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    horseridinglessons

    Explore "horseridinglessons" with insightful episodes like "Using Lunging to Help Your Horse Build Responsibility", "3 Groundwork Exercises to Train Your Horse", "Groundwork for Horses and Rhythm in Training", "Introducing the Canter to Walk Transition" and "Step Up Your Riding with the Walk to Canter Transition" from podcasts like ""Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians", "Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians", "Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians", "Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians" and "Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians"" and more!

    Episodes (37)

    Using Lunging to Help Your Horse Build Responsibility

    Using Lunging to Help Your Horse Build Responsibility

    As both a rider and trainer of your horse, one of your responsibilities is to help your horse build responsibility. In order for riders and their horses to take their training further, both sides of the team need to show up and work together.

    This cannot happen if we, the riders, are trying to control all of the moving parts. And so, this can bring up a few questions for riders...

    How can I begin to help my horse work 'with' me, rather than just 'for' me? And how can I develop his confidence so that he feels ready to take on some of the responsibility?

    Now, I believe that the responsible way to do this is to be consistent and invest time. I also think that this part of the learning should be approached in a few different ways. In the saddle, on the ground, and on the lunge or long lines. This way we can both explain, allow, and respond to our horses from lots of different perspectives. And this, in turn, allows them more opportunities to develop their 'responsibility muscle'.

    Recently I spoke about how to begin doing this while riding. You can read or listen to that article/episode HERE. However, today, I want to dive into a personal favorite of mine; lunging.

    Read More & Get the PDF by CLICKING HERE...

     

    3 Days to Success Full Lunging - Free Training

    Have you tried lunging before - and ended up with a horse running wildly in circles around you?! Or maybe you tried, and the outcome was a horse standing square to you, with no intention of EVER circling around you?!  Or are you just a little nervous to start lunging at all? The struggle can be real, eh?!   

    I have a fantastic free training for you to 'Successfully Get Started with Lunging (whether it's your first time or your 121st time to try this) in 3 Days' and you can sign up (for free) BY CLICKING HERE or visiting https://stridesforsuccess.com/3days

     

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    3 Groundwork Exercises to Train Your Horse

    3 Groundwork Exercises to Train Your Horse

    Just last week, I noticed a rider literally dragging their horse from the stables towards the arena. The rider was about a meter in front of the horse's head. Her face was red with effort! And her horse was literally going nowhere slowly.

    It occurred to me that so many riders make things really difficult for themselves by not having a few ground rules in place when it comes to their horse and their expectations.

    And what better place to work on ground rules than on the ground? Beside your horse. Groundwork is an essential part of training your horse. It is where you can set expectations, create boundaries, explain 'rules', and develop partnerships.

    Groundwork exercises also help you to refine your own skills as a rider. By simply having to figure out a slightly different way to 'say' something to your horse, you get to explore your own knowledge of the subject.

    So, all of that being said, here are 3 groundwork exercises you can use this week when working with your horse...

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    A Step-by-Step Groundwork Exercise

    If you are keen to find out how you can begin using the "Increasing Suppleness Through Flexion Groundwork Exercise" to develop and train your horse today. Get the free guided audio training to use before or after your ride, to really begin introducing and increasing your horse's flexion.  And you will also get a bonus audio horse riding lesson as well to use when in the saddle to ask put some of your work into practice while riding.

    The"Increasing Suppleness Through Flexion Groundwork Exercise" to develop and train your horse is 100% free and you can get yours when you CLICK HERE https://stridesforsuccess.com/flex

     

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    Groundwork for Horses and Rhythm in Training

    Groundwork for Horses and Rhythm in Training

    Rhythm is genuinely one of those things that can seem so simple on the surface.  And, don't get me wrong, rhythm is a fairly simple concept. However, when we begin applying it to horses and riding, it is truly eye-opening just how deep we can go with the idea. A little like groundwork for horses...

