The English Horse & Rider

The English Horse & Rider

Critiques and Info for the English Horse & Rider

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An interesting intellectual exercise....

[17 Feb 2007|10:22pm]

suncirkles

I find myself in the unique situation of needing to explain complex principles of riding to someone for whom english is a second language. The rider is a novice who is learning to take off into the canter from the walk (we have done canter from the trot, the school horses take off automatically if the rider gets into two point and doesn't keep contact with their mouth.)

Anyway, I have been trying to explain the feeling of 'bundling up energy' in the horse's body to prepare for the canter departure. We have been working on getting the horse to walk, with energy coming from the hind end, maintaining contact and getting a little inside bend. Again, on my brilliant schoolies, the aforementioned + a little outside leg WILL get her to the canter.

Unfortunately our communication is breaking down before we really accomplish it. I'm not sure this is a language barrier or a thought process barrier, so I give you my brain teaser du jour:

Explain the aids and feeling for a walk-to-canter transition in the shortest, most common-use english words possible.

Alternatively, record yourself explaining it in german and send me the recording.

Thanks!

5 comments|post comment

Hello

[13 Jul 2006|03:00pm]

lanagurl

I always say I love lj because no matter what happens new in my life, there is a lj community for it!

And, I have found this is no different.

If this post is out of line for the com. Forgive me and feel free to delete

My frist memories 3-5 were of staring at the horses dreaming of when I was "A big girl I can ride the horses!" But....My family owned horses up until the age for me to ride! Then they sold them.

So, all my life I have wanted to learn to ride. But never took the time etc to do so.

Well, I finally went to a HUGE Farm. That boards, trains, etc horses its so lovely out there. My trainer is a lovely young military wife named Ashley, who is a professional English rider and horse trainer.

I went for the first lesson and Ashley was just gonna get me up there for the first time and let me see what it was like. Well, she was amazed and insisted I was lieing about never being on horse. She said I was 100% relaxed, calm and in control.. and my form was amazing for a first time rider.

This is when she asked me if I would like to learn English rideing and I agreeded. I LOVE my lessons (twice a week, for an hour) and look forward to them all week. I even saddled up with out a ladder thingie which is amazeing to me seeing as I am 5'4 with very short legs lol!

But I look forward to learning everything I can, and am glad I found this place as an source for all that!

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Training braids

[05 Jun 2006|12:51pm]

pony_love

I have a question for those of you out there who show your horses.

I am taking my green horse to a couple of schooling shows this summer and don't need to actually braid him. I am planning to do some training braids before the show though, since his mane sticks up in places. Whenever I do training braids, I find that they either don't seem to help, or they make the hair look crimped.

This is where you all come in. What have you found is the most effective way to do training braids? (Braid wet, remove the braids dry? Braid dry, remove wet? Braid the day before and remove at the show? Braid a few days in advance so that the hair isn't crimped?)

And if anyone has a better trick than simply doing training braids, I'd be happy to hear that too.

6 comments|post comment

A two-part question.

[09 Apr 2006|04:51pm]

dressagediosa

Hello, gang. I'm the Dressage Pro In Residence here at enghorsenrider, and I have two questions for the Hunter/Jumpers among us.

9 comments|post comment

My little plug for equine dentistry...

[01 Apr 2006|03:49pm]

pony_love

The equine dentist just came out and did my new horse's teeth. With all of my previous horses I just had their teeth done regularly and never really thought too much about it, but this was his first time (to the best of our knowledge, his old owner never had them floated).

I was amazed at the difference it made. He has always been somewhat resistant to the bit, but will soften as we go--nothing that seemed particularly wrong. Now he is so much more relaxed on the bit. He still isn't perfect, but he is much more willing to go on the bridle.

I've never noticed such a big difference after one appointment before, but I assume that that's just because my other horses never went so long without seeing the dentist.

The moral of the story: keeping a horse's teeth in good shape is really quite important. I'm sure you all knew that (I know that in theory I did), but this just really showed me what a difference it can make.

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monster horse?

