Hunters and dressage riders often don't see eye to eye, but surprisingly in this case we do. Rising trot without stirrups is a fine thing—if and only if, a rider has mastered basic position. This is because riding without...
Q: I have a great little all-around horse: he goes English and western and even jumps well. Everything about him is smooth and flowing except for his canter/lope. If he’s working in the center of the arena or jumping...
Watch as trainer Anita Howe explains the Tennessee Walking Horse's running walk.The running walk is the same basic footfall and carriage as the flatfoot walk, but tempo and speeds are extended to range from 7-10...
The canter’s rocking-horse, three-beat rhythm presents a problem for novice riders trying to master their position at this gait. In trot, the rider’s body position remains stable since the horse’s head and neck don’t move in this two-beat gait....
Q: I am working with a Thoroughbred hunter/jumper prospect. When we jump crossrails, he’s fine. But when we try small verticals he bolts to the jumps and then kicks his heels in the air. How can I help him...
Knowing when it's time to replace a helmet is as critical to rider safety as wearing one. Even with limited use, a helmet's hard foam lining can break down over time, says Drusilla Malavase, co-chair of the Equestrian Headgear...
It can be tempting to saddle up your horse on the first warm day of spring and go for a long ride. However, assuming your horse has been out of work all winter, he’s not only lost muscle tone,...
Shifting the shoulders at the trot to correct a horse that overbends at the neck
Ellen demonstrates how to get better control of your outside rein and stop pulling on the inside rein by turning the horse’s shoulders. She moves...
Here, Ellen rides Tvauri forward and sideways in approximately equal measures, while keeping his body parallel to the long sides of the arena; his forehand is correctly slightly in advance of his hindquarters.The aids to leg-yield from left to...
