horse riding – Page 7 – Horse Listening

How Do You Develop ‘Feel’ in Horseback Riding?

By three methods we may learn wisdom:

First, by reflection, which is noblest;

Second, by imitation, which is easiest;

and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

~Confucius

Confucius might well have been writing about "feel" in his quote above. Just replace the word 'wisdom' with 'feel' and you will get a generally good idea of the path.

Born to feel?

Many people say that it is impossible to learn how to 'feel' in riding. They say either you have it, or you don't. They insist that people who can 'feel' are essentially born with it, and others will never find it regardless of their attempts.

But you know this can not possibly be true. You have likely watched as people improved their riding skills over time and witnessed for yourself that (correct) practice DOES make perfect (or at the very least, significant improvement).

Of course, certain requirements have to be in place:

- you need regular instruction.

- you must commit to consistent practice.

- you must be willing to hear and respond to repeated feedback.

- you must have the intrinsic motivation to strive for more at all times.

Most importantly, you need to have the openness of heart and mind to 'find' that feel - especially during the first time, since you will not particularly know what the feel feels like!

How to find 'feel'?

Do like Confucius said!

First, you must start with an idea. Before you will even know what to feel for, you must get some input from a more experienced source. Perhaps you have an instructor that puts emphasis on describing the feel for you. Maybe you can read about the feel from an expertly written book or article.

The difficulty about this stage is that you don't know what you don't know... and to break the cycle, you need to reach out to someone who does know. The road to knowing (or feeling, in this case), is trusting that there is something "out there" that you don't even know exists! Then you need the teaser idea to get you started, to start (figuratively) groping around to find that feel.

Second, watch, learn and do. There is no learning that is more successful than having a chance to watch someone ride, and then trying it yourself. Imitate! Ideally, you would be able to ride in the company of other experienced riders and try to mimic their actions. Even better, ride with your instructor and listen to her as she explains what she is doing, what she is feeling, and what the end result looks like in the horse.

Then it is your turn to try and search for the feeling that will produce the final result. Unfortunately, you will have to get it wrong many times before you get the first taste of correct feel. At long last, after your instructor explained the skills, and then the feel, you might get a brief moment when it all falls together - and you FEEL!

Then, it all falls apart again!

Now you need to develop experience. After you get it that one time, you might not get it again for a while. You have to trouble-shoot - hit and miss - until you find the feel the second time. Each time, it gets easier to repeat, and you can duplicate the feel sooner and more frequently. Sometimes, you will go through a stage where you simply cannot reproduce the feel (and result) without your instructor's steady guidance from the ground. You might be successful for the last twenty minutes of the lesson, but not be able to reproduce the skill on your own.

It WILL get worse before it gets better. As Confucius indicates, learning through experience is "bitterest!"

Be patient. Getting to a point where the feel becomes part of your blueprint takes time and repetition. Persist through the uncoordinated moments, try again, and keep searching for that evasive feel. It really does get easier with time and practice.

If you can ride with feel, you will be able to respond immediately to your horse's needs, be able to avoid problems before they occur, and be present in the ride but out of your horse's way at the same time. And, to top it off, your horse will thank you for it!

How did you, or are you, developing 'feel' in horse riding?

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

Personally signed books available! Give the best gift for the horse lover in your life (or for yourself!

). Send me a message for more information. fwdnrnd@gmail.com

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.

Little Known Qualities of Great Farriers

At Horse Listening, we are emphatic life-long learners of all things horsey. You will be reminded time and again about how there is so much to be learned from horses and other horse people, if only we listened.

This guest post is by Kaleigh Arbuckle, a professional farrier, riding instructor, trainer and breeder of quality horses. Visit her blog, www.farriersnotebook.wordpress.com, a blog for the horse owner who wants tips about shoeing and trimming advice for today’s equine.

The farrier as an artist

The farrier, though required to scientifically balance and shoe a horse, is an artist working with a living canvas. In order to create a balanced and beautiful foot, the farrier must understand movement, anatomy, break over, "air time", and conformation. To be a successful farrier, practice and theory must work in harmony with one another.

If the farrier is open minded, a great relationship can develop between farrier, owner and veterinarian when problems arise. Farriers must acknowledge any limitations they may have in dealing with a hoof issue. It's the experiences of competent farriers and vets, working together, through trial and error and past case studies, that make lame horses sound and prevent sound horses from going lame.

Horse shoeing is a rewarding profession as long as the farrier has compassion for, and is passionate about horses. After all, what would posses a human being to sacrifice his/her body through years of physical stress, and at the risk of injury?

What makes a GREAT farrier?

Good farriers can trim or shoe a horse correctly and in an efficient manner.

Excellent farriers can shoe a horse correctly but have a finesse in the way they go about the whole shoeing process:

- they can "use their gut" to stay safe around dangerous horses.

