horse training – Horse Listening

Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

Horse Listening - Book 2: Forward and Round To Training Success is available in both paperback and digital versions.

This book is for riders who want to develop their riding and training skills - all for the benefit of the horse. This book is comprised of the best of the training and riding articles from the blog.

With a 4.8 out of 5 star Amazon rating, Horse Listening – Book 2 has received great reader reviews and praise.

Paperback version - only 24.99: Click here.

Digital version - only 9.99: Click here.

What readers are saying:

Great book- after a confusing lesson or training session I pull out this book to get some insight on what was or wasn't going on in my riding. This book is written with clear instructions and rational for how and why certain methods work or don't work.

– Emily P. Marsh

Great ideas and tips for any level of riding. This book is very helpful for all and any age riders.

– Anne B.

So well written in a way that the theory and application are easy to understand.

– Wendy L. Herr

More details about Book 2

Horse Listening - Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success provides practical and theoretical suggestions to improve the training of both the rider and the horse. Compiled from the articles of the popular blog, Horse Listening, this book explains fundamental concepts and skills such as:
- contact
- rider position and aids
- developing suppleness in both horse and rider
- communicating effectively with the horse
- bends, turns and half-halts

Over 40 chapters on the most fundamental aspects of training the horse and rider have been collated according to three themes, and prepared in a tidy, all-in-one package for quick and efficient reading (or alternatively – long, thoughtful perusing of deep and meaningful concepts)!

You’ll get 236 pages of information on the basics as well as more advanced concepts of how to train the horse and rider. Best of all, there are many practical, ready-to-use exercises designed to help you keep your horse happy, healthy and athletic in his work.

The first section of this book, The Theory – Forward and Round is directly focused on everything I have written about the concept of “forward and round”. Filled with ideas about how to achieve impulsion and energy, these articles give you some background into the why as well as the how of some of the basic exercises and understandings needed to create the type of energy we need.

In Section 2, The Skill – Rider Development, we consider many aspects of rider training. From the initial concept of contact, to the use of the seat, rein and leg aids – this section is devoted to rider improvement and awareness. The end of this section goes deeper into philosophies and practical techniques that can inform better all-around horsemanship.

The third section, The Training – Getting Deeper Into the Basics, outlines many exercises that you can use in developing your horse’s basic skills. From turning, to bends, neck reins, transitions and suppleness, these ideas are designed to give you some exercises to practice while riding in the ring. Many are somehow connected to the concept of riding forward and round, whether by increasing energy or inside hind leg engagement.

As with all Horse Listening material, the purpose is to help the rider improve so that the horse can benefit.

Wonderfully positive; all about the horse's welfare type book with good descriptive phrases to encourage even the novice dressage enthusiast to improve!
Well done!

- Gail Meehan Ransom

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Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding is available in both digital and print (paperback) versions.

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Done With Going Round and Round on the Rail? Try the “10/5 Challenge”!

go and no — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Do you ever get stuck in the same rut ride after ride? It is true that finding a routine is a good idea because it gives you and your horse a sense of structure that you can build upon over time.

But there are times when you want to spice things up before you pack it up!

Use the 10/5 Challenge when:

- you're both done with that 50th loop around the rail and want to do something completely "off the wall" (pun intended!)

- you feel that everything went right in the ride and there's still more left in you and your horse for a bang-up last effort

- you want to get the kinks out and release tension in you and your horse

- you want to develop hind end engagement and larger hind end strides

- your horse is feeling a little lethargic and "uninspired"

- your horse is too pumped up and needs to put his energy somewhere

- you want to fine-tune your aids and transitions

- you want to play a little with a "last dance" before you're done for the day

In any case, this exercise will help both you and your horse work out of your tightness. It encourages your horse to loosen over the top line, work out his balance and engagement, and in general, become better able to work through any transition.

The 10/5 Challenge

The idea is pretty simple. You want to do 10 strides of one thing and then 5 strides of something else.

For example:

- 10 strides canter/5 strides trot

- 10 strides left and 5 strides right

- 10 strides canter/5 strides walk

- 10 strides leg yield/5 strides shoulder-in

There really are an infinite of variations you can use.

But I love the first one the most, especially for beginner to intermediate horse and riders, so let's break that one down more for an example.

