lessons/training – Page 18

The #1 Rider Problem: The Outside Rein!

Among all of our riding challenges, this problem is the one that should be on the top of the list.

The outside rein is the most underused and poorly understood of all the aids, and here's why. Human beings, as bi-peds, are hand-fixated.

That is, we do EVERYTHING with our hands. Being vertically inclined, we lean forward and almost in all interactions, reach toward something with our hands. It stands to reason that we should use this same mechanism when it comes to riding. For example, steering a horse is as simple as steering a bike - just grab the rein on the turn side and pull! The horse's head turns in that direction, and the legs must follow.

Right?

WRONG!!

One of the most incomprehensible things that we humans have to deal with when we decide to ride horses, is to reprogram our natural tendency to lean forward and pull on the rein. It is a most unfortunate undertaking, as this natural inclination is so hardwired in us that it feels wrong to stay balanced on top of a moving horse and use our leg and seat aids before our hands. And so we start on a long journey of "re-wiring"...

... and one of the most difficult concepts in riding happens to be the use of the outside rein. We become experts at riding with a tight inside rein and a loopy outside rein. We teach the horse to stiffen on the inside jaw and "pop" the outside shoulder. We ride up the rail with the shoulder "out" and the haunches "in" - almost moving diagonally without knowing it. If we only knew how simple it would be to allow the horse to move straight - using a straightening outside rein!

What to do?

The solution to the outside rein lies in the inside leg and seat bone. You've heard it time and again: "inside leg to outside rein". Well, it's not really about your leg - it's about the horse's balance. The horse needs to "step away" from your leg in order to take his weight more to the outside. This will help him stretch the outside of his body, bend toward the inside and "fill" your outside rein.

Your inside seat bone encourages the weight shift. It accepts the thrust of the inside hind leg and then shifts the weight even more to the outside. In this way, you help your horse balance as you go around the ring. And somehow miraculously, you discover you have an outside rein!

Now, it is your responsibility to maintain this new connection. That is, use the "contact" - don't abuse it by throwing it away! Give when needed, take when needed, resist when necessary (or preferably, do all three in a split second!). But by all means, keep it connected! If you can keep the rein straight, you will also keep your horse straight - through the shoulders and neck (your legs are responsible for the horse's hips).

So on your next ride, remember the outside rein. But remember even more, that it's not just about grabbing the rein - it's about setting the horse up through its body so that he "fills" the outside rein. Then, when you have one, do something with it!

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. This is just the "irritating" thought - the one that sparks you on to delving deeper into the subject. We all know that finding that outside rein (correctly) is no easy feat. The best path to this solution is to find a competent instructor who can give you consistent, accurate feedback.

Good luck and happy riding.

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 on 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.

Too Good To Be True? Finding Your Horse’s “Happy Place”

Did you know that through riding, you can help your horse achieve a happy, content outlook on life? Sounds ridiculously far-fetched? Too good to be true?

We have already discussed the Top Nine Ways to Prevent Your Horse From Finding His “Happy Place” in Riding in our previous post - so this time, we're going to tell you how to find the "happy place" we all so desire for our horses.* The ideas below are written with riding in mind.**

Try a few of these tips and see the results you get from your horse. Then comment below and share your insights.

The outside of the horse mirrors his internal state.

Horses don't lie. Without a doubt, you can clearly "read" how the horse feels just by watching him being ridden (or riding him yourself - then, you get even more feedback). Essentially, the horse's "outline" tells you his state of mind. Of course, you need to know what to look for, but once you can identify the communication signs, you will know exactly what is going on inside the mind of the horse.

A round, forward-moving, enthusiastic horse is in his happy place. His ears will be lightly forward (occasionally flicking back and forth on and off his rider) and he will be moving with expression. He looks like he is enjoying what he is doing, and moving on his own initiative.

In contrast, the unhappy horse is reluctant, sluggish, ears back (not necessarily pinned), and looking like the movement is belabored. The strides are short, the back is hollow and the horse is not "using" himself well enough to be comfortable under the rider. He will have a tendency to be on the forehand, and inconsistently responsive.

Have a consistent "yes" and "no".

Horses are just like the rest of us: they thrive on positive feedback. In establishing your riding parameters, you must communicate "yes" (harmonizing) and "no" (resisting) regularly and consistently. In fact, you might need to communicate one or the other message as quickly as stride to stride! Be sure to communicate frequently enough so that your horse won't end up wondering - what am I doing wrong?