- they use their instincts to address a mysterious lameness.

- they have many tools to pull from when shoeing gait imbalances.

- they have a gentle touch when trimming foals.

- they can keep peace with a fractious equine.

The farrier as a horse rider

Farriers with riding and training backgrounds have an advantage over non-riding farriers because they understand the terms used when a trainer or rider comes to them with a gait issue or when "something just isn't right". The "feel" used when riding a horse is developed over time, with many miles under saddle, and can be invaluable when trying to solve a soundness issue.

The educated farrier can:

- tactfully assess the current state of training of a horse.

- identify any rider errors.

- suggest age appropriate strength building exercises for the horse.

- encourage use of longitudinal and lateral suppling under saddle on the lunge line, or in hand.

The benefits of farriers that actually ride are simple - they know what the owner wants, have felt it for themselves, know the heartache when an equine partner is not able to give its best, and have the same feeling of fulfillment when a problem is solved and goals are achieved.

Be aware!

Be aware of farriers who think their idea of quality shoeing is superior to other farriers and the opinions of veterinarians. This type of thinking is an unfair and dangerous practice. One cause for concern is when farriers consistently trim heels too low. These farriers want to trim the foot to the widest part of the hoof and fit a very large shoe. The end result is a horse that has low heels, long toes, and incorrect angles. The horse suffers from fatigue earlier in the ride, causing gait abnormalities, and heel or suspensory pain.

The horse owner should feel as comfortable about having a farrier work on their horses as they do a veterinarian. Competent farriers are in demand everywhere there are horses; farriers willing to communicate with owners and veterinarians, enjoy the work involved, and are keen to put the horse first, have a bright future.

They should be able to put a personal stamp their work, and with the feel of an artist, produce a beautiful, functional, balanced hoof.

What qualities do you like about your farrier?

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

If you enjoyed this guest post, click below for more!

Scoring The Hunter Round: Ever wondered what the judge is looking for at a hunter show? Read this post to find out!

Enjoys Being Brushed!: A hilarious post about the foolishness of some horse sales ads!

How The “Not Canter” Can Drastically Improve Your Transitions

Imagine experiencing the dread that comes along with having to do something particularly undesirable. Except in this case, in some miraculous way, the "powers that be" come to your rescue - and actually rescind the request. Can you imagine the relief you would feel when you realize that you would NOT have to do the task?

Some horses get into the same emotional (and physical) bind when it comes to transitions. At times, it can happen even to the best of horses - a new learning phase with higher expectations might spark either mental, emotional or even physical stress. There may be ear pinning, tail swishing, hopping, kicking out, teeth grinding - so many signs that your horse might be finding the task too difficult.

Every time you ask (with the correct aids), the horse resists. The situation becomes ugly - you have a hard enough time just sitting the bounciness, never mind getting the transition. You kick, use your voice, use the crop, rock your body over the forehand of the horse - anything to get that canter!

The horse's response can range from a mild hesitation to an outright buck or rear. Eventually, you win - the horse launches himself into a lurched, scrambling canter, running off at warp speed just to keep the three-beat gait. Ears are pinned, tail is swishing, and the strides feel awkward and unbalanced.

Many riders feel that the discomfort must be a sort of right of passage, and the horse must be driven through this awkward and unbalanced phase. Surely, the horse MUST give in one day and eventually settle into a nice calm, rhythmical canter - it only takes time and enough repetition. Right?

Well, probably not.

It is true that some horses do "give in" and eventually canter more promptly - but there will always be an element of tension and lack of balance. What needs to be changed is the pattern of asking - the horse needs to be shown how to be calm and confident in the canter departure.

There are many methods to teaching a good transition but the "not canter" works easily and well if performed with gentleness and empathy. It is actually very simple - the difficult part is the waiting and patience that is required.

How to "Not Canter"

Establish a good calm, slow, rhythmical trot.

Apply the aids for the canter.

Then do not canter.

That's it!

Of course, your horse will react the same way he has the past hundred times. He'll pin his ears, shake his head, grind his teeth. He'll tighten his back and brace himself for a launch into the canter universe.

And you will NOT.

You will keep trotting - keep the rhythm, staying steady, slow, calm. Wait until he releases the tension, finishes the hops and tail swishes. Wait for the sigh of relief when he realizes that he doesn't have to perform on the spot.

Re-establish the trot.

Then, ask for the "not canter" again.

Keep doing this and wait for the horse to respond more calmly to your aids. He may be confused at first - why ask for something when you don't want it? But eventually, he'll see that the canter aids don't have to cause all that tension.

Celebrate!

If he happens to reach further underneath himself with his hind legs, you will celebrate. If he snorts and swings better in the trot, you will celebrate. If you discover that he takes larger trot strides, you will celebrate. Because even though these are not the canter, they are all the prerequisites to a good canter. They are all mini-steps in the right direction.

