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Hi, Edward here, This time I’m going to give you some tips and tricks to help improve your dressage scores: 1. The centre line: This happens twice on the test, once at the start and once at the end. The directives for the judge are; Straightness, contact and balance. Pick a point at C and focus on it the whole time until you get to G. Before you turn down the centre line, ensure that your horse is moving forwards into a contact equally with each rein, and keep them straight ...

Do you have a problem with your lower leg swinging back when you jump? Then there are many things to consider, but the main areas to start looking at are the length of your stirrups, your jumping position, your weight distribution and your lower leg strength. If your stirrups are too long you will find you are stretching to reach for them, which leads to your leg being less secure in the saddle and slipping back. You’ll want to tighten them up to ensure you have a bend in your knee, hip and...

My best tip for the end of the clipping season is to get your clippers serviced and blades sharpened, ready for the following clipping season. There’s nothing worse than getting to the start of the season, getting your clippers out, starting to clip and then finding that half way round doing your horse, the blades go blunt or the clippers pack up and just stop working! Now this may be too late for some who have already hit this wall, but at least you know how to prepare for next clipping seaso...

I was working with a client recently, and a whole new can of worms opened up. I’m sure she’ll know who I’m talking about as I write – an experienced horse person with a sensitive, non-conforming mare who throws up challenge after challenge. The human was worried that she didn’t have the equine skills or the time to commit to helping the mare, and the mare… Well, she was just stressed and anxious. The first day, when she arrived (in a halter) at the arena to be saddled to begin wo...

With the festive season in full swing and the New Year countdown well and truly on, this year’s Theraplate UK Liverpool International Horse Show gives you and all the family the chance to ‘Experience Spectacular!’ The four evening and two afternoon performances at the M&S Bank Arena on the city’s historic waterfront are set to bring spectators another equestrian extravaganza building up to a New Year’s Eve party like no other. Plan your visit to Liverpool now for an unforgettable...

ACE Cross Country is a venue that we visit quite a lot because of the work we do with young horses. ACE has expansive fields of cross country fences but also has fully marked dressage arenas and a show jumping field. The jumps start off about as small as it’s possible to go, so that horses and ponies can work up gently and have a very positive experience. ACE is often our backers’ first outing as the fences start so small and we can take a friend for them to help them round. The small ju...