Horse Listening

Riding Should Be Fun.. Right?

Absolutely.

If there isn't any fun, what is there, really?

The only thing you have to keep in mind is how you define fun at different points in your riding career. Just like anything worth doing, there are going to be moments when you think you're having anything but fun! Maybe there's no show or trail ride to look forward to. Maybe things don't go right just when everyone is watching. Maybe the skill you're trying to learn remains ever elusive.

Those are the times when you need to bring out the most dedicated, persevering, stubborn part of you that you can. Though you might be struggling beyond your limitations, maybe even hating what is happening between you and your horse, you must hold on to the knowledge (not just hope) that if you can figure out what you need to change in your skills, you and especially your horse will benefit in the long run.

I imagine that most of us have gone through a very difficult period in our riding careers at some points. Maybe we were going through a situation that pushed us beyond our safety comfort zone. Maybe we were trying to learn a new skill that just wasn't doing anything good, and in fact, making the horse struggle even more. It happens.

During those times, there are three things you could do.

Get an educated eye on the ground.

You knew I was going to say this first, didn't you?

I mean, there is no replacement for a great instructor who can be there with you as you go through the challenges, and give you on-the-spot strategies. In horseback riding, there is a horse and a rider, both of whom have different strengths and weaknesses. Every situation is unique. An instructor will have the experience and techniques in her "tool box" to help you chisel away at what not to do, and what to do instead.

Change what you are doing.

Sometimes, it is enough to just change the topic for a while. Do something else and then come back to the challenge later in the ride. Or scrap it altogether and come back to it in future rides. You might choose to head for the hills (literally, if you have hills) and forget about the ring for a ride or two. You could play with your troublesome skill out in the fields where there is room and invariably, more energy and enthusiasm.

In any case, don't feel like you have to skill and drill and make it unbearable. Get creative, find a way to play, and come back to it from a different perspective. While you should probably not ignore the problem, it can be helpful to step away from it for a time and come back to it later.

Kick it into high gear.

If all else fails, it may be time for you to put even more effort in than you have to date. Sometimes, the only way you can make the required change will be to just commit to the task until you make the required breakthrough.

I'm not saying you need to become harsh in your riding. Quite the opposite. The most difficult skills might require you to be extremely subtle and in control of your own body.

But commitment is key. For example, while I was in my beginning stages of learning to use my seat, I had to put much more effort into activating through the lower back and seat bones than I'd ever done before. I remember the amount of effort it took. I spent months working on feeling, activating and controlling my seat in the various gaits. I made mistakes and more mistakes, ever so slowly finding what worked and what I shouldn't do. It was not an easy task for me at the time and I had to really hunker down and commit to the new muscle memory acquisition.

But it was so worth it.

Where's the fun?

Well, the skill acquisition is the fun, isn't it? There is no better feeling than realizing that you've passed a developmental level that will forever allow you to be better equipped to address a particular riding problem because you know how.

Your horse moving better is the fun, right? There is no better feeling than being a partner to a freely moving, energetic horse that is balanced and active and powerful all at the same time.

Your horse feeling better is the fun too. There is nothing better than knowing you can be the kind of rider that allows the horse to feel good in his work.

Because there is no better reward than discovering that the changes you've made to your skills positively affect your horse - mentally, physically and emotionally.

Because it's fun to be the best rider we can be, for our horse's sake.

And THAT is the most fun part of all.

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Now is the time to re-evaluate your goals and path to riding success!

If you’d like a structured, but personal tool to set goals, take a look our Goal Setting for the Equestrian: A Personal Workbook. The pages are designed for you to set and keep track of your progress over the course of a year.

Included in the book:

design your overarching goals
long- and short-term planning,
debrief your special events such as clinics or shows
reflect on, plan and evaluate your goals
sample goals and pages

The Workbook is available for instant digital download so you can print the pages right off your computer. There is also the option of a paperback version if you’d rather have a professionally bound book to hold in your hands.

Click here for more information.

Read more here:

8 Ways To Help Your Horse Achieve His Highest Potential: Regardless of what we want to do with our horses, our first responsibility is always to the horse.

