Are you struggling to ride accurate circles? If you think about it the chances are your other shapes are probably ‘not quite right’ either. Think about riding a circle from A. When do you actually start having trouble? Most riders would say as they approach X or as they try to return to the track but that’s the end result of something that happened as you started the circle.

Shapes should start from the first marker but a lot of riders don’t really start riding correctly until they leave the track (when things start to go wrong).  Until that point they’ve only been riding the inside of their horse; focusing on where he’s looking and just how much bend they have; allowing the fence or boards to control the outside.

Lack of preparation and control shows up most often as you leave the track when your horse falls out and the circle has a bulge or falls in and flattens the curve. If  you do arrive successfully at X you’ll probably relax as you head back to the track mistakenly thinking the worst is over. At that point you’ll lose control of your horse’s shoulders and find yourself either reaching the track two strides too soon or missing it completely.

Does any of this sound familiar?!

Think back to when you first learnt to ride – all you had to do was ride from one point to another. The chances are you managed it too! As you improve it’s easy to get so focused on the `clever stuff` that you forget all about the basics – straightening up and steering!

There are some other posts on riding both sides of your horse below – all of which will encourage you to think more about straightening your horse up rather than worrying about inside bend which actually causes more trouble than anything else. (Other than canter transitions …)

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2012/12/15/get-in-line/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2012/09/08/on-the-right-track/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2012/02/18/dont-fall-out-get-even/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2012/07/07/body-talk/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2012/06/09/easy-when-you-know-how/

Whatever your horse’s age the problem of accuracy lies with one source – you! He can only do what you tell him. That can be easier written than ridden of course. What you need is an exercise to help you to feel and appreciate exactly what is going wrong and where.

This exercise can be used on any shape – serpentine, circles of any size and figures of eight – the idea is to straighten out the curves so you start to think about the points you should be riding towards. For this explanation imagine a 20m circle at A, start in walk and ,move on into trot and canter when it suits you. Make sure you use both reins equally – you may think one side is easier but this exercise may well surprise you. Often the stiffer side is easier to control.

A circle at A has four tangent points – A, X and two points on the track 10m from the ends of the school or E/B. Remember that the corner markers are only 6m from the track not 10m as commonly thought.

With those points in mind ride a straight line between each of them. To do that you need to keep your horse’s head and neck straight in front of you. Make sure the pressure is even in both reins – throw all thoughts of looking to the inside out of your mind! Use both legs in their usual place to drive your horse’s quarters up behind his shoulders – remember he should be straight so all you have to do is keep both hips in line with both shoulders.

The less you do the easier it is for your horse to understand. Remember he hasn’t got a clue what you’re about to ask him to do. Use your body to tell him where you want him to turn. Your contact and legs just keep him moving forward in a straight line. It’s  your body that shows him where to move forward to.

Make sure you turn your shoulders as well as your hips so your horse does the same – riders often turn their shoulders and forget to turn their hips. When your horse does this his quarters swing out wide of the line his shoulders have taken which is why you spend your life bringing your outside leg back to correct him. Get him lined up before the turn and you can sit still which is better for both of you.

Looking up and straight through your horse’s ears will show you where your horse is looking. If he’s not looking at the next tangent point then that’s not where you’re going to end up. And bear in mind that his body doesn’t always follow where he is looking so keep the pressure even on your reins and from your legs.

Once you’ve got the straight lines sorted start to introduce curved quarters to the circle. Do one at a time – try riding a curve from the track to X and then straighten up from X back to the track. Be firm with yourself so you focus hard on your position and contact. If your horse doesn’t straighten up you’re not riding both sides of him.

When you introduce two quarters do them at opposite sides of the circle. One quarter straight and the next curved. It isn’t easy but it will show you just how much you need to concentrate and prepare. There’s no such thing as ‘just a circle’ but it’s your mind that has to work not always your aids.

This is a method you can use on serpentines – ride the half circles as straight lines from the ¾ line to the track and back to the ¾ line. When you introduce the circles again do it half at a time. Start with the second half so you ride onto the straight line to cross the school – this is a great way of telling if you got it right – if you’re focused on the inside you’ll find you’re not on the correct line.

Remember your horse can only do what you ask him to do. The next time you get frustrated that he’s falling in or out on a circle make sure you ask yourself  why.