The 10 Strides Canter/5 Strides Trot Challenge

1. Canter

Go into a canter. Make sure you have a "decent" canter to start - encourage your horse onward if at all possible.

2. Count strides.

The idea is to hit the transition on that 10 mark, and be absolutely picky about changing gaits in the 10th stride.

3. Transition to trot.

You might have to really prepare for this transition at first. Chances are, your horse will not be expecting such a downward transition so soon, so be ready to reinforce your asking aids as soon as you can. The idea is to stay in that 10 stride number. So be picky.

4. Transition to canter.

But watch out! Don't "sit" on your laurels! Those 5 strides are over before you know it, and you have got to get back into the canter on the fifth trot stride!

And there is the real challenge. This exercise requires you to be sharp, accurate and physically in sync with your horse. The quickness of the transitions will jolt you into a higher level of accuracy and timing. The physicality of the transitions will have you both huffing and puffing in no time. Just remember to keep breathing! You might solicit a nice body-shaking snort from your horse in the process. That is a good sign.

5. Do it again!

The first time is probably going to be the easiest for a while. The next bunch of tries will really highlight the areas that need to come together for a better transition. As your horse starts to realize that there will be more and more transitions, he may go through some tension and resistance before he can gather up his strength and balance to be able to smoothly make so many transitions.

You might discover a few issues as well! Initially, the transitions come up very quickly. You might feel overwhelmed and thrown off balance a bit. Keep at it. If you find yourself not making the 10 strides, do 12. But aim for 10. Figure out how to adjust your timing for the transitions. You might have to do the "ask" for both the upward and downward several strides before.

Practice. Stick with the program 10, 20 times even if things don't go well. You will get better at it and your horse will become more balanced. Things will start falling together. The next time you try this, you might discover that the horse has an easier time with the transitions and responds more smoothly and efficiently to the aids.

Of all the exercises I've used, (click here if you'd like to see more of these sort of ideas in my first book) I'd recommend this one the most for anyone to try at any level. It works well with an advanced horse/rider combination as well as for the beginner rider or horse. You can make it a very basic exercise of one simple transition or complicate it as much as you would like. If the canter/trot is too simple, move onto something that challenges both you and your horse. Do the transitions while you change directions. Change leads and then break to the trot. The variations are limitless!

If you have tried the 10/5 Challenge, let us know in the comments how it worked for you. What went well? What problems did you run into?

If you like this sort of pattern work, join my Practice Sessions Premium Membership. The Practice Sessions are a complete program beginning with exercises like the one above, designed to improve specific aspects of the horse and rider. All set up and ready to go, all you have to do is watch the video, print off the pattern PDF and head to the barn!

But there's so much more! There's quality of movement exercises, theory "Mini-Classes" on specific aids and figures, a fantastic group of riders who motivate and encourage each other, and so much more! Click here to learn more.

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

From the first book in the Horse Listening Collection: Horse Listening, The Book

"There are many reasons why we enjoy riding horses. Maybe one of the most appealing facets of riding is the sense of freedom: freedom from our own limitations, freedom from gravity, freedom to (literally) roam the Earth. Time stands still while we have the privilege of feeling movement from the back of our four-legged friend. Riding gives us the place to just be.

Of course, there are other purposes too. Some of us revel in the challenge of learning the skills required to becoming a good team member of this unlikely duo. Riding is like no other sport or recreational pursuit simply because of the equine partner that must not only carry us, but also do so effortlessly and gracefully. As we develop our specific skill sets, we also grow as human beings in character, emotional maturity and mental acuity.

But there is one other motivation that drives some of us to persevere in the never-ending learning process that is horseback riding: improving the horse. As your own skills develop, you begin to realize that not only can you meet your own needs through riding, but also that you can even become an instrument of benefit for the horse."

And so begins the book that reflects the most important learning I have had in all of my riding years: that I want to be the best rider I can be for the sake of my horses.

This book is geared toward the rider:

- the rider's motivations

- the essential skills for the rider

- some specific strategies

- solutions to common problems

- and the results: the great horsey moments we get to experience

Along the way, you will find chapters that discuss everything from the seat to the leg aids to the reins, discussions on half-halts, imbalance, halts, straightness and more!