17 Wise Reflections - Straight From The Horse's Mouth! My horse, Annahi, is full of words of wisdom for those horses around her who are willing to listen.

20 Ways Horse Riding Becomes Life Itself: You could say that horses are our teachers. Not only do we grow in terms of physical ability, but perhaps even more so, we grow in character.

What Responsible Horse Ownership Really Means: We need to keep in mind that horses are prey animals and long-time domesticated livestock. If we listen well enough, we discover that what we think of as giving might not be what the horses truly need.

5 Life Lessons From Horses: How can horses help us grow and develop in our own lives?

7 Errors To Avoid After You Ask For More Energy – And Solutions

leg aids to canter — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

What happens when you ask your horse for more energy?

The simple answer is that he should reach further underneath his body with his hind legs, go straight and energize within the gait. The hind legs reach deeper underneath the body, the energy "flows through", allowing for a rounder top line, a more active back, and a bouncy, straight feeling. Your horse's response to the bit should improve all on its own. However, it's easier said than done.

As you probably already know, there are many different unwanted things that can happen when you use your leg and seat aids to ask for impulsion.

You will likely discover that there are a variety of responses to your request. Most of them won't be what you're seeking - the straight, strong and true gait that you are asking for. However, the horse doesn't know any better, and it is your job to know exactly what you're looking for, and to teach the horse correctly from the start.

You might think this article comes from a negative perspective, but in my experience, it is as important to know what you don't want, as it is to know what you do want.

As Edison is quoted as saying, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

Here are 7 things that can happen instead. The quicker you can recognize these miscommunications, the sooner you can address them. In fact, it would be best if you could correct these mistakes as they happen, before the horse loses more balance and then has to completely regroup.

1) Inside shoulder "drops."

This is what we sometimes call the "motorcycle lean." It happens on a circle or turn. Along with cutting the turn short in an awkward angle, your horse will likely fall into the circle, making it smaller than you want it to be. The horse will lower the inside shoulder and you will feel like you are hanging on an angle.

If this happens, try to stay upright yourself despite the horse's lean. Also, you can use a little leg yield and outside rein half-halt to improve the horse's balance.

2) Outside shoulder "drifts."

This is the opposite of #1. In this case, the horse will step outward, making the circle or turn larger than it should be. He will also often have his neck bent to the inside, while he continues to step in the opposite direction from your active inside rein.

In this case, shorten and straighten your outside rein to catch the shoulder. Avoid using more pressure on the inside rein. If your horse's flexion goes to the outside because of your outside rein, finish straightening the outside shoulder and then go back to flexion toward the inside after the correction. Once again, keep your own body upright and balanced. Don't lean along with your horse.

3) Hind end shifts to the outside.

The horse points to the inside with the front end while the hind end points to the outside. This can happen on a straight line off the rail. Sometimes, the rider causes the horse to move on an angle because of an overactive inside rein.

To correct, your inside leg can ask for a small leg yield, just like in #1. Use your direct (straight) outside rein to ask the horse to bring his shoulders to the outside.

4) Hind end shifts to the inside.

Many horses do this as they transition into a canter. It is also common for young horses to collapse through their hips even in trot, mostly because they are still weak and uneven in the pushing power from each hind leg.

Sometimes, a little extra impulsion may be all it takes to get the hind legs working more evenly.

5) Faster gait.

This is the most common response you'll get from young and older horses alike. Often, the rider doesn't recognize the increase in leg speed and so the horse just moves along faster.

A series of well-timed half-halts will help keep the horse's tempo the same even while you are asking for a little more power from the hind end.

6) Change of gait.

Horses will also change gait in response to a leg aid, mainly because it is often easier for them rather than to loosen more through the back and let the energy go "through" the body.

If your horse changes gait when you ask for more impulsion, gently transition back down to the original gait and keep on riding. Try again with your leg aids but you might want to add the half-halts in so that you can discourage a gait change before it happens.

7) Short stride/hollow back.

Some horses might tense in response to the leg aid. There may be many reasons why a horse will change his posture - whether because of lack of balance, discomfort, falling to the forehand, rider balance errors, or other problems that require the horse to tighten through the top line.

