This week in lessons

This week in lessons we are going to be working on creating and keeping a nice and balanced stride with an even rhythm. For the more forward horses, this means lots of half halts so they don't get rushy, and for the pokey horses, this means pushing them forward and keeping them consistently forward without letting the rythym get quick or the head come up and getting rushy.

The most common problem is with riders allowing their horses to slow too much in the corners, and then sending them forward and on their forehand once out of the corners. You do want to use the corner to rebalance your horse, but remember that you don't just want to dump them on their front end, you want to send their haunches up underneath them with your outside leg to gather their energy and help them rebalance.

You also want to keep that inside rein soft and in off their neck so you don't block their shoulder and to help encourage a nice, fluid turn.

Remember the outside rein is the brakes and balance, with the inside rein helping keep them soft and controlling the amount of flexion.

Another trouble spot is the lengthening down the side or across the diagonal. If all you do is send them forward, they will usually end up on their front end before they get to the other end. To remedy this, it is helpful to do small half halts to keep circulating the energy back to the hind quarters.

For jumping we will be doing a course; yes an actually course. I realize I have been lazy with setting up much for jumps! The course will be set with moderate striding so that the forward horses will have to maintain a holding stride, and the shorter strided horses will be comfortable flowing down the lines.

There will be bending lines to practice using the eye and guiding rein to help the horse turn smoothly as the horse lands. Using the eye and LOOKING in the air will be key to this jumping course.

Karen