Training & Top Tips

So many people don’t have access to regular lessons and want to make the most of what they have worked on. So here are a couple of quick tricks to help you maximise your learning in your own tim...

Riding jitters. We all experience them at one time or another. That hostile flutter of butterflies in your tummy, the nauseous feeling at the back of your throat, the sweaty palms and the need for a n...

The Scales of Training are a system of six points – or building blocks – that are used by trainers and riders in the schooling of a horse. In this article, I would like to explain in more ...

Most of us are fully aware that equestrianism is hugely dependent on a sound mindset. How else would we be able to ride several hundred kilos of semi-wild animal?? It’s that X-factor that can...

Regardless of discipline, polework is an important part of horse riding. When completed regularly as part of your horse’s training schedule, polework builds your horse's strength and flexibility...

Are you fighting a daily battle, trying to jump on your horse before they run away? This doesn’t have to be the case! I’ve owned my horse for 10 years now and I didn’t realise it was...

I’m often asked to help people feel good when cantering and to be confident in the knowledge that they can enjoy this beautiful pace. Cantering has to be one of the most popular issues I deal wi...

The more supple I can get my horse – so that it is willing and able to bend/turn/move-off and has improved balance – the more likely it is that I will have a nice and safe ride. Endless ci...

Have you ever wanted to ride down the centre line on your beloved horse to show the judge what you’re capable of, but have felt intimidated by the flashy warmbloods in the warm-up? Do you ever t...

Does anyone else have a ‘go-to’ move they use to regain their horse’s focus when a session isn’t going to plan? As of quite recently, I do, and it works a treat! Over the recen...

Research has shown that when an individual engages in vivid and absorbing imagery the brain interprets this as identical to the event happening. In other words, the brain can’t tell the differen...

Anyone involved with horses will have probably encountered 'the lazy horse' at some point in their lives. Whether you’re fairly new to riding or have been an equestrian for years, and whether yo...

For many riders, a dressage lesson itself is often too boring. Practicing a prelim test over and over again, or trying to get a horse into an outline that may be a little older or stiffer is not fun, ...

Do you set your horse up in a nice rhythm only for him to throw his nose up and run through the last few strides to the fence? Rushing to a jump, or through a combination, is a common problem for many...

This is a very quick tutorial on the walk, improving the quality of the walk, the walk to trot transition, and a couple of tips on how to develop responsiveness. So this is Reggie, a show jumper I ...

Ponies make great carriage drivers, especially if they no longer have a rider due to them being outgrown. This is the perfect solution if your pony is part of the family, as it means you can still enj...

Here's a quick tutorial on perfecting your sitting trot. Firstly I must apologise for my dulcet tones... I sound rather like a Sergeant Major! I was a little concerned that you wouldn’t be ab...

Lunging a horse is a great form of training for the horse, and not only in the work they are doing at the end of the lunge line. It’s also ideal for getting them to listen and learn the handler&...

This is a follow-up to my last two tutorials on walk and trot - now the canter! Again, I am focusing on how the rider should be following the movement of the horse within the connection, so in thi...

Taking inspiration from the recently completed infamous Bury Farm Bareback Challenge, I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks on learning how to ride bareback and how to do it successfully. ...