Bits of Balance LLC

05/25/2026

Fact!

If people had hearts like horses, the world would be a better place. 🐴🥰

05/20/2026

Join us in a free zoom session with The Dressage Foundation to hear all about the grants and programs available for YOU! Register now: https://www.nodarider.org/event-6701120.

05/18/2026

Since I couldn’t start my baby horse now that show season started but… my talented student and said horse LOVE each other and Blossom proves to be the best lesson horse… This pair has a promising future for sure!❤️

04/18/2026

Today Joker put his very best hoof forward being a special guest lecture @ Dressage4kids
In the lessons following our lecture by Olympic rider Lendon Gray herself , she used my previously given advice and asked me for my input with some riders, which I took as a huge complement.
I was even more thrilled to get a complementary email afterwards in which she congratulated me on a job well done and to hear her say she needs me in all her clinics is truly the cherry on the cake…
Joker and I are so happy to work with the Cleveland area and beyond.
Thanks to Lendon, the students and Alex Gainer for the invite!

04/12/2026

Joker met some wonderful people at the tack sale at Muddy boots 4H Painesville
Thanks for organizing Jennifer Cooper👌

03/15/2026

Educational weekend working towards USDF certified instructor🎉

03/15/2026

Working on getting USDF certified instructor. So glad to attend, wanting to do this for many years, so glad I am able to invest in my education 🙏 Thanks Northern Ohio Dressage Association and USDF for this opportunity

02/11/2026

From beginners to riders already including the Piramide of training in their rides; this is one of those basics I always talk about how we can help our horses..

Everybody knows about diagonals, right? However, not long ago I was talking with a riding instructor who had shown a fair amount including as a member of a college equestrian team. The subject of diagonals came up, and I could tell she didn't understand why we rise when posting the trot in a bend on the forward reach of the outside diagonal.

I explained why and her response was that no one had ever taught her. Now she is teaching diagonals to the next generation without giving a reason why we rise on the outside diagonal except that it's what judges want.

The reason why we rise on the outside diagonal is based in the fact that in a bend the inside diagonal is shorter than the outside diagonal. In the image below the right diagonal is shown as being shorter than the left diagonal. We want to rise on the outside diagonal to free up the horse's outside reach that is longer than the inside reach that is somewhat "compressed" in the bend.

Additionally, by rising on the outside diagonal, when we straighten our knees, our body moves somewhat forward as well as upward. This lightens and evens the stride as a result of our body mass being slightly forward. When we sit the trot with a trained horse the push is more from their hind than any pull forward with their shoulders. Therefore, when we post the push from the hind becomes less intense and freer.

Lastly, there is another reason for posting on one diagonal instead of the other, and it is when the horse is going straight at the trot and when the diagonals are of equal length. Can you guess why?

The lengths of US Cavalry mounted marches were limited by regulations. A standard distance was 25 miles per day and for a forced march the limit was 75 miles. If the Cavalry Troopers posted always on one diagonal, their horses would develop their muscles unevenly. To prevent this the Troop was required to periodically change diagonals all together on command. The Troop leader would count off a number of strides, I have read 50, and then tell the troop to change. I know very little about endurance riding, but I suspect that they follow this same principle as the Army did.

If you like this kind of nerdy explanation posts, I wrote another last week you might have missed. Don't forget to follow the page and like the posts.www.facebook.com/BobWoodHorsesForLife/posts/pfbid049L8fNorrToUtnH3RUXCCi1YxnF7EvaB1nVuy3gzRCcF7KLMdork4sNooTxbYe2hl

02/02/2026

Today I was so pleased to see new and already established clients in an other Joker clinic with these two awesome trainers again! Thanks for the trust put in our hands again, Joker is off for a good night sleep now😉

12/12/2025

The tough life of a barn cat❤️

12/08/2025

Good pointers