3 Magic Riding Position Fixes with Randi Thompson

"Would you like to have 3 Magic Riding Position Fixes that you can use to improve your riding position or your students?"

This is Randi Thompson of Horse and Rider Awareness and was filmed at West Equestrian Services and Training in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. (http://www.westhorse.net) During the "Ride with The Masters" clinic with Cheryl West. Most of the riders are currently competing in USDF Dressage, USEF Western Dressage and Cowboy Dressage. There were more western saddles there than I have seen in a long time!

Adjusting your horses balance and connection with Cavaletti #2 S4 Ridin...

"Wow! Breakthrough session. It has been a while since we have used Cavalletti (ground poles) with Susan's horses. Watch the amazing changes that happen with Beau in this session!"

It is always good to keep changing what we are doing with the training process.  This makes everything more interesting for both the horse and the rider.  On this day, when I asked Susan what she wanted to focus on she said "adjustablity"  As soon as she said that I knew what we needed to do.  Cavalletti and ground poles. If you decide this is for you (just say yes)  you are going to feel like you cannot ride at first.  You will probably not be able to keep the rein connection at all as you will discover your hands have not been as steady as you thought.  You might also find that it is very hard to keep your horse "under your seat" and connected.  That is what makes this technique so amazing as it will help you to fill in some of the "missing links" of what you are doing in your riding.  Now you can watch the amazing changes that happen as Susan rides Beau through the poles.  Their balance and connection go to a new level!  Yippee! Of course, Susan makes this look easier than it is.  

Have you used ground poles or cavalletti in your training program yet?  Can you see the changes that happened with Susan and Beau?

Welcome to Randi Thompson Live. Randi has been in the horse industry for 40 years and has been teaching riding instructors, clinicians, trainers and riders easy, safe and fun techniques to connect them with their students Her Horse and Rider Awareness® techniques have been tested on 1000's of students and horses of all styles of riding and breeds of horse world. Randi has been featured as the keynote speaker at the largest equestrian trade shows in the US as well as speaking for events outside the horse world.

Adjusting your horses balance and connection with ground poles and Cavaletti #1

"Would like your horse to be more "adjustable?" Watch what happens when Susan challenges Beau to stay connected while going over cavaletti . They move to a new level!"


When I asked Susan what she wanted to work on she said "adjustability" That is a term that horse people use to explain when a horse is "on the aids/on the bit/in front of the aids, round, packaged. Now you can watch Susan and Beau focus on ways to keep adjustable as they add cavaletti. Stay tuned for Part #2. I will share it tomorrow. At first I was not going to share this 2 part film series because of the filming. The camera is looking all over at times... However, after reviewing them I can see that that there is so much great information. By the end of Part #2 Susan and Beau move to a new level and I was able to film that process for you to see.

Is your horse "adjustable?" Have you tried adding cavaletti i to your training program? Tell us how they work for you.

The Steps to Connection on a hot, nervous horse, or in fact... ANY horse

"Is your horse connected?  What does that really mean? Would you like to know the Steps to Connection that can make a difference in what you are doing with your horse at the walk and trot?  Watch this video!"

Sometimes, all you really need to understand what you are doing in your horse's training process is to have the steps broken down so you have a better understanding of what you need to do.  In this video Trudy is riding Melody and focusing on keeping her connected and relaxed.  I am learning new ways to share what I am doing on video with you..and the riders, and am exploring new ways to describe what you are seeing at the same time the rider is taking a lesson.  

After watching this Horse and Rider Awareness video do you have a clearer idea about how you can use the Steps to Connection with your horse?  We love to hear your feedback.

The Rainbow (in your horses neck) at the trot. You will love this technique!

"The Rainbow...  An easy way for you to know if your horse is connecting the way you want it do.  Check out this easy to use technique to see if your horse has a "Rainbow" at the trot today!"

For most of us, keeping our horses balanced and in connection is important. We like the way it feels when our horses connect with us at that level.  An easy way to be able to "see" (yes, sometimes we do look down) is by keeping a "Rainbow" in your horses neck.  Of course, it is much more than that... However, this is an easy technique that will let you know when your horse is really on the aids/in front of the legs/on the bit, round, packaged, the beginning of self carriage.

The next time you ride, check to see if you have a "Rainbow" in your horses neck.  Let us know how it works for you!  

