lessons/training – Page 8 – Horse Listening

An Awesome Over-The-Back Suppling Warm-Up At The Walk

horse stretch — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

I've been using this exercise as a warm-up for both myself and my horse lately and I'm seeing great results! It's an active but relaxing way for both of us to loosen up. For me, it gives me time to loosen through my lower back and get onto my seatbones, find a nice tempo in the walk and maintain that tempo consistently.

It helps my horse loosen "over the top line" - getting longer through the neck and back, and then shorter - in a low-impact, non-rushed pace that gives him time to adjust himself physically and mentally to each posture. All the while, he practices swinging in the walk, stepping deep underneath his body with his hind legs and also maintaining a consistent tempo.

This article builds on a previous article I've written about the same concept, explaining the aids in detail, so you might want to read that first. "Can You Accordion Your Horse"? It's important to note that the "accordion" I talk about here is an over the top-line stretch and contraction. It isn't the same thing as a collection exercise (although this builds toward more collection). This one is more basic and can be effectively done by less advanced horses and riders (although it benefits everyone at every stage).

The Exercise

1. Stretch

Start on a large 20-metre circle.

Ask for a stretch, focusing on letting out your reins as the horse reaches for the bit and takes it out and down. Don't just drop the reins and hope for the best. Use your seat and legs to initiate the horse's stretch, and feel for the right moment to let the reins out through your fingers.

Stretchy Walk — Photo Credit: J. Boesveld

When in stretch, feel for the swinging back. Get a friend to observe you to tell you if your horse is at least tracking up in his footsteps, or preferably over-tracking. Then also encourage your horse to open up his poll so that his nose approaches the vertical when his head is at the lowest point.

2. Contract

After a few steps (let's say 5-8 steps), ask for increased impulsion using both legs. As the horse lifts his head, begin to shorten the reins. The horse's head and neck should lift now to his "normal" height (the height will depend on your horse's conformation and level of training) and your reins should be at your normal, working length.

Now, you want to try to maintain that swing of the back that you had in the stretch, even while the horse is contracting his top line muscles and rounder in the back and neck. You want to maintain the walk tempo that you had during the stretch. The stride length will be shorter but ideally, you want to be tracking up even in this "medium walk". The activity stays the same - no dawdling and stopping your own seat (no vacations!) just because you're walking.

3. Now take the exercise around the ring.

Start at the 20-metre circle, but you don't have to stay there. Go to the rail and follow the rail for a few accordions, then come off the rail and change directions on a diagonal line with another accordion, the change directions and keep going.

It is important that you can stretch at will, on a line or curve, and in any place in the arena (scary locations, anyone?) - stretching when your horse wants to spook is a GREAT way to develop confidence and trust from your horse. Just be on guard and don't let the reins out if your horse is ready to run!

4. What next?

Time yourself and try this for 5-10 minutes. Stretch/contract and repeat, even if you think you're getting bored, or if you don't have your horse's undivided attention. Get you and your horse used to how it feels to let the muscles loosen, and how it feels to tighten them again after that looseness. Feel for strength in the medium walk.

Then you can do more! Why stop there? Do the same exercise in trot (more difficult) and canter (most difficult). Don't worry if things don't go perfect the first time - just keep at it and see what you need to adjust through each stretch/contract cycle.

It will get better over time. You will enjoy the fact that your horse will start to predict when he needs to come up and go down, and he will become more and more comfortable in both positions. And so will you!

Notes

Although we are thinking about the position of the head and neck, the idea is that the neck muscles are connected to the withers, which are connected to the muscular structures beneath the saddle all the way to the croup.
Stretch the neck, and you stretch the back.
But it is imperative that you also consider the hind end!
So while you are stretching, impulsion is key. Not fast legs though, just energy and strength for each stride. With each thrust of energy, the horse reaches underneath the body, thereby creating a better balance point in terms of biomechanics, but also activating the hind end muscles into their own stretch.
You want to maintain a light but steady contact at all times through this exercise, even at the stretchiest point. Long or short reins - keep some communication going through tiny half-halts.

If you have a chance to try this, let us know how things went in the comments below!

Try this exercise a few times this week. Let us know in the comments below if you have any questions, suggestions or accomplishments that you would like to share.