Many riders use a low, soft "goooood" voice aid to reinforce the correct response from the horse, however, the same effect can be gained by saying "yes" through the body. If you can find a "yes" answer physically (release of your joints, following through the seat versus resisting, or allowing through all your aids), you can communicate the "yes" message faster than you can say it. And this is the way your horse can find his happy place - because he knows where he stands and gets regular and consistent feedback quickly enough to be able to respond to it and find his place of comfort.

Listen for the snort and feel for the licking and chewing.

There is no more obvious sign of the horse in his happy place other than the snort. A little snort is a good sign, a loud, wet, heart-felt series of snorts that rock you out of the saddle is ideal! (Have a snorting contest with your riding partner: who can be the first to get a snort out of their horse? Who can get the most snorts out of their horse?!)

In general, after the snort session, you will find the horse licking and chewing like he just ate something exquisite and tasty - and yes, the horse can do all the above even while trotting and cantering. The final sign of contentment is the saliva that coats around the lips of the horse. A dry mouth usually denotes discomfort or stress of some sort; drool is a key indicator of "happy place" heaven!

Do something fun!

When the "learning" part of your session is over, or if you want to take a brief reprieve after a difficult stretch of work, let the horse do something he likes. One horse might enjoy a stretchy trot; another prefers a lengthen; still another gets a kick (not literally!) out of a flying change! Every horse has one or more favorite exercises - listen carefully to your horse to identify his preference, and then use that movement as a moment of celebration!

Look for any excuse to celebrate!

Everyone loves a celebration! Don't leave your horse out - invite him to celebrate with you at every opportunity; in fact, look for excuses to celebrate! Did he just struggle through a particularly difficult movement? Celebrate! Did he lick and chew and release his topline for the first time in the ride? Celebrate!

I'm sure you're starting to get the idea. Let me know if you gave any of these tips a try, or if you have any other "happy place" tips you can share. Happy riding!

* The assumption is that all the other bare necessities (feed, shelter, etc.) as discussed in the previous article have already been met.

** Note: The "happy place" discussed here is the one your horse can find in the ring, during the lesson/workout/training session. There are many other ways to change up the routine (e.g. go for a trail ride) but that is a completely different topic!

6 Ways to Unleash the Power of Your Riding Seat

Horse Listening - Horses riding life — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

First, there are hands and legs. When we learn to ride, we tend to guide the horse primarily through the use of our hands, then through our legs. Rein aids and leg aids reign supreme (pun intended!): left rein here, right rein there, inside leg, outside leg... you know the routine.

And without a doubt, it is essential to learn the use of hands and legs to achieve a basic sense of control of the horse - it is not always a pleasant experience to have a spirited equine expressing his enthusiasm while you hang on for dear life!

As you become more subtle in the aiding process, you will begin to discover just how powerful the seat can be.

As time goes on, however, you begin to develop a sense for the horse's balance, for the energy that moves through the body, and for the 'release' that the horse can achieve given the opportunity. You begin to develop 'feel' through your seat.

When is the horse lifting/dropping his back? When are the hind legs underneath the body? How much energy is needed to allow just enough 'forward' for the horse to reach but not so much that he will fall to the forehand? As you become more subtle in the aiding process, you will begin to discover just how powerful the seat can be in guiding the horse without disturbing and interfering in his movement.

1. Find Your Seat.

Get yourself a good instructor that knows how to teach the finer points of using the seat during riding. There are a lot of people who use their seat effectively but for one reason or another, cannot seem to be able to explain well enough to break it down into achievable skills. You must learn how to activate your seat bones, and differentiate between using the seat versus weight aids.

Getting control of the "inner" components of the seat will take time and perseverance as this is likely not a typical movement that you're used to. Look at it as a 2-year goal - one that takes thousands of repetitions to master. Lunging on a reliable, rhythmical school horse might be on the menu in order to allow you to free your lower back, hips and thighs enough to begin to feel the physical requirements of using your seat.

Know that it is extremely worthwhile to put that much effort into the skill acquisition, as everything, including your balance, revolves around an effective use of the seat.

2. Develop Effective Half-halts.

The seat is a key component to a half-halt. Without the seat, your half-halt is about as effective as a pull from your hand, or a kick from the leg. Neither aids really help the horse in rebalancing, which is the ideal result desired from the half-halt. Use your seat to keep your horse "with" you - brace your lower back to rebalance the horse's momentum and weight to the hind end.

Use your seat bones laterally to allow half-halts to effect one side only (horse leaning on one side, or drifting through a shoulder) and alternately, use diagonal half-halts (inside seat bone to outside supporting rein) to encourage better use of the hind end by the horse.

