Improving the canter with the Diamond pattern. Watch what happens! Part ...

"What if... you could finally feel that you were connected with your horse's canter?  Try the Diamond pattern.  It will not be easy when you first start it,and than....  you will realize you have control over what the front end and back end of the horse is doing in ways that may have seemed impossible before.  You can do this!"

In this session we move into the canter.  This is the most challenging gait for most riders as they may not have realized what they can do to balance their horses better, both mentally and physically"

At first, Trudy finds that riding the Diamond at the canter is very challenging.  But... she continues to work on the process as she has felt what happens in the walk and trot as she focuses on what Ani is doing with her body.  This is part #1 of the canter work.  We have never really asked Ani to stay connected at the canter before this as she was still in "training level" mode.  Now, you can see what happens as Trudy starts to ask Ani to position her body in different ways so that Trudy can slow down the canter and make it more connected.  As you will see, this exercise is not so easy, but is a break through session for both Trudy and Ani.  :)

What did you see happening?  Were you able to see that Trudy and Ani connected at another level?

The Diamond pattern at the Trot. Do you have control of your horses shou...

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"Can you ride the Diamond pattern at the Trot?  Your Riding Challenge for the week"

In this session Trudy is riding the Diamond pattern at the trot for the first time. The Diamond pattern is a wonderful awareness technique that shows a rider how they need to use their riding position to ask the horse to  move  it's shoulders and hind quarters where they would like them to be.Now you can watch how this team works through the pattern and see the changes that came as a result.   Check out the changes in how Ani is moving at the 4.30 time mark. 

What did you see happening? Have you tried the Diamond pattern at the trot yet? Tell us what you are experiencing.

Going back to the baiscs. The Diamond pattern at the walk.

"Would you like to see another rider practice the Diamond pattern at the walk for the first time? It is not as easy as it looks, but makes a huge difference in how the rider is using their aids to connect with their horse"

In this session I introduce the Diamond pattern to Trudy and Ani. Even though it sounds so simple, the Diamond exercise challenges riders as it is very clear to them when the horse is not moving its haunches or shoulders over. Now you can watch the process work at the walk.

Have you tried the Diamond pattern yet? What did you experience?

Going back to the basics. Counter canter. Susan and Beau.

"How is your counter canter doing? Are you able to keep your horse in balance as you ride it?"

This is Susan and Beau. In this session we are focusing on the right balance for Beau at the counter canter. First, we had to get him comfortable just doing it. Now, it is time to balance Beau and get him more relaxed.

How do you know if your counter canter is right? What did you learn about the counter canter after watching this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwQ2amdjFhY

Going back to the basics. Trot. More engagement with the Diamond Pattern.

What if...  you could finally understand what it feels like to have your horse engage its back and connect with you at the trot?  There is!  Try riding the Diamond pattern"

In this session we focus more on how Susan is asking Beau to use his haunches with the Diamond pattern. In the past, Beau has had the tendency to slow down his steps when ever he was asked to bring his shoulder or haunches in.  Now we are asking him to stay more connected and you can see how that changes what he is doing.

What happens to your horse in the lateral work?  Does it slow down it's step and lose it's balance?  Are you ready to try the Diamond pattern yet to improve what is happening?

http://youtu.be/tRUjmWR5kRo 

Going back to the basics. Canter. More engagement and connection with t...

"Improving the canter with the Diamond pattern. Would you like to know what you can do to get your horse more comfortable to ride and easier to influence with the canter?  Try this pattern and see what it can do for you and your horse."

The canter can be the most difficult gait of all to be able to balance and canter a horse at. Here you will see how we use the Diamond pattern so that Susan can teach Beau how to use his haunches and shoulders better. When Susan rides him into one of the corners, she asks Beau to bring his haunches over first, than his shoulder. As a result you will see Beau stays more balanced and connected.

Have you tried the Diamond pattern with your horse yet? What kind of results are you getting?