If you like this sort of pattern work, take a look at my Practice Sessions Premium Membership. The Practice Sessions are a complete program beginning with exercises like the one above, designed to improve specific aspects of the horse and rider. All set up and ready to go, all you have to do is watch the video, print off the pattern PDF and head to the barn!

But there's so much more! There's quality of movement exercises, theory "Mini-Classes" on specific aids and figures, a fantastic group of riders who motivate and encourage each other, and so much more! Click here to learn more.

If you’d like a structured, but personal tool to set goals, take a look at the new Goal Setting for the Equestrian: A Personal Workbook. The pages are designed for you to set and keep track of your progress over the course of a year.

Included in the book:

design your overarching goals
long- and short-term planning,
debrief your special events such as clinics or shows
reflect on, plan and evaluate your goals
sample goals and pages

The Workbook is available for instant digital download so you can print the pages right off your computer. There is also the option of a paperback version if you’d rather have a professionally bound book to hold in your hands.

Click here for more information.

How to Fine Tune Your Canter-Trot Transitions

fine tune transitions — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

The thing about riding in the canter is that at some point, you have to come out of it!

At first, the most basic way you can get a horse to transition down is by pulling on the reins. Most horses are kind enough to allow their legs to change gait at some point after they feel the pull on the reins.

The problem with just pulling on the reins to change gait is that you have to actually interfere with the movement of the horse. The horse reacts physically to the pull in several ways.

First off, he can't bring the inside hind leg underneath his body freely. Then he might have to lift his head to counterbalance the lack of stride length, which results in hollowing his back. The hollowness causes tension - which radiates through the back to the hips and to the neck.

The rider will likely feel the imbalance, possible coming into imbalance herself because she has already committed to the pulling action. She'll fall forward or backward depending on the force of the imbalance. The horse will obviously be stronger than the rider, thereby bracing more in the neck and jaw in order to continue forward into the trot.

Once the trot is achieved, both rider and horse will continue in that sort of tension.

But as with all things riding, it does get better than that. At some point, most of us find a better way - one that allows the horse his full freedom of movement while also getting the gait change and maintaining balance. We learn to fine tune our aids, enough so that it looks like (and sometimes feels like) we didn't do anything and the horse was a mind reader.

Here are the aids to help you fine tune your trot-canter transitions.

1. First, develop a strong canter before the transition.

Not a fast canter - just amp up your horse's energy level just before you begin to apply your trot aids. This helps the horse reach further underneath his body with his inside hind leg (balance) so that he can support his weight from the hind end once his legs change.

2. Half-halt.

We've talked about how to half-halt before. In this case, the type of half-halt can vary depending on how strong you need to be. In my dreams, I always want to "whisper" my aids - and maybe use only the seat and minimal rein pressure. But in reality, I might need to be clearer than just a whisper. The idea is to use your aids as much as you need to, but as little as possible.

The advantage of using a half-halt as opposed to a rein pull is that there is regular release through the reins (even if it's not a let go of the reins). The horse won't feel a constant pull that he has to brace against. In fact, the inside rein might even "flutter" through the downward transition aids. Try it and see how your horse responds.

3. Trot.

At this point, your seat should be trotting. You can start posting as soon as your horse changes his legs (or sit into the trot motion).

4. Balance and go!

You'll need at least one, or maybe two or three half-halts right after the gait change. It depends on your horse's balance. If he maintains a level or uphill balance, then just one half-halt will help him stay that way. If he falls to the forehand, be there to support him until he can rebalance.

Make sure you don't fall forward. Make sure you don't get left behind! Stay strong in your core and move with the horse rather than against him.

The trot out of the canter can often be strong and powerful. In this case, don't stifle the horse's desire to move. Go with him and let him enjoy his balance and strength. This is often a great way to develop the horse's quality of trot and use of the hind end.

Some horses come to an almost stop. This would be the moment to urge your horse into a stronger trot. Don't chase him - just encourage and see what you get.

You can practice the "go!" after the downward transition several times until you horse feels freer and more willing/able to get into that powerful post-canter trot.

As with all skills in riding, you can try this sequence several times and work on developing your aids and your horse's responses. When you've done enough, leave it and come back to it another day.

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

From Horse Listening – Book 3: Horses. Riding. Life.

