the horse and rider, the kind of which never ends in a win for anyone.

Many people fall into this riding pattern, not sure of what to do when their horse "roots down" and leans into the bit. Try interrupting his movement as one way to help him rebalance.

What Not To Do

Kick the horse on.

Although it's true that we always speak of "back to front" when it comes to energy, adding more oomph in this instance will only result in more weight coming to the forehand. This is one case where activating the hind end will only serve to be counterproductive. Keep working on establishing your horse's best rhythm, but don't let the legs go faster faster faster.

Pull harder on the reins.

While it seems that taking a stronger hold of the reins would be the most reasonable thing to do, your horse will likely be able to pull longer than you can and maybe even harder. So avoid the pulling match and look for a way to solve the balance problem instead.

Let the reins out.

Although grabbing the reins won't work, you will soon realize that a complete release of the contact won't help either. If the horse is already on the forehand, and the reins are lengthened, the horse will also lengthen in the body and then become "strung out" - a case where the hind end does not engage and the hind legs do not have the opportunity to step under the horse's body. Some horses might also stumble or fall if the rider drops the reins, especially if they are used to having someone literally holding them up.

Now, let's look at one way you can help your horse gain better balance without making a fuss. I call it an "interruption" because it helps me remember that all I want to do is stop what is happening, but not long enough to lose momentum and energy.

3 Steps to "Interrupt"

First off, don't change anything much. So avoid lengthening/shortening/speeding/slowing down. Instead, focus on improving the horse's balance using an interruption. Just like you might need to interrupt someone to get their attention, do the same with your horse. Just do it physically, through your body while you ride.

1. Do a "Full" Half-Halt

In other words, do a downward transition. If you are at trot and your horse pulls you down to the ground, lean back, sit into the saddle and make your half-halt strong and long enough to get the horse walking. If you are at canter, bring the horse to a trot.

Develop control over the horse's legs - stop them for just a moment and help the hind legs come underneath the body.

The idea here is to get the horse to use the downward transition to shift back the overall balance in the body. You want to shift your weight as well as the horse's toward the hind end. In rhythm with the stride, lean back (just slightly), half-halt through your body and hands, and interrupt your horse's stride.

But don't stop there and rest.

2. Set up better balance.

As soon as you get the downward transition, you may need to "fix" a few things. Check the horse's bend. Check that you have an outside neck rein. Allow the horse to round over the topline so that he can work toward a better contact. Make sure he is moving straight - as in, develop a shoulder-fore if necessary.

But don't stop there either!

3. Then, go right back to the original program.

This step is critical if you want your horse to begin to understand what he needs to do, and to help him find his happy place while being ridden. As soon as possible, go right back to what you were doing. If you were originally cantering around a 20-meter circle, then transition back to the canter and continue on the circle.

Do not change the program.

The only point of this technique is to interrupt the pull-down (whether caused by the horse or the rider). By transitioning down a gait, you help the horse shift his weight back and get his hind legs underneath him. But then you must go again! If not, you will end up disengaging the hind end and causing the energy to fizzle out. Stopping energy flow is never the solution to any problem.

But controlling the energy and directing it where we want is exactly what riding is all about.

If your horse lightens on the reins, you know you are on the right track,

If you feel a better uphill balance, you know that you're helping your horse develop his strength and balance.

If you discover that your horse suddenly begins to offer you the lighter contact and uphill balance while doing the movement you were working on, you know that this was exactly what you needed to do.

Just ride on, then thank your horse for his efforts.

What do you do to prevent a heavy forehand or too much pulling?

Horses. Riding. Life.

Category: lessons/training

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