Going back to the basics. Getting more engagement. Warmup Trot. Diamond

"What do you do when you are warming your horse up?  We love using patterns, even in the warm ups as they connect the horses so much faster.   In this session you will see how we are using the Diamond pattern to warm up Beau at the trot"

In this session Susan warms Beau up with the Diamond pattern. Now that Beau is competing in 2nd level it is important that he learns to shift his weight back and the Diamond pattern is perfect for that and for connecting him sooner. We start this warm up with a nice easy trot. It is enough for Beau to bring his haunches over first, followed by his shoulders. At first he is not thrilled about this, but by the time we finish the warm up trot he is allowing Susan to move both his front and back ends.

Can you see how using the Diamond pattern for the warm up can connect a horse faster? Have you tried it yet?

Going back to the basics. Walk. Adding the activity in the renvers, shou...

"Have you tried using patterns to improve your horses connection with you? Watch as we go back to the basics of the walk using this one"

Have you noticed that we do a lot of different patterns and movements in our training process? We use them to keep the horses interested in what we are doing. They do not get bored, and in fact, enjoy the challenge. In this session we are going back to the basics of the walk. We want Beau to stay more connected for 2nd level. To do this we ask him to get more active with his hind feet so that he starts to shift his weight back while staying on contact. Susan has removed her spurs and is riding with a following rein while focusing on using more seat and legs.

Are you using patterns when you are riding your horse? 

Going back to the basics of Contact/Connection. Week 2. Canter. Part 2 ...

"What if....   You took the time to go back to the basics of contact and connection with your horse at the canter.  Would it make a difference?    Watch what happens with in week 2 with Darrien's canter.

As part of going back to the basics, Susan has switched bits. Instead of the double bridle, Darrien is now in a snaffle.  Susan has also removed her spurs (they are required in the level she is competing in with him)   In this session we are focused on their canter work, including the pirouettes.  This is the second week and already Darrien is moving better.  Susan is riding him with a following rein and asking him to step up into it from her seat and legs.  Darrien is now more relaxed and is beginning to use his back.  Last week he was still jamming his neck back into his shoulders and hollowing his back.  This week Darrien's is carrying himself better.  His neck is longer and he is naturally bringing his nose down.   Stay tuned for week 3 to see what happens next.   

Can you see how Darrien's canter is changing?  What do you see different in what he is doing this week?

Back to the basics. Canter. Week 2 Part 1 Half halt, half pass, pirouettes

"What can you do to improve your horse's canter?  Watch what happens as we take Darrien back to the basics of the canter"

This is week 2 of going back to the basics of contact and connection with Darrien.  As part of going back to the basics, Susan has switched bits. Instead of the double bridle, Darrien is now in a snaffle.  Susan has also removed her spurs (they are required in the level she is competing in with him)   In this session we are focused on their canter.   Susan is riding Darrien with a following rein and asking him to step up into it from her seat and legs.  In this session we begin by focusing on the half halts.  This is part 1 of 2 for the canters.  This week, Darrien is more relaxed in the canter and is beginning to use his back. His neck is longer and he is naturally bringing his nose down.   These are big changes from last week when he was jamming his neck back into his shoulders and hollowing his back.  He still has some moments where he gets a little frantic as he does is not sure what is happening, but they do not last as long.   Stay tuned for week 3 to see how much more Darrien changes.   

Can you see the changes in Darriens canter from last week?  

http://youtu.be/uZRyDbRpGSM

Back to the basics of Contact/Connection. Week 2. Walk. Half pass. Shoul...

What if... when you pick up your reins your horse seems to get stuck. It braces it's neck and starts moving funny. Maybe it's time to go back to the basics so you can change what is happening"

We are very pleased with what is happening in week 2 as we take Darrien back to the basics of contact and connection. In this session Susan is focused on the walk and having Darrien stay relaxed with a long rein as she rides the half pass and shoulder in. She knows he is in the right place when he is lifting his back and “flowing” in his gaits instead of taking short, stiff steps. Can you see the changes in Darrien when he gets disconnected? This is when he is mentally not sure of what is going on. Our goal is to help him get more comfortable staying connected.

