What You Are Getting Wrong About Your Horses

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By Real Riders

No, they weren’t plotting against you in the paddock.

You ever felt like your horse wanted to buck you off on purpose? Or maybe he is being hard leg yield (moving laterally) on purpose?

To keep things short, that is not the case. Horses function in the now, which is also why the greatest horsemen are always present in the now with their horse. However, horses do have memory and do act out (or not) for a reason.

Take leg yielding as an example, let’s say you ask and your horse simply does not respond. If you have never leg yielded your horse before, perhaps your horse simply does not understand what you are asking. In this case, you may need to start with a more simple excercise such as a turn on the forehand or even getting down and working from the ground.

The opposite could also occur, where your horse reacts to you in a way that you were not expecting. Maybe he gives out a buck or kicks out. This could be play or stubborness, but we also need to consider another factor: pain.

Horses are not quick to show pain as in the wild, it did not benefit them. That’s why we need to observe and read every sign as carefully as we can. If you suspect your horse is in pain, it is best to contact a vet and have your horse evaluated based on symptoms.

Although your horse may not be plotting against you, he/she does have a good memory. It is called quasi photographic memory. This means they can associate negative or positive experiences with certain places. Even just seeing a traumatic event in a certain place can be terrifying for them!

Horses can also remeber faces and expressions. So when you meet a horse, make sure you are on your best behavior! In addition, horses can understand human emotions quite well (hence why if your nervous, they will probably feel nervous too). Horses can also have understanding of words and tonality, in large thanks to memory and experiences. For example, they can remeber the word ‘gallop’ in association with the crack of the whip and learn to react accordingly. In terms of other horses, horses must remeber other equines to differentiate between herd members.

Hopefully this helped you understand your horse a little better! Happy riding!

The 5 Basic Elements of a Great Horse Riding Position

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By RealRiderz

Ever watched Marcus Ehning turn tight to an oxer during a jump off and wonder how he does it? Ever looked back at videos of yourself and wondered why something just looked ‘off’? It’s time to revisit the basics and look at the 5 elements of a great riding position.

The great riders are great because they excel at the basics, that’s also why when they’re riding, it always looks too easy. Starting from top down, let’s look at one of the most important elements of a great independent seat: the leg.

The Leg

Need to go forward? Use leg. Need to turn? Use leg. But in what position should our leg be to be the most efficent? Just behind our bum with the heel being the lowest part. The leg should softly cradle the horse’s belly. Common faults include: turning the heel too far out, putting the weight on the toes, and gripping with the knees. Your leg should be relaxed yet strong to keep you in the saddle. Remeber, your leg is the base of support!

Ok, we have the leg down, but what if your seat still looks off? Let’s look at the posture.

The Posture

Remember when your mom told you to keep your back straight? Well, now that’s relevant more than ever! If you have severe postural issues, it’s best to work on these from the ground rather than correcting from on top of a horse, but for the average person rolling the shoulders back, relaxing the lower back, and keeping the chin/eyes up should do the trick. Sit up and sit tall!

Wait, didn’t we just skip something?

The Seat

Not quite! The seat (or for those of you newer to the world of equestrians, the bum) is an often forgotten part of the basic seat. Tying into the posture, the seat should neither coil forwards or backwards but stay in a neutral position in which you can feel your two seat bones evenly.

And now, last but not least…

The Arms

All parts of the position tie into eachother in one way or another, but the hands are perhaps the most independant part of your position (or should be) as they need to follow the motion of the horse’s mouth. Starting from the shoulders to the forearm, your elbow should be gently bent. For the average show jumping position, your arms should be in front of you and straight from the elbow onwards. The wrists should be straight (not cocked up or down) and the fingers should close gently yet firmly on the reins (think of that one analogy: holding a bird or a hamster). If your shoulders are rolled gently back, then your thumbs should be pointed inwards. The pinkie should be underneath the rein with the thumb up on top.

One way to check your position is to get someone to photgraph you from the side. Take the picture and run a straight line down from ear to heel. Does the line run through the seat? Is it straight? If yes, you should be in good alignment (or in other terms, in good neutral position). Another test is to look at the picture and imagine you were standing on the ground like that (you can even try this out without the horse). If you were in that same position on the ground, would you topple forwards, backwards, or remain balanced?

It takes discipline, time, and self-awareness to improve riding position. Even the best riders in the world remind themselves of these basics! Make it a habit to remind yourself and remeber to work on your own fitness from the ground and the results are sure to come!

Have an awesome ride!

You are a Nobody Without Your Horse

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By RealRiderz

No horse, no rider.