In this case, make sure that you are not causing the horse's tension. Adjust leg pressure, rein length (sometimes longer, but also sometimes shorter, depending on the horse's needs), balance (make sure you don't lean forward when applying your leg aids) and do use half-halts after the leg aids. The horse might tense just because he feels like he has to run faster.

I'm sure there are other things that can happen when you ask for more energy. In any case, you should be "listening" carefully enough to identify what the response was, and then take steps to correct any errors. Keep in mind that you're looking for a deeper stride in the hind end, a more bouncy, energetic back, a softer top line and better overall connection.

When you know what you don't want, you will find what you do want quicker and more consistently.

Product Review: “The FIT” Half-Chap by Pro Chaps

I need to start at the beginning. Half-chaps are generally the bane of my equestrian existence. I love them. But I never seem to find any that actually fit me properly. In fact, the chaps I've been wearing (until I received The FIT) has a hole in the left calf from wear and tear (and the right one is soon going to follow) - because I simply have not been able to find half-chaps to replace it.

True story: I went looking for half-chaps at our local very large equestrian store during one of their sales and tried them all. Either they were too big or too small. Either too tall, too wide or too narrow. Even the very expensive ones. I don't understand why, since I'm your typical (middle aged) not too tall or too short, somewhat chunky female rider. There's a lot of us out there. How is it possible that it's so difficult to find a half-chap that fits?

This is why I was intrigued when Emelie Larivee, from Pro Chaps, contacted me about her products. I told her about my fitting problem, but she didn't seem deterred. She said that their chaps fit like they're custom-designed for you. I simply had to send her a couple of measurements, and voila, the chaps that arrived actually fit!

But there's so much more to "The FIT" than just the fit. The design of the half-chaps are incredibly well thought-out to be long-lasting, functional AND great looking, for use by the "real" equestrian.

Features

Take the straps that go underneath the boot. You know - the ones that get the most messed up in arena sand or paddock mud or wash stall gunk. I find that the straps are the first thing to go on a half-chap. These ones have anti-ammonia galvanized straps that protect the strap for extra durability.

Take a look at the zipper. Another common problem with half-chaps is that the zippers are too fine or the teeth too small to withstand the regular pressures that come along with having your leg on the horse's sides. I've had half-chaps go on me just because the zippers came apart at the bottom - long before the half-chap itself was damaged. No zipper = no half-chap (or a costly trip to the shoemaker to see if he can put long zippers into leather).

The zipper on "The FIT" is thick and strong. It is elegant and it works!

The leather wraps around front and inside of the leg. The high cut on the outside of the knee gives a lovely long leg appearance. The leather itself is soft and water resistance and machine washable! There is a lining inside that helps the chaps keep their shape over time.

The back of the chaps are made of an anti-bacterial "Airprene" stretch panel. While the chaps feel tight and snug on the leg (and don't slide down the leg at all), I was delighted to realize that the chaps fit not only over my riding breeches, but also over my normal cut jeans. This means that I can still put the half-chaps over the jeans on days that I want to run errands before heading out to the barn for a ride.

Pro Chaps has been in existence for many years, and the chaps can be found in retail stores and online internationally. Their company values include putting the welfare of the horse as a priority. I was surprised to realize that a friend of mine loves the full chaps and has happily worn them for years.

To find out more about "The FIT" half-chaps, check out their website here. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And if you're like me and need someone to help you with sizing, you can email the company here. Their customer support is excellent.

I've been wearing the half-chaps almost every day since I received them a month ago. They are proving to be true to claim. They are comfortable, flexible from the start, easy to clean and tastefully chic.

***If you enjoyed these tips, you can find many more in* the Horse Listening Book Collection, *now available for purchase! Click on the image for more information.***

Read more here:

20 Ways Horse Riding Becomes Life Itself: You could say that horses are our teachers. Not only do we grow in terms of physical ability, but perhaps even more so, we grow in character.

5 Life Lessons From Horses: How can horses help us grow and develop in our own lives?

42 Ways to Learn, Play and Grow With Your Horse: Horses give to us in countless ways. We play, learn and grow with them, making horseback riding not merely a sport (which it truly is, like no other), but so much more.