What does your horse do when you are asking them to do something that they are not sure of? Can you see where taking it back to the basics can make a difference?

Going back to the basics of Contact/ Connection. Week 2. Walk,pirouette...

"Is your horse pulling or leaning on the reins? Maybe it is time for you to to go back to the basics of contact and connection. Now you can watch the changes that happen as we bring Darrien back to the basics."

Those who are following this series will recall that last week we switched Darrien (Susan's new horse) back to the snaffle bit instead of his usual double bridle. We also removed Susan's spurs so we could go back to the basics of contact and connection. Susan is riding him on a longer rein and asking him to step up into the contact from her seat and legs Our goal is to have Darrien stay relaxed in his movements and gaits. His tendency has been to get a little frantic at times and to jam his neck into his shoulders. In this session you will see that he is moving much more freely than last week. Darrien still has some issues with the contact, you will see that he still "hops" at times and gets a little frantic. However, the changes in this past week have been impressive and we will continue with what we are doing in the next few weeks. Stay tuned to watch the changes!

Can you see the difference in how Darrien is responding and moving from last week? Are you ready to take your horse back to the basics of contact and connection now?

Going back to the basics of Contact. Week 2. Walk, walk pirouettes, eng...

"Going back to the basics of contact and connection with Darrien. Week 2. Check out the changes that have happened!"

Last week we took Darrien back to the basics of contact and connection so we could work on some of his issues about it.his series is from week 2 where we continue with this process. This is part 1 where we are working at the walk. As you might recall, the first week Darrien was very resistant. His neck was braced (as well as his back) and his nose was up in the air. It was not pretty to see, but is what happens with so many horses who are not sure what contact or being connected really is. As you will see, Darrien has made a lot of changes this past week and is now much more relaxed. His neck is longer and he is nodding it from the base of his neck instead of bracing it up. Darrien is also more responsive to Susan asking him to step up into that contact from her seat and legs. This shows in how he is using his back. His body is much looser and you can see he swinging more from his hips and shoulders as he walks. He still has issues with the contact and connection but as you can see, he has come a long way in only a week. We will continue this series with the trot and canters. Stay tuned!

Can you see the differences in Darrien from this week to what happened last week? Have you tried this on your horse or students yet?

Going back to the basics of contact. Dealing with the issues. Part 4 of ...

"Contact. Does your horse seem confused about staying connected from your leg to the reins?"

This is the last session of this series. (part 4 of 4) We are bringing Darrien (Susan's new horse) back to the basics. Darrien, like many horses, has a few issues about staying connected.  He is not sure about contact.  Now you can watch this series to see what we are doing to help him to understand it better. Our goal seems so simple.  All we want is for Darrien to stay relaxed as Susan takes up an even, following feeling  on both reins.  We do not care where his head is.  As he releases the tensions and issues he has about contact his neck will get longer and he will start stretching into the rein instead of resisting it or going into what we call “robot mode. Susan is using her seat and legs to ask him to step up into that contact. This is part 4 of 4 and you can see that Darrien is now responding differently. He is more relaxed and is starting to connect to Susan more.  Stay tuned as we will continue with the process of Susan and Darrien in the next series. 

How does your horse respond when you take up the reins?   What have you learned about contact from watching this series?    

Going back to the basics. Dealing with the issues. Trot. Part 3 of 4. Ha...