[16 Mar 2006|06:09pm]

samsont_06

Exerpt from my personal journal:

...the new horse came over. After FLYING off the trailer and bolting, he was caught calmed down and I stuck him on the lunge. 20 mins later I got up the nerve to get on as he seemed to be remembering he had a brain. Well, he remembered he HAD a brain, he just had no plans to USE said brain. I think he will benefit from being reminded what it's like to be ridden, and being reminded that a rider is not just something to be tossed off his back and otherwise ignore. This situation would be best both for his safety and any prospective buyers safety as within 10 minutes of me being on he began trying any possible way to get me off.

I hopped on and decided to walk him around a few laps to check his brakes and steering. Well, walking wasn't in his plan so we more like jigged/danced our way around the ring but I still maintain I wont that battle as no matter what I was not letting him trot. You could tell right away that this was a horse you could NOT let get away with anything-one of those, even if its not pretty you HAVE to get your point across horses because you know if you don't, you're doomed. So after several interesting crowhops and other acrobatics which I'm pretty sure were all intimidation tactics he finally walked. We only walked 1 circle, but that was enough for me-it was a walk, and I was proud. Then we moved up to a trot-kept him turning as I don't trust him enough to allow him to go in straight lines! Harder for him to pull those acrobatics on turns though he gave it a few tries. Kept him on a shorter stride-won't say slow b/c it def. wasn't!-and just talked to him and tried to stay with him and basically just ride it out until he realized I wasn't going to give up. Again, we eventually got 2 decent trot circles, I asked him to walk again and this time it only took 3 circles before he quit the jigging/crowhopping act and walked. Tons of pats, and I hopped off.

I really think he has:
-more energy that he knows what to do with
-more smarts than is good for him!
-learned that he can easily intimidate his rider

So, goals for this week are to burn off some energy and simply ride out his little intimidation fits-I think he'll catch on fairly quickly. He's not a horse that I think needs a lot of active disciplining-I feel that would just get him even more riled up-he needs quiet, but firm patience. Someone to say, "look, jig/dance all you want but I am NOT letting you trot until I say you can-I've got all day buddy and I'm willing to spend it waiting for you to do as I asked." So for now, that's the attitude I'll use toward him-we'll see how well that works out.

He goes on trial Wednesday...

So basically just wanted to get others opinions on him and thoughts/tips on how to get the most accomplished in the short amt. of time I have with him. He will get a good lunging tomorrow afternoon, a light lunge tomorrow morning and then a hack in the afternoon. I see very few straight lines in his future as that gives him too many opportunities for the air time he seems so fond of-I also see little/no work in sidereins as I can see him flipping out/over and it's simply not worth the risk as I'm really not working on his frame/topline-mainly just focusing on his BRAIN at this point. He's out of shape so no strenuous activity either....but just thoughts/opinions/advice would be lovely. I feel like this is a good enough plan, but its always nice to hear from others who agree OR disagree for that matter :)

x-posted like crazy...well, sorta ;)

5 comments|post comment

Hello!!!

[02 Feb 2006|08:21pm]

xihateyourx

I searched for "Hunters" and found this community so i'm hoping that I won't be too ridiculed and I can get some good hard answers to my questions as I seem to keep getting different ones.

My problem is this. I want to do gymnastics (I have no trainer - none available). But I am having trouble remembering ddistances to set things apart - and the thought of my over ambitious horse trying to jump two jumps at a time or crashing through something scares the snot out of me.

anyways I know that the canter stride is usually set to 12' but I remember being told that its different when you're doing fences under 2' (which I probably will be for the most part since the footing is - uh - interesting right now) but at the same time my TB has a gigantic stride and I cant always bring him back (we're working on it).
Also, I know that for putting a pole infront of a jump its not quite a half stride its like - 8' for something....
anyways believe it or not I took a course design class in college but i'm completely useless since I spent most of the time goofing off with my roomate - my courses were pretty though!!! (at the time)

any help / tips would be awesome! thanks guys!

8 comments|post comment

training advice wanted...

[30 Jan 2006|02:55pm]

samsont_06

I am currently working with my 2nd prospect horse(I've worked with others, but this is only the 2nd that I have owned). He is an 8yr old TB that was found rotting away in a field and I have no clue about his previous training though he appears to have had some since he's accepted everything wonderfully so far. He has been undersaddle for about 6 months now and is working towards being marketed as a children's/A/O hunter and we are placing a strong emphasis on dressage as I believe that cross training leads to a happier, balanced, supple horse in the end.