    And, because rhythm is something we can approach from different perspectives and filters, the possibilities are pretty endless. So when we combine rhythm and groundwork for horses, we can really begin to develop and train. Both ourselves, and our horses.

    When working with your horse using groundwork, you can actually begin to both 'see and feel' how important rhythm is. 

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    Free Groundwork Exercise

    Download the "Suppleness through Flexion" exercise HERE

    Groundwork for Riding

    I have created a full 4-week self-study program for you to use to really begin achieving results in your riding - and all while on the ground. There are audio horse riding lessons for you to use each day to develop your horse and improve your skills as a rider.

    And all are created with the intention to improve your riding as well. All of the details are HERE

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    Introducing the Canter to Walk Transition

    Introducing the Canter to Walk Transition

    So you are a place in your canter where you want to begin to do a little ‘more’.  After a quick ‘google’ of all the different exercises, you see a canter to walk pop up a few times. Canter to walk?! Without a handbrake?!  Yes, and even better, this will begin to prepare you and your horse for so much more to come. 

    The canter to walk transition can seem daunting when we begin to think about it first. However, once you and your horse have begun working successfully in a few key areas, it does not have to be as complicated as maybe you believe it is.

    The First Few Canter to Walk Transitions

    So, before we go any further with this, I feel that it’s important to realize that the first few transitions probably won’t be your best work!  It is completely normal for your horse to include a few, usually wobbly, steps of trot in before he reaches walk. This is okay.

    Very often, the first few attempts at the canter to walk, even with all of the preparations, can look and feel a little like a child learning to walk!  Hesitant, unbalanced, and looking for support.

    Keep in mind that canter to walk is not something your horse will do a lot by himself.  And going direct from canter to a balanced, rhythmic walk is definitely not something you will see happening among horses in a field! 

    This can mean that you will have to both explain and encourage your horse to perform this transition. And, depending on where you are in your training, that may take some time.

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    Free Half Halt Riding Lesson

    If the canter to walk seems a little too daunting, I would love to help you begin seeing changes where you are right now in your riding. The half halt is the perfect place to begin this process. You can begin today by signing up for my free audio horse riding lesson on the topic.

    Created so that you can listen while you ride; you and your horse together, this training will help both you and your horse become more responsive and ‘working together’.

    Get your free audio horse riding lesson HERE

    Or visit https://stridesforsuccess.com/halt

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    Step Up Your Riding with the Walk to Canter Transition

    Step Up Your Riding with the Walk to Canter Transition

    This transition is a personal favorite of mine.  To ride and to help other riders as well. I really do believe that the walk to canter transition can help you and your horse to connect more to each other.  It can help you to have more clarity over your canter aids, and your horse to become more responsive. And you both to develop so that your training can progress forward.

    In fact, the walk to canter can help horses and riders progress in ways that they don’t even realize they are.  It introduces a certain level of collection to the ride. For many riders, this is one of the best introductions to this as it feels very natural and ‘in flow’.

    You can begin introducing, or refining, the existing transition from the walk to canter today in your training by focusing on a few different elements.

    All of the links to the other episodes are HERE, on the article to go with this episode

    https://stridesforsuccess.com/episode1256-step-up-your-riding-with-the-walk-to-canter-transition/

     

    Find the Gaps in Your Horses Training using this free audio series available for you to listen to in a private podcast feed - so just as easy as listening to the Daily STrides Podcast :) You can sign up for free HERE or visit https://stridesforsuccess.com/free

     

    Get the Walk to Canter & Flying Changes Audio Horse Riding Lessons Today!

    All are available for you on a Private Podcast Feed that delivers them straight to your phone, so you can listen as you ride your horse. Your own time, your own arena, your own horse... More Details HERE

    Connection is an online membership for equestrians working alone to train their horse without a coach or trainer. 