Good luck and enjoy your schooling.

Do you ever really think about asking your horse to trot? It’s such a non-event that you could be forgiven for thinking there wasn’t much to it. But ignore it at your peril! Any tension created in the transition not only ruins your trot it also goes on to affect your canter.

A transition should be an invisible flow from one sequence of legs to another but very rarely does it happen. Any tension is highlighted by your horse as he tightens his jaw, hollows or even swishes his tail. This is most often seen in trot to canter transitions but the same thing is happening from walk to trot – it’s just less obvious.

Think about what happens when you ask your horse to trot. Theoretically you should be in walk one second and trot the next with very little change in your position or his. In practise however you probably unintentionally tighten almost every muscle in your body as you ask him to trot and he returns the favour by doing the same! This results in various things –

1. he hangs back in walk and then lurches into trot,
2. he tightens his back and the trot strides are short and stuffy
3. he hollows and lifts his head up
4. he shoots forward or
5. he’s reluctant (you may call him lazy or unresponsive)

Because your end pace is trot this problem may only show itself for a few strides (canter is always far more traumatic!). You may well carry on without giving it a second thought but you could well be missing out. Any tension in a transition always affects the pace you move into – the smoother it is the softer your horse’s back is and the looser his paces will be.

Any transition is directly affected by the quality of the pace before it so it’s up to you to get your horse walking forward into a good contact before you go. When it comes to canter transitions most riders think well ahead but when it’s ‘only’ walk to trot they won’t give it a second thought. Plan ahead – get him walking on and you’ll soon notice a difference.

No horse should have to be pushed on to stay in walk! Your horse must walk on until you ask him to turn, change pace or move sideways. Check out this post for simple way to get him listening to your leg aids.

There’s a post here that lists other blog posts all about walk. Spend time improving your horse’s walk. It’s important because it’s the foundation for all your other paces. Get it right and everything else will improve.

An unprepared transition will always lack fluency because you have to make your aids sharper so they’re clearer to your horse. Think about what you usually do as you ask your horse to trot –

1. as you put your legs on you probably tighten your stomach muscles and therefore your seat which tightens your thigh and knee against the saddle – which is actually a brilliant way to ask your horse to slow down! Check out The Other Way of Stopping if you haven’t already.
2. As your body lifts up (because your seat tightens) the tension runs up into your shoulders and down into your elbow and straight to the bit.
3. Feeling the tension on his mouth your horse is probably slow to react and you’ll lighten the contact to encourage him – and drop him onto his shoulders

It may sound like a lot and it is but it all happens in the space of a stride or two. Is it any wonder your transitions are a little bit tense? Although your trot may feel OK it’s likely that following any of those transitions your horse’s strides will lack energy and spring, his back will be stiff and his weight will fall onto his shoulders.

Preparing for a walk to trot transition doesn’t mean fiddling! It simply means getting your horse walk forward so that the slightest touch from both heels is enough to tell him to trot on. The less you do the easier he’ll find it to listen to every aid you give.

In walk your horse moves his head and neck forward and back – it’s important to allow him this movement so he works through his back. Hold your contact too tight and he’ll keep his head still to avoid the pressure. If he does that every muscle in his back will tighten. It’s well worth practising walking around the school focusing on following his mouth with your arms, without losing your contact.

Practise riding transitions at E and B so you’re straight. The contact on both reins should be the same as should the pressure from both legs when you use them. Remember each hand controls one shoulder and each leg controls a hind leg – uneven pressure creates crookedness.

If your horse is walking forward correctly you should have both calf muscles resting on his sides without having to push which helps you to stay relaxed. When you pass each marker you should only need to touch his sides with both heels to ask for trot. Initially you may need to back up your aid with a schooling whip but be patient – never compromise your own position if things go wrong. Repetition and consistency always improve everything. Be prepared to ruin a couple of transitions in order to make the next ones better.

It’s very easy to focus on the things that are most obvious – a canter transition is one of the most talked about problems – but it’s often the things you can’t see that make the biggest difference. Spend a few sessions improving your walk to trot transitions and you’ll find that they have a direct affect on your canter.

Good luck and enjoy your schooling.