"Something about riding horses prompts us to work on our own mental aptitude and attitude. From the coordination of the aids to developing the elusive FEEL that comes along with riding, there are concepts in this book that will help you explore the hidden factors of riding - the ones you may not have the time to really explore while you are on the horse's back....

As the years pass by, and you become a HORSE person, you will realize that horses (and riding) don't just impact your abilities - they impact your life."

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

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Top 10 Common Goals for Riders

Part One

"I'm riding round and round the ring, putting in the time and the days, and still not making much progress. We have the same problems and we make the same mistakes as we did last year."

Is this you?

Don't worry if your answer is yes. Most of us have been right there with you, probably more often than we like to admit. After all, once you have the basic riding skills down, further improvement consists of slow, tiny steps that might be difficult to identify and even more tricky to achieve.

Over the years, I have realized that most riders grapple with similar problems and mistakes as they develop their riding skills. As I taught others and while I rode myself, I began to realize that the same situations occur - maybe in different contexts and at different levels. The fact remains, though, that there are certain overarching skills and habits that will affect almost everything else in our rides.

As I was planning my Goal Setting for the Equestrian eBook, I put together a list of what I feel are the most common goals that all riders can work on, regardless of their level or discipline. Here are some thoughts and questions that can help you set your own goals as you move into a new year of riding.

10. Consistency

Consistency in the saddle is an art in itself. There is so much that goes into looking steady and sure and the same that maybe all the goals below should really go into this 10th of the Top 10 list. In essence, you have to be able to stay in balance, keep impulsion, use the right seat aid at the right time, and put it all together into a confident and comfortable connection with your horse.

The fact that consistency is actually so hard to find while riding is the reason why I feel that most riders need to focus on this most of the time.

What are some ways you can improve the consistency in your rides?

9. Seat

The idea of using the seat isn't only about making sure you sit in the saddle without bouncing or falling off. Staying on and not sliding around on the saddle is the first part of it, but there is so much more to riding from the seat. In fact, the seat is the key factor in almost everything you do in riding - from transitions, to laterals, to determining tempo, to impulsion and collection... it all starts at the seat.

There is no such thing as being "perfect" in your seat. There are so many layers of learning to feel and guide the horse through the seat that we could be working on it for 20 years and still identify areas that we need to keep working on.

Where are you at and what do you need to keep working on to improve your seat?

8. Longer Legs

The seat very much affects your leg position and aids. You might need to lengthen your legs even if your legs are actually long in the first place! The "lengthening" happens especially at the hips and knees - which need to open - which then allows the backs of your calves to lengthen, which then frees up your ankles to drop down below the stirrups.

Long legs are hard to find for many of us, but especially worthy as a goal over the long term, because they in turn influence the quality and effectiveness of your seat.

How often do you need to check in with your legs to make sure they stay long in movement with the horse?

7. Upper Body Balance

One common fault that many riders have to overcome is the control of their upper body. We often collapse forward or fall backward in relation to the horse's movement. Transitions tend to test our core strength and balance. How often do you tilt forward in your upper body during an upward or downward transition? How often to you feel somewhat left behind when the horse gamely moves ahead of your leg?

Control of the body allows you to be much freer in all your aids, including the all-important seat.

Which exercises can you put into practice that will help you stabilize your upper body even while the horse is moving?

6. Rhythm and Tempo

This is something you have to do both for yourself as well as the horse. It is very difficult to maintain a steady rhythm (the footfalls of the gait) and tempo (the speed of the footfalls). Most horses speed up and slow down at will, and it takes a lot of feel and awareness to influence a horse in such a manner that helps him find a "perfect tempo" that will enable him to maintain strength and balance in movement.

How can you make rhythm and tempo a priority in your riding activities?

Click here for Part Two of this article.

If you'd like a structured, but personal tool to set goals, take a look at the new Goal Setting for the Equestrian: A Personal Workbook. The pages are designed for you to set and keep track of your progress over the course of a year.

Included in the book:

design your overarching goals
long- and short-term planning,
debrief your special events such as clinics or shows
reflect on, plan and evaluate your goals
sample goals and pages

The Workbook is available for instant digital download so you can print the pages right off your computer. There is also the option of a paperback version if you'd rather have a professionally bound book to hold in your hands.

Click here for more information.

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!

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.

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

"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.

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.

Category: lessons/training

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

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Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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