Then ask for another "not canter". And another. And another.

One time (probably sooner than you expect), the horse will canter. But it will be hesitant, slow stepping, breaking back to the trot. And you will celebrate that too!

Stick to the program - calm, slow, rhythmical trot. Put on the aids again: "not canter".

Wait for the next canter attempts, and once or twice, accept the canter. Do your best to follow the movement - but don't force it. Accept tentative attempts. Encourage by petting and ONE time, ask for a real canter. If there is a hint of tension, back off and "not canter" again.

Feel free to quit at any time that you feel your horse has somewhat calmed. You can always pick it up again tomorrow.

And be sure in the knowledge that this "not" path to the canter is much faster and truer than any method that requires force. Your aim is to prove to the horse that you will always give him the benefit of the doubt, and that you are willing to wait for the "results".

Happy riding!

Note: The "not" technique can be used for any movement: the "not trot" (from a walk), the "not walk" (from a trot or canter), the "not shoulder-in", etc. It is essentially a frame of mind - can be used anywhere and any time!

**Caution: The "not canter" might not be helpful in all circumstances. If a young horse is cantering for the very first time, this would be counterproductive. Also, there may be instances where a horse might become too excited if the energy is contained too long. Always use your best judgment in using any techniques, and seek the help of a more advanced rider/trainer if necessary. And always let the horse be your guide - you should be able to identify fairly quickly if the horse appreciates the technique.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! 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 the book:

"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.

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

Riding gives us the place to just be.

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.

How to Have Fun on the Trails in the Middle of Winter

Hard, unforgiving ground,

chilly winds and cloudy sky.

Slap on your winter woolies,

throw on the saddle pad,

tighten the girth

and head off into the beautiful trails

with leafless trees

and strangely open fields!

How can you have fun with your favourite equine in the middle of winter? Just head off into the bush, with careful step and controlled feels-like-she's-gonna-explode-any-second excitement. Take it easy at first - gently walk until you can get a good handle for the footing. Then take the first tentative steps into the trot - ahh.. the ground is good. Enjoy the bouncy pleasure and the exuberant snorts, but don't let the young mare get past the point of no return (=start a bucking spree!). Let the energy out judiciously....

Now that she's settled, and we have a slow and steady (but animated and still threatening to explode) trot, let's start playing a game: shoulder-in left, haunches in left, renvers left, (very careful and short as there isn't much room) half-pass left. Good girl! Now try the right - shoulder-in (keep the outside shoulder straight darling!), haunches in, renvers, and now three half-pass steps right. That's it!

Do it again! And again! And AGAIN! What fun!

What? She wants to canter!

Well, only if she steps verrrry carefully over this hard ground. She'll have to stay in a tight little ball, no real speed. But you can try...

No! She can't buck! Didn't she say she wanted to canter? You love her enthusiasm, though!

That's it - careful, super-controlled three-beat. Right lead first? OK - just a few strides. Oh the snorts! That feels soooo good!

How about the left lead? That one's a bit harder and stiffer... set up gently first - straighten the body, steady the trot, wait for it! Wait for it! OK now take a stride. And another - and another! What fun!

And finally, a long-stepping, muscle-releasing, casual walk up the hill and turn for home. Breathe in that super fresh air and take a look at the beauty of the foliage, that even in its shriveled, brown, winter form, has a charm that delights the mind and thrills the soul.

Get home before the cold really settles into the body.

And that is what winter fun is all about!

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.

What You Ought to Know About Instant Gratification in Horse Riding

There is no such thing.

As you become a better rider, you begin to run into obstacles that were previously unnoticeable. Invariably, there comes a time when the simple becomes complicated. Without warning, riding becomes more than just the various gaits and transitions, more than a turn with the hands. You read and study and watch and discover that there is so much more to each gait, more to each turn, and more to the joys of riding.

The original walk that once felt adequate is no longer satisfying. That wonderful canter is now not quite balanced enough. You discover nerve endings where there were none before, and you are inspired to reach for new heights thanks to energizing "feels" emanating from an enthusiastic horse, confirming more than ever that you are on the right path.

The joy that went along with the simplicity of riding might be temporarily gone. You approach days of confusion, questions, and ultimately, frustration. You wonder why there seems to be so many details, so many little nuances that change sometimes on an even daily basis. And you begin to wonder:

Why is riding so difficult?

The quick and easy answer is that riding horses is about combining many and varied details into one - nothing can be achieved in isolation.

Everything matters:

- the mood of the horse

- the weather

- the horses around you

- the regularity of the the exercise the horse gets

- the type of feed

- the riding environment

But there is more!

Living, breathing horse — Photo Credit: C.C.