Our biggest problem right now is that he fights so much through the turns. I'm sure he is convinced that having to maintain his pace, remain engaged and working off his hind end AND bending through the turns all at the same time is animal cruelty. I've included a picture of Samson in all his glory pitching a lovely little hissy fit. In the picture you can see a strong half-halt with my inside rein(working as an indirect inside rein though I believe it may have crossed the withers in this pic-my bad!!)and you can see how strong I have to be with my upper body-I believe he's pulled my inside shoulder forward by trying to yank that inside rein back so he can pop that shoulder and lean. Usually 1/2 way through the ride he gives up and works nicely but there must be a better way! I'm sure part of it is that it is physically difficult for him as he naturally wants to get strung out and plow through the turns on his forehand.
Any advice on how to ride through this would be great and ANY excersices that might be helpful would be greatly appreciated. We do LOTS of transitions, poles, some baby jumps, and figure 8's/serpentines, etc.

4 comments|post comment

redeveloping muscles...

[24 Jan 2006|06:32pm]

jules5218

Pending a vet check tomorrow, I will be bringing a new horse down to school to work with. He's an awesome guy and I'm very excited about this. He's done the 3'6" hunters and 4' jumpers and training level dressage but he needs some reconditioning. He's not out of shape since he's still in regular work, but he is in...wrong shape. He's not a horse with a hard mouth, nor is he heavy on your hands but the farm he is at now has had way too much bit in him(they tend to overbit all their horses!)and he has been ridden with some unforgiving hands and as a result he has that awful huge muscle on the bottom of his neck towards his chest and at the top near his head he has a pancake neck. I will be working with him for his owner who is a prelim eventer and will be going for her 'A' pony club rating soon so that is the level of work he will be heading towards. The problem is we're a little short on time, but I would like to do things correctly with him-no quick fixes! I've worked with horses with no top line-do you do the same thing when you're trying to redevelop those muscles? If not, what do you do differently? Most of the horses I work with for conditioning have been abandoned in a field for a few years or are coming back from injury, etc so it's basically like starting from scratch and building up from there, but I've never worked with a horse who HAS muscles and a topline, just...the wrong ones!

Any tips would be greatly appreciated! As soon as he gets here I'll post some pics as that might make suggestions easier! Thankyou.

4 comments|post comment

My snarky (but loveable) beast

[21 Jan 2006|11:10pm]

pony_love

Thanks to all of you who gave me advice for my horse who gets stuck in park.

I am happy to report that he is again going forward when I ask, more or less. He still isn't happy to be the only one in the ring and if we stand in one place for a long time (which happens sometimes during group jump lessons when we have to wait our turn) he needs a minute of trotting around before he is ready to jump.

I took a lot of your advice. I worked with him on the lunge line a bit and got him going forward from my voice commands. My trainer gave me a tip on using my dressage whip (before he was rearing when I used the whip). She is having me turn his head before I use the whip, the straighten him and ask him to go again. With his head turned to the side opposite the whip he can't go up.

I also liked the advice you guys had about making him stretch while he is walking. For the first couple of times I tired it at the walk on a loose rein he still responed by stopping dead, but after a while he began to lengthen his stride and stretch his head down. I am currently working on doing this with him at the trot.

Again, thanks so much for your help!

3 comments|post comment

Critique

[12 Jan 2006|07:35pm]

tamah_sama

Hi there! I haven't posted here yet, but I'm excited about this community. I'll give a bit of background information before I post some pictures. At the point when these pictures were taken, I'd been riding for three years on a 15.2hh 21 year-old standardbred mare. This was from our second showing season, and we were doing a pretraining class (Walk/Trot/Canter).

Thanks =]

3 comments|post comment

Horse Show Prep

[11 Jan 2006|08:36am]

suncirkles

So, this week I am madly planning five lessons to get my riders ready for the first horse show of our winter indoor season. Because they ride within the school schedule, they had been off for winter break until last Wednesday. Of course, it being winter and cold and them being teenagers out of school, no one did much riding during the break! Fortunately, we have great horses and the kids are getting back where they need to be quickly.