Do you think you need to half-halt every time you ask your horse to turn, change pace or even breathe? Think again! A half-halt is little more than a tap on your horse’s shoulder- a wake-up call to rebalance and listen. It’s too easy to do too much when actually sitting still would be far more helpful.

The last post explained how to half-halt. This one tells you when. (Or when not to)

Used carefully – and sparingly – the half-halt is a really effective way to rebalance your horse. But use it too often and he just won’t hear you. It’s far more likely you’ll unbalance him even more.

Imagine walking down the yard pushing a wheelbarrow – if you start to go downhill the wheelbarrow starts to pull away from you – you either walk faster and faster until you fall over your own feet – or you tighten up your body and the barrow slows down so you can continue at your own pace. That’s all you need to do when you ride – and actually for the same reason. Most riders make the mistake of using the half-halt before their horse has actually started ‘pulling away’ and so the horse tightens against the contact and hollows losing energy rather than rebalancing.

Your body has the greatest affect on your horse’s balance. Sit up with equal weight on both seat bones. Turn your hips and shoulders in the direction you want him to turn – keeping the distance between your lowest rib and the top of each hip the same on each side. Your contact should be even in both reins. Keep it short and you’ll push his body up behind it so his back rounds making it easier for him to stay balanced.

With all those things in place your horse should stay balanced without too many unnecessary aids. Put it to the test by riding this straight forward exercise:

1. At A turn down the centre line from the right rein.
2. Turn right at C
3.  Circle 20m at B.
4. Go large and turn up the centre line at A
5. Change the rein
6. Circle 20m at E.
7. Repeat and repeat and repeat!

Your rhythm affects your horse’s balance. Ride through the exercise and count strides so you hear it. Count one-two-three-four – if it becomes onetwo—three-four you know you need to do something. If all is well sit still and enjoy doing nothing. (Something many riders find hard to do …)

Classic moments in this exercise where your horse may start to get long, lose rhythm or lean are the turns onto or off the centre line and halfway round the circles. These are points that may warrant a quick half-halt to shorten him up and rebalance him  BUT before you do make sure it’s not because you’re dropping your hands and allowing your reins to slip longer (common on circles) or lifting your inside hand up (on turns). Think back to the wheelbarrow – drop your hand or lift one up and it will tip up or stop moving completely – so will your horse.

If all is going and feeling well then sit still. When you start to relax so will your horse. This allows you to feel when things start to go wrong far quicker. That is the time to use a half-halt. When he’s relaxed – and you’re not bombarding him with aids – all you’ll need to do is tighten your body for a stride. (Think back to the wheelbarrow)  By using both legs at this point you’ll encourage him to step further under his body with his hind legs and he’ll be lighter on your reins because he has less weight on his shoulders.

Half-halts are often thought of as a rein aid but use your body and your legs and you’ll keep your horse soft in his back. Close your fingers around both reins – not one – and you’ll keep the pressure in his mouth even without tension. This means his body will push up behind his shoulders and stay straight. Use one rein and he’ll swing his quarters to one side and be crooked. Crooked horses lose rhythm and balance.

This is a great exercise for horses of any level. It’s ideal for young horses and novice riders. If you need something a bit more taxing try adding a 10m circle at both ends of the centre line – or even at X. For advanced horses – ride shoulder-in to E/B, circle and then shoulder-in from E/B to the corner. (It’s surprisingly difficult to ride a 20m circle on an advanced horse! Don’t take the easy option of riding a 6m.) Whatever you do make sure you focus on riding forward – not checking back – and you’ll find your horse stays far more relaxed.

Half-halts can be useful but there are a lot of other things to consider as well. As with all schooling your horse’s job is to do what you ask but it’s your job to make it easy to understand. Doing less is the hardest aid of all.

Good luck and enjoy your schooling.

Most riders have heard about a half halt but do you really know what it is – or why you do it? A half halt is just like a tap on the shoulder to tell your horse to listen up. It sounds easy when you put it like that – but is it?

Done well a half-halt will rebalance your horse by putting his weight back onto his hocks. It can set him up for a movement or transition. Done incorrectly it’s guaranteed to confuse him and make him more tense and unbalanced than he was before!

The simple answer is “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!” If you’re just learning to half-halt it’s likely you feel you should be using them before every turn or transition. There’s no need. Your horse has more than enough to think about and listen to. If you’re worrying about the aids for the next movement or where you want to go the last thing you need to do is start putting in a half halt!

