As aspiring equestrians, we love to talk about collection. I talk about it quite a bit on this blog. But there seems to be one factor that most people overlook…
Self-carriage is a vital part of achieving true collection. It is the ability of the horse to maintain its frame, rhythm, speed, and balance without the rider having to micromanage…
Creating Relaxation Stage 3: Lunging with Side Reins
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Lunging with side reins is the next step of the process for creating relaxation. Lunging is a commonly misunderstood exercise. It is often viewed as a way to run the…
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a video demo of teaching long and low on the ground. Stage 2 of the Creating Relaxation series starts teaching long…
UPDATE: Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a video demo of releasing the jaw. Relaxation is the key to collection. However, there is a key component of…
Many people will tell you that building up your horse's topline is important for proper movement and collection. This is true. However, not all of them know the physiological benefits…
The concept of impulsion was briefly touched upon in my article on the Classical Training Pyramid. However, this vital building block of collection deserves a more in depth discussion. If…
Softness is a key part of collection in any discipline. There are many exercises and theories behind creating a soft mouth in your horse. However, softness is not…
The concept of rhythm was briefly touched upon in my article on the Classical Training Pyramid. However, this deserves a more in depth discussion as as rhythm -- or takt…
One of the governing principles of classical dressage is the training pyramid. It lays out the roadmap for the entirety of the horse's training journey from very first day…
Lateral flexion is a bit of a hot topic in horse training. Most people know it is necessary to achieve softness in the bridle, but too many people do not…
Softness is something that most equestrians strive for. Softness is the bridle, through the rib cage, moving off your leg, responding to your aids. It is vital to putting a…
In classical dressage, there is a concept called long and low, also known as stretching which is used in the very beginning stages of collection to develop a correct topline.…
Collection, the great holy grail of horsemanship. It’s the unicorn many amateur riders spend years of practice and thousands of dollars chasing. In its simplest form, collection is raising the…
Why being on the forehand is detrimental to your horse
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Last week we discussed the importance of knowing the ‘why’ behind everything you do with your horse. Here is an important ‘why’ that is sometimes skipped over because so many…
1 Exercise To Collect the Trot and Extend the Walk
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For some riders, getting that collected western trot and a forward walk that doesn’t look like the horse is wading through molasses is a constant battle. I have found that…