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    Getting into Canter on Your Easygoing or Lazy Horse

    Getting into Canter on Your Easygoing or Lazy Horse

    Getting into canter on an easygoing or lazy horse can be exhausting!  And while we do love our laidback equines… Can we all be honest in admitting how, sometimes, just a little more enthusiasm would change everything?  The good news is that you can quickly begin to change this in your horse.

    You see, often, the trot to canter is often a symptom of a bigger issue – a lack of responsiveness.

    Increasing your horse’s responsiveness is possible. It will take a consistent approach from you – and the transformation can be instant… 

    So, rather than scrubbing, pushing, and shoving into the canter each time, begin working on increasing overall responsiveness first.  Be strict or disciplined with both yourself (it all starts with you) and your horse.  Oh, and did I mention that you also need consistency ;)

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    How Your Horses Talents Can Help Develop His Weaker Points

    How Your Horses Talents Can Help Develop His Weaker Points

    We all have talents. Things that seem to come naturally to us and that we excel at. Your horse is the same. And, in my experience, when we approach training our horses with the idea that we are helping them develop their talents, everyone is happier.

    Unfortunately, it is common practice for many people to focus on weaknesses. Both in the human and in the horse! And so many riders create training programs and riding plans based on what their horse is not so talented at doing.

    Doing something over and over again that you struggle with is not a recipe for happiness or success!

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    How Flexion Can Transform Your Riding & Training with Your Horse

    How Flexion Can Transform Your Riding & Training with Your Horse

    I find it a little mind-boggling how, the longer we spend developing ourselves as riders, the more we need to unlearn. Especially when it comes to those first one or two initial horse riding lessons!

    Using your hands and arms to 'steer' the horse is one of those things. And, flexion is often one of the best concepts to help riders become clearer on this. And more open to other possibilities when it comes to their aids, their riding, and steering their horse.

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    5 Reasons You’re Stuck when Training or Retraining Your Horse

    5 Reasons You’re Stuck when Training or Retraining Your Horse

    It can be frustrating when you know exactly what you want to achieve when training or retraining your horse, but it seems to be taking ‘forever’!  It seems that no matter how much you explain your horse, he’s not ‘getting it’.

    Training or retraining your horse is something that takes time.  And, sometimes, it is our own impatience or actions that actually keep things stuck where progress is concerned. 

    Today I want to cover the 4 most common causes that may cause you to become a little stuck when training or retaining your horse.

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    How to Become a Better Rider in 90 Days

    How to Become a Better Rider in 90 Days

    It’s probably safe to assume that you want to improve as a rider, right? That, if becoming a better rider in 90 days was guaranteed, you’d probably follow the plan and do the work?  Well, the good news is that, regardless of where you are in your riding right now, you can indeed improve over the coming 90 days (or 3 months).  However, it will involve a little planning, preparation, and commitment in order to make it all happen.

    Using the previous 90 days in your riding to create a plan to improve over the coming 90 days is a fantastic way to continue to make progress as a rider.

    However, it will require a little work upfront in both reviewing and planning.  Looking back at what happened and then using that information to make better decisions and take better actions going forward is where it all begins.  So that being said… Let’s dive into your past 90 days and see what you can learn that will kickstart the coming 90 and help you become a better rider.

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    Calmly Introducing Canter While Working Your Horse on the Lunge

    Calmly Introducing Canter While Working Your Horse on the Lunge
    If you have even been at the other end of a lunge line to a horse who is adamant to show you exactly how fast he can go on a circle… You will know all about ‘that’ feeling!  The one where every fiber of your being is screaming at you to ‘stop the horse’.  And yet, it feels like there is absolutely nothing you can do!
     
    Intentionally mixing cantering and lunging together is not for the faint of heart!  It often requires nerves of steel – especially at the beginning of the journey…
     
    The good news is that, for those who persist and persevere, the reward is being able to truly use lunging as a tool to develop the canter.  And being able to do so from this wonderful, and unique, vantage point of ‘trainer’.
     
