Horse Listening

Top 6 Ways To Ramp It Up For Show Season

Preparing for the show season may not be as easy as it looks. There are many aspects that go into getting to the show ring, and even more that need to be done before you even set your first trailer tires onto the road.

Show Day — Have a great time at the show!

6. Set your end-of-the-season goals. What can you realistically expect to achieve by the championships? Break each goal down into a series of mini-steps that work you back to where you and your horse are now. Start at the beginning but set a timeline that enables you to achieve those long-term goals about a month before your championships. If you'd like a goal-setting workbook designed especially for the equestrian, click here.

5. Build momentum. Setting a routine is an essential component to showing. You need to develop momentum in everything from knowing what equipment you need to take with you for the show, to establishing habits for packing all the extras that you will need once you are off-property.

4. Take your horse on a field trip. Just like people, horses need time to develop their routines. Although your horse may have loaded perfectly by the end of last show season, taking him on a trip to another friendly and low-key facility will enable him to get into his groove. He can get the feel for unloading in a strange place and performing immediately after arrival. Have a blast during the field trip and you will help develop a positive attitude that will transfer to the show ring once the pressure is on. Take more than one trip if necessary. Your horse will tell you when he has found his routine.

3. Practice your show requirements. If you are showing in dressage, know those tests inside out and backward! If you are going for a hunter/jumper round, practice the common courses you will likely see in the show ring. Practice the patterns for western performance, and break down the barrel runs into mini-components that require the horse to go through the motions of show day. If you compete in competitive trail, take your horse away to a friendly trail system and ride half the distance of your event at competition speed. Try to "win your ribbons" at home before you even leave your own sand.

2. Pack a good attitude. Know that you and your horse are going to do your best on the given day under the given circumstances. Set your reasonable goals for the day and try to achieve them. Ribbons are the icing on the cake, but I guarantee that "if you build it", the ribbons will come! However, if everything falls apart, don't despair! Just go home, regroup, and get back on the horse for another day. It happens to all of us!

1. Do it all again! It is true that it takes several shows for you and your horse to get accustomed to all the routines and variations in your day. Showing in the morning will feel very different from performing in the afternoon or at the end of the day. Different locations will offer differing amenities and both you and your horse need to experience and adapt to those changes. There is no replacement for experience, and with practice, your day will flow smoothly and effortlessly.

So get out there and start ramping it up for your show season! Is there anything you do differently from the list above? Let us know in the comments below!

From A Whisper To A Scream: How loud should your aids really be?

We ask ourselves this question repeatedly. Should we be "loud" in our aids, or should we be working as softly as we can in hopes that our horse can respond to lighter and more refined aids?

The answer is not simple. To determine the strength level of your aids, you need to know several factors that go into making your decision:

What is the educational level of the horse? If you are riding a young or fairly inexperienced horse, the horse will need a lot more "support" from you than a more mature and developed horse.

You need to, in effect, be there for him. He will likely be less balanced and responsive than you would like, and your aids will need to be strong and secure enough to clearly explain to him what you want. You do not need to be "punishing", but the amount of strength you put into the movements may be more than you think you should be using.

How sensitive is your horse? The sensitive horses generally do not do well with a "shouting" aid. They are the ones that often resist the aids. They get tense, unresponsive, or outright demonstrate their displeasure through "disobedience" such as kicking out, bucking or even head shaking.

For this type of horse, you really need to "zone in" to your own body language and be absolutely clear on your expectations. Being sensitive, your horse might be over-reactive to your aids in the first place, so you have to be sure to not be too overbearing yet absolutely clear so as not to confuse. Be careful to be firm and clear, but at the same time, look for every excuse you can to be light and respectful. The trick is that you need to be so balanced as to be "on" with your aids all the time without increasing the volume. Sensitive horses do best when there is consistency and clarity. This can be very challenging for a rider.

Analyze your horse's conformation. Believe it or not, your horse's conformation plays a large part in the use of your aids. If your horse is built "downhill", he will probably always have difficulty lifting up through the forehand, and will likely always need support from your aids to be able to maintain his balance in a way that keeps him moving correctly and staying sound through the years. If you are riding a thicker, larger horse, chances are, you might need to be "louder" in your aids to get the same results that you would from a smaller horse. If the horse is built for his job, you might be amazed at how light you can be to get phenomenal movement.

Analyze your horse's previous training. If you are riding the horse after someone else has ridden him, you may have to adjust your aids to the level that the horse is expecting, or blueprinted at, by the previous rider. You might start with the level that is sufficient to be clear enough for the horse and work toward the lighter level that you want to achieve.

How does your horse feel today? Like people, horses change moods and levels of inspiration from one day to the next. On a windy, fresh day, your horse might be enthusiastic and even a touch over-excited. On a hot, humid day, your horse may not be so inspired and would rather be having a sun bath than working in the heat. In each case, you will need to adjust the strength of your aids.

What is your level of training? This one must be said! If you are a beginner rider, your aids will be executed in a very different manner than those of a more experienced rider. You will have to develop the level of coordination needed to be able to become lighter over time. Lightness does not mean you simply let go of all your aids and hope for the best (in fact, an educated horse might be offended by that)! Light aids are very difficult to acquire and even harder to execute. It all comes down to experience and education.

So to answer the question: it all depends! You have to be the judge, and know how to read in between your horse's lines.

The difficulty here is that on different days, the same horse may require a "different" rider. You must step up to the challenge, and be willing to change your "style" to suit your horse. Many horses sigh with relief when they discover that their rider knows what she wants and is willing to put the work in to be clear and consistent.

In the meantime, you are always seeking the ultimate lightness of aids. You are always seeking the moment when you and your horse "become one", moving in harmony, balance and lightness. It will come sooner with some horses than others. The main goal is for you to enjoy what each horse offers each day, in the best way that you can.

So, how do you decide how "loud" you need to be in your aids?

Horseback Riders Do Nothing Anyway!

Well, at least, that's what "they" say.

But we know differently, don't we?

We know how much time it takes to develop the balance and timing to move as a unit with the horse.

We know about the frustration and tears we expend when we work so hard to achieve something and still it does not arrive.

We know the pain we must go through - literally and figuratively - to develop enough "saddle time" to feel even the beginnings of unity and harmony with the horse.

It's like a picture.

Every time you watch a horse and rider, you are seeing where they are in their development as a partnership at that moment in time. Their strengths as well as their weaknesses are but a snapshot of their progress, a simple moment in time after where they have been and before where they are going.

The trick is to know that the picture they currently present is malleable and ever moving onward, like a flowing river. The challenges they have right now are going to drift away with practice and new ones will take their places.

The unlimited potential for learning and self-development is the never-ending call of horseback riding.

To those of you who insist that the rider does nothing

When you see the rider that looks like she is "doing nothing", please be aware that:

her timing is so well-developed that she is riding "in" the movement of the horse, intimately intertwined within his gait so as to dance into his rhythm.
she is incredibly fit and strong through her core muscles, as well as self-aware of the balance and positioning of every cell of her body from tip of the head to the toes, so that the horse's movements do not lurch her out of the saddle.
she knows when and how to allow the expression of the horse to come through and then capably rides along with him.
she has developed a level of communication with her horse so sophisticated that it rivals the best, most successful social media platform known in existence to humankind!
she has more dedication and self-discipline than many who are watching her

In fact, us horseback riders are always in the hunt for looking like we are doing nothing at all! Because we know that an effortless, free-flowing, lighter-than-air ride truly is what we're aiming for...

...and we do not really mind if those onlookers think we are just being passengers on a magnificent animal who is willing to share his talents with us!

Buy the book!

Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Stop wandering round and round aimlessly!

Horse Listening Book 4 is a compilation of the best patterns that have been shared on the Horse Listening Blog. The book is divided into five sections: Warm-Ups, Left and Right, Straightness, Suppleness and Collection. Each section has specific exercises and theory based on its topic.

But there's more!

