Simple ground pole exercises for horses can sometimes be the most effective because riders are likely to practice them more consistently. And when it comes to movement and fitness, consistency matters above all.I often use the following ground pole...
Not many people would consider climbing aboard a horse soon after breaking ribs. But not everybody is Suzanne Hayes, who won the Big Horn 100 endurance ride just six weeks after a fall that resulted in 10 broken ribs...
You may have heard about “seeing” and “looking for” distances at the horse jumps. The problem with this approach is that it only deals with what occurs in the immediate vicinity of the jump. Much more important than the...
Samantha shares the gold nuggets of knowledge learned in a four-day clinic with Bernie Traurig.
QUESTION: I’m taking jumping lessons on my horse. We were doing really well until recently. Now when we canter toward the bigger jumps, my horse suddenly gets very fast and pulls hard on the bit. It’s scaring me, but...
Most horses can be trained to jump. But many need help learning to jump well. A horse that jumps in the correct style is not only a safer mount, but he also drops fewer rails and earns higher scores...
Getting the right counts in a line can often seem like the ultimate test on a jumping course. Lines are two or more jumps set apart by a measured distance, and are meant to be ridden in a specific...
Developing confidence as a rider comes from working with a good trainer, knowing that you can ride your pony, and having an understanding of what you’re asking him to do. Developing a sense of security in the saddle is...
While this article was originally written as a preview for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, shortly after publication the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It as been rescheduled for July 23-August 8, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan....
To increase your horse’s lateral bend, improve his carrying capacity and correct the horse that “falls through” the outside shoulder, try using these circle and square exercises author Julia Kohl, adapted from her book Creative Dressage Schooling with permission...