They have finally figured out that we do make some changes in the 5 - 8 lessons before a horse show. For example, this week we do our flatwork without martingales, just to remind ourselves what that's like and make it no big deal for the horses when we take them off at the show. We also do the first 15 minutes of every lessons with no stirrups and usually one lesson with 30 minutes of no stirrups - seems to really tighten up everyone's leg that extra notch (usual non-show schedule is one or two lessons of 10 - 15 minutes of no stirrups and one lesson of 30 minutes with no stirrups where we really work hard on transitions or another specific skill).

As far as jumping we try to do a course or several combinations in a row, and I usually make it something technically tougher than what they'll face at the show (like yesterday we did a bending line, which they might have to do, and a rollback, which they won't have to do. Sometimes I throw in a fence or two above the height they'll jump at the show, too.) The last jumping lesson of the week is devoted to a trip or two around a course that's similar to what we'll have at the show (as near as I can figure it out, anyway) where we really work on polishing up the details.

So far, this has gotten us to show day pretty well - ready for everyone to do a good job, but not mentally or physically maxed out. I never realized what a difficult balance that was to maintain until I started teaching!

So, now you know our daily lesson plan as we get ready for a show - here's my discussion question for today:

Do you modify your training/lesson plan before a show? If so, how and why? If not, why not? What seems to be most successful for you? If you have time, include what type of showing you're talking about and how frequently you show (ie, my kids ride hunters at whatever shows work with the school schedule - usually one show every 2 -3 weeks.)

Looking forward to seeing what everyone has to say!!!

6 comments|post comment

[30 Dec 2005|11:59pm]

pony_love

I'm having some problems with my new hunter. He is about eight and a very athletic horse, but also very stubborn and headstrong. He doesn't move off the leg very well when he first starts up. Any pressure I apply makes him back off more. A spur has the same effect. When we first start he is very inverted. He moves with his head up, hollows his back, and cocks his nose. This makes the first jump of any course shaky, at best. Eventually he will start to round and move off my leg, but I don't know what to do to improve those first few jumps.

We have done a lot of work to strengthen his topline, and he is totally sound.

As far as I can tell, a lot of this is because he is a very fussy horse. When we are working outside in an open ring, he is much more willing to obey the leg, however, now that it is winter and we are forced to ride inside he has been very backoffish. He is a large horse (17hh) and though our indoor ring is not as small as some, it is still not as large as the outdoor ring we ride in during good weather. I do know that in his earlier training, the girls who were working with him had a simillar problem.

The most effective way I have found to get him moving forward comfortably has been to canter around for five minutes or so before approaching my first jump. I am planning to show him, however, and this will not be practical.

Does anyone have any advice?

8 comments|post comment

Ducking & Leg position!

[13 Nov 2005|09:57am]

willofthewhisp

http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventorder?photo=0AOJ0028000014&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1

Right Leg

http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventorder?photo=0AOJ0028000011&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1

Left leg

How do I make them BOTH like my left leg?!

How do I fix the ducking?

And, Why do you think that EQ judges seem to like the exagerated ducking as opposed to a more normal position over fences?

6 comments|post comment

another survey for our edification and amusement..... "Tricks of the Trade"

[10 Nov 2005|02:11pm]

suncirkles

[

mood

curious

]

So, I started riding with a new trainer, who let me ride in his saddle, with his fancy Sprenger 4 way bendable stirrup irons and grippy-tread stuff. I was amazed and impressed with the difference - even after a long time of not riding, I felt totally solid in my position and had a lot less strain on my joints (which are, admittedly, subjected to terrible abuse.) Feels like less work to keep my leg in the correct and effective place (don't worry, I'm still feeling the burn!)

*However*, prior to my past two rides with those irons, I would have said they were probably a ploy to get riders to spend $200 on a pair of irons, when any adequately sized stirrup iron with the appropriate safety features was more than sufficient. (ie, I would never have purchased, nor recommended that anyone else purchase, the flexible/tread ones. Just not necessary, or useful, or so I thought.) I guess the time in old-fashioned Virginia hunt country has made me skittish about anything Non-Traditional.

