The Gallop
Use This Easy Test to See if Your Knees Are Inhibiting Your Horse’s Forward Movement
Did you know your knees can obstruct your horse’s ability to go forward? It’s weird to think about—but true! Your seat bones and feet play a role, as well, but...
Is Your Horse a Bean-Bag or a Tennis Ball?
To the uneducated eye, posting the trot is just a series of silly looking, seemingly purposeless, up-down movements. But riders understand what it takes to make rising and sitting to...
Why Little Boys Should Ride Horses
On the left: That’s me at five years old. On the right: My son at eight. I had my son in front of me on the back of a...
An Interview with the Remarkable Trainer Who Has Decoded “Horse Speak” for the Rest of Us
In November of 2016 the book HORSE SPEAK: THE EQUINE-HUMAN TRANSLATION GUIDE was released, becoming an instant bestseller and propelling a little-known trainer and riding teacher from Westminster, Vermont, into a whirlwind...
Is Your Horse a Righty or a Lefty?
Has it ever crossed your mind that your horse might be “left-” or “right-handed”? According to Gabriele Rachen-Schöneich and Klaus Schöneich in their book STRAIGHTENING THE CROOKED HORSE, every horse is...
The Runaround: An Exercise for Achieving Collection (Really!)
Sandy Collier has enjoyed great success in her career as an NRCHA, NRHA, and AQHA champion horse trainer. Named one of the “Top 50 Riders of All Time in All Disciplines”...
3 Ways to Develop a Strong Showing Mindset
Ah, show day! The delightful mix of butterflies and caffeine churning within as you rise with the sun. The bustling activity on the grounds as horses are fed, walked, and...
Two Easy Exercises to Make the Rider’s Hands More Sensitive and Effective
“That rider has good hands.” The comment might mean little to those outside the equestrian realm, but within it, we understand it as a compliment. And one of the highest...
Going Back in Order to Go Forward: A Lesson from Alois Podhajsky
Alois Podhajsky with Norman. Colonel Alois Podhajsky was an Olympian and Director of the the Spanish Riding School in Vienna for 26 years. Podhajsky was known to bring out...
Quick Quiz: Riding Position Puzzle
Can you tell which movement this rider is “riding” from the correct position in the left photo above, and the common mistakes depicted in the middle and on the right?...
4 Steps to the Emergency Dismount
It was over 25 years ago, but I can still close my eyes and immediately feel the pounding of hooves on the hard dirt road in my head, and the...
Riders! Do NOT Put Your Shoulders Back!
The rider’s trunk and extremities interact and depend on each other. For example, hands and arms depend on shoulder position, which depends on the shoulder girdle, which depends on the...