"Does your horse tense up by raising it's head when you ask it to step up into the rein contact?  Watch what we are do to release those issues as we go back to the basics with Darrien"

In this series you are going to see how we are bringing Susan's new horse, Darrien back to the basics so that he can release some of the issues that he came with. You will see that Darrien's idea of contract is to brace his neck and jam it into his withers. As a result, his legs will do all kinds of weird things. Our goal is to help him to relax to the contact by releasing his neck and letting go of the resistances he has.  To do this, Susan is following his head movement by keeping an even feel on both reins where ever his head might be. (Straight line from the bit to the riders elbows)  At the same time, she is asking Darrien to step up from her seat and legs into a soft, following  contact. As some of you know, I debated showing this series as Darrien looks so tense and disconnected.  However, these are the same issues that  many riders have to work though with their horses and the feedback you have shared with me is what convinced me to share this part of their training process with you.. Towards the end of this session (part 3 of 4 from one training session) you will see that Darrien finally starts letting go of the tensions.  His neck starts to get longer and looser and his movement changes.  

What does your horse do when you ask it to take up the contact?  Did you discover more ways to deal with any of the issues that might be happening with this series? 

http://youtu.be/GC3TUofUd6k 

Going back to the basics at the canter. It's time to focus on Darrien's ...

"It's time to go back to the basics. In this video you will see how Susan is finding new ways to deal with the issues that Darrien has at the canter "

We have decided to take the time to bring Darrien back to the basics. He is now wearing a snaffle bit instead of the double bridle and Susan has removed her spurs. As you will see, Darrien is not comfortable with rein contact. His neck is tight and it looks like he is shortening the length of his neck by shoving it back into his shoulders. This is Darrien getting anxious and worried about what is happening. To help Darrien get through this resistance Susan is allowing him to carry his head where ever he wants and is simply following the movement of it with her hands. In the next few weeks Darrien will slowly start to let go of that tension and as a result, will seek the contact instead of resisting it The process is not pretty, but is what we need to do to get him past these issues.I call this clearing out the "cobwebs" from his past.

Thank you everyone who has taken the time to encourage me to share training sessions like this. It really was a leap of faith to show the not so pretty side of what happens in the training process. There are two more videos of this session that I will be sharing.

What did you learn from watching what we are doing with Darrien in this session?

http://youtu.be/63ajVLq93sE

Going back to the basics to release the tensions. Trot.

"I debated several days about sharing this series. We are taking Darrien back to the basics and in that process, all of his issues are coming out.  This is what we wanted so that we could work through them to bring him back at a new level. "

In this session we introduced Darrien (Susan's new horse) to the Diamond pattern. We have put him back into a snaffle (instead of a double bridle) and Susan has also taken off her spurs. Our goal is simple. We want Darrien to relax and listen to Susan's seat and legs instead of tensing up when she picks up the reins. All Susan is doing with the reins is keeping a consistent soft contact wherever his head is. When Darrien tenses up to the rein contact, Susan is using her seat and legs to ask him to step up into a lighter contact. Those who have been following Darriens progress will remember that he used to root (pull Susan out of the saddle) rear and run when ever he felt challenged or in any lateral movements to the left. Little by little we have been removing the "cobwebs" in his brain. It will take us a few weeks before he starts softening to the contact and releasing his anxiety and tensions from the past.

Are you surprised to see Darrien like this? It will take a few more weeks before he starts to soften to the rein contact instead of bracing his neck and back when he feels it. I debated sharing this series but feel it is important for you to see what we are doing. We continue into the canter and transitions in the following 3 videos that are a part of this session. Do you want to see them? Let me know in the comments below.

Back to the basics. Leg Yields. Engagement, shoulder in, haunches in

"What can you do to improve the quality of your leg yields?  Maybe it is time to go back to the basics?"

In this session Susan focuses on the basics of the leg yields.  We start at the walk and move up into the trot. Susan has removed her spurs so that she can become more effective with her lower leg. She is also riding Beau on a longer rein. As a result, Susan has to keep Beau in front of her leg and seat aids to keep the contact with the reins.

Are you ready to go back to the basics with your leg yields?

Going back to the basics at the canter. Engagement. Diamond Pattern

"What if there was a pattern you could use to improve the quality of your horse's canter. There is! Watch this video and see what the Diamond pattern can do for you"

This is Susan on Beau. We are going back to the basics at the canter. For Susan, we focus on an even connection on both reins. At the same time we asking Beau top stay more engaged and on his inside hind.

