Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians

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Stop Wasting & Start Investing Your Time with Your Horse Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

We are all guilty of wasting time at some point or another in our day to day lives. However, I want to challenge you for 1 month to NOT waste any more of your time with your horse. Riding for the sake of saying you rode is a waste of time. Clocking in the hours is not the same as being productive with those hours.

And if you have stopped riding or you're not riding as much as you 'want'… Could it be that the riding you were doing was 'wasting time' rather than working towards something that really inspired you?

Change is Okay & Maybe Necessary

As I write this we are getting ready to begin the final month of 2020. The official year of the curveball. December is always a time when most people do a little review of what was, and begin planning goals for the new year.

I personally don't think you have to wait until the official end of a calendar year to do this, meaning if you are reading this in July 2021, apply this now!

The world as a whole has changed so much recently, is it possible that the goals you set for yourself and your horse in December 2019 might need to be tweaked? Or even scrapped? Has this year benefited you regarding focus and identifying what is a priority? Or has it left you feeling uncertain about anything?

I want you to read or listen to this with an open mind. A clean slate. And I would love it if you could set some goals with that same openness and readiness to start new and fresh if necessary.

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Reacting Versus Responding in Your Riding Nov 23, 2020

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How do some riders seem to simply handle 'speed wobbles' when they are riding? It seems as though nothing phases them. They simply effectively and efficiently get things back on track with minimum effort and drama… Their secret? They have swapped reacting versus responding when they ride.

If you are the sort of rider who gets 'triggered' by certain things in your riding, you have possibly looked at those 'other' riders with a mixture of awe and jealously!

Today I want to tell you exactly how you can begin riding like them; and begin responding rather than reacting when riding, and working with, your horse.

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Your Aids to Ride the Half Halt Nov 16, 2020

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Sprinkled, like confetti. This is how I think the half halt should be applied to your ride. Little ones that are really everywhere. None of them too big. Or 'stand out'. Yet all of them working together to give the desired effect or result.

For many riders, the half halt, rather than being like confetti, becomes more like broadsheet newspapers scattered randomly around the arena. Not too many, some altogether. And not really having any use other than to make things look messy and unorganized.

Size Matters

How do you get your broadsheet size half halts to resemble a piece of confetti? You refine. And refine… The energy that you are putting into that one 'big' half halt (your standard broadsheet), divided up and divided amongst a whole lot of smaller, more refined half halt (your 'confetti').

Yes, I realize I am really oversimplifying something that so many riders struggle with, the trusty half halt. And yet, it really is that simple. It is riders 'wanting' to make it harder than it really is... That is the real struggle with the half halt. And they want to make it harder because, although it is simple, it is usually not that easy to grasp when actually riding.

I have spoken about the half halt a lot… It really and truly is a sticking point for so many riders. I won't get into too much of the what and why (you can read about that HERE and HERE and HERE if you're interested). Instead, I want to give you some practical tips you can use while riding to help you work on turning your half halt from a broadsheet to a tiny piece of confetti.

Light, lovely, and a feel-good sign for all who experience it.

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3 Ways to Use the Your Half Halt in Your Riding Nov 09, 2020

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Can you put into words what the half halt is? Let's say you are speaking with your friend, who is not a horsey person, and you're telling her all about the half halt. What would you say? This week I had two eye-opening conversations. One with a rider and one with my sister… I drew a similar conclusion from both conversations.

My conclusion? There are a whole lot of riders out there who don't really know what the half halt is, or why everyone goes on and on about it…

So, back to you and your version of the half halt… It might be easier to start with what it is not. A half of a halt! But, you knew that, didn't you. And yet, there are many riders who are surprised at that. "It's kind of slowing down, but not actually letting the horse stop…, I think…" No, that's not quite it.

What is the Half Halt

The half halt is a few things in riding. However, we can simplify things by dividing the purpose of the half halt into three simple categories

1. An effective 'intercom' system between you and your horse 2. A little 'fixer-upper' 3. An effective way to help you and your horse maintain balance, focus, and forwardness

I am a firm believer that most riders can take the number of current half halts they ride every time they're in the saddle and double or triple that number. And that is just to get started with! We are simply not doing enough half halts. And the irony is, that when you are getting started with it, the more you do, the less you will have to do it later.

The half halt is really one of those things that you can do a lot of the work up front and reap the benefits later.

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Developing & Celebrating Your Unique Style as a Rider Nov 02, 2020

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What would happen to you and your riding if you began embracing your unique style as a rider? If instead of trying to ride like someone else, you began to really understand and know what it is to ride like you?

