Melissa Methven-Nicholls Equestrian Coaching

23/01/2026

18/01/2026

Fabulously presented in written form....how to make those circles and corners equally fabulous 💪😊⭕️

If you pull on the inside rein, you'll do nothing more than turn your horse's head.

For correct bend, you need to use ALL your aids.

✅ INSIDE LEG at the girth.
This leg asks your horse to bend through his body, stimulating his intercostal muscles and encouraging him to shorten on the inside of his body and stretch on the outside of his body. Your inside leg also creates forward impulsion, encouraging your horse’s inside hind leg to step further underneath his center of gravity.

✅ OUTSIDE LEG behind the girth.
This leg guards your horse’s hindquarters. It prevents them from drifting outwards and keeps them on the curved line that you are following. By coming behind the girth, it also allows your horse’s ribs to expand on the outside, thereby working alongside your inside leg.

✅ INSIDE REIN asks for a small amount of inside lateral flexion.
This rein indicates the direction of bend and helps you to position your horse’s neck on the curved line. Your inside rein should not be used to turn your horse! This will result in too much neck bend and your horse falling out through his outside shoulder.

✅ OUTSIDE REIN controls the outside shoulder.
This rein helps to prevent too much neck bend, thereby helping you to control your horse’s outside shoulder, preventing him from falling out. Your outside rein is also used to control your horse’s tempo (speed of the rhythm) and give balancing half-halts.

✅ HEAD looking in the direction you want to go.
Your head should be up and looking ahead and around the circle, turn, or corner you are negotiating.

✅ WEIGHT in your inside seat bone.
You should have a little bit more weight in your inside seat bone and inside stirrup while remaining sat up straight; do not lean inwards. This small weight shift frees the outside of your horse’s body, allowing it to expand, and encourages your horse’s inside hind leg to step under your weight.

✅ SHOULDERS matching the angle of your horse’s shoulders
Your shoulders should be turned from your waist to the inside to match the angle of your horse’s shoulders.

✅ HIPS matching the angle of your horse’s hips
This should happen automatically as you position your legs correctly, as per above.

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Photo is a stock image.

28/12/2025

🥰💖🐴 Doesn't it all just make it all the more worth while when you get cards like this.

21/12/2025

Wishing you all Love, Light and Peace this Winter Solstice 🌟

08/12/2025

A busy 'learning' day today!
This morning, I popped down to Newton Ferrers Equus for a workshop on how to coach using their lovely horse simulator. And this afternoon, I whizzed up to Cheston Equestrian Centre with my own horse, Molly, for a flatwork clinic with Andrew Lovell.

If anyone is interested in having a coaching session using the horse simulator to look at posture, balance, use of the aids, or even for fitness, I am now fully genned up and can offer coaching sessions.

21/11/2025

✅️All up to date for another 3 years on Safeguarding 💪😊✅️. So important when I coach so many children and young adults. Being an APC coach means that you have to stay current and up to date on training and CPD.

19/11/2025

Great evening of CPD looking at rider balance and saddle pressure - fascinating! 💡

Great evening presenting to the BHS APC group - I was given a open brief (somewhat dangerous as there are so many topic options), however discussed rider biomechanics and its influence on the horse from a coaches perspective. Great questions too 👏

15/11/2025

Oooooooh, get me and my new jacket!! 💪😊

Ive been waiting patiently for the new BHS APC branding to be released, and here it is! 😁

05/11/2025

Another great team training afternoon at Newton Ferrers Equus.

Another great afternoon for some staff training 🤩

Marble and Summer we perfect ponies to demonstrate a variety of different and new exercises for all of our riders to enjoy!

Marbles body is hidden in the picture for good reason ... I'll post it in the comments ⬇️🙈😂

03/11/2025

A subtle alteration can make a world of difference....

🐴 MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY!🐴 Equestrian biomechanics expert Stephany Fish Crossman explains how small position changes and body awareness can improve your dressage horse's performance.

Click on the link in the Comments below for her tips on how to perfect any weaker areas of your position. You might be surprised to discover a noticeable improvement in your horse's way of going!

30/10/2025

True story 🤷‍♀️😂

26/10/2025

The biggest communication channel between you and your horse is through your seat to your horse's back.

P.S. Our brand-new book is now on sale (price increases on November 4th). Check the links in the comments.

Stock image from Shutterstock.