At its finest a half halt is just a squeeze or tightening of the seat – it’s not even visible. However, subtlety is only possible if your horse understands your aids. For the novice horse or rider it’s asking too much. To make a half-halt understandable you’ll have to be too firm with your aids and that’s far more likely to make your horse hollow, crooked or tense. A transition down a pace is often more effective.

In many dressage tests you have trot-walk-trot transitions designed to teach your horse to listen to your aids and stay relaxed. These are one step closer to a half-halt. Practise them at home whether you’re competing or not. They’re a great way to settle and rebalance a horse. If your horse likes to tank off or ignore your aids they’re a great way to break his concentration and get him focused on you too.  

A half halt really is just a gentle reminder to tell your horse to listen. What it isn’t is a pull back on your outside rein to say “Oi!” Use your whole body – not your reins – and you’ll get his attention without creating tension.

Ride trot-walk-trot transitions on the long sides so you concentrate on staying straight. A crooked transition will lack energy. If your horse’s body isn’t pushing up behind his shoulders his back can’t round. Make sure your shoulders and hips are square to the end of the school and you’re looking directly ahead – not down to the inside. Sit up, tighten your seat and squeeze your knee and thigh into the saddle. He will slow down.

To bring your horse down into walk close your fingers around both reins but don’t pull back. The more pressure you put on his mouth the tighter his back will be. Your body has down all the hard work – your fingers are just the finishing touch. Using both reins keeps the pressure in his mouth even which stops him tipping his nose to one side – and swinging his quarters to the other!

Too many riders pull their horse back into walk which is why they hollow. As your horse walks push on so he steps forward into the contact and relax your body so he does the same. Allow him to take two or three steps in walk before relaxing your fingers and using a nudge with the side of both heels to ask him to trot.

So the perfect trot-walk-trot involves the following three stages –

1. Tighten your seat, thighs and fingers to ask your horse to walk
2. relax your body and push him forward in walk  
3. use the side of your heels to trot on again

Your long term aim is to lose Step 2 – slow down for half a stride and send your horse forward again before the lower pace is reached. By using your body more than your reins you’ll keep him relaxed in his back. By slowing down you put his weight back over his quarters and rebalance him before he moves into a new pace or movement.  

Treat half-halts as you would any lateral movement – take your time and practise. Make sure your horse understands your aids and you’re not just pulling the outside rein and hoping for the best! Next time you think about using one ask yourself:  “Will it really help?”

Good luck and enjoy your schooling.

A big thank you to everyone who voted me through to the final ten of the ESMAs. If you voted for me in these final stages too thanks again! The voting has now closed but I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to vote for little old me.

An artist friend of mine, Ruth Buchanan, is not only an amazingly talented artist who specialises in hounds and horses she’s also interested in your opinions! She’s struggling to decide whether to leave a painting in its sketch form or finish it. Cast your vote (free)  and help her decide (and please Like her page too) and you could be the lucky winner of the final print she produces. Find her Facebook page here – Ruth Buchanan

Is your horse more interested in what’s going on in the field next door? It’s a common fault of horses of all ages. They have something in common too – their riders!

There are many things you can do to get your horse’s attention but before you start make sure he has yours. It’s too easy to blame him when he’s slow to respond or looking across the school at a car driving into the yard but never forget that without your say-so he can’t do anything.

If your horse is easily distracted you need to keep him interested. But be warned! How you do it can have a negative effect on him too. Whilst it’s important to fill his head with your ideas so he can’t think up any of his own it’s also important not to give him too many things that will just create tension. Imagine if you were reading a book you found boring – it wouldn’t get more interesting because the pages were turned faster would it?! And starting too many different books means you never really settle into one of them.

Look on your horse’s lack of attention as a challenge – not a disaster. Keep your schooling sessions short so you can stay focused and calm. That means leaving your phone in the tack room! And chatting to friends after you’ve ridden …

The most important thing to work on is your aids. If your horse can turn his head to look at another horse trotting round the field next door then your contact isn’t there to stop him. Take up your reins and clamp your thumb down on top of them so they can’t slip any longer. Keep the pressure the same on both and if he tries to turn his head you’ll feel the pressure increase on one rein – and be able to correct it.