Good Day For A Little Horseplay: Snort, snort, snort, SNORT! My gelding couldn’t tell me in any clearer terms how much he was enjoying the moment.

Horse Listening On A Spring Day

*Based on a true story.

Backstory: Blustery spring day - snow in the morning, rain mid-day and sunshine-y evening with tree-bending wind gusts throughout. Horses inside during the day. Me coming into the barn for evening chores.

Me: Hi girls! Aren't you lucky to be inside on this weird weather day?

Horses: Heyyyyyyyyy.

Horses: Blue sky... <sigh>

Horses: Oxygen... <deep breath>

Horses: Green grass! ... <yummy yummy>

Me: You want to go out? OK but...

Horses: Letusout! Letusout! Letusout!

Horses go out.

Me: (Cleaning stalls) Doo...doo...dooo....

Me: (Filling water buckets) Doo... doooo .... doooo

Me: (Preparing grain) Doo... dooo.... d

Horses: (Banging on gate) Heyyyyyyyyy!

Me: (Poking my head out of the barn doors) Hi!

Horses: Mud! ... <yuckk>

Horses: Windy .... <can barely keep our eyes open>

Horses: C-c-c-oldddd!

Me: ....

Horses: Letusin! Letusin! Letusin!

Me: .....

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

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Other posts you might enjoy:

With Thanks to Hickstead: Remembering a legendary show jumper.

Because of Horses: The many ways that horses change and shape our lives.

A Recipe for Living: All the ingredients needed for a perfect day!

Softly Determined - A Poem: This one is a keeper for all horse riders!

Spring Into A Horse Riding Exercise

Up here in our neck of the woods, the snow is melting, the blustery wind is less stinging, and the sun feels just warm enough to start thinking about our riding program for the upcoming season. While we've ridden pretty much all winter, we can now lounge longer at the barn in less layers and more comfortable footwear. The sand is softer and spring is in the air!

And the horses know it!

If you've got a rambunctious, hippety-hoppety equine emerging from his shaggy coat and winter paddock, here is a fun and active exercise you can use to allow for movement while while also encouraging focus and calm attention.

Spring Time Exercise

The Pattern

As you can see below, the pattern is fairly simple.

Start on the right rein.
Go up center line.
Turn left.
Left circle at B, 20-meters (or you can make it smaller for more challenge).
Continue to the far corner.
Change directions across the diagonal.

At this point, you can continue down center line or head back to the opposite rail. You can go straight on the rail, or add a shoulder-in or haunches-in if you want to add some lateral work. Or you can come off the rail just past A and leg yield to the rail.

Once you've gone to the right a few times, change direction and go to the left. Start on the B rail and head to center line from there.

But there's more!

The Transitions

Try this pattern in walk or trot at first until you have a good idea where you're going. Then add transitions.

If you like, you can do several walk-trot-walk transitions. Let's say you do the center line at a walk, trot through the corner and do the circle at trot, and then walk the rest and across the diagonal.

You can do trot-walk-trot transitions the same way.

You can add canter into the mix: trot the center line, walk the turn, trot to canter through the corner and canter circle, canter to trot through the next corner, and walk the diagonal line.

You can get creative with the transitions. Keep in mind the needs of your horse as well as yourself. If you need to work in the walk and trot, by all means, do so. Make sure it's a good, active, ahead-of-the-leg walk and a good trot!

At first, you might want to take your time through the transitions and help your horse develop a strong, round, flowing gait before the transition. In this case, you might not be too picky about exactly where the transition takes place. This is how I always start my horses and riders - looking for high quality movement and transitions before we get too much into accuracy.

Eventually, you might want to be more precise. You can decide where you want the transition and get it at exactly that letter. This helps you become more of a team with your horse. Remember to not sacrifice the quality of movement though just to get the transitions. At this point, you and your horse should be able to do the transition at the spot and do it well, with a good gait before and a good gait after.