Special in this book are the "In The Ring" sections that give specific suggestions based on the preceding chapters. Take these to the barn to try with your own horse!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

7 Reasons Why “It Depends” Is the Right Answer in Horse Riding

happy-horse-800x1024 bw — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

It seems like everywhere you turn, someone has a different idea about what you should do when you ride.

There might even be the time when the SAME person tells you to do two completely opposite things in one day.

Let's take your coach for instance. One day, she says you need more leg to get the horse going better. Another day she says to half-halt more often and slow the legs down. Bend more here, straighten up there.

Make up your mind already! How is it that so many variations apply to the same outcome?

Obviously, the last thing we want to know is that there are seemingly endless variations to a multitude of skills that we have to learn if we want to be effective riders for our horses.

But when it comes to horses, the only "truth" is that there are many truths. It is our calling as riders to figure out which one works when and why. The learning is never-ending and even when you think you know it all, another horse comes into your life to bring you back down to earth (hopefully not literally).

Here are 7 reasons why "it depends" might be exactly the right answer to your situation!

1. Your horse might be very accommodating.

When your horse works at his best, the sky is the limit! You can do almost anything you can think of - with very little effort coming from you! These moments teach you how much you can do and how the aids combine to make everything come together. Your aids can whisper and you can float along almost as if you aren't there. Your horse's responses might come easier, and he also appreciates the harmony.

2. Your horse might be excited.

An excited horse may need more guidance, simpler and quicker aids. The quiet suggestive aids from yesterday may not be adequate if the horse is distracted or unresponsive in some manner. You might need to seek his attention and work harder to make more basic requests. You might not be able to do the intricate moves from yesterday simply because his frame of mind is different.

3. The weather conditions might be different from the day before.

Almost all horses are affected in some way by temperature or precipitation. Riding the same horse on a hot muggy day or in pouring rain or in freezing cold temperatures might require different strategies. Discovering your horse's preferred weather condition makes the ride easier but working in less than ideal conditions is also necessary if you want to stay on a regular program. You have to learn how to ride the horse during various conditions.

4. You might not be as coordinated as your last ride.

You might be the inconsistent one. Maybe you had a rough day at school or work and you come to the riding session tense and frustrated. Maybe you have a cold and your reactions are slow and laboring. If you can be sensitive to your own emotional and physical state, you can take steps to counter them once you get on your horse's back.

5. You might be trying something new.

Whenever we step out of our comfort zone, we step into insecurity and frustration. It is perfectly normal to go backward before you move beyond your current level of expertise. While you try to speed up/slow down/quieten the aids, you discover that you lose some of the mastery you once had.

The same happens with the horse if you are trying to teach him something new. Awareness of what needs to be done during the confused moments is the ticket to making it through the learning curve, both for yourself as well as your horse.

6. Your situation might be different from someone else's.

You go to a clinic and watch as someone learns or develops her skill during the ride. You come home and apply the same strategies and for whatever reason, things don't go the same way. In horseback riding, it is often unfair to compare yourself to others in the sense that everything impacts your and your horse's performance. By knowing the specific factors that go into your situation, you can make better gains.

7. Training level causes variations.

Both you and your horse's background and skill impact the next steps you can take. More often than not, you will discover that you have to go back to the basics and develop them before you can go ahead with higher expectations. There is nothing wrong with identifying a missing building block and working on that before you try to do something more difficult. Learning things step by step is a valuable and safe approach to riding.

I hear people's frustration when they ask a question and the answer isn't black and white or easily predictable.

But understanding the variables in riding is the key to knowing that it is perfectly fine to learn many strategies that will invariably end in the same goal. And when someone asks, "What do I have to do when...?"

The answer might just be, "It depends!"

When have you had to change your riding plan because something unexpected came up? Let us know in the comments below.

5 Ways to Amp Up Your Warm Up in Horse Riding

It happens all the time.

Horse and rider stroll into the arena, all set to get started on their ride. You can see it from the moment they enter: the rider is walking nonchalantly to the mounting block. Her horse is even less inspired. He ambles along five steps behind her and seemingly requires coaxing, begging - maybe intimidation - to finally set up close enough to the mounting block for the rider to mount.

Once mounted, the "feel" of the ride doesn't improve. The horse continues in his lackadaisical manner. The rider is busy doing everything but riding. She adjusts her clothes, fiddles with the reins, chats with other riders or checks out the car that happens to drive by at that moment.