Just because your horse likes to turn his head or spook it doesn’t mean you should focus on his head – or your reins. Your legs are really important. They push his quarters up to his shoulders and shorten his body. A shorter body is easier to control.

Transitions and changes of rein are an ideal way to keep your horse thinking. Just be careful that you don’t do too many too quickly. All horses are different – some respond better to quick, sharp changes. Others need those changes to be slightly slower and calmer. Try one of these ideas -

Put yourself on a 20m circle at E/B. Work in any pace. From that circle you can –

1. go large – return to the circle on the next long side
2. ride circles of different sizes – 18,15,12,10, 6m
3. change pace using direct or indirect transitions
4. change the rein by riding two ½ 10m circles EXB
5. ride 10m circles from the four tangent points
6. change the rein onto 10m circles to A and C
7. change shape – squares and diamonds from tangent points
8. spiral in and out

Any one of those ideas is enough to keep a horse focused – for one half hour session. What you don’t need to do is join two or three of them together! Throwing too many changes at him will just confuse and frustrate him. He’ll soon stop trying and start to look for ways out.

Think of all the instructors or school teachers you’ve had and how they taught or inspired you. Which ones made you listen? The ones that gave you loads to do and think about or the ones that gave you time to really understand?

Good luck and enjoy your schooling.

Can I just say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for me in The Equestrian Social Media Awards! Your votes have taken me through to the final 10 in Best Twitter Account category. As a self confessed tweetoholic it’s fantastic! There are some serious names in that category and to be even associated with them has made my year – thanks very much.

Have you read The Other Way of Stopping? Regular readers of this blog will have undoubtedly heard about it (if not tried out) but if you haven’t take a look at it and teach yourself and your horse one of the best kept secrets in horse riding. Put simply it shows you how to use your knee and thigh to slow down or collect your horse and anything that means you do less with your hands is to be encouraged.

If you’re thinking “been there, done that” stop right there! Have you tried the other ‘other way of stopping’? You may unwittingly be using it already – especially if you’re nervous. There’s a knack to it though. Use it quickly and you have a really effective aid. Take too long about it and your horse will stiffen up/hollow against you or start to wonder what it is you’re worried about!

If you haven’t guessed already this other ‘wonder aid’ is your seat. You use it far more than you realise. Your horse can pick up the slightest change in your weight, rhythm or tension through your seat muscles. These small changes can have a huge effect. Aids like this aren’t only for the more experienced rider; they work on any horse and for any rider. You just need to know how to use them. Understanding what you may be doing wrong often helps.

As a novice rider rising trot is always difficult until you’ve established the rhythm. Who hasn’t experienced the infamous ‘double-bounce’? This extra bump as you sit comes from you tightening your seat muscles because you’re trying too hard to rise before you’ve had a chance to sit. The extra tension and bump on your horse’s back can be enough to make him tighten up his back and lose energy. This explains why novice riders often find it difficult to keep their horse trotting while they’re learning. If you’re learning rising trot have a look at this post which gives you some handy tips to help you get it right.

Canter is another pace that causes trouble. Does your horse hollow in the transition? Strike off incorrectly on one rein – or both? Is his canter hollow and tense or does he run out of steam after a few strides? Any one of these problems can be caused by tension in your seat.

In the case of a novice rider it’s understandable that the transition between trot and canter is tough. It’s nerve-racking to say the least but tension in sitting trot is a vicious circle and one only you can break. The best thing you can do is relax your seat. If your horse is relaxed in his back he’s easier to sit on. This means you’ll find sitting trot easier so your aids will be clearer and the resulting canter will be smoother and less unbalancing.

The more experienced you are the finer your aids become. The smallest change starts to mean something to your horse. As you ask for canter focus on softening your seat muscles which in turn will relax your lower back. Even the slightest bit of tension can be enough to unbalance him and lead to an incorrect strike off or rushed transition.

So how can you use your seat in your favour? Think of it as a tap on your horse’s shoulder to say “Hey, something’s coming”. If your seat is relaxed and spread evenly across the saddle your horse has no reason to react. Tighten it up for a stride and he’ll feel it and tighten up under the saddle. Your aid needs to be quick – just long enough to make him sit up and listen but not so long that he holds the tension.