The Point

This exercise is designed to do two things: give your horse room to move (straight lines and large circle), and require quick response to aids through transitions. Coming out of the winter, it is important to develop a forward-moving, ground covering gait that allows the horse to strengthen again after time off or less consistent riding. However, while you want to encourage movement, you also want to bring your horse's attention to you and work on responsiveness. What better way than through transitions?

I hope you enjoy the exercise. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.

If you like this sort of pattern work, take a look at 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.

The “Iceberg Result” In Horse Riding: 5 Factors

Only 10% of the iceberg is above the water. 90% of its mass lies below the water line, and it is this large mass that is affected most by the ocean currents. It's the bottom part that is the foundation of the iceberg.

Looks like horse riding is a lot like an iceberg.

We see the tip - but we fail to recognize the path that horse and rider had to take to get there (even if that final tip isn't world class level or picture perfect - whatever that means).

Let's take an example.

You see:

the horse and rider flow smoothly from one movement to the other.

What make a ride look effortless?

There are five factors that go into creating that harmonious ride. You'll notice that these components are the fundamentals of riding in general - but really, this is precisely why we're always working to improve the primary skills, even at the higher levels.

1. Consistent Balance

Both horse and rider are able to maintain balance through turns, transitions and changes of pace. This means that the rider doesn't tip forward through transitions, fall backward against the horse, or lean into turns. She stays tall and toned and moves right along with the horse.

The horse is the same: no tipping forward in downward transitions, no hollowing of the back before a new movement and no dropping of shoulders to drift through turns. The body outline stays consistent regardless of what the horse is doing.

2. Consistent Pace

Two things can happen with the pace: the horse can be sluggish, feeling like he's going to stop any second. Or conversely, the horse can be a run-away, rushing off in response to every leg aid. The rider would have to constantly adjust her position to counterbalance the variations in pace.

It can be quite a challenge to maintain a consistent pace, but it can be done. Add a half-halt before and after turns, corners and transitions. Add seat and/or leg after the half-halts to keep energy up and hind legs striding well underneath the body. The key is to recognize what ground-covering, round, powerful movement feels like and then time your aids to maintain it.

3. Smooth Transitions

Well-prepared transitions make all the difference. Teach your horse that he doesn't need to rush or tense into a gait change. If you can anticipate what you need to do to prepare your horse just enough so that he can respond smoothly and easily, you'll be well on your way to developing that effortless ride. Maintain an uphill balance, step into and out of gaits boldly and evenly, and you'll literally feel (and look) like you're floating along in tandem with your equine partner.

This is where "dancing" with your horse begins.

4. Ease of Movement

There is no greater feeling than the horse moving freely under saddle.

The idea is to let your horse move at his best tempo with a fairly large, active stride while you avoid interfering. Your job is to allow the freedom through your body while maintaining your balance. You also need to be the effective rider that knows just when to support the horse (mainly through half-halts) and when to encourage the horse with your aids.

5. Accuracy

I've added this as the final aspect because when everything else is in place, accuracy becomes easy and effortless. At this point, you've developed the necessary communication to have contact and connection. You've developed your balance, aids and quality of movement to be able to change things up when you want, where you want. While accuracy is necessary at a competition, it's something that is the icing on the cake even at home.

***

Just like the iceberg, a ride becomes effortless only after all of the fundamental parts fit together into a harmonious whole. It's everything being done well all at once that creates the foundation. Just one missing factor will be enough to make the ride appear to be less cohesive - for both the horse and the rider.

During your next few rides, after you've done your warm-up, see if you can work on a series of movements with the intention of developing this iceberg result. Use one of the transition exercises I've written about before and work on balance, pace, transitions, ease of movement and accuracy while you stay on pattern. Even if you can't be absolutely consistent, work toward it every ride. While it's not an easy task, eventually, both you and your horse will learn to put it all together.

Go With The Horse

It sounds simple, doesn't it?

Just go with the horse.

Isn't that what you're supposed to do? I mean, if you're on the horse's back, and the horse is moving, you're undoubtedly going along with him (unless you're off his back and on the ground - fairly undesired).

So what's the fuss about "go"ing with the horse?