There is a Special Center Section dedicated to only Transitions - something that we can all work on throughout our riding careers. And finally, scattered throughout the book are chapters that clearly explain theory, technique and skills that can help improve the featured exercises of teach Section.

Use these 20-minute exercises!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

The Dynamic Dependency of Horseback Riding

First scenario: You go to the clinic and watch it work perfectly for the horse and rider.

You come home and try it and after a short time of pseudo-success, it all falls apart (again)!

Alternate scenario: Your coach teaches you something new, and the lesson goes well.

Then you ride on your own and simply cannot get the same results.

At first, you might blame the horse. Or you might think that the clinician/coach did not explain it well enough. Maybe it is the weather, the saddle, the bridle... you get my drift!

You wonder - why does it work for others when it doesn't work for you?

The dynamic dependency of riding

There is no getting around it: there is an interconnectedness in riding that you simply cannot escape. Everything has to "jive" before the final picture of ease and comfort presents itself. In fact, horseback riding can essentially represent the highest sense of "holistic" that you can ever imagine.

In riding, nothing can be done in isolation. If you change even your weight from one side to another, or from forward to back, you can instantly feel the difference it makes to the horse. If you learn a new "technique" at the clinic, and you bring that home, beware that a single change will not be effective if the rest of what you are doing stays stagnant.

What I'm trying to say is this: if you think one skill/technique/method/movement will be the answer to your riding dreams, you have to know that you will be disappointed.

Everything depends on everything else.

Your horse will quickly explain to you that there is more than one aspect to ANYTHING in riding. There is no miracle bit, no fantastic rein aid, no leg position, or anything else in isolation that will make the difference you are seeking.

The secret to riding is that everything matters. If you want that new leg position to be effective, you probably need to shift your weight, move your shoulder, flow better through the seat, half-halt more accurately, even think calmly (and so many other aspects) that it might become discouraging to think of all the parts to the whole.

But there is hope! It comes with patience, perseverance, hard work and a sense of humour. You need to know that there is no "all-or-nothing" solution to your riding woes, and you must seek all the answers over time.

You might find that the super-duper rein aid will in fact be beneficial if you combine it with a small change in your position, a better flowing seat, and a myriad of other possibilities. Of course, you need a good eye on the ground to help you along your path, and you need to expand your awareness of the many skills that are required to produce the final product.

****

Back to the rider in the clinic who demonstrated the technique so well: she probably made all the minute changes to her position/aids to make the miracle aid work effectively.

In your riding lesson, chances are that your instructor can catch all the small corrections that need to be done during your ride. Although everything falls together while she is teaching you, you will likely only remember parts and pieces that will not be as effective when used in isolation.

Once you have the experience and feel to make small adjustments, the area you are focusing on will indeed become significant to the overall picture. And your horse will thank you for it!

What are your experiences with a "miracle cure"?

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

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Do you want to keep reading? You might enjoy:

The 99% Lucky Rule: Why horse people are lucky most of the time!

How To Be An Active Horseback Rider (a.k.a. Riding With Intention): Use self-talk during those sticky situations.

When "Good Enough" Just Isn't Good Enough in Horseback Riding: At some point, you really do HAVE to get out of your own backyard.

The #1 Rider Problem of the Year: The Outside Rein: Correct use of the outside rein is essential to your riding success.

Be Productive With Your Nervous Energy at the Horse Show

Butterflies in the stomach.

Fear of the unknown.

Dealing with a multitude of eyes watching your every move.

Wondering if your responses to the horse are "right".

There are so many feelings that run through you when you head to the horse show. Most of us feel the tension and nervous energy run through us as we enter the warm-up ring or head to the show ring. We watch others as they watch us, and at the very least, we feel nervous or even worse, we might feel intimidated or insecure.

All of these feelings are completely normal but in the moment, it is important that you know how to make your show experience the best possible. The tension that builds in you during the warm-up ride can be very useful if you know what to do with it.

First, acknowledge the nervous energy.