     

    Re-Defining the Rhythm in the Canter with Your Horse

    Re-Defining the Rhythm in the Canter with Your Horse

    There are some things that many of us simply accept in life.  Rainy days. Horsehair is everywhere in Spring. The rhythm in the canter.  And yet, while we cannot change the weather (okay, debatable) and we definitely cannot get around the necessary loss of the winter coat…

    The Rhythm in the canter is definitely something we can have a more positive influence over when we ride – rather than simply accepting what is. 

    And yet, it can seem daunting! Many riders find that when they attempt to begin doing this, they tend to lose the canter altogether.  They quickly find themselves back in the trot.  Or the canter has lost its 3 beat sequence – so it’s technically no longer a canter!

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    Syncing Your Seat in the Canter with Your Horse

    Syncing Your Seat in the Canter with Your Horse
    All riders can be put into one of two categories when it comes to the canter… Those who can move their seat in the canter with their horse – and those who can’t. This is a bitter pill to swallow for those on the ‘can’t’ side of the fence.  And yet, it is something that they would secretly love to be able to do.

    Having the ability to control your seat in the canter completely changes how much influence you have in the gait – and it is a lot more comfortable. 

    So, if you’ve been stuck in the ‘can’t’ camp for longer than you would like, this is how to finally move forwards into the ‘can’ camp…

    It’s All About Practice

    And not just any old practice.  I am talking perfect practice.  Doing the same, middle-of-the-road things over and over again, hoping for a different result is madness.  Rather spend less time, but more intention and focus in order to make your practice work for you.

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    Improving Your Horses Canter with Groundpoles

    Improving Your Horses Canter with Groundpoles

    The canter and using groundpoles; as the song goes, these are a few of my favorite things! And I especially love how, with a few well-placed and simple groundpoles, the canter can begin to become more intentional, rhythmic, and balanced. The added bonus is that so does the rider… So, that being said, let’s improve the canter for you and your horse…

    Today, I want to give you a few simple, easy to follow tips so you can begin effectively using groundpoles in your training program with your horse to improve the canter

    You see, once you and your horse are comfortable cantering together ‘on the flat’ (no poles involved), groundpoles can really begin to help you both to develop on from here.

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    Are You Blocking a Better Trot with Your Seat?

    Are You Blocking a Better Trot with Your Seat?
    Let’s be honest; many riders don’t really long for a ‘better trot’ in their riding.  In fact, most are quite happy to simply work with what they already have right now and see the trot as a filler.  A part of the ride that gets you from one thing to the next.

    And trotting, by its very nature, doesn’t really help change this! The rhythm can often have a slightly hypnotic effect on riders.  Lulling them into a contented 1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2, regardless of how good the trot is – or isn’t.

    In this episode, I want to begin helping you to turn your mind towards a better trot.  What would it look like for you and your horse? And how would it feel for you and your horse?  Finally, how prepared are you to actually allow this better trot to happen underneath you?  Will you be able to move with it? Or will you begin to block it with your seat?

    Feeling and Finding The Correct Diagonal in the Trot

    Feeling and Finding The Correct Diagonal in the Trot

    Landing on the correct diagonal can be hit and miss for many riders. Let’s face it, there’s a chance you’ll get it right 50% of the time! And while most riders are pretty well versed on their diagonals in the trot… It’s ‘feeling’ the diagonal that causes confusion.

    Trotting has a two-time beat. The 1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2 that you experience and feel when you’re in the saddle. If you do sitting trot, it will result in a sit,sit,sit,sit,sit,sit,sit,sit rhythm. However, most riders can ‘tire’ a little when it comes to riding a constant sitting trot! And so, we learn to post or rise in the trot.

    The 1,2,1,2,1,2 is matched with an up,down,up,down,up,down of the riders backside. The rhythm of up-downs and the rhythm of the trot are a perfect match.

    The Correct Diagonal

    The reason your horse creates the 1,2, rhythm in the trot is because of how he moves his legs while he is trotting. The right-back foot moves with the front left foot. This is the ‘1’ part of the rhythm. Then the left-back foot moves with the right front foot. This is the ‘2’ part of the rhythm.

    The trot is very ‘even’ with regards to what is moving where… This is also the reason it can be hard to ‘feel’ what diagonal you are on at any given point!

    The correct diagonal is when you are moving with the inside hind leg - and, by association, outside front leg - of your horse. There is a little rhyme, ‘rise and fall with the shoulder by the wall’. That about sums it up. As your horse's outside shoulder is forward, you want to be ‘up’. As this shoulder moves back, you want to be down.

    I have a post and an episode HERE about how to identify the correct diagonal through sight and voice...

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    Rhythm; Learning to Identify and Develop it in Canter

    Rhythm; Learning to Identify and Develop it in Canter

    It can often sound like a jackhammer... Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  Instead of the 1,2,3...1,2,3...1,2,3... that the canter should produce when you listen for the rhythm.  And once either a horse or a rider has become 'used' to a different way, it can be a real challenge to get things back on track.  Or on beat, as the case is when the rhythm is lost in the canter.

    Some things are taken for granted when we ride horses.  Rhythm is very often one of those things.  And many riders think that, if there is a regular enough repeating sound, rhythm is good.  But sometimes, the rhythm itself is not right.  And when this happens, no further development can happen within the gait until this is corrected.

    The Rhythm in Canter

    I am sure that you are well aware of the fact that your canter should have a 3 beat rhythm.  I am going to also assume here that you understand what causes this gait to have 3 beats (as opposed to 4 or 2 like walk or trot).

    However, what many riders fail to realize is that rhythm in the canter can be lost without your horse becoming disunited behind!  I mention the disunited behind because this is one of the most talked-about and common ways for the canter to develop a 4-time beat.  However, let's assume here that your horse is indeed united in the canter.

    All feet are moving where they should be.  And yet, you're just not hearing that distinctive 3-time beat...  Now what? 

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    Your Riding Plan - Part 4:- 1 Exercise - Multiple Ways to Use it in Your Riding [Surprise Inside]

    Your Riding Plan - Part 4:- 1 Exercise - Multiple Ways to Use it in Your Riding [Surprise Inside]

    Have you been feeling a little overwhelmed when it comes to finding exercises to ride with your horse in the arena? Have you found yourself creating more and more complex grids, and then struggling to make them work for you and your horse? If so, here is a simple exercise you can use this month to help minimize the overwhelm and get you in the saddle and making progress.

    All you need are 3 or 5 ground poles and a fairly flat piece of land to ride on if you don’t have access to an arena.

    The key to this exercise is intention regarding what you are doing and attention to how well things are going. Attention to detail is important when working on simple. It is what makes simple really work and help propel you and your horse forward in your training.

    Lay Out the Poles for the Exercise

    To get set up, find the quarter line of your arena. If you are working in an open space, such as a paddock or field, simply find a flat area with enough space to lay the poles out in a straight line.

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    What Will I Do When In the Saddle Today? Planning Your Rides - Part 1: Fun

    What Will I Do When In the Saddle Today? Planning Your Rides - Part 1: Fun

    All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy… Or so the saying goes. I tend to believe this is true. Especially when it comes to riders and their horses. Yes, ‘working’ is important. But, if you are only riding to ride… Well, maybe that is what is actually holding you back in your riding?

    I think that in order to really get the most from your riding plan to help you reach your goals, there are 3 key components. Not just work! Fun is just as important. And if you have been riding for any length of time, you will know that fun begins to wane after a while.

    One of the biggest reasons that riders don’t ride as much as they say they want to - is down to riding simply not being as much fun as it once was!

    Creating a plan for your riding is not just about the days you ride. It is also about finding a balance between 3 key elements that, I believe, are essential. Including these 3 elements will allow you to work towards your riding goals, while keeping things inspired, focused and interesting for all involved. Because, after all, that’s what Team Leaders do, right?!

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