A quick check from your seat can make a huge difference to turns, circles and transitions. Anything that makes your horse hesitate and listen will help you rebalance him. If he likes to lean on your hand and cart you round the school it can stop him in his tracks for a stride – giving you enough time to get him back in control. With a more experienced horse a check before a change of leg or transition into lateral work can be invaluable when you just need to rebalance or generate a bit more impulsion.

Have a play with it in all three paces. Opt for your horse’s easiest pace first. Go large initially so you have less to think about. Focus on keeping your seat really floppy in the saddle. (Forget about New Year’s diets and muscle tone – your bum is now allowed to look big – in the saddle at least!) Get your pace established and make sure he’s going freely forward. Don’t hesitate to tap him up with your whip to keep him moving forward so you can feel his reaction when you tighten your seat muscles.

Your aim is to tighten your seat until you feel your horse hesitate or slow down. Initially it can take a few strides but the more you practise the quicker he’ll react until one stride is all it takes. As with The Other Way of Stopping you may need to use a slight squeeze on both reins to help him understand but it won’t take long before you can rely on seat only. Remember as soon as you feel him hesitate relax your seat again and push on with both legs so he flows forward again.

The more you practise the more useful this aid becomes – you can even collect your horse using your seat alone. Try shortening strides for 1/4 of a circle and then relaxing to allow him to move on again. Or try tightening your seat before using your knee and thigh to ride a downwards transition – relaxing everything as you feel the first stride of the new pace. It’s important to remember things don’t have to be perfect. All you want is a reaction. You’re tapping him on the shoulder to say “Listen” not yelling at him to say “STOP!”

It’s hard work doing so little and it won’t happen overnight. Play with it out hacking, have a go while you’re cantering up a field or trotting down a road. The more you practise the easier it becomes and the more your horse will listen for it. How often do you watch a professional rider and wonder how they achieve so much yet do so little? You never really believed they did nothing, did you?!

Good luck and enjoy your schooling.

Are you unsure about your aids? School movements or even how to ride a dressage test? Check out The Get Started Series of schooling guides in The Shop. At 99p they’re affordable and instantly downloadable.

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As some readers may already know I write a blog at www.thebighorse.com ( @ thebighorse2012 on Twitter) It’s a great place to advertise anything horsey for free! The blog is called “If You Only Do One Thing this Month”. I’m now really pleased to announce I’m writing the blog at www.equestriandiscount.com ( @ EdsStuff on Twitter) which is tackling one rider question a month. Check out the site for huge discounts on all tack and equipment too. 

How often have you been told that you’ll never stop learning? It’s true – who didn’t watch the Olympics and spot errors even in the top three dressage riders? It would seem all riders have something to learn or improve on. But it’s worth remembering that it’s not always an uphill battle – sometimes you need to go back and look at the basics. Not because you’re stupid but because without them nothing can improve.

No matter what level you’re at there are three things that need to be in place before you can perfect even the simplest of movements –  

1. Your position
2. Your contact
3. Your aids

If you’re unstable in the saddle your horse will struggle to stay balanced. Everything you do with your body affects his. Lean forward or to one side and he’ll do the same. Tighten your back and he’ll do the same. Get yourself in the most secure, relaxed position and he’ll be able to distribute his weight equally between his quarters and his shoulders. It doesn’t matter if you’re asking him for walk to trot or a canter half pass – if he’s balanced he’ll be able to do it quickly and to the best of his ability.

Rein contact is one of the most common causes of trouble. In novice riders it can be too tight because they use their hands to balance themselves. Nervous riders are often frightened to let go. Yet as riders improve and begin to learn about getting a horse into an outline the contact often becomes inconsistent (pulling one rein and then the other) or too loose as they try to encourage their horse to relax or stretch.

Strange as it may seem the novice or nervous rider is often easier for a horse to cope with – at least he knows where his rider is! He may slow down or drop behind the bit to avoid the pressure but at least the contact is consistent.

Your rein contact is there to contain your horse’s energy and give him confidence. If it’s there all the time he can relax. Create a soft contact by moving your fingers on the reins as if you are texting. Keep it consistent and stop it slipping through your fingers by clamping your thumb down on top of it. When you need to be a bit firmer tighten your fingers around each rein so he feels a solid, resistant contact. Relax as soon as he does what you ask.