3. Free Your Seat to Free the Horse's Back.

Encourage your horse to move 'forward' - rather than use your legs to kick a horse onward, use your seat to encourage the more balanced sense of being 'forward'. In the trot, you can follow along with the horse in a more giving way through your entire seat, opening on the "up" phase of the posting trot (without actually posting). Your seat has the power to encourage the horse to "step through" with his hind legs and develop a lovely rhythmical swinging of the back that will allow for a willing and supple response to your aids.

4. Transition From the Seat.

Rather than using your hands for a downward transition, or your legs for an upward transition, use your seat as the "root" to the transition - either upward or downward. Move your seat into the next gait (even if it is a downward transition) and expect the horse to respond almost entirely off your seat aid. Use hands/legs only if absolutely necessary, after you applied the seat aid.

5. Change Directions.

Did you know that you can allow a horse to turn smoothly and in balance simply from a seat aid? Your hands work on keeping the horse straight through the turn, and your seat works to turn the horse from his middle. Soon you will be free from "steering" the horse with your hands. Eventually, the horse will appear to read your mind because the aids will become incredibly subtle and shared only between you and your horse. The only visible result will be the lack of fuss and a total unison in movement.

6. Stop! (No Hands Needed!)

After a series of half-halts, it will only take your seat to stop the horse's legs. Simply stop moving and "halt" with your seat. Remember to keep your legs on as the horse still needs to complete the halt by bringing his legs underneath him. Your thought process could go like this: "bring your (hind) legs under, bring your legs under, bring your legs under, halt." It will work every time, guaranteed!

The above ideas are just the beginning. Use your seat to do lateral work, half-passes, flying changes and even pirouettes. The more you learn about and activate your seat, the more you will discover about the incredible power of the seat.

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

Would you like to be the rider that all horses dream of?

By following simple, useful exercises, you will be able to develop a better understanding about many topics including:

- the rider’s aids

- the use of the seat

- the half-halt

- accurate turns and circles

- transitions

- horse ownership and horse care

- goal setting for the rider

- rein lameness

… and much more!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

To Lesson or Not to Lesson?

That should not even be a question!

I've met many people who are fascinated by horses enough to want to 'get' their own horse. Often, acquaintances or people I've met will ask me my opinion about buying a horse - where do they start?

I run through all the typical questions with them: Why do you want a horse? Are you aware of all the aspects of horse ownership? Have you budgeted for all the upkeep costs (and we go through the breakdown - the initial purchase price of the horse is dwarfed when compared to maintenance costs, never mind emergency vet bills should they happen).

Why wouldn't you want to lease a horse, part-board or take weekly (multiple?) lessons first, to see if you really are interested in all the associated responsibilities in the long run?

And then, after all these questions are articulated and clearly answered, I hit them with my final question: Are you willing to take lessons (yes, on your own horse!) long-term?

At times, this can become a contentious issue. Many people are not committed to taking lessons, especially if they are themselves, or know of, long-term horse owners. The argument: "Well, so-and-so has had horses forever and never took lessons. They learned from their horse, and they're doing just fine!"

The world of lessons opens up a range of experiences that are not possible to achieve on your own:

- technical know-how (this should go without saying - you can't possibly "know" how to do something if you've never been officially taught it in the first place!)

- help in resolving problem behaviour or finding the source of issues - riding or horsekeeping

- exchange of ideas and information (from a person who presumably knows something you deem valuable to hear from)

- goal setting advice from someone other than yourself (where are you now? what should be your next step?)

- encouragement when you need it, and a "push" when you equally need that

I watch with wonder when some people get on and ride their horses with nary a lesson in years, while on the other hand, I see the "top riders" of our sport working tirelessly with their mentors/trainers even though they are at the peak of performance and technical ability. Of course we are not all heading for the Olympics, nor are we riding in that sort of capacity. But certainly some input can be useful for everyone at some point in time.

As for the final question: How do you know if you've found the right instructor?

The answer to that one is easy - just listen to your horse!

What are your thoughts on taking riding lessons? Comment below.

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

Personally signed books available! Just send me a message.

Would you like to be the rider that all horses dream of?

By following simple, useful exercises, you will be able to develop a better understanding about many topics including:

- the rider’s aids

- the use of the seat

- the half-halt

- accurate turns and circles

- transitions

- horse ownership and horse care

- goal setting for the rider

- rein lameness

… and much more!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Horses. Riding. Life.

Category: lessons/training

The #1 Rider Problem: The Outside Rein!

What to do?

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

Too Good To Be True? Finding Your Horse’s “Happy Place”

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

6 Ways to Unleash the Power of Your Riding Seat

As you become more subtle in the aiding process, you will begin to discover just how powerful the seat can be.

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

To Lesson or Not to Lesson?

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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