Trotting Pattern

Here is a simple pattern I used today for a rider competent at trotting, working toward steering at trotting and balancing herself and her horse. I liked it a lot! You can incorporate into this pattern: Steering – direct and indirect rein Half halts – to prepare for each element 2 point – over single … Continue reading →

Fun Video Friday: Breaking through autism

This is an interesting story about one boy with Autism. I like how it teaches you can use one’s fixation to teach them about the world, instead of trying to break their fixation. It’s about meeting them where they are at – and not just people with Autism, but everyone in life. I discovered this … Continue reading →

Turn ’em Loose

Sometimes you just have to trust your horses. One of the biggest things that struck me when I started helping with therapeutic riding was how extremely protected and helped the riders were. On one hand this safety aspect was enlightening, and I became appalled at how unsafe some of the things were we had done at the … Continue reading →

Q&A: Refusal to Mount

I got an interesting question from a reader I’d like to open up to everyone… Refusal to Mount Hello, Do you have any articles or references related to getting a highly anxious ASD rider to mount the horse?  We have a 15 year old who refuses to mount but stays close to the horse and … Continue reading →

Skill: Timing the Application of Aids

I recently read an interesting article called “Kindergarten Exercises to Learn the Aids” by George Williams with Beth Baumert on Dressage Today, which you can read by clicking here. It is a series of exercises “for horses and riders needing to learn more about the rhythmic application and timing of aids”. I thought the exercises … Continue reading →

Outside Rein & Diamond Pattern

An instructor at our barn set up the diamond pattern yesterday and this is what I did with it! Lesson Plan for Outside Rein Aid using the Diamond Pattern Arena Setup: 4 cones or poles set in diamond shape Lesson Plan Safety Check Mount Safety Check Warm ups Lower body: ride no stirrups 1 lap … Continue reading →

Colored Wristband for Right & Left

This is a simple idea that helped some riders at our barn. For riders who have problems with right and left, use colored wrist bands to designate which direction to turn. When you tell them which way to steer, you can use the colors in conjunction with or instead of the words right and left. You could … Continue reading →

Teaching The Skill

Just made some new handouts for our instructors in training about skills and wanted to pass along the info! Enjoy! The Skill What is the skill? Riding skill = the purposeful intention of using aids (hand, seat, voice, leg, weight) to communicate with the horse directly. We say “intention” because not all riders may actually … Continue reading →