Are you ready to try this on your horse now? Let us know how it works for you.

Going back to the basics Rein contact at the trot. Engagement. Diamond ...

"Is your horse connected from your leg to the rein at the trot? Watch how Susan used the "diamond" pattern to get Beau more on her aids"

Now that Susan is competing in 2nd level, it is time to go back to the basics of balance. To do this, Susan focuses on keeping an even feel on both reins as she asks Beau to step up more from behind with her seat and legs.  We use the "Diamond" pattern to encourage Beau to "sit down" more, or engage  from behind.  

Are you ready to try the Diamond pattern with your horse?

Going back to the basics. More canter/trot #2 Rein Connection

What if... you could finally find a way to keep your hands quiet so you can have more elegant transitions in and out of the canter?  Watch this video and see what I do with Trudy"  

In this video (part 2) Trudy become more aware of how often she has to adjust her hands to keep that following rein connection  at the canter and trot transitions.   

What did you learn from this video that you can use the next time you ride your horse?

Going back to the basics. Can you keep a light rein in the trot canter t...

"Have you noticed that your hand "bumps" your horse in the mouth when you are working on the canter? What about the canter transitions?"

In this session Trudy focuses on keeping an even feel and connection with the reins at the canter.. Many riders start tightening their reins at the canter, especially in the transition up and down from it. Now you can watch as Trudy discovers how to use her legs and seat to keep Melody on her aids and soft on the reins.

Have you ever thought about how you are using your reins for the canter? What did you learn from this video?

Going back to the basics at the trot. Rein Connection. Changes of direc...

"One of the most difficult times to keep an even connection on both sides of the reins is at the trot? Watch this video to see what you can do" 

In this session we focus on how Trudy is following the movement of the trotthrough the reins. The trot is the most challenging gait for riders who are riding on a contact. Especially the rising/posting trot. This is where many riders will unconsciously start leaning on the reins. Now you can see what I do with Trudy to help her become more aware of what she is really doing with the reins at the trot while changing directions.

What did you discover from watching this video? Are you ready to try this on your horse? Tell us what you experience!

http://youtu.be/2hGST9HfzI8

Going back to the basics at the walk. Rein Connection

"What if you could finally... keep an even, following rein connection with your horse? What steps can you take to make the difference? (Hint. Check out this video)

In this session Trudy focuses on keeping a light connection with the reins on Melody at the walk. Watch as Trudy becomes aware of what she is doing with her reins, when she (or Melody) drop the connection (even feel on both reins)

Are your hands following your horses movements? Are you ready to try it on your horse? 

Canter. Going back to the basics. Keeping a light rein connection (cont...

"What if...you could finally feel your hands following the movement of a horse while you are cantering?  Have you noticed that keeping that even contact is not as easy as you sound?  You are not alone"

In this session Trudy focused on following Ani's mouth at the canter and what ever happens in between keeping a canter. Sometimes Ani will fall behind Trudy's leg and seat aids, other times she will flip her nose up. This is normal for where they are in their training process. Our goal is simple. Can Trudy keep an even feel on both sides of the reins at the canter?

Did you know? Following the rein connection at the canter is similar to the walk. The horses heads will seem to nod a little, in fact, we should be able to see that nod all the way down their neck when a horse is relaxed and in balance.


http://youtu.be/BUzEvYYk6XI

Walk trot transitions. Going back to the basics. Keeping a light rein c...

"What are your hands doing when you are riding the trot walk transitions?"

Most riders have the tendency to pull back on the reins in a downward transition and hold them to long on an upward transitions. Have you ever focused on what you do? In this session Trudy becomes more aware of if she is following with her reins or locking up on them in the walk trot transitions and when she backs Ani.

What are you doing with your hands in the transitions you are riding? 

