1. Other people spend a lot of time de-sensitizing their young horses. I choose to sensitize them to the correct things (like the aids) so I can apply the aids to communicate the security of my leadership. Thus, in trying times, I keep the horse too busy being sensitive to my aids to be overly sensitive to external stimuli. I find this reduces shying pretty well, and I like to keep my horses "hot".
2. The good half halt is done before the horse "needs" it.
3. When a good opportunity presents itself in dressage take it. Welcome the work. Most people say, "I want to be a good rider." Sure, every rider wants to be a good rider. But what they really need to be saying is, "Yes! I want the work on the road to becoming a good rider. I welcome the work." It is that person whos "want" will produce the "good".
4. When you give the horse a leg aid, frequently people lift their knee or heel when applying that aid. Do the opposite: lower your heel thus making your calf more firm. Every time you give a leg aid firm your calf to do it.
5. If an "early" rider does not yet have a trained eye, then that person should limit the time watching videos of their own riding. It would be more beneficial to spend time watching videos of great dressage masters riding and schooling. Then, the eye, and more importantly the mind's eye, will become trained. It is the mind of the rider that ultimately creates the movement in the horse. Train your mind, create the movement. A huge, huge, huge mistake a rider can make is to entertain themselves watching you-tube videos of people falling off, horse wrecks, bad rides and the like. That is a sure way to ruin your riding career. People have said to me, "Grand Prix doesn't apply to me. I am not there yet, so
I don't need to watch or study it." Really? So you plan to wait till you are "there" and then begin to study it?
Your mind creates your movement, your movement creates your horse's movement!
*This is the second blog applied to todays date. Please enjoy them both. (See below).
2. The good half halt is done before the horse "needs" it.
3. When a good opportunity presents itself in dressage take it. Welcome the work. Most people say, "I want to be a good rider." Sure, every rider wants to be a good rider. But what they really need to be saying is, "Yes! I want the work on the road to becoming a good rider. I welcome the work." It is that person whos "want" will produce the "good".
4. When you give the horse a leg aid, frequently people lift their knee or heel when applying that aid. Do the opposite: lower your heel thus making your calf more firm. Every time you give a leg aid firm your calf to do it.
5. If an "early" rider does not yet have a trained eye, then that person should limit the time watching videos of their own riding. It would be more beneficial to spend time watching videos of great dressage masters riding and schooling. Then, the eye, and more importantly the mind's eye, will become trained. It is the mind of the rider that ultimately creates the movement in the horse. Train your mind, create the movement. A huge, huge, huge mistake a rider can make is to entertain themselves watching you-tube videos of people falling off, horse wrecks, bad rides and the like. That is a sure way to ruin your riding career. People have said to me, "Grand Prix doesn't apply to me. I am not there yet, so
I don't need to watch or study it." Really? So you plan to wait till you are "there" and then begin to study it?
Your mind creates your movement, your movement creates your horse's movement!
*This is the second blog applied to todays date. Please enjoy them both. (See below).
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