The novice rider, of course, can attest to how difficult it can be to learn to move with the horse. The rider's entire body has to learn the up-and-down and forward-back sways to the various gaits. It's not like picking up a tennis racket and learning to hit a ball (as hard as that may be initially); it's your whole body.

After a while, though, it gets easier and you learn to "stick" in the saddle better and you sway merrily along in tandem with your horse. But still, there's more to the going than just that.

The fact is, we will hone our "go with the horse" skills for years and years to come.

When Should You Go With The Horse?

While we often speak of half-halts and transitions to maintain balance and prevent the horse from running heavily to the forehand, there are many moments during a ride when we should make significant attempts to get out of the horse's way, so to speak, and let him do his thing while we do our best to avoid interfering and being a hindrance.

These are the moments when we just flow along in the horse's movement. We neither augment the movement nor stifle it.

Impulsion

Pushing power - that's when you've asked the horse to move along in response to your leg and/or seat aids. You've asked for increased energy, and the horse obliged by bounding ahead in the movement. In these cases, you just ride that wave of energy and let the horse know that you can be a partner in his larger movement. You can always go to the half-halt a few strides later - but after the initial ask, you should "just go."

Harmonization

Think of two dance partners as they step and twirl across the dance floor. They both move as one, and this is what we must do in many riding instances to:

... encourage the horse: can be done when the horse takes initiative to offer something you weren't expecting.

... reinforce the right answer: after he makes an attempt at what you've asked, then surely, you can just ride along for a few strides to let him know he's on the right track.

... develop confidence: "just go" after the horse has overcome a mentally or physically demanding task (such as ride past a spooky corner) - get out of the horse's way and let him do his thing.

Here's How

It's a simple concept: allow your body to move with the horse. But let's break it down a bit for the sake of clarity.

1.Loosen through the lower back

Many of us need to teach our lower backs to move with the horse, especially if we start riding in our adult years. Tight ligaments and tendons contribute to the body simply not being able to move enough with the horse, so one of our initial goals must be to be able to move through the lower back and seat. Here is a great exercise to try to isolate the area that needs to "find" movement in order to help you stay in the saddle.

2. Soften the elbows

Sometimes, it's useful to just loosen through the elbows. We often maintain tight elbows (and shoulders) in attempt to maintain adequate balance and connection. If you find yourself being a little too clutch-y, focus on loosening through the elbows. Avoid letting the reins get longer, and avoid the opposite - pulling backward on the reins. Instead, find the feeling of just loosening within a consistent rein length so that the horse can find a release but doesn't become suddenly unbalanced either way.

3. "Swing" through your body

Think of this as letting your horse move your body. You kind of trampoline along with him - with adequate tone - so that you become light and buoyant within his movement. Just remember that it's not like becoming completely jello. Too much flop becomes a hindrance for the horse as well as allows you to lose balance.

4. Travel further

If you're on the right track and your horse actually reaches further and strides out (rather than just speeds up his legs), you might find that you're being left behind. Your horse will feel you and stop his movement. Instead, be prepared for the energy surge. Maybe you should make sure your shoulders stay above your hips (might require a very small lean back in preparation) and get ready to travel further with each stride.

The sooner you can learn to go, the sooner you will be able to communicate good "feels" to your horse, and the clearer your communication will be. While it may take many repetitions of just going every time you learn a new movement, it surely is worth the time spent. OK! Get out there and just go!

Now is the time to re-evaluate your goals and path to riding success!

Included in the book:

design your overarching goals
long- and short-term planning,
debrief your special events such as clinics or shows
reflect on, plan and evaluate your goals
sample goals and pages

Click here for more information.

3 Relaxing Ways To Cool Down At The End Of Your Ride

What do you do towards the end of your ride?

Do you find yourself hopping off shortly after you're done with the "lesson" part of your ride? It's tempting to do a few minutes of walking just to loosen your horse up a little and leave it at that. But do you know that there are many excellent exercises you can use to cool off but also build on your skills and communication with your horse?

If you can make these exercises a part of your routine, you might be pleasantly surprised at how easily your horse will pick up the new skills, and how the repetition will help you in your position and use of the seat and legs. The more you practice, the easier the movements will become, and practicing them at the walk will set you and your horse up for having an easier time transitioning to the trot and canter.