Dressage. Refining the Shoulder in and Renvers/Travers

"Can you control the front end of your horse, or the back end?  The magic of the shoulder in and renvers/travers"

Horse people have been using the "shoulder in" and "renvers/travers" for centuries.  These are great exercises that improve a horses balance and the connection a rider has with their horse. What is the difference between them?  Basically, in the shoulder in the rider brings the outside shoulder in until the horse crosses it's inside front over the outside front foot...as they keep the horses back end straight.  The renvers/travers, are really the same is movement if ridden on the center or quarter line. When ridden in the dressage tests,  the renvers is tail to the wall,  while in the travers the horses tail is to the inside.  In that movement,  the horses front feet move straight ahead and they cross the outside hind foot in front of the inside.  Both movements require that the horse is "bent" around the riders inside leg. They are easy to see from behind. Watch this video to see how.

Have you explored the possibilities of the shoulder in or renvers/travers with your horse?  Are you ready to try them now?

Trot. Going back to the basics. Keeping a light rein connection (contact)

"What are your hands doing at the trot? If you are like many riders, they are bumping your horses mouth.  What can you do to make your rein connection lighter?"

 A common issue for riders is that in the rising trot, is that they are unconsciously leaning on the reins to support their riding position. 

In fact, any trot work is where many riders find it difficult to keep an even connection on both sides of the reins.  Now you can watch what happens with Trudy as she focuses on her rein connection at the trot with Ani.

What do your hands do when you are trotting your horse?  Are you ready to practice keeping them lighter?  

Going back to the basics. Canter and counter canter. Camille and Polo

"What are your hands doing at the canter? Adding the counter canter.  Going back to the basics"

In this session we move into the canter to see how Camille is following Polo's mouth through her rein connection (as a result of Polo being in front of her leg aids)  Camille is surprised to see how often she tightens her inside rein for the turns. She also discovered that she was holding more on the reins instead of following through her seat.  This is common with many riders. To add a little fun we added the counter canter which is new to both of them.  

What are your hands doing at the cante

Going back to the basics. Keeping a light, following rein at the trot. Camille and Polo

"What if you could finally find a way to keep your rein contact soft, even at the trot?"

In this session we focus on Camille feeling that she can follow Polo's mouth at the trot and in changes of direction. The horses head and neck stay pretty much the same at the trot, It is the rider that often finds themselves going all over the place with the trot movement. Now you can watch as Camille discovers (this is typical for most riders) when she gets heavy on the reins and when she disconnects her connection through the reins with Polo.

Are you ready to try this at the trot? Be patient with your process as you might be surprised at what is really happening with your hands.

Going back to the basics. Connecting with a lighter rein. Walk. Camille...

Can you keep a light even feel of the reins while you are riding? Are you ready to go back to the basics? Let's start at the walk"

This is Camille on Polo. We are bringing Polo back from an injury and have decided it is time to go back to the basics. In this session we focus on Camille feeling that she can follow Polo's mouth at the walk and in changes of direction. To do this, she will need to keep him in front of her leg aids. As a result, Camille will discover new ways to use her riding position and become more effective with her aids.

What about you? Can you follow your horses's head movements with a light rein contact? 

Going back to the basics. Keeping a light rein connection (contact) at the walk.

"Have you heard people talking about a light rein connection or contact with a horse?  What does that mean?  How can you check to see if you are doing this?"

In this session Trudy focuses on keeping a light connection with the reins on Ani at the walk.  We begin in a standing position so Trudy can feel what she has a tendency to do.  Like most riders, she has a little more pressure on one rein.  Next, we go into the walk and Trudy focuses on her elbows staying soft so that she can follow the movement of Ani's head.  Once Trudy has a steady feel at the walk she becomes aware of when Ani gets a little heavier on the reins.  That is when we add Trudy's seat and leg aids to get Ani to step up into the following contact.

What did you see happening in this video?  Are you ready to try it on your horse?