learning – Horse Listening

Riding is Simple, But Not Easy!

"Riding is simple, but not easy!"

My long-time dressage instructor would say this when I would get stuck in a plateau or feel like I would never be able to coordinate my left and right and top and bottom!

It's Simple!

As riders, we become inspired and motivated while watching the equestrian disciplines during the Olympics.

Hold your breath as the cross-country eventers fly high over the step-up jumps that conceal what lays beyond. Marvel at the tight turns that the jumper horses make on their approach to higher-than-your-head-height poles and proceed to launch their great bodies over. Be amazed at the almost imperceptible communication displayed by the dressage horses and their riders as they literally dance across the ring with grace and gravity-defying strength.

Yet, back at the ranch, you find yourself frustrated that you are having difficulty communicating one thing or another, or feeling hopeless that something will never come together.

It's Complicated!

It is precisely during these moments that we have to keep in mind the true depth of what we are trying to achieve with the horse.

Let's face it - *all* we want is for the horse to do what we want, when we want, where we want, with suppleness and strength!

(Tweet this if you like the sarasm!)

When it comes down to it, if you truly understand how those Olympic riders perform (at such high levels of achievement in tandem with their incredible four-legged partners), you know what you are watching is akin to a small miracle.

Everything has to come together at the right time.

To the onlooker, it all looks so easy.

Yes, the good riders make it seem effortless.

But take a closer look, and you will notice the sweat dripping from their brows, their lungs heaving as they regulate their breath post-performance, and their own wonderment as they realize that their goals have become reality.

Now try it yourself!

It is definitely not as easy as it looks.

After some riding experience with our own horses, we begin to realize that riding can be complicated. We discover that the horse has his own motivations, abilities, desires and work ethic. No matter how you slice it, as riders, we have to work with our horses, developing their weaknesses, playing with their strengths, keeping them happy and enthusiastic.

You know you are on the right track when things become difficult. The more you develop your ability to communicate effectively to the horse through your body, the more complicated the technical aspects become.

This is where you develop a deeper understanding of the chasm of difference between "simple" and "easy". Yes, it is simple to get a horse to move in an uphill manner, but maybe not as easy as you may have originally thought!

Where do you stand on the "easy" vs. "simple" concept?

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If you haven't already seen this video, be sure to check this (now legendary) ride out. She does it all without saddle or bridle! It's picture proof that riding is simple! 😉

Archives – Lessons/Training

Lessons and Training

Look through these articles for tips and recommendations on common horse riding problems. Let us know in the comments sections if you tried something and how it worked out!

How to Ride the Stumble Out of Your Horse: Do you have a horse that seems to regularly trip or stumble, either in the front or hind end?

How to 'Flow" From the Trot to Walk: Although we rely on our hands too much and initiate all movements from the horse’s mouth, there are many alternate aids we can go to.

Why You Don't Need to Panic When Your Horse 'Falls Apart': Even if you are not thinking “panic”, your body might be communicating it by either being completely passive or too reactive after the horse is off balance.

When Good Riding Instruction Becomes Great: How much can an instructor really do to help a rider improve?

5 Steps to Effective Short Reins: Just as with any other movement and technique that is taught to horses, short reins can be very beneficial to the horse when applied correctly.

Find the Space Between the Give and Take in Horse Riding: As with so many other things in life, we need to find the happy medium.

16 Ways to Not Become Bored During Your Ride: Here is a list of just a few ideas to keep ring riding fresh and interesting for both you and your horse.

Why Rising Trot Is Not Rising At All: How to rise in the trot so that you move in tandem with the horse.

'Go and No': The Connection Between Forward and Half-Halt in Horse Riding: How to develop the two seemingly opposite aids.

Can You Recognize the Sewing-Machine Trot? It is easy to get fooled into thinking that the sewing-machine trot is a good trot.

Why A Release Is Not A Let Go in Horseback Riding: Many people interpret the term 'Release' literally - but that's not what really means.

Here's How (and Why) You Should Ride With Bent Elbows: How to avoid an on-again, off-again contact with the horse’s mouth.

Use the "Canter-Trot" to Truly Engage the Hind End: Many riders think that kicking the horse along and making the legs move faster is the ticket to engagement – but there is nothing further than the truth!

How to Halt Without Pulling on the Reins: There is a way to get your horse to stop without pulling on the reins.