"Connecting your horse at the canter. The Rainbow/outside rein and leg"

"Would you like to improve your horse's canter?  Watch this video to see what Trudy is doing with Ani.  Which tip makes the biggest difference for what you are doing with your horse?

Now you can watch what I do with Trudy as we focus on improving  Ani's canter. In this session we focus on keeping Ani connected (on the aids/on the bit/round/in front of the aids/packaged) at the canter" This is level of connection in the canter is still new to Ani and so it is the perfect video for anyone who wants to improve their horses canter. Check out the wonderful changes in Ani's canter than go out and try these techniques on your horse.

Are you ready to try this on your horse? We love to hear your feedback!

Leg yield to keep a horse connected on the outside rein and leg. Trot

"Have you always wanted to know how to ask your horse to stay connected on the outside rein and leg? Watch what happens as Trudy uses leg yields to keep Ani more connected and balanced"

This is an exciting time for Trudy as she is now taking Ani to the next level in her training.  It is time for Ani to stay on the bit/on the adds/in front of the legs/round/coming through/packaged... To do this she is using the leg yield so that Ani stays connected on the outside rein and leg. This is a term horse trainers use when a horse is being balanced between the riders legs and reins.  The good news is that we have been filming the process just for you!  Now you can see what might happen with your horse (or a client/students) when you are ready to ask for more connection on the outside rein and leg.

Are you ready to try this on your horse?  You will love how using the leg yield will show both you and your horse what it really can mean to be "on the outside rein and leg"

Are you asking your horse for a headset... or a mindset?

"It's really not a headset.  It's a mind set. The mystery of how to get your horses head in the right place"

Why do we position our horses heads a certain way (or at least try to...) We do this so we can support our horse so that it can stay more "connected" as we balance it between our leg aids and the rein connection"

 How a horse understands this process still amazes me.  Now that Ani is further along in her training Trudy has found that she likes the feeling of Ani staying more connected with her.  On this day Trudy asked me to isolate what she is doing with Ani so that she can keep her more connected with her back up and a "rainbow" in her neck. 

Can you see how Trudy is keeping Ani more connected by working on the Steps to Connection?  Have you tried this on your horse?  We love hearing your feedback so please let us know how this works for you.

Softening the jaw to get the right head position. What does that mean? S...

"What if... you want your horse to keep its head in a certain position.  This is common for those who are competing or riding dressage.  Do you feel like your horse is still locking up or leaning on the reins when you pick up the reins connection?  You are not alone.  This is a mystery that takes some riders years to understand.  Now you can watch what I do with Trudy so she can isolate how Ani is responding to what she is doing with the reins. 

On this day Trudy asked if we could focus on that "rainbow" that happens in a horses neck when they are soft to the bit (rein connection) and on the aids/in front of the aids/round and so on.  Trudy has been watching horses at the dressage shows and now that Ani is more comfortable with that level of connection is ready to ask her to stay balanced between her reins and legs even more.

In this video we are at the halt and you can see how I break everything down for Trudy.  (We have done this in the past, but now Trudy has a different idea about what this really can do)

How does your horse respond to the rein connection?  Are you ready to try this technique on your horse?  Let us know how it works for you.

Canter. What are you doing with your hands? S4 Riding Instructor

"What if... you really have a feeling that it is time to ride your horse in more of a connection at the canter. You know, the kind where you feel that your horse is staying soft to the reins and is "balanced" somewhat between your leg and rein aids. Now you can learn the Secret of the Trainers. It's all about your riding position!"

Trudy has brought Ani a long way in her training. This is their warm up canter and on this day Trudy asked me to isolate what she is doing to keep Ani connected. Before this week Trudy had been working on this but now she is feeling serious about asking Ani to stay softer to the rein connection at the canter. Its a big step and now you can watch how important Trudy's riding position and length of rein is to that process.

What did you learn from watching this Horse and Rider Awareness video? Are you ready to ask your horse to stay more connected at the canter yet? Please share your feedback as we love to hear what is happening in your training process and how these videos are making a difference for you.

Secrets of the trainers. Riding position for circles and curves. Walk tr...

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"What if... you finally had a system you can use to make sure that your riding position is in the right place on circles or curves?  Now you do!  Check out this video and watch what I do with Trudy"

It's no secret.  You have heard this so many times.  It is your riding position and how you use your aids that is how you are able to connect and influence your horse. Yet, how to do this is a mystery.  Or is it?  What if all you need to do is watch someone else (we are volunteering Trudy here) go through a process that can also work for you?