A truth to live by. There are not so many skillful and talented riders out there, but at the same time, many of these riders are not recognized because they lack the right horse to show their skills. Like chess with no board or football with no ball, the rider is a no one without their horse. Just another person on the ground. However, no matter how much your horse can do, always remeber to thank them for even just being in your lives.

Let’s Talk about Horse People 

By RealRiderz 

They suck…or they are awesome…there’s (almost) no in between. 

We all know that cheerful rider who’s an amateur in the barn and a professional in the office. And we also know that passionate junior soon to turn professional after years of working hard in and out of the barn. And we also know that Western pleasure vegan who preaches her way or the highway. And we know that spoiled millionaire inheres which the best horses. And we also know our trainer, who (hopefully) trains us well and always wants us to improve. 

So many different people from all of these varied backgrounds. Interests can clash but they can also meet and unite. The Western groundwork master is not likely to agree with the posh dressage princess about many things, but one thing combines them both for sure: they both love the horse (or at least, they started with that passion). Not to mention, both can learn and grow from each others knowledge. 

However, horse people can suck when people start to use horses in abusive ways for the sake of clients. Or cheat clients just to get that extra couple of bucks. It’s a lie many of us come to face that makes us question everything we know and believe about horse people and the industry as a whole. 

This is why we must always stay true to ourselves and our love for horses.  

What the Horse World is Missing 

By RealRiderz

Photo by Alexander Dummer on Pexels.com

An elitist sport, the horse world already feels quite unachievable to many. Yet national and international organizations seem to have little care about this. So, what can be done to start changing this? 

We should be hung my acknowledging organizations and programs which have been developed with aims in the right direction. This includes IHSA and IEA. This also includes National federations which have created a few programs to help equestrians of all levels and background (well, sort of). This includes USEF and the Dutch Equestrian Federation (who has funding through government programs). However, this organizations tend to touch the surface of the problem and never seem to address the root of the cause: unattainable prices for horses and competitions. 

How can a national federation dictate the price of a horse? Of course, this is not possible, yet shouldn’t there a be a limit? An equine at the Olympic level may cost several millions, but is a quarter of a million really a feasible price for a horse that will jump in children’s classes? Perhaps we should address why we need these really expensive equines in the first place: extremely technical classes/tests/courses. 

The truth is that no matter how talented the rider, the horse has a limit (just like riders as a matter of fact). So how can we level out the playing field? How can we create more equal opportunities for those who can’t get the best bred horse or even pay for fees to get to competitions. We can start big on the international field: competitions on horses which are not your own. 

If you know anything about the FEI, you may have heard about the world equestrian challenge which happens in various countries yearly. Yes, this may be a step in the right direction, but the approach is flawed. It is only open to riders from under developed countries, there is little competition, and animal welfare is not always put in the forefront. In last years final competition in Bulgaria, the riders rode on horses with extremely Ill fitting saddles and there was one instance of a horse becoming lame mid competition after the rider took a long distance. Sure, things happen like that sometimes, but this also could have been prevented (e.g. more throughout vet examinations and limiting the maximum age of the horse). 

Ok back to the point: make competitions on non owned horses for riders with NO FEI experience (not just under 1.35m). In last years world challenge final, most of the riders jumped at least 1.30m in international shows and there were instances of riders having experience at competitions like WEF and CHIO Aachen. No, my point isn’t that we should cancel the FEI World Challenge, but we should build on it. 

When it comes to national federations, I would say let the billionaires pay their own fees and focus on those in need. Those talented young riders who may not have the horse but do with what they have. Right now, the wealthy have pretty much taken over the sport. Just look at the US show jumping team, soon, all teams just might look like that. 

The Importance of Great Novice Equestrian Coaches

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By RealRiderz

The coaches that first introduce people to horses are often the most underrated, but they are the ones that can make or break a riders future. 

Do you remember the first coach who put you on a horse? Sure he/she may not have been the one to take you to your first Prix St. George or 1.40m, but they did have a great deal of responsibility on their shoulders. After all, it’s up to them to make the experience both safe and great, so that the rider develops a sense of confidence and most importantly wants to continue riding horses. Trainers which give novice lessons are also fundamental to instilling the correct basics in the rider. This starts with balance which is often developed on the lunge. Balance enables the rider to have an independent seat which allows them to use their aids efficiently. Yet what exact qualities does a great beginner lesson coach possess? 

Patience. Great things come with time, and the best coaches know that. The coach is quick to correct mistakes and yet keeps the lesson simple and to the point. In addition, a great coach values and emphasizes great horsemanship throughout all of the levels. They teach the rider all around. 