The one thing missing is the enthusiasm and playfulness that characterizes a useful, productive and enjoyable beginning to a ride.

****

I have to admit it - the scene above is an exaggeration. But it makes the point: we often get into a warm-up riding rut that becomes uninspiring and tediously routine. Rather than developing an essential first connection with the horse, the opposite happens. Although the rider is right there on top of the horse, there is so little going on between her and your equine partner that they might as well pack it in before they even begin!

Should you ride effectively during a warm-up?

Of course!

Here are five ideas that you can use to amp up your warm up!

*Remember to play everything by ear; if your horse needs a more gradual warm-up, start slower and then build up to the canter well into the middle of the ride. Also, give plenty of walk time right at the beginning.

1. Go for a warm-up trail ride.

Heading off for even a casual walk on the trails warms up the horse's mind and body in a way that the ring riding never can. Have a bit of fun for the first 15 to 25 minutes roaming the fields and woods, smelling the fresh air and jazzing up the horse's body. Move into a trot and maybe even a canter when the time is right, and even start playing with some of the ring exercises right out there on the trails.

Your horse will almost certainly re-enter the riding ring with a better mental attitude. Add energy to enthusiasm and you will find a calmer, softer, more limber horse ready for the following studying session.

2. Go for a canter.

Although it seems counter-intuitive, hopping off into a canter even at the get-go will give your horse more "go-go" right off the bat. You don't have to canter for long; just transition and take a few strides before heading off into a correct, ground-covering trot.

Sometimes, the horse feels tense and tight and a little over-exuberant at the beginning of a ride. A short canter helps let him know he can move when he wants to, and often reassures him in a way that stifling the energy just won't be able to.

Alternately, the sluggish horse benefits from a quick get-yer-blood-going stimulation. Just get into the canter and then evaluate. You might want to back off into a trot and let him breathe and snort. Or you might get more benefit from a longer canter series until the horse loosens up and moves more willingly.

3. Use ground poles and get creative.

One way to change the routine while warming up in the ring is to walk/trot/canter through randomly or purposely positioned ground poles. Teach the horse to pay attention to where his feet are going and provide some mental challenge as he learns to negotiate space, striding and timing. Once the horse feels fairly secure, throw in transitions coming into or out of the poles. Circle away from the pole and return back on a different angle. Go over the poles on a diagonal line. Halt coming to a pole. Canter away from a pole. Decide on a short pattern and take your horse through it several times.

4. Have some cavaletti fun.

Pull out the cavaletti if you have some (or use jump cups to lift jump poles off the ground) and get the horse to elevate his legs. Raise them to the higher height for little mini-jumps or leave them lower so the horse can go over with just a leg-lift. In both cases, a series of cavaletti can serve as a quick wake-me-up and blood circulating exercise.

5. Play from the ground.

You don't have to ride a horse during the warm-up. Playing with the horse from the ground might be just the exercise your horse wants! Alternate with either a free-lunging session or be more structured with some in-hand work. Although there most certainly is an art to groundwork, and you will notice dramatic development as your skills and ability to communicate improve, there is no harm in some trial and error.

In each of these scenarios, you will notice that your horse warms up mentally and physically toward a more focused, supple and responsive workout. Set up a more productive ride by changing things up, looking forward to new challenges, and stepping out of the round-and-round ring routine that so often becomes our pattern. Add a little creativity to the beginning of your ride and see what your horse has to say about it!

What do you do to amp up your warm-up? Let us know in the comments below.

Why You Must Shoulder-Fore On the Rail and How To Do It

The shoulder-fore is the like the little sibling that always plays second fiddle to the shoulder-in. But don't discount its power.

When left to themselves, most horses will travel crookedly up a line. In fact, they may also be crooked on circles.

On a straight line, they tend to lean outward toward the rail with their front end. So, if you watch a horse go up a rail from behind, you will clearly see the front end traveling on a line closer to the rail, while the hind end drifts somewhat off the rail. There might be a tendency for the horse's head and neck to point outward, away from the direction of travel. So if the horse is going right, the head and neck point left.

Sound familiar? If so, you're not alone. Most horses start life with a stronger side and a weaker side, and if left unchecked, that crookedness can maintain itself or even become more pronounced through riding. So it falls to the rider to become educated and sensitive enough to feel the crookedness - and then correct it over time. As with all other skills, if the horse is ridden in a manner that encourages suppleness and flexion, the horse will overcome the crookedness.