I think that many riders are trying to ride like or act like someone else in their riding. Maybe it's the rider at the barn who has been at this a few years longer than you. Or the rider who is 10, 20, or 30 years younger than you. It could be the rider who has never had their own horse, meaning they have ridden any horse they had the opportunity to ride for the past 10 years. Or the rider who is quiet, reserved, and calm under pressure…

As equestrians, we all have riders we admire. Riders we would like to become 'more like' in our own riding. But they are not you.

The key is to really begin to understand your own unique style as a rider, and from that place, begin blending complementary techniques and styles into your mix.

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Create a Plan for 7 Days in Your Riding Oct 26, 2020

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What will you be doing with your horse this week? Seem's like an innocent enough question… 'Ah, a bit of this and a dash of that'...

And there is the problem. If you committed to actually planning out the answer to this question for the coming 4 weeks in your riding, you can, potentially, change everything.

The Same Thing = The Same Result

So many riders are doing the same thing, day in and day out, and then feeling frustrated by the lack of results.

They go out there, day after day. Clock in their respective rides. For some, it might be 4 a week. Others might be happy with 2 a week. There is a feeling of accomplishment having 'gotten in' the two or four rides for that week. But what has really changed? What was intentional? Focused?

And are your results merely reflecting your lack of doing anything different?

Is it possible that you are, in fact, seeing results? You are failing to see them because they are simply the same ones you've been seeing for quite a while now… Doing the same thing over and over will achieve one result. The same one! Expecting anything different is wishful thinking!

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Learning to Handle Your Lunge Line to Avoid Tangles & Enhance Contact Oct 19, 2020

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How many times have you been working with your horse on the lunge, only to have your line end up a tangled mess? Or perhaps your horse did something unexpected. Maybe he turned in or went from 0 to 60 in .5 of a second, and you couldn't respond quickly enough because of a loopy, knotted, or twisted lunge line?

Your lunge line is an important artificial aid that you can use to actively encourage contact and connection with your horse. However, that is pretty much impossible if it is a tangled up mess! The good news is that with a little practice, you can begin making your lunge line work for you and your horse, rather than against you in your lunging.

The Type of Lunge Line

Not all lunge lines are made equal. Before we even begin here, I want you to consider the quality of your current lunge line. Ideally, you want one that has a little weight to it, rather than a flimsy, flappy about one.

That being said, you also don't want one that is so heavy, gravity is having a greater influence than you in the conversation! There is a happy medium, play with what you like and what works best.

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4 Actions to Maintain 'Forward' in Your Riding Oct 12, 2020

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Have you ever considered that, if something is not 'working' in your riding, the reason might just be a lack of forward? We spend a lot of our focus on making sure we have established relaxation and rhythm. Yet, working forward is actually essential for either of those two to be present and working for you in your riding.

Here are 4 simple actions you can take every time you ride to help you begin to both establish and maintain forward in your riding.

What Is Forward?

Forward is when you and your horse are going somewhere with a sense of purpose. It is the opposite of going nowhere slowly! It is the energy, the intention, and the momentum that must be present in order for anything else to work.

You must think forward. You must feel confident moving forward and you must then take action on the forward. It is mental, emotional, and physical.

I believe that forward must be present and established before relaxation and rhythm. And yet, forward is not rushing and racing. It is not frantic or chaotic. Nor is it excessive tension. It is mental, emotional, and physical.

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Developing Contact on the Lunge Using Your Lunge Line Oct 05, 2020

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Your lunge line is not there to keep your horse on the circle while lunging. I would love for you to take a moment just to consider this statement. Is it at all possible that you have been using your lunge line, in some shape way or form to do this for you? If lunging is not enjoyable, a tug of war, or just too darn difficult, this could be why.

Have you been using your lunge line to keep your horse on the circle, rather than to develop contact and connection with your horse?

Here is my step by step system to turn that around for you in your lunging...

Embrace Artificial Aids

Your lunge line is an artificial aid. And artificial aids are fantastic if used correctly. The keyword is "correctly". Many riders have allowed themselves to be led down a path where the use of artificial aids, such as lunge lines, lunge whips, or lunging arenas, is frowned upon.

Artificial aids are there to back up or support your natural aids.

And, you can always refine your natural aids, over time, to the point where artificial aids are no longer needed or used all the time. In fact, this is one of your responsibilities as a rider. Doing the work to refