This video continues the exercises from P1, where we were increasing relaxation in groundwork. Now, we’ve working on reducing tension and rushing when riding lateral exercises. (Watch P1 first) Tension when riding is common and is shown through behaviours such as rushing, resisting, tail swishing, ear-pinning, napping, spooking and getting anxious or, in the case […]
Healthy movement is key to a sound and happy horse. Engagement is part of healthy movement, necessary for keeping your horse sound and comfortable. Our domestic horses get such limited movement, even with ample turnout, compared to their wild counterparts, that we need to help maintain their physical fitness through training. In order to train
What is Engagement? Try These Simple Exercises to Understand It. Read More »
Controlling the shoulders is important for so many exercises such as turning, circles and lateral work and improving connection with the shoulders improves your ridden communication as well as your horse’s balance and body awareness. Horses who lose balance or connection with the shoulders will often be heavier on one front leg than the other,
Moving Your Horse’s Shoulders When Riding (for balance, bending, circles, lateral etc) Read More »
Leonara is a spooky mare. And once she gets a fright, she is highly reluctant to try again at that place or with the thing that scared her. She does take a lot of comfort from people, though, and can be helped to work through her fears. Claire Waldron, Manager of the Connection Training Centre,
Empowering Your Horse Read More »
Breathing slowly and deeply helps to calm your horse under saddle and improves your connection. On Selena’s first ride after re-backing, Rachel Bedingfield explains how to use your breath to create connection at the mounting block and calmness as you walk on. The three steps to success with this are Build connection on the ground
Breath Connection Under Saddle Read More »
Do you ever find that you lose connection with your horse during transitions? That his head comes up or he hollows his back? Or maybe that he rushes or blocks? Or perhaps you just feel tense and out of sync? These are all really common as transitions can be tricky! Here are my top 4
Staying Connected Through Transitions Read More »
Getting connected in the saddle is a combination of using rewards to teach your horse behaviours and help him to understand your cues and aids as well as improving your own seat and balance, which your horse responds to naturally. For example, you can encourage and reward your horse for relaxing, lowering his head and
Riding with Connection: The Rider’s Seat Read More »
Have you ever wanted to know: How your horse’s head position influences his whole movement? What head position you should be asking for? How to train it without force or gadgets? Well, you’ve come to the right place because these were the questions I also wanted to know the answers to! After years of watching,
Think this is just for the dressage folk? Think again – this stuff is for you! Of course, if you are a dressage’y person, you’ll know it’s for you, but even if you just want to tootle round the block on your pony, making sure he’s supple, strong and engaged will keep him sound and
How to Teach Shoulder-in and Haunches-in: At Liberty, In-hand and Ridden! Read More »
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