The rider, too, has a significant role in the process. For if the rider just follows the horse's movements, she will also be riding in a way that points her core to the wall, travelling with a crooked seat and imbalanced posture.

What is the shoulder-fore?

Although we often hear about the shoulder-in, we tend to overlook the shoulder-fore as a less worthy exercise. This is far from the truth. The shoulder-fore is easier to learn for both horse and rider and sets them on their way to becoming straighter and more supple.

The shoulder-fore is a movement that positions the horse's shoulders slightly to the inside of the hips. The way you know the horse is "in" shoulder-fore is by looking at the horse's footfalls. Simply put, the horse that has hind footsteps falling into front footsteps is straight. The horse that has the front footsteps landing slightly to the inside of the horse's hind footsteps is travelling in shoulder-fore.

The shoulder-fore requires the horse to "articulate" more with the joints in the hind end, encourages a deeper stride length, and helps the horse balance better, allowing the energy to come over the topline and release the muscles over the back. It is a movement that should be in your riding vocabulary from the beginning to the end of the ride.

How to shoulder-fore:

1. Negotiate a turn or corner in the same manner as usual. Position your body on the bend to the inside, with your seat weighted slightly to the inside, inside leg at the girth, outside leg behind the girth and rein aids following your shoulders toward the turn.

2. Then come out of the turn.

3. But keep the horse on the same mild bend, going straight on the rail.

4. Feel for the horse's shoulders. They should feel slightly off-set to the inside.

At this point, the novice horse tends to want to fall into the middle of the ring, coming off the rail. It is the job of your inside leg, seat bone and rein to keep the horse on the line. Your outside rein can also help to keep the straightness by half-halting to counter the horse's momentum toward the inside. It can also keep the neck fairly straight.

Get a friend to monitor your horse's foot falls and let you know about the angle of the horse's body. She should tell you when you have it right so that you can memorize what it feels like to have straightness in your horse's movements.

Shoulder-fore everywhere!

When you get good at it on the rail, try it off the rail. If you go straight up the ring on the quarter line, you will have enough room to your outside so that you have to really use your outside aids to help maintain the shoulder fore, but not so far that you can't use the rail as a reference point to see and feel the position of the shoulders.

Then try it on center line. It gets harder to feel the angle when there is no wall to gauge your position with. But eventually, you should be able to actually feel the angle of the horse's body regardless of whether or not you have a wall to refer to.

For more shoulder-fore fun, start up the center line with a right shoulder-fore, then as you cross X, switch to a left shoulder-fore.

Finally, give it a try on a circle. At this point, you should be able to identify the shoulder position on a bend. So when you feel that your horse is pointing his shoulders to the outside of the circle, be a responsible rider and bring those shoulders into the shoulder'fore position, even while you are travelling on a bend around the circle.

Results

See what your horse thinks about it. If you get a snort, be happy! If you get a softening of the neck and jaw to the inside, be thrilled. And if you get bouncy-bouncy, rolling gaits (do this in walk, trot and canter) and the feeling that you are spending more time in the air than on the ground, then celebrate!

For helping the horse to release tension, swing through the back, stay straight and energize is the goal of all riding!

*P.S. All the above is also equally relevant to the shoulder-in. But that can be a topic for another time.

Try the shoulder-in during your next ride and let us know how it works for you and your horse.

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.

Why Black and White is Better Than Gray In Horse Riding

As a colour, gray gives variance to the spectrum between black and white.

But with horses, "being" gray leaves too much unsaid, too many questions, too many options to choose from.

I'll tell you why gray doesn't work.

Gray Is

- wishy-washy

- unclear

- muddy

- unsure

- insecure

- confusing

Gray is simply too much in the middle.

Horses

- do better with a straight yes or no

- want all the wrong options eliminated

- gain confidence from a confident rider

- prefer clarity

It is true that horses are constantly communicating with you. Through their physical interactions, they ask questions and answer yours. This regular interaction is the foundation of your training program. One of the most critical personal attributes a good rider has is clarity of aids and requests.

Often, the horses that find leader-humans are the happiest, most content horses to ride. They can rely on their partner to be clear, concise and sure. There is no guesswork required of the horse.

So how does this impact your regular riding routine?

Be Black and White in Riding

If you ask for a canter, get that canter. Don't let the horse trot away faster and faster until you finally just pull him up. If he trots off, slow the trot, ask for the canter again. Repeat. Be clear. Be concise. Maybe you need to reestablish the inside bend. Correct a dropped shoulder and then ask again.

If you asked for a turn, follow through when the horse drifts to the outside. Catch the horse's outside shoulder with the rein, use your outside leg to encourage better straightness from the rib cage, and encourage more impulsion from the hind end with your seat and leg aids.

Timeliness is the key when it comes to clarity. Don't wait ten, twenty, thirty or more strides before following through on your request. The quicker you can respond, the easier it will be for your horse to make connections.

If your horse needs to do something more basic, change the plan. But be specific in your intentions and reinforce/review/change the approach as required.

Stick to your program.

Be an active rider.

Have you recently had a "black/white" moment during a ride? Comment below.

If you liked the above article, you might also enjoy:

https://www.horselistening.com2013/05/03/first-plan-your-ride-then-be-ready-to-scrap-it/

https://www.horselistening.com2012/11/05/cultivating-your-multiple-riding-personalities/

https://www.horselistening.com2013/06/17/how-to-flow-from-the-trot-to-the-walk/

https://www.horselistening.com2013/06/10/why-you-dont-need-to-panic-when-your-horse-falls-apart-during-your-ride/

https://www.horselistening.com2012/02/19/do-you-make-this-timing-mistake-when-riding-your-horse/

Impulsion: How Two Easy Strides of Energy Might Solve Your Horse Riding Problem

Take Two Deeper Steps Underneath For Better Everything

One of the easiest, and most beneficial solutions to many riding problems is to teach the horse to move from the hind end. Why do we harp so much on this topic?

Everything starts with impulsion.

Impulsion starts with the hind end.

Every horse benefits from stepping deeper with the hind legs.

If the stride is longer, the hind legs can reach further underneath the body and support the horse's balance with more strength and agility.

The energy derived from the increased impulsion can then travel over the back (topline), allowing for better carriage of the rider and a loftier, bouncier movement, whether it is walk, trot or canter. It can help to straighten the horse. It can resolve "behavior" issues. It can even help to reduce tension in the horse's body.

How to Increase Impulsion

All it takes is two stronger steps, in the same gait, in the same rhythm, tempo and direction. Use two squeezing calf leg aids with a corresponding seat aid for "forward". You may need a half-halt (or two) following the energy surge.

In other words, ask for increased energy but:

- don't let the horse get faster in the gait.

- don't let the horse change gaits.

- don't let the horse scramble because of the extra energy.

- stop him from falling to the forehand.

- help him send the energy straight forward (avoid letting him become crooked).

Teach him to use that burst of energy to lengthen the stride of his hind legs.

For the horse that does not typically, or naturally, use his hind end, taking the two deeper steps might be difficult at first. He might translate the request to mean that he has to move his legs faster, or fall to the inside/outside, or change gait entirely. You might have to learn to coordinate your "go" request with an immediate "no" to help him rebalance rather than to scramble underneath that extra energy.

You know you are on the right track when:

- the stride becomes bouncier

- the strides feel longer (you travel over more ground with less steps)

- you feel less overall tension in the horse's body

- the horse goes straighter (doesn't fall to the inside or outside on a turn or line)

- you get more "air time"

- the horse begins to round (without you pulling back on the reins)

- the footfalls are lighter when the horse lands

- for geldings, the sheath sound disappears

- the horse gives you a heartfelt snort!

The next time you run into tension, leaning, drifting, hollow back, or many other problems that we often think of as resistance or reluctance, try this simple technique. Ask for just two steps of increased energy. Then, evaluate. If you feel there could be more, ask for another two steps.

Increase impulsion in two-step increments, without the expectation of doing more and more and more over the long term.

And see what your horse thinks about it!

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

Buy the books for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book Collection.

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.

Why You Don’t Want to Pull on the Inside Rein, and What To Do Instead

When we ride horses, we often assume that the inside rein is used like the steering wheel of a car or a bicycle. We think that when we pull the inside rein, the horse must obviously turn his nose and then follow it. Right?