Motivation. The coach makes the rider feel as if they can by believing in her and pushing them bit by bit. They set up the rider for success in each session. Before letting them canter off the lunge, they get them comfortable to canter without hands on the lunge. How do they do this? Ride without hands in walk and trot. A good seat equal good security and thus efficient transmission of the aids. The goal is to instill this knowledge into the rider to the point where the riders have little to think about when they take over the reins themselves. 

Honesty. A good coach is honest about the rider’s mistakes and timelines. If the rider comes once a week then of course it will take longer for them to be off the lunge (generally speaking). In addition, good coaches stand their ground yet stay humble and realize that they still have lots to learn. Thus, they are open to new methods and communications with their rider. They learn from every rider they teach and listen to what they have to say (sometimes that means reading the rider’s body language). 

The qualities we touched on above are surface level and great coaching for all levels is an art. Yet if you happen to find a coach (novice or advanced level) which possesses the above qualities and more, you have truly found a gem that you should appreciate. 

On the Bit: Mystery of Contact 

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By RealRiderz

Hands, most of us use them too much from the back of our horse. 

When speaking about “working” the horse correctly, there is often one word that is least talked about and causes the most confusion: contact. Top trainers always say: you just have contact with the bit. Yet how one may attempt to achieve contact always varies. Some pull, others sea saw, and then there are the occasional few that just give the reins. So what is correct contact and how should it look like? Read on to find out.

First we should talk about the prerequisites to establishing correct contact. The horse should work from the legs and seat forwards and upwards. So first, we must ensure our horse is reacting from the legs accordingly, which means that they should jump up instantly when we squeeze our calves. The seat should help bring the back up and forwards (this is achieved by sitting deep in the saddle and sitting up). The picture should look like this: the horse should bring his hind legs underneath him and shift his center of gravity to the center, causing the shoulders to raise up. This energy is revivers through the mouth into the hands of the rider, causing the neck to develop a slightly rounded shape. The horse’s head stays on a vertical line which is where the word roundness comes from. Now, here comes the slightly tricky part: knowing how to sue your hands to recycle the energy. 

Essentially it should feel like this: the horse takes the bit slightly as you keep pressure in both reins (no slack but not too much tension). Your hands belong to the horse, and you follow the mouth, but to get the rounded shape, you need to occasionally keep your hands still in order to have the horse flex at the poll, dropping the head down. The second he does that you can release the tension slightly. The ultimate goal is to have the horse carry himself in this position (this can be tested by giving the hands or slightly opening the fibers and seeing if the horse remains in the head carriage). 

*One other thing to note is that out of the two reins, outside and inside, it is the outside rein that should always have contact. The outside rein is the control rein, and most movements from turns to shoulder in should and can be done with minimum intervention from the inside rein if done correctly (to learn more about the inside rein click here). For more about the outside rein (which connects to the inside leg) click here.

The entire concept does take some time to understand and feel, but it is important to not get too stuck on the hands and remember that the core of your riding comes from the legs and seat. Hence why a horse that is dull to your legs and seat will never be truly “through” or “round.” If you are having issues getting your horse off your leg and seat, ensure that your horse is cleared by the vet and doesn’t have any tack/dental/other issues. 

Why Legend Beezie Madden is Semi-Retired

By Real Riderz

A couple of days ago Beezie Madden’s team, John Madden Sales, posted this on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=628825461936108&set=a.209851630500162

The team announced that Madden was diagnosed with a benign tumor called Vestibular Schwannoma, which can impact her balance on some days. They first made this announcement in the Canadian Horse Journal, in which Beezie stated that somedays she feels excellent, while on other days she feels down due to this new obstacle in her life. Madden stated (for the Canadian Horse Journal): “At this moment I cannot focus myself to represent my country in team competitions. That is why I decided to set a step aside.” The sympotoms of this tumor (which includes loss of balance when person turns too quickly) is the main reason why Beezie has taken a step back from the top-level sport and moving up the FEI Longines Ranking, semi-retiring.

However, this challenge does not throw busy fully out of the game, as riding is actually recommended as part of the therapy process. The comments of the post are over flowing with support, and everyone is just relieved to hear that the tumor is not life-threatnening (and that busy will still be showing her excellent riding!) Right now, the team has shifted their focus on developing youngsters and training students. This allows for the Madden team to stay flexible and work through this new challenge in Beezie’s life without having to focus on deadline dates for championships.

Our team sends the best wishes to Beezie and her team, and we are happy to be able to keep track of her progress on the American circuit.

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