Articles with the Tag Riding

Training Tip Video’s: “Subtle Ridden Conversations”

Training Tip Video's
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The video below shows Solly and I having a very subtle conversation about body dynamics, energy, core strength, foot falls and flexion.

If you look closely you can see how all I do affects all Solly does. It’s a close, almost invisible dance of finding our inner most riding connection. Slowly, using this more, we will flow and dance more. We find our balance together and then we find our go and whoa buttons to make sure they’re working through my breathing. Soon we are finding our hips and shoulder connection and then my hands to his nose. Being able to talk to every part of his body allows me to find the softness within the strength of muscles in places I have in my thoughts. Being able to read his muscles too allows me to hear what he is saying back to me so that our dance gets more and more harmonious.

It takes a TON of focus from me so I try to be on good form for him because if I’m tired then I am pretty sure Solly knows and feels that too. We are learning the dance towards harmony and fluidity. 

  • Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

 

 

Training Tip Video’s: “Not able to Ride?”

Training Tip Video's
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Not able to ride?…..Ground work is invaluable training  and can be a lot of fun.

It can help with finding your horse/heart connection, communication refinement, starting lateral work, smooth transitions from body and voice cues and much much more. If you can get the conversation going well on the ground with cues that will work when in the saddle then riding work is half way done  

Here, Solly and I, work on some ‘spook busting’ with a ball. You’d not believe how scared he used to be of this but how far he’s come from persistent consistency with it.

  • Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

 

Training Tip Video: ‘Flight Checks’

Training Tip Video's
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Flight Checks are what I do after playing with my horse and before I ride off from the mounting block. I make sure I have brakes and can move all four feet in all four directions (forward, back, left and right). It also lets me assess whether I have a good Connection and to help the horse get balanced and flexible before riding off. If anything needs working on I will either stay with it until softer and lighter or I’ll get off and work on it from the ground.

Here is a short film of the Flight Checks I do and how they can progress. I hope it helps to remind you to offer and find the ‘light feel’ on the reins, where our weight should be and to use our focus, seat and leg aids before using the reins.

 

Once you and your horse can do these with lightness and no brace you will find you will need them less and less. I use them before riding off and practice them now and then but because our ‘muscle memories’ in our bodies and brains have the techniques and actions stored we can use them when necessary (ie. an emergency halt w/relaxation) but can now refine them so that my breathing out and a lift of the rein is suffice to halt. I want the muscle memories there for if and when I need them…this one rein halt will not work well if the memories aren’t there, we would both be so far removed from relaxation that it would actually cause more tension and braciness….if we can avoid that and teach ourselves and our horses to have a ‘trigger’ of relaxation when the rein is lifted then we will all be safer in an emergency situation that hopefully never happens.

“Be prepared for the worst but hope for the best”

  • Shelley – HorseSavvy