Pulling to Turn

In some cases, the turn does happen. The horse's body moves along the direction of the head and he accommodates us the best he can. This is the reason why many of us think we are on the right track by pulling to turn.

However, at some point in time, we begin to better understand the biomechanics of pulling and how it affects the horse's body.

Sometimes, although the horse turns his nose in the direction of the pull, his body continues in the original trajectory. He doesn't easily make the turn. Other times, his body even goes in the opposite direction (in effect, drifting out) from where we pointed his nose! Has this ever happened to you?

Then we learn about the usefulness of the outside rein in turns. We practice using the outside rein while turning until it eventually becomes a habit.

But there is one other consequence to pulling on that inside rein that has little to do with turning. It isn't as straightforward to identify or visualize. And it affects the horse under almost every circumstance - on a turn, over a straight line, in a gait change, through a half-halt and more.

Blocking the Inside Hind Leg

If you want to prevent the inside hind leg from coming through underneath the body, this is how you do it:

pull back on the inside rein.

The only problem is that the haunches then cannot support the horse's balance.

Without the hind end as the engine, the horse is left to having to initiate movement from his front legs. He must then drag his body (and yours) along from the front, thus losing balance and falling to the forehand. You know the rest: tripping, stumbling, tension, rock-hard hollow back, discomfort and so on.

What NOT To Do

Most people's reaction is to do the exact opposite and fully drop the inside rein. Sometimes, you can even see the droop as if the rider wants to say, "See? I don't even have any contact at all!"

Having absolutely no contact can be counterproductive too, because then there is no way for you to support the horse when necessary. You will end up with an on-again, off-again pull that becomes difficult for the horse to negotiate. In the end, no contact can be as bad as too much contact.

There is always a happy medium.

What To Do

You have three strategies.

#1 is the easiest to do while #3 takes the most coordination. You can probably progress through the steps as you become better able to find that release. Your horse might also have a preference between the three at different times - so you can use the skill that suits him best in the moment.

Please note: these techniques can be used in the same manner on a snaffle bit (short rein length) or any curb/shank bit (long rein length) or anything in-between! Please feel free to try this in your riding style and discipline.

1. You could let out an inch of rein.

Lengthening the rein an inch out might be all the horse needs to get the freedom in the hind quarters. The rein is therefore short enough for us to communicate with him at a moment's notice, but long enough that there is that space for him to reach - from his hind legs, over his topline and through the poll to the bit.

There is no better feeling than when the horse reaches for the bit into the rein space you just gave him!

2. You could maintain the same rein length and let out your elbow.

This strategy gives the horse the same feeling as #1 but you don't need to let out the rein length.

When is it useful to maintain the same rein length?

When you know you need to be able to give clear and timely half-halts in order to help the horse maintain balance through a variety of movements. For example, if your instructor is asking you to negotiate several movements in sequence, you won't have the time to let the rein out and take it back, and doing so will unnecessarily disrupt your horse's balance.

Instead, you just let your elbows out and take them back in the following strides. The effect is the same - the horse gets a release and then a take-up for further communication.

3. You could move better with the horse with the same rein and contact pressure.

This one is the icing on the cake.

If you can move through your entire body, staying in sync with the horse's movements but releasing where and when needed, you will have one happy, confident, bold moving horse. You might need to release through your seat. You might "loosen" through the inside shoulder, allowing the inside hind to reach within a moment's notice. Maybe your legs need to "breathe" with your horse's sides.

In any case, riding in tandem with the horse is something we always aspire to and there is good reason for that. When you both move "as one", the earth stops rotating and you float on that ninth cloud!

Letting the inside hind leg do its job is one of the first keys to riding with the horse in mind!

Try this: ride with the inside hind leg in mind. Even if you regularly let the leg come through, make it a point to pay closer attention for your next few rides. Try one of the above suggestions, or let us know if you have another method that works for you and your horse.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

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From Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

"Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic

development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals....

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans: they work hard to improve their horse’s way of going.

Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse’s longevity. Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse’s health and well-being.

Or not."

Just as with all the Horse Listening Collection Books, this book is focused on helping the rider improve for the sake of the horse. But this book goes deeper into the best training articles from the blog - horse-centered theory, strategies and ideas you can try with your own horse.

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

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Horse Listening Book 2: Forward And Round To Training Success

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pull back on the inside rein.

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