The jitters you feel are GOOD and can help you achieve even better results than you would on a normal riding day "back at the ranch". Use the energy to focus internally - feel your joints, your seat, your legs and hands, and work with even more clarity toward helping your horse in his performance.

Jazz up your attitude!

Use the tension and energy to allow yourself to pick up mentally; rather than letting the tension disable you, use it to catapult your frame of mind into a party zone. Enjoy yourself and your horse! Mingle with your friends and competitors. Bask in the glory of the day, watch the beautiful horses and riders, and let them give you the buoyancy you need to perform at your best. Expect the best from your horse, but come from a place that allows mistakes and cuts him slack when needed. Create a buzz in you and your horse, then let the chips fall where they may.

"Zone in" to your horse.

Wrap yourself into a virtual bubble and visualize just you and your horse. Feel the horse's movements and respond sympathetically but supportively. Focus on the specific movements of your class and work on releasing both you and your horse's tension through the warm-up session. Then let the focus take you to your best performance!

Finally, remember that you are doing your best on that day, in those circumstances. The stars may not all align as exactly as you would like, but learn from every trip and strive for your own personal bests. Know that the ribbons are the icing on the cake - if you achieve your goals, you did what you came to do!

And remember to thank your horse, for you would not be at the show if it wasn't for him!

Ready for something completely different? If you liked what you read here, you might be interested in the Horse Listening Practice Sessions.

This is NOT a program where you watch other people's riding lessons. Start working with your horse from Day 1.

Click here to read more and to join one of the most complete programs on the Internet!

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

Available as an eBook or paperback.

If you enjoyed the above article, you may enjoy the following ones as well:

Do You Have the "X Factor" at the Horse Show? Some tips on how to be your best at the show.

Scoring the Hunter Round: A guest post written by a Senior Hunter Judge - all you ever wanted to know about how a hunter round is judged!

So Ya Think Ya Got Something To Prove? Then don't go to the show. Seriously.

Is Dressage Judging All That Bad? Weighing in on the controversy.

Check out our new guest post on Ecolisciousequestrian.com!

http://www.ecoliciousequestrian.com/blog/2012/02/28/are-you-training-your-horse-while-grooming-or-is-he-training-you/

We're excited to present our new guest post written exclusively for Ecoliscious Equestrian, suppliers of natural horse care and grooming products! Please pop over to their website to read all about training your horse while grooming.

"You know that in EcoLicious Equestrian we’re all about grooming. And it’s not just about products. Did you know that grooming time is a great way to establish a tone for things to come? I am very excited to share with you the below guest post by Horse Listening. I’ve been enjoying this insightful blog for a while now and highly recommend it, so make sure to stop by and check it out."

When Do You Start Riding Your Horse?

Looking — How you "talk" to the horse makes all the difference

"When do you start riding your horse?"

This question was being posed to me by a very respected and horse-wise mentor one day long ago, early in my riding development.

I thought about it for some time, and responded, "When I lead the horse to the riding ring." During the time I'm leading the horse to the ring, I usually start mentally running through my goals for the day. I quickly review my last ride and think of the small "next steps" I'm going to address.

She stopped me in my tracks.

"That's already too late," she said.

*****

These words have stayed with me to this very day. She emphasized that "riding" is not limited to just being on the horse's back. Whether you are leading a horse from or to the paddock, grooming, or just playing in the round pen, you are "riding". Riding a horse is about EVERYTHING!

The truth about horses is that they do not differentiate between riding and handling and just plain socializing. In their world, every contact you have with them is first about herd dynamics.

Whether you like it or not, or know it or not, your horse is in vigorous conversation with you from moment you start interacting with him. And the dominant question in his mind is, "Are you a leader?"

Your physical responses then point him to his answer.

*****

How to be a leader

1. Attitude matters. Be sure in your step. Know where you are going, and kindly but firmly expect the horse to come along with you.

2. Establish your "personal space." In the herd, horses regularly test each other's boundaries by pushing into personal space. While you lead your horse, feed him or groom him, be aware of the slight tests your horse puts you through.

3. Ask questions of your horse. Will you put a foot here? Will you get out of my space? Will you let me give your head a long and squishy hug?

4. Always follow through with your requests. If you happen to get a "no" for an answer (it does happen all the time!), you have to be ready to continue that particular conversation until you get the "yes". If you accept the first "no", then the next and the next, you will be sabotaging your relationship with your horse. And he will know it before you do.

******

My mentor looked at me squarely. I realized then that she had KNOWN what my answer was going to be all along. She wanted to make sure that I understood clearly about the horse-human relationship.

I hesitantly asked her, "When do you start riding your horse?"

Her answer: "When I pull into the driveway."

So, when do you start riding your horse?

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

Stop printing off the articles! Your favorite training articles are compiled in this beautifully bound paperback book. Have everything at your fingertips - this book can be taken to the barn as a quick refresher or leisurely read at home.

Signed Author Copies available - perfect personalized gifts!

From the book:

"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

Available as an eBook or paperback.

How To Be An Active Horseback Rider (a.k.a. Riding With Intention)

What do you do when your ride isn't going as planned? How do you respond when your horse scoots out from under you, spooks at the horse-killing object, or flat out ignores you?

Do you tense into rigidity as panic slides through your body? Do you get mad/get even after regaining balance from the spook? Or maybe you just give up after the hundredth try?

You need to know that horses are virtually mind-readers, likely thanks to the close proximity of the horse/rider combination. Let's face it - the horse can probably feel every fiber of your being while you are on his back. Your tension, fear, or withdrawal comes through loud and clear and transmits messages that you are probably not even aware that you're sending.

What is the real root of the problem?

Listen carefully to your self-talk during these sorts of scenarios. Before you ever go into physical action, your mind is working a mile a minute. When the horse runs off, your mind is screaming for the stop. When he spooks, you are first thinking about the source of the spook, and then you think about all the reasons the horse should not be spooking. For the horse that tunes you out - the thoughts of your frustration come through to the forefront. You react to the horse's actions, and forget all about what you wanted to do in the first place. Without realizing it, you become a reactive rider.

Does any of this sound familiar? Of course, we've all been there.

How to be an "active" rider

It's all about riding with intention.

And intention starts with the mind.

You have to learn to re-program your thoughts during those sticky situations. When the horse scoots forward, think: "Go with the horse, then half-halt, half-halt, half-halt." When the horse spooks, think: "There is nothing out there to hurt you. Just move your inside front leg more to the inside." When the horse does not respond, think: "Take that first step."

Talk to yourself especially through sticky situations.

The power of self-talk: think in words, not sentences.

Break down the thoughts that go through your mind - don't think in long, detailed sentences. Reduce your thoughts to just two or three things you want the horse to do, and stick to those. Be as specific as you can possibly be. Rather than thinking "Slow down! I can't stand it when you run off!", think, "Bend", or "Step to the inside", or "Circle".

Keep it simple and clear. Use positive action statements. Think what TO do rather than what NOT to do. Avoid waiting for the horse to take the lead; instead, be the leader by giving clear, quick instructions.

Then act on your thoughts.

Your horse will be relieved to discover that you can communicate clearly and with purpose.

*Note: There is one more phase to being a truly active rider. Once you have trained your mind to think through the ride moment to moment, you will discover that at some point, you can stop thinking. Your body can continue to "act" on its own without you having to be consciously aware of each movement. When you can let your body "take over" in a productive way, you know you are well on your way to becoming one with the 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.

Horses. Riding. Life.

Articles

Top 6 Ways To Ramp It Up For Show Season

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

From A Whisper To A Scream: How loud should your aids really be?

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

Horseback Riders Do Nothing Anyway!

Well, at least, that's what "they" say.

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book!

Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

The Dynamic Dependency of Horseback Riding

Want to advertise your business on Horse Listening? Click here for more info.

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

Be Productive With Your Nervous Energy at the Horse Show

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

Check out our new guest post on Ecolisciousequestrian.com!

When Do You Start Riding Your Horse?

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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

How To Be An Active Horseback Rider (a.k.a. Riding With Intention)

Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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