Try this Horse and Rider Awareness process and let us know how it works for you.  We love your feedback and look forward to hearing your results. 

Secrets of the trainers. Where should your hands be for the canter? S4...

"Would you like to know an easy way to make sure that your hands are in the right place? As an added bonus you will also be able to keep your reins the right length.. even in the canter!"


Have you ever wondered why the pro riders seem to have a more consistent riding position especially with the length of their reins? It's because they have learned to keep their hands in the same place! This sounds so easy, but is not as easy as it sounds. To keep your hands in that magic spot you will be shortening and lengthening your reins a lot. You will also need to keep adjusting your seat position. Now you can watch what happens as Trudy practices her hand position on Ani. 

The next time you canter your horse. Check to see what happens to your rein length. You might be surprised to see how often your hands are moving around instead of staying where they should be. As always, we love getting your feedback so please share your results with us.

Halt back walk transitions and more. Retraining an anxious schoolmaster ...

"Has anyone told you that you will never be able to re train your horse or that you can't teach an old horse new tricks?  Watch what happens as we retrain this schoolmaster (a hot nervous horse)  to stay relaxed and connected in his walk work"

This video shows when Darrien began to finally start relaxing and waiting for Susan's aids.  This was not easy for him as he has the tendency to be nervous/anxious when ever Susan asks him to do... just about anything.  His reaction in the past has been to disconnect by dancing around and pulling Susan out of the saddle with the reins.  Now you can see that he is slowly starting to understand that the training process is not so bad. Here we are simply doing the walk exercises.  Susan's goal seems so easy (she makes it look that way) as all she has to do is keep Darrien connected (on the aids/on the bit/round/in front of her legs/packaged) and relaxed.  During this session we discovered that Darrien really does not understand how to stay on the outside rein and leg at the walk (which meant he was not really staying their at any gait) and it was a great opportunity to focus on that feeling.

Those of you who have been watching the progress of Susan and Darrien have seen a lot of changes and know what a break through this is.  It really has been like starting a green horse over in so many ways.  Have you ever retrained a horse?

Canter. Can you get your horse "on the bit" in the warm up?

"Does your horse "lock up" to your aids (or ignore you) in the canter when you ask it to take up contact?  What can you do when your horse says it does not want to connect with you, even in the warm up canter?"

Susan continues to improve Darriens response to the aids. In this video we are warming him up at the canter. How does your horse respond to your connection in the canter warm up?  Has it reached the point where it is somewhat willing to connect with you or are you still trying to find that place?  The good news for you is that all riders who train their own horses will go through this phase.  That is why we are sharing the training progress of the Horse and Rider Awareness riders and their horses with you.  So you can see what really happens. 

It has taken us over a year to get him to relax and listen to what she is asking him to do.  In this video we focus on what length of rein we need to keep him "on the bit" and as relaxed as possible in the warm up.  This may seem like a simple concept for some riders, but for others, getting their horses to this point in their training is a huge achievement.  Darrien has just started accepting a "willing" contact on the reins these past few months. This was from the past training that he came with. Now he is finally starting to responding by softening to Susan's aids while staying connected from her legs into the rein connection. Last year at this time Darrien was still in his double bridle which is common for an FEI dressage horse and in fact, the only way he was safe at that time.  This year, as you can see, we have him in a snaffle.  In fact, Susan is competing him in Prix St George and Intermediate 1 in it.

Behind the Vertical. Retraining a schoolmaster

"Have you heard that your horse is "behind the vertical? What does that mean? What can you do to correct this common training challenge?"


A horse that is behind the vertical (with its head position) could be doing it for many reasons. It may think that is what it should be, or it might have been taught to do this by someone who thought that it was the right "look". Other times, this position is a result of the incorrect use of draw reins or side reins. Either way, when it happens the horse is not usually connecting to the rein influence. They are going "behind the bit" and setting their head and neck instead of staying soft to the riders rein connection. It becomes an artificial position and a habit that takes a long time to correct. As a result of this position the horse often does not have its back up and is not stepping up from behind. Those who have been watching the training progress of Susan with Darrien have seen a lot of positive changes since they became a team last year. At that time Darrien was still in a double bridle and was not comfortable with the rein connection at all. His lower neck muscle was twice the size of the top of the neck. Now you can see that Susan is riding him in a snaffle and Darrien is now "rounding up" more. His neck has a rainbow, his back is up and he is getting more comfortable with stepping up into the rein connection.

