Learning to feel the horse’s footsteps is a good exercise for all types of riders. I still teach some lessons to able bodied riders and we had fun working on this one yesterday, so I want to share it here. Below is a detailed explanation with some example lesson plans linked at the end – … Continue reading
Filed under Skills …
Quiet Hands
I had a rider a while back who had trouble keeping her hands still (really, who doesn’t when you start out), so here is a bunch of info I looked up about it! It’s not really a riding skill or aid, but it’s definitely a foundational concept, so I did it in What, Why, How … Continue reading
Mounting: Left vs. Right
While we’re on the topic of mounting (see previous post) here’s a few more thoughts! Why we mount from the left It comes from riding horses in the military. Xonophon (350 BC) explains how to mount from the left while holding your spear. Later, cavalry officers wore the sword on the left so they could draw … Continue reading
Mounting: Comfort vs. Independence
I just read a good article called Ease Mounting Pressures on Your Horse by Karen Smith in the magazine Dressage Today, that makes me think about the ongoing tension between mounting and working toward independence withing therapeutic riding. The article highlights a few issues with mounting, in particular from the ground: Stirrup pressure pulls the saddle toward the … Continue reading
Fun Video Friday: Cloverleaf Pattern for Inside and Outside Rein
Last weekend I went to the Midwest Horse Fair and had the pleasure of seeing a few seminars by Stacy Westfall! In one seminar called something like “Improve Steering Control” she used the cloverleaf pattern to demonstrate how to teach a horse the inside and outside reins, and with her demo riders used the pattern to … Continue reading
How to Pick Up the Reins
This week I’m auditing a clinic with my friend who is in the Ecole de Légèreté Teacher’s Course and yesterday an interesting topic came up – how to pick up your reins. It’s something I was never specifically taught how to do, other than “softly, without bothering your horse,” and that every professional at the clinic … Continue reading
Change of Rein
I received a great question in the email about change of rein, so I decided to make a post about it. When I first saw the term in the PATH Intl Certification Riding Test, I was confused. I had never heard of it before. And unless you ride horses classically, it’s not intuitive to figure out … Continue reading
Fun Video Friday: Rein Connection at the Trot
I really like Randi Thompson’s YouTube Videos of her teaching, because she gives such a good example of explaining things and working to what the rider needs! Today’s video is about rein connection, trotting, changing directions, and spirals. Going back to the basics at the trot If you can’t see it, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hGST9HfzI8 Enjoy! **************** … Continue reading
Extending and Shortening the Walk (again!)
I really like teaching extending and shortening the walk. I like to teach it soon after the basics (how to balance, halt, walk on, and steer your horse) because I think it gives beginners a needed sense of more minute control of their horse and a feel for what is a normal speed for their … Continue reading
Two Point Lesson Plan
These notes are from the Advanced Workshop I attended at Heartland Therapeutic Riding last summer. This another one is from Sandy Webster of Gaits of Change, our workshop instructor. I think this was one we discussed in the classroom because I don’t have all the parts of the lesson. Two Point: Lesson Plan for a Group with … Continue reading