Balance Horsemanship

24/04/2025

Had a grey horse day yesterday!

Morning ride in the forest on Sureno, bodywork and groundwork lesson for Lottie, groundwork and riding lesson for Fatto and then a ride on Dartmoor with Akbar and so many adorable lambs out and about such a beautiful feel that spring has sprung 🌱💐🌳

Riding out is a great opportunity for horse to get fit, climb hills work on balance, bravery and trust. Plus it's just lovely to view the world from behind a pair of ears.

I hope you're enjoying the spring sunshine with your horses ###

16/04/2025

One of the most important things you develop over time as a horseman is rope skills and feel.

It's the same handling a rope as your reins. How you holding them effects the cue/signal/feeling the horse receives and responds to.

I wrapped the rope around my hand in two different ways shown below this week without really thinking about it.

I like to handle ropes with an open hand and often like the have the back of the hand to the sky as it's a lighter feeling in the arms when your direct the horse.

Who would be interested in teaching on rope/rein skills and feel through the fingers?

15/04/2025

Trot on the circle,

Photos are bridle less, showing the bend from the ribs and base of neck.

On a correct circle - the inside hind steps under the point of weight, the rib cage swings to the outside, the base of neck is carried closer to the outside shoulder giving room for the inside fore to lift and lighten. The outside fore reaches around on a circle and the outside hind uses a slight swing to complete the picture of a curve in the spine and a step pattern that propels the horse forward and around on a circle.

I picture a circle starting with the shift of the ribs and that aligns the spine and legs onto the circle line to create alignment on a circle.

If the horse is struggling walk a small tight circle around a barrel or cone to exaggerate the rib motions and hoof placement and then increase the circle size and decrease the bend accordingly.

14/04/2025

My last week of clients and activities, I love the variety that my work provides even if I complain about the driving!

The young horses I'm privileged to support educate are all exploring the world at the moment.
I got to exercise one horse in the forest and one on the moor. Beautiful spring weather for riding out.

Ready for another week of learning and growing with them 🪄🦄🥰

12/04/2025

Variations of Trot, descriptions on each photo, due to the ability to change stride length, vary the upward, downward and forward components of the stride in the hind limbs then there are many variables to the trot step a horse can take. The swing in the ribs can also increase and add more Swung to the gait.

When you start with variating the trot, be pleased with small changes, I start with the idea of open and close the steps, then I might work on a change of frame, stretching in the back with open frame, then closing the frame and lifting the head, neck and shoulders before stretching again.

For me the ability to variate prevents over working one muscle group for an extended period of time.

Ultimately the highlight is to be able to maintain the rhythm of the diagonals from piaffe to passage to school trot to extended trot and back.

Extended trot requires both flex, lift and reach with the hind legs. With time and strength the extension come from an increase push of the hind legs and allowing the neck and forelimbs to extend forwards.

Piaffe is a downward activity, the handle joints flex and load into a squat, under the horses body. Then the diagonal step is from one diagonal to the other, often the suspension phase is missing when the horse learns and strengthens.

Passage is a upward increase in the step, the hind limb should flex and load then release the spring upward creating a short step. The hind legs are more behind the body to push it forward with each stride.

11/04/2025

11/04/2025

One of the best feelings when riding a horse is getting to fly!

Trot is a diagonal two beat gait with a moment of suspension between each landing phase. Learning to feel the diagonal pairs in the horse's trot sequence will help you to time your aids for any changes of direction or movements you ask your horse to perform within the trot.

Trot is a fantastic gait for covering the ground, due to the diagonals it uses the horses body in an equal way that allows them to maintain pace for long periods of time.

Trot also has a great ability to variate posture, stride length and amount of suspension.

If the horse put the most emphasis on the loading phase of the hind limb then the trot becomes collected with shorter steps, if the horse puts the most emphasis on the swing in the stride and pushing forward off their toe then they create the most drive and ground cover

Schooling your horse for strength requires teaching them to step under the point of weight and create a step with a good landing phase under the body and a slight push off. Then you can variate the trot from there.

I like to use serpentines in the trot to teach the horse to step under and weight shift and activate their inside hind leg

Also regular transition trot, walk a few steps, trot.
As you ask for the walk, raise the hands to lift the horses shoulders in the transition, then soften the hands as you activate the hind legs into trot again.

Variation of gait or direction causes a shift in balance and increases your horses gymnastic skills.

So much of what I teach works on balance and body control so the horse can effortlessly FLY 🦄

10/04/2025

When I moved to Devon I fell in love with riding on Dartmoor. The first thing I had to learn was that my previous rules of life did not apply, the biggest one being in Somerset stick to the bridleways, don't stray on private ground. Dartmoor soon taught me the bridleways may or may not be safely ridable due to boggy ground, www. ridedartmoor .co.uk became my new best friend and has what my friend calls "the bog map" on it.

Once I understood the concept of ride anywhere but stay safe, it opened up a whole new meaning of freedom to me while riding. Beautiful views, stunning skies, so much to explore, adventure, play with, use the childish side of my imagination. Ride in ditches, up and down banks, test our trust, gallop up hill or just walk quietly and contemplate life from behind a pairs of ears.

Dartmoor was a wonderful place for my TREC training, to practice map work, skills and accuracy. It's a place to take my young horses to gain confidence and access free forward movement, improve balance or build strength. A place for fitness work or just to ride and chat with friends for the joy of it.

Where are your some of the outdoor spaces you love to ride?

Add photo to the comments x

09/04/2025

Teaching is one of my favourite things to do, I love sharing ideas, information, knowledge and helping people with the pieces they are missing to get to their own goals.
This one was mine, a beautiful white Portuguese horse to ride ba****ck and bridle less.

I don't mind goals that start at the most simple and build up the complications over time. When we choose a horse for life, it's all about the journey and finding the possibilities in each other.

Next Clinic is at The Grange EC Saturday 19th April

30/03/2025

So I swapped the snaffle for the curb, and got a more elegant frame. I'll edit video soon. But it's fascinates me that the tools really do make such a huge difference to the balance of a horse. This is the smallest curb you can find with a strap and not a chain but just the act of adding a curb strap moved everything into more upward collected balance.

27/03/2025

Smushy and I working on collection in the evening sunshine this week. Needs more strength but that's a lifetime endeavour!

21/03/2025

Spaces available.

18/03/2025

Anyone Joining us? Fabulous day of learning and horses to be had.....