Does your horse have a tendency to go "behind the vertical?" If so, you are not alone. What did you learn from watching what Susan is doing with Darrien?

The Floating Trot. What if you could teach your horse how to do it? S4...

"The magic of creating a "floating trot" with your horse"  Have you always admired those horses who seem to float across the ring?  Some of them seem to be so natural at it... until you add the rider.  Now you can see what Susan is doing with Beau to keep his trot "floaty" in their warm up work"

Not every horse can do the "floating trot".  Some never will and others, like Susan's horses, are learning how to do it.  Basically it happens when the horse is "on the aids" (in front of the leg, self carriage, round, packaged on the bit) It might take a few years to get there, but for those who love training their horses to this level is is a great accomplishment. When a horse is "floating" their back is up and they are stepping up more from behind with their back feet.  As a result their balance shifts and their backs come up and their shoulders rise.  This is when the horse is moving with even strides from both the back feet and the front. Now you can watch what I do with Susan and Beau.  As you will see, we are adding this "floating" to everything that they are now doing in the trot work. This might be the 2nd session where we have really focused on this balance and activity (from behind)

Do you have a better understanding of the "Floating trot" after watching this video?  Are you ready to try it on your horse?  We love your feedback so please let us know what you think and how this works with your horse. 

Keeping a horse's back up at the trot. On the aids. S4 Horse training

"Sometimes... we all wonder if we will ever get to the next level of connection and balance with our horses.  This is normal.  Now that Darrien is now finally relaxing more (and breathing) we are focusing even more on keeping him balanced and connected.  His trot needs more work right now that his other gaits and now you can watch what Susan is doing with him during this part of the training process"

It's true.  it has taken us almost two years to get Darrien to where he is now.  A year ago he was still rooting on the reins (pulling Susan out of the saddle) rearing and running.  As you can imagine... he did have some serious behavioral/training issues.  You have also seen the process that Susan has been using to retrain him (Darrien is 18 years old)  This year, we have switched back to a snaffle bit. Darrien is an FEI dressage horse and they normally wear a double bridle.  Little by little he is getting more responsive and at times, even seems to be enjoying himself.  :)

Are you in the process of re training or simply training your horse to be more "on the aids?"  Did you imagine it would take as long as it does?  More importantly...  how do you feel when your horse started to understand what you wanted?  Did you feel your horse trying to connect with you? 

Adding the leap to canter/counter canter. S4 dressage training

"Would you like to improve your canter and counter canter?  Watch what Susan is doing with Beau in this video!"

The counter canter and canter can be difficult gaits to teach to a horse or rider.  First the horse has to be at a point where they can actually balance the horse and hopefully... keep it relaxed.  Next, the rider has to have the right riding position and know how to position the horse for the movements.  In this warm up session Susan focuses on keep Beau connected while making sure he has the right "bend" in front of the saddle.  She also adds a little "magic" as she asks Beau to start adding more leap to his canter.

What did you learn from watching this video?  Are you ready to try this on your horse?

2nd Level test 3. 66. 98% Susan Faulkner and Mission Point TIEC Aug 1 ...

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"Would you like to see the movements and scores of a  2nd level dressage test?"

This is Susan's horse Beau's (Mission Point) competing in the 2nd level test 3 dressage test this weekend. I added the movements, the scores and the comments from the judge for each movement so you can see exactly what the judge is looking for in dressage"

Those who have been following this team know what a difficult horse Beau was. It has taken us 5 years to get him to this point. This shows that almost any horse can be retrained and brought back to another level. 

Improve your horses Halts and backing.

"How to improve your halts and backing. Those who compete, especially in dressage, know how important backing and halting can be. Now you can see what Susan is doing with Beau to improve what they are doing"


In the training process horses will learn something new, and seem to forget it. In this session we are focused on improving what Susan is doing with Beaus halts and backing. Our goal is to teach Beau how to back without using the reins. His tendency has always been to back a little crooked and either throw his nose up or down into the ground. Now that they are competing in 2nd level we need to get picker about how Susan and Beau are connecting for these movements.

How is your horse backing? Did this video give you any new ideas on how you can improve what you are doing with your horse?