It doesn’t matter if your horse is a riding school pony or a Grand Prix horse. His job is to do what you ask as quickly as possible. Your job is to make it easy for him to understand. If you’re always shuffling your reins up and down, moving your seat in the saddle or changing your leg position how can he be expected to hear you?!

Leg aids need to be short and clear. One correctly given aid is far more effective than 20 heavy but varied kicks. Use short positive leg aids and don’t be worried about using a quick,sharp tap with a whip – it’s far kinder than a flurry of heels and it will make even the most lethargic of horses sit up and listen. (It’s also worth remembering that a riding school horse will respond far better if you get on with enthusiasm than it will if you get on sighing , huffing and puffing that ‘you hate riding Bill’!)

Highly schooled horses aren’t as easy as they look either! If you’ve ever had the dubious pleasure of riding a Grand Prix horse you’ll know how unnerving it can be to be taken across the school in a stunning half pass when all you asked for was walk to trot! Again your aids need to be well thought out and calmly given. The slightest movement in the saddle can be an aid in itself.

It’s easy to panic when things go wrong and start to over correct whatever your level. Try doing nothing. Sit absolutely still. Keep your contact steady and your legs on your horse’s sides but quiet. See what happens. You could well be surprised to find that not much changes. That he will carry on quite happily without all those extra tweaks and pushes. All riders want to try hard to help their horse. Yet often all they need to do is stop trying. The basics are there for a reason. They’ve been used for years. Once in a while go back and polish yours.

Good luck and enjoy your schooling.

Let 2013 be your best year yet – if you have a problem get in touch via The Forum, Facebook or email me at lorraine@schoolyourhorse.com OR check out one of my schooling guides in The Shop. At 99p they’re affordable and they’ll give you some great, easy to follow exercises you can do with any horse – on the bit or off it! 

Have you ever wondered who actually decided New Year was all about making yourself miserable?! Why should you give something up only to give in two days later and end up feeling more miserable than you were before you started? Why not turn things around this year and start 2013 with a positive resolution?

When it comes to horses there is no easier way to create tension than trying too hard or starting a battle. Saying no is by far the easiest way to do both! Why not set yourself a new goal this year? Try something you’ve always wanted to have a go at, something you perhaps thought was beyond your capabilities – or your horse’s.

What’s stopping you having a go at anything? The thought you might get it wrong? Many riders set themselves goals that are unrealistic – perfection is a nice idea and something to aim for but it isn’t essential! If you get something wrong will it really matter? Get something wrong and you’ll rarely do the same thing again. Eventually you’ll only be left with the right way – right?!

If you’re learning to ride why not challenge yourself to riding a dressage test by the end of this year? Introductory A doesn’t ask you to canter and is within any rider’s capabilities. You’ve got a whole year ahead of you to learn it too!

Have you always steered clear of jumping? Why not give it a go? Start off trotting and cantering over poles to get your confidence and balance and then build up to a small jump by the end of the summer. Nothing has to be done overnight and even if jumping really isn’t ‘your thing’ having a go at a something small won’t have you reaching for an air bag and it might just make you relax a bit more on the flat!

Riders with more experience are often the worst perfectionists. Once you can achieve a fair degree of success at putting a horse on the bit it’s easy to trot along in a bubble of ‘niceness’ and not dare to spoil things. What’s stopping you having a go at half pass? Counter canter? Or shoulder-in? Start now by getting your horse listening to your leg aids. Read up and watch videos on line about your chosen movement so by the time you get to ride it you really understand what you’re asking him to do.

If you have a young horse plan ahead. Look at the whole year not the next week. Work on one pace per month – sharpen up transitions between them all on another. Stop pressuring yourself and thinking you should have done all these things yesterday! If by the end of the year you have a horse that’s moving forward into a good contact and one that’s straight you’ll have achieved what many riders never do!

Whatever you choose to do if things get tense stop and ask yourself why what you’re asking your horse to do has to be done by tomorrow. This is your hobby but it can often become too much like hard work. Take your time, plan ahead and make 2013 the year you really started to enjoy your horse.

Happy New Year.

Who comes first at Christmas – your family or your horse? Would you even dare to say the answer out loud? As the holidays stretch out in front of you it may feel as if you have all the time in the world but with family and festive commitments time available for riding can be harder to find than you thought.