What to Do When Your Horse is Being Naughty: Though we’d love to have that perfectly compliant horse all the time, the reality is that even the sweetest horse finds something to say once in a while.

Why You Should Ride the Left Side of Your Horse Going Right: In order to help straighten the horse (and elongate the muscles on the right, and help the horse bear more weight on the left hind leg), we need to work on the left side going right.

Stop Kicking the Horse! Kicking your horse only stuns, disturbs, imbalances, and hurts. Once you have better balance in your seat and a more consistent contact with the bit, aim toward using your legs with more purpose.

Why Would You Bother to "Scoop" Your Seat Bones? Learning to use your seat effectively should take a lifetime to develop, so we will begin with just one basic aspect: how to move the seat bones.

How to Ride Your Excited Horse in 5 Easy Steps: Let’s face it – horses aren’t always calm and accommodating. There are times when they can be… shall we say… a little over-exuberant!

The #1 Rider Problem of the Year - The Leg Aid: You probably know from experience – kicking the horse along often does not get the response you really want.

Riding Straight Through the Turn: Although it sounds like an oxymoron, travelling straight through a turn is essential in maintaining the balance of the horse.

Stepping Out of Rein Lameness: Often, problems caused by riding can be fixed with riding. It is just a matter of knowing what to do in order to counteract the problems.

Drawing A Circle (In Sand): Regardless of where you position the circle in the arena, it should be evenly spaced and round.

Rarely Considered, Often Neglected: Lunging to Develop the Riding Seat:

Interpreting the Half-Halt: This topic is a tricky one but here is a shot at it.

Do A "Forward" Back-Up! Tricks to developing an easy and rhythmical back-up.

Top 10 Ways to Reward Your Horse: A happy horse is a willing partner, and many horses will give everything they have if they feel your acknowledgement and generosity of spirit.

Demystifying "Contact" in Horseback Riding: Does “contact” have other-wordly connotations? Here is why effective contact is within reach of the average rider.

From a Whisper to a Scream: How Loud Should Our Aids Really Be? Should we be “loud” in our aids, or should we be working as softly as we can in hopes that our horse can respond to lighter and more refined aids?

Do You Make This Timing Mistake When Riding Your Horse? Have you ever given your horse an aid and got nothing in return? There could be one other variable that you might not have considered...

Secrets to a Great Turn (a.k.a. Shift Out to Turn In): Can you tell if your horse uses his hind end before taking the first step in the new direction, or does he feel stiff and awkward, almost like he’s leaving his legs behind the movement?

Don't Mistake the Halt For a Stop! Don't do it! Don't mistake the halt for a stop. They are two entirely different maneuvers.

How the "Not Canter" Can Drastically Improve Your Transitions: 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. What to do? This article remains one of our most popular posts of all-time.

The #1 Problem of the Year: The Outside Rein! The outside rein is the most underused and poorly understood of all the aids, and here’s why.

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 in guiding the horse without disturbing and interfering in his movement.

To Lesson or Not To Lesson? That shouldn't even be a question!

The 99% "Lucky Rule": The 99% Lucky rule is very simple – when you’re around horses, and particularly in dangerous situations, you are lucky 99% of the time. That is a good rule – unless it happens to be the 1% of the time that you might be ‘un’-lucky! Then, it’s no fun at all.

Speaking "Horse" (a.k.a. "Pushing the Envelope"): Horses send messages out as much as humans do. Once you know how to listen to your horse, a whole world of communication can open up for you.

No Middle Ground in Riding Horses

Yes, it certainly is possible to drift through all your riding days with nary a thought to how your horse is moving. There are many people far and wide who either choose to ignore their horse's "way of going", or are truly ignorant of the differences in the horse's movements. They are also likely unaware of the implications of their lack of attention.

There really are only two possible results to riding:

1) Improve the horse.

2) Harm the horse.

The unfortunate news is that there is no middle ground between the two.

Either you are contributing to the proper development of the horse (physically, mentally, emotionally) or you are causing damage. Unfortunately, the path to damage isn't always obvious or easily identified.

However, deterioration of the horse can become evident to the educated eye; you just need to know how to spot the clues and draw accurate conclusions in order to know what to do about it.

But the message here isn't about what NOT to do. Instead, the idea is to learn, develop, try and keep working at it, especially when the going gets tough. Don't obsess over the "damage"; rather, take note and change what you are doing.

