reward based training Archives - Page 2 of 3

How to Start Training the Archway/Hoop/Curtain for Despooking and Body Awareness

2 Comments / Gymnastic Groundwork, Problem Solving / By Hannah weston

Obstacles provide great challenges to improve your horse’s confidence and body awareness and the archway, hoop or curtain is a common obstacle in horse agility, trail classes and TREC. This video shows you how to introduce it to your horse in a way which is gentle, fun and builds your relationship. Spooky horses are scared […]

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What is Engagement? Try These Simple Exercises to Understand It.

4 Comments / Gymnastic Groundwork, Riding with Connection, Training Theory and Techniques / By Hannah weston

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

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How to Teach Your Horse to Stay Calm and STOP if the Saddle Slips

2 Comments / Problem Solving, Riding with Connection / By Hannah weston

Although we never want it to happen, accidents sometimes do and if the saddle slips it can easily panic the horse, making a bad situation much worse. Luckily, there are things you can train to help your horse understand that it’s nothing to worry about and even that he should stop quietly if the saddle

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5 Ways to Teach Hip Targeting

5 Comments / Gymnastic Groundwork / By Hannah weston

How do you teach your horse to move his hindquarters TOWARDS you? This video shows you 5 different techniques to train it. Body part targeting is where the horse moves a specific body part to your hand or other target – in this case, we want the horse to move his hip towards your hand.

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Horses Choosing to be Tacked Up and Ridden?

4 Comments / Problem Solving, Riding with Connection, Training Theory and Techniques / By Hannah weston

This topic is all about horses choosing to be tacked up and ridden – is it possible that they actually will choose to be ridden and, if so, how can you train it? Choice is a huge part of Connection Training and giving horses a voice and allowing them to participate in the decisions you

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Common Rider Faults and How to Fix Them for Better Connection and Relaxation

1 Comment / Riding with Connection / By Hannah weston

Connecting well with your horse when riding requires two things: 1. Clear external cues, such as leg, voice and rein aids that your horse understands 2. Supporting internal cues, such as breath, weight aids and focus that your horse responds to innately Both of these need to be in alignment for your horse to be

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Gymnastic Groundwork Pattern – Pedestal, Poles, Circles, Collection, Flexions

Leave a Comment / Gymnastic Groundwork / By Hannah weston

This Pattern is from our Gymnastic Groundwork Home Study Course and gives you a taster of some of the exercises included in that Course. Patterns are progressive and non-competitive. They are designed to give you focus, guidance and the chance to put all of the exercises you’re learning together. They should be fun, too! As

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Leg Yield: How to Teach In-hand Lateral Work Using Clicker Training and a Target

Leave a Comment / Gymnastic Groundwork / By Hannah weston

This doesn’t have to be complicated! Leg yield is the first lateral movement I teach in-hand or ridden and it’s a great way of introducing the concept of going forwards and sideways to your horse. I aim to make this (and all of my lessons) as simple and straightforward as possible for you and your

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Hannah on Horse Chats Podcast

Leave a Comment / CT News / By Hannah weston

I really enjoyed chatting to Glenys from Horse Chats recently and she had some great questions for me (like, “Can you give our listeners one thing they can do today with their horse that sums up your training philosophy?”). If you want to hear a little more about my equine history, teachers and philosophy, this

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How to Use Objects and All Terrain Training to Build Your Horse’s Co-ordination and Confidence

Leave a Comment / Gymnastic Groundwork / By Hannah weston

All of these exercises are designed to improve your horse’s co-ordination as he learns how to navigate different objects and terrain. The sensory feedback improves proprioception and you’ll find your horse becomes more aware of his feet and body through these exercises. Of course, it’s not just about the physical benefits; all of our training

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How to Teach Your Horse to Move their Shoulders Over

Leave a Comment / Gymnastic Groundwork / By Hannah weston

Teaching your horse to move their shoulders over is a great exercise to encourage your horse to take more weight on the hindquarters and lighten the shoulders as they have to do this in order to be able to step across with their shoulders. It also builds body awareness and builds into many other exercises,

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De-Spooking Your Horse Over Jumps

Leave a Comment / All Blog Posts, Problem Solving, Riding with Connection / By Hannah weston

This exercise is great to build your horse’s confidence over a wide range of fences, no matter what types of fillers you’ll encounter! I’m working with India on generalising her confidence to jump first time, even as the jump changes and I add spooky objects around it. We’ve spent loads of time prior to this

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