Doing these exercises at the walk will give you time to better use your aids. They will also give your horse time to learn to respond. It's a win-win all around, and adding them to the tail end (pun!) of your ride on a regular basis will ensure that you actually do devote enough time to make good progress.

Leg Yield To The Rail

This one is a very basic movement that you can teach young and uneducated horses.

Come off the rail just after the letter C or A and head in a straight line parallel to the rail. Now apply your inside leg and ask your horse to step forward-sideways back to the rail. Be sure to keep the horse's body straight while you step sideways, as walking back to the rail in a diagonal line isn't correct.

You can have the horse flexed slightly to the outside (so you can see the corner of the horse's outside eye) but the neck should be straight. If the horse leans one way or the other, just abort the leg yield, reestablish your good walk, then try again.

Click here for much more information about leg yields.

Walk Up Center Line And Halt, Back and Walk

First off, walking a straight line without any walls to help you might be challenging enough. Then, practice halting. You can halt at different spots on the line each time, so the horse doesn't learn to anticipate. Ideally, you will use very little rein (half-halt preferred) and the horse should stop when your seat stops. Then count to 10 while standing still. Keep your reins straight and 'on" because you will back up in a moment.

After a stationary halt, apply your legs as you continue to hold the reins. The horse should give a forward-inclination before heading backwards in diagonal pairs of legs. Lighten your seat bones just a bit (not enough for an onlooker to see the difference in your posture) to invite the horse to use his back. Halt again after a designated number of steps (4 or 6 steps should be fine).

Then walk on. Make sure your new walk is straight and active. Continue until the end of the ring and turn.

Click here for detailed aids for the back-up.

Medium Walk-Stretchy Walk-Medium Walk

This movement occurs in many of the dressage tests but aside from preparing for shows, it's one of my favorite ways to teach the horse to swing through the back and then keep that loose back while re-establishing contact.

Start with medium walk. Come off the rail at the corner and head across the diagonal to change directions. Maintain an active walk, and use your seat to ask the horse to take the reins out of your hands. Note that you don't give the reins to the horse, but visa versa. The horse should stretch his neck down, head out and keep marching on in a forward striding, ground covering walk. Feel for the "trampoline" feeling of the swing of the back.

Then a few strides before the end of the diagonal, pick up the reins again, establish contact and keep marching. See if you can keep the swing you established during the stretch, even though the horse's outline is shorter now. Horses will often slow down or back off the bit as contact is being taken up, so it takes quite a lot of practice to teach the horse to walk into the contact and stay active through the corner.

Click here for more details about how to WALK the walk.

I hope these three exercises will give you some structured ideas to add to your ride. If you do each of these exercises a few times each way, you can add 10 minutes or more to your ride, at the walk, allowing the horse to cool down physically and cool off mentally. They will also add a repertoire of skills and increase communication between you and your horse.

Have fun!

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From Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

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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....

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Horses. Riding. Life.

Author: Horse Listening

Riding Should Be Fun.. Right?

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Now is the time to re-evaluate your goals and path to riding success!

7 Errors To Avoid After You Ask For More Energy – And Solutions

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

Product Review: “The FIT” Half-Chap by Pro Chaps

***If you enjoyed these tips, you can find many more in* the Horse Listening Book Collection, *now available for purchase! Click on the image for more information.***

Horse Listening On A Spring Day

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

Spring Into A Horse Riding Exercise

The “Iceberg Result” In Horse Riding: 5 Factors

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Go With The Horse

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Now is the time to re-evaluate your goals and path to riding success!

3 Relaxing Ways To Cool Down At The End Of Your Ride

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Now is the time to re-evaluate your goals and path to riding success!

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

If you enjoyed these tips, you can find many more in the Horse Listening Book Collection, now available for purchase! Click on the image for more information.

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

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Now is the time to re-evaluate your goals and path to riding success!

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening Book Collection - beautiful paperbacks with all the excellence of the blog - in your hands! Click on the image for more information.

***If you enjoyed these tips, you can find many more in* the Horse Listening Book Collection, *now available for purchase! Click on the image for more information.***