How to spot the "healthy" horse

When observing the horse without tack, you will notice:

- a short coat with a glowing sheen (assuming the horse is already brushed and clean);

- a soft, almost slippery feel to the coat when you pet the horse (the coat feels "alive");

- evidence of good foot care and saddle/tack fitting;

- a bright, alert, even sensitive, inquisitive demeanor;

- a good appetite, rare to no bouts with stomach problems (and colics);

- when standing still, without tack, the back appears "rounded" in his top line muscling (rather than a flat back or having a sway in the middle of the back);

- a muscled hind end that is filled out in the hamstrings.

Under saddle:

- is free moving and willing to stride out;

- rarely missteps or trips up in either the front or hind end;

- round, rolly-polly croup (behind the saddle) with hind legs reaching deep underneath the body;

- looks "filled out" in the front (thick neck muscles, swinging shoulders) as opposed to lean, thin and awkward-looking in the head to neck to shoulder area;

- appears confident in the rider, rarely pinning the ears or swishing the tail.

Good (a.k.a. responsible) riders are constantly looking for ways to improve their riding, and how their horse uses its body. If nothing else, the main goal of riding is to improve the horse's weight-bearing skills.

Proper movement leads to increased circulation in the horse's musculature, joints and skeleton. Good movement leads to good health and longevity in the horse - something all riders should be aspiring toward.

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

Available as an eBook or paperback.

You might also enjoy:

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?

What You Ought to Know About Instant Gratification in Horse Riding: Do you expect riding to come as easily as other sports?

Top 10 Ways to Reward Your Horse: A happy horse is a willing partner, and many horses will give everything they have if they feel your acknowledgement and generosity of spirit.

Speaking “Horse” (a.k.a. “Pushing the Envelope”): Horses send messages out as much as humans do. Once you know how to listen to your horse, a whole world of communication can open up for you.

Horseback Riders Do Nothing Anyway!

Well, at least, that's what "they" say.

But we know differently, don't we?

We know how much time it takes to develop the balance and timing to move as a unit with the horse.

We know about the frustration and tears we expend when we work so hard to achieve something and still it does not arrive.

We know the pain we must go through - literally and figuratively - to develop enough "saddle time" to feel even the beginnings of unity and harmony with the horse.

It's like a picture.

Every time you watch a horse and rider, you are seeing where they are in their development as a partnership at that moment in time. Their strengths as well as their weaknesses are but a snapshot of their progress, a simple moment in time after where they have been and before where they are going.

The trick is to know that the picture they currently present is malleable and ever moving onward, like a flowing river. The challenges they have right now are going to drift away with practice and new ones will take their places.

The unlimited potential for learning and self-development is the never-ending call of horseback riding.

To those of you who insist that the rider does nothing

When you see the rider that looks like she is "doing nothing", please be aware that:

her timing is so well-developed that she is riding "in" the movement of the horse, intimately intertwined within his gait so as to dance into his rhythm.
she is incredibly fit and strong through her core muscles, as well as self-aware of the balance and positioning of every cell of her body from tip of the head to the toes, so that the horse's movements do not lurch her out of the saddle.
she knows when and how to allow the expression of the horse to come through and then capably rides along with him.
she has developed a level of communication with her horse so sophisticated that it rivals the best, most successful social media platform known in existence to humankind!
she has more dedication and self-discipline than many who are watching her

In fact, us horseback riders are always in the hunt for looking like we are doing nothing at all! Because we know that an effortless, free-flowing, lighter-than-air ride truly is what we're aiming for...

...and we do not really mind if those onlookers think we are just being passengers on a magnificent animal who is willing to share his talents with us!

Buy the book!

Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Stop wandering round and round aimlessly!

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

But there's more!

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

Use these 20-minute exercises!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

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.

Tag: learning

Riding is Simple, But Not Easy!

It's Complicated!

To the onlooker, it all looks so easy.

Now try it yourself!

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

Archives – Lessons/Training

Look through these articles for tips and recommendations on common horse riding problems. Let us know in the comments sections if you tried something and how it worked out!

No Middle Ground in Riding Horses

The unfortunate news is that there is no middle ground between the two.

How to spot the "healthy" horse

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

Horseback Riders Do Nothing Anyway!

Well, at least, that's what "they" say.

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book!

Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

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