There’s nothing quite like being short of time to send your stress levels through the roof! What starts out as a good idea can rapidly end up being the worst decision you’ve ever made – and one that spoils the rest of your day. Despite thinking you have a whole morning to spend riding be realistic. Pick one of the following exercises to get you into the school – and out of it – with a smile on your face.

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2011/01/24/when-you-know-you-should/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2011/05/28/it-works-both-ways/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2011/04/09/theres-more-to-schooling-than-circles/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2011/10/01/let-your-horse-work-for-you/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2011/09/17/dont-rush-into-trot-go-forward/

http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2011/02/12/a-pain-in-the-neck/

With 130 posts on the blog roll now there’s something to do with any type of horse – for any rider – and whatever your mood. Just try to remember one thing – it’s your hobby so whatever you do make sure you enjoy it.

Happy Christmas!

To everyone who has already cast a vote for me at The Equestrian Social Media Awards thank you VERY much! To anyone that hasn’t already voted if you enjoy my blog perhaps you could click on the logo above and give me your support – thanks so much. As always feel free to get in touch if you have a question on riding or schooling your horse. My advice is free so why not try me?

Is getting your horse on the bit a compromise between energy and shape? You’re not alone! But if a horse isn’t going forward he was never on the bit in the first place.

On the bit has less to do with the bit and more to do with your horse’s body – and his straightness. Your rein contact acts as a dam that your legs drive his hocks, body and hips towards. As they push up behind his shoulders his back has to round. If his quarters and shoulders aren’t in line his body will swing to one side as you push on. It won’t matter how hard you push him his back will never round. 

Imagine you’re about to start a sprint from starting blocks. If your body is straight (so your shoulders and hips are in line with each other) when the gun goes off the power from your legs sends your body up out of the blocks and forward. But if your shoulders and hips are out of line your body goes off to one side and the power is lost. Which is exactly what happens to your horse if he’s not straight.

Too much inside bend is a common problem and a big cause of lack of impulsion (energy). It unbalances your horse and puts his quarters and shoulders out of line. On a straight line or a circle his hind legs should follow the tracks of his front legs (as your shoulders and hips follow each other when you do a forward roll).Bendhis head and neck too far to the inside and his quarters will drift to the outside. He’ll lose energy and his body (and paces) will flatten.

Riding round the school trying to work out if your horse is straight or not is confusing, frustrating and demoralising! Try working him on the inside track so you can feel exactly what his body is doing. Ride 19m circles so you’re just in off the track and three loop serpentines that only go to the ¾ lines. The second you take away the fence he’ll try to drift back to the track and you’ll have to ride both sides of him to keep him on the line you want him to take.

The addition of a transition can have a huge effect on your horse’s straightness. It’s easy to unintentionally lighten up your contact on one rein or use less leg on one side than the other which is why he loses his shape after a canter or from walk to trot.

Try riding transitions on the ¾ or centre lines. Riding them off the track keeps you focused on the line you should be riding without relying on the fence to guide your horse. Square up your body to the end of the school – if your shoulders and hips are square to the end he’ll copy you. Concentrate on using both legs equally and keeping even pressure on both reins (it’s harder than it sounds) so you’re pushing both hind legs into an even contact.

When you ride a transition make sure you look straight ahead. When many riders concentrate they end up looking down at their horse’s head or down to the inside. Ask for canter on the centre line doing that and who knows where you’ll end up!

Next time you take up your reins concentrate on keeping the contact even in both reins. Use both legs to push your horse’s quarters up behind the contact and you’ll keep his body in line. Get him straight and he’ll sit back on his hocks and stay balanced. He’ll be more relaxed, more responsive and more forward. That’s on the bit!

Good luck and enjoy your schooling.

If you haven’t already heard The Equestrian Social Media Awards are in full swing again. If you enjoy this blog please show your support by giving me your vote. Thank you!  http://www.equestriansocialmediaawards.com/competition-categories

If you have any questions you’d like to ask get in touch via The Forum, www.facebook.com/schoolyourhorse Twitter – @ pollson or by emailing me at lorraine@schoolyourhorse.com My advice is free so why not try me?

Fans of the SYH 121 video training are more than welcome to submit their videos over the Christmas period but could I ask you to be a bit patient and allow 4-5 days for my answer? Thanks in advance!