Aside from the environmental factors, riding is an especially difficult sport because of the balancing requirements inherent to moving through space on a living, breathing animal. Charles de Kunffy says it so well in his book, The Athletic Development of the Dressage Horse (1992):

The partnership between horse and rider is difficult to achieve and even more ambitious to make beneficial to both. Horse and rider posses the two most unlikely anatomies to be harmoniously united for the purpose of progressing effortlessly through space. The horse has a narrow, precariously balanced, horizontal structure, much like a pipeline. This structure has narrowly set, weak underpinning, the legs, bridged by a weak back. There, almost at its weakest point, the most unlikely candidate for partnership, the vertically pipelike human, wishes to intercept at a 90-degree angle. Both are creatures of precarious balance, even when left alone to cope with the ground. In riding, we wish to harmonize our balance with the horse's for common progress through space. (p.2)

Obviously, there have been thousands upon thousands of "mutually beneficial" partnerships in the past and in the present; apparently, the human body can in fact become united with that of the 4-legged horse that travels so relatively effortlessly over the ground. The trick is to learn how to become harmonious - how much to give, how much to take, and when to accept what is being offered to you.

So many questions!

You must learn to differentiate between too much, too little and just enough; between too early, too late and just in time; between resisting, energizing and being plainly passive. When is the horse going too quickly, too slowly, too enthusiastically, too lazily? What do you do in each case? How do you combine all your aids to communicate the right message at the right time? How do you not only refrain from interfering with your horse, but even learn to improve your horse to become better than his original state?

What is the answer?

There is no easy answer. The most obvious consideration is to seek out a credible instructor well versed in not only in all things 'horse', but also in instructional techniques and experience. There is no replacement for an 'eye on the ground' - no blog post, no (however well written) book, and no video - although such media do play a role in the over-all education of a rider. The person on the ground is the one who translates what the rider is doing now into what the rider can do in the future.

The other task, however difficult, is to try, try, try and try again. Pack it in one day, and start all over again tomorrow. Learning to change muscle memory and developing a blueprint takes time, dedication and repetition. Each time you change the 'rules' on your horse, be ready for a step backward before a new step can be reached. There is no other way.

Be patient - with yourself and your horse, and find joy in the pure accomplishment of learning from your horse; focus more on the journey rather than the goal. As Mr. de Kunffy writes so eloquently, "Riding is, therefore, an ongoing, never-ending, challenging process. That aspect makes riding so intelligent and significant an effort. One merely strives, one never arrives." (Ibid, p. 4)

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

From the first book:

Riding gives us the place to just be.

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.

With Thanks to Hickstead

Hickstead was the little horse that could. In fact, he really could, better than any other horse in the world. Although he stood 16h, and was one of the smaller competitors on the circuit, you wouldn't know it by the way he cleared the highest jumps with room to spare. He became a giant in his field, and captured the imagination of many far and wide.

He catapulted his rider, Eric Lamaze to the highest heights literally and figuratively, and propelled Canadian show jumping to the world stage once again. We witnessed their accomplishments with the type of awe that is reserved especially for the few and far between.

For horse fans, November 6, 2011 will be one of those "where were you when..." moments. Hickstead's tragic passing marked the end of an era that will now become the stuff of legends.

On the home front, Hickstead's story makes us all stop and listen - to the horses munching on their hay, to the nickers and squeals, even to the bucks and tail swishes - and reminds us that each moment with our very own equine champion is precious and to be cherished.

Thank you, Hickstead, for sparking the imagination of a generation and for giving it your all.

**********************

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Because of Horses

She knows communication is a two-way street and listens as often as she speaks.

She clearly reads your nonverbal body language.

She knows how to follow effectively but can also lead along with the best of them.

drift out — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Because of Riding

She can weave through heavy traffic with the precision of knowing exactly which wheel is where in a given moment.

She knows just when to ask a little more and when she should back off.

She organizes her time effectively and multitasks like a pro!

She is a life-long learner.

Because of Showing

She can break down seemingly impossible responsibilities into small manageable steps.

She does her "homework" knowing that the extra effort usually pays off.

She perseveres especially when things get difficult.

Because of Horses

She knows when it's time to say goodbye.

____

Horses. Riding. Life.

Tag: horse riding

How Do You Develop ‘Feel’ in Horseback Riding?

How to find 'feel'?

Do like Confucius said!

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

Little Known Qualities of Great Farriers

How The “Not Canter” Can Drastically Improve Your Transitions

How to "Not Canter"

Establish a good calm, slow, rhythmical trot.

Apply the aids for the canter.

Then do not canter.

That's it!

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book 2 – Forward And Round To Training Success

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

How to Have Fun on the Trails in the Middle of Winter

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

What You Ought to Know About Instant Gratification in Horse Riding

There is no such thing.

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

With Thanks to Hickstead

Because of Horses

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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