Kimberly monk dressage

08/17/2025

A great day for an online competition ride in Fallbrook.
Come over to school free if you want to join us .
🙂🍾

08/17/2025

Hello,

I have openings for weekly, monthly or annual clinics in your area.

Let me know if you would like eyes on the ground to help train your horses up the level or help up your standards. I can schedule a intro lesson, half day or full day lesson program for you your riders.

*I am a certified instructor with the British horse society since 1982

*6 Time USDF National champion. Held the highest median score in the history of USDF

*multiple Regional champion

*Trainer and coach of Multiple JR/ NAYR medallist

*All USDF Medals with distinction on self trained horses.

(760) 207-7117

08/14/2025

08/09/2025

HANDS DO NOT PULL BACK - HAVE "FEELING FINGERS"

Remember, you are holding a piece of metal that's inside your horse's mouth. If you pull back on the reins or jiggle your hands around, your horse will likely shorten his neck, stiffen through his back, hollow away from your seat, lift his head above the bit, and/or come against/behind the contact.

Pulling back on the reins can also encourage your horse to get stronger in the contact, as he, too, will pull against the pressure. This often leads to a tug-of-war scenario that sends many riders down the rabbit hole of using stronger rein aids and bits.

The rein length should be held by your thumb pressing on top of your index finger. The rest of your fingers should be light and supple so you can give subtle communication aids down the reins. If your fingers are gripping the reins tightly, then any light communication down the rein will be blocked. Therefore, if you want to give your horse an aid, you will need to grip even tighter or pull backward on the reins, which is not good.

Keep your elbows, wrists, hands, and fingers supple, and allow them to "breathe" with your horse's movement, rather than remaining fixed and rigid. The aim is to have "feeling fingers" which open and close to give your horse the required aids. It may only be a slight movement, but trust us, your horse can feel it.

08/04/2025

Arrived 😍

07/31/2025

Creating an honest bend is one of the important skills to be able to keep a horse balanced and functionally straight in a turn.
Here I show the student that the horse has to give in the base of the neck laterally, which creates lateral flexion in the poll and "fills out the outside rein". The position of the inside hand close to the withers would be in charge of that. The horse also has to yield in the "armpit" in order to give in the rib cage, which is the job of the inside leg.
The outside rein and leg, have to frame the horse so neither shoulders or haunches fall out.
Most important is the rider's position, with rotation in the body to turn the horse with the seat so leg and hand can frame the bend.
It is important to reevaluate the alignment every stride and gently use the aids accordingly, rather than thinking it is a static holding.