So, in the interest of seeing what we all think.... What's your take on new-fangled technology offered to riders in terms of clothing, equipment, etc? Do you like it? Hate it? AND... come on, I told you my new favorite 'secret' - what's yours? Is there a gadget out there that you couldn't live without? (You don't have to say the brand name if you don't want to!) Or, on the other hand, is there anything you have tried that really didn't work?

Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves. :)

18 comments|post comment

Lubing ethics

[07 Nov 2005|10:22am]

pony_love

I currently ride and show hunter jumpers with two trainers (sisters in law who work together). One is a strong proponent of having a horse's hocks and ankles done regularly, but the other feels it is unnatural. My twelve year old has recently started jumping off to the left over 90% of his fences, no matter how I use my rein and leg. I'm pretty sure this is health related because he has been doing it with everyone who rides him, including both trainers. I don't want to make him keep jumping if he is uncomfortable, but he still seems to enjoy it and I haven't been jumping him more than 2'6" (due to my concern that he is not entirely sound). When flatting, he stays straight on his own both on and off the track.

My question to all of you: What is your opinion on having a horse's hocks or ankles done? Have any of you done it and is it worth the cost?

14 comments|post comment

Completely informal unofficial randomly timed opinion poll!

[31 Dec 2002|11:56pm]

suncirkles

Hey guys... in the past few days I have spent rather a lot of time pondering the use of a longe line in teaching riding. Before I say anything else, does anyone have any thoughts/opinions/comments on using (or not using) a longe line when teaching lessons?

(ok, so that's really vague - here's a little of the situation: at the barn i am teaching at, no one else ever uses one during a lesson - like, ever. Have never seen them do it, not once. Was wondering if this is weird coincidence or if a lot of people never put a kid (or other rider) on a longe line for any reason. I'll share my ideas about it but I want to see what people think first.)

also, do you all have a problem if i occasionally post a 'discussion question' like this? i don't have too many other really intellectually oriented riding friends around to discuss stuff with, and i like hearing everyone's opinions and ideas. i don't mean inflammatory hot topics or anything, just random points to ponder like this one. is that cool with everyone?

14 comments|post comment

Seeing distances

[08 Oct 2005|07:14pm]

dressagediosa

I did some cavalletti work this week on my Holsteiner and came to a realization: I couldn't see a distance if it reached up and bit me. I did the intercollegiate hunters back in the day, very badly, and that's the extent of my "jumping" experience. I love the cavalletti work, but it's no good if my horses have to leap or chip in order to make the strides correct.

Any recommendations for improving my distance-seeing ability?

11 comments|post comment

slam bang!

[19 Sep 2005|09:49pm]

suncirkles

hey guys - just wanted to let you know we tried phase I of the jump-less course in one of my lessons today. muahahahaha... MUCH success. they looked at it, said "oh, that's EASY" and then careened around like madwomen. two of them missed the rollback fence entirely, one cantered through it sidewise, then looked at me and said "we wouldn't have made that!" no kidding. phase II comes tomorrow and i'll make the course a bit harder... and then wednesday we actually jump. horse show on saturday, so let's hope they keep these lessons in mind!

thanks for the great ideas everyone - please feel free to share good exercises any time!

3 comments|post comment

riding lesson-related question!

[15 Sep 2005|07:03am]

suncirkles

Hi guys... things are a bit quiet so I thought I'd get you all talking again!

I recently started a new job teaching riding at a private boarding school. I have one lesson of beginners (never ridden before)and one lesson of intermediates (jumping 2' - 2'3"), that I teach every day of the week. I am having a grand time trotting out all my favorite riding lesson exercises and practice things for them to do, but I know there's a lot more out there that even I have never seen!

So here's my question, since I know several others of you teach or are riding in lessons regularly:
What are your favorite exercises for riders? What are you favorite (and least favorite) to actually ride yourself? Anything unique you have invented or a trainer has made you do? And finally, do you have any recommendations for books or magazines that have great exercises? I am already planning on going to the library to do some reading and 'broaden my horizons' - but I am interested to hear if anyone has any favorites!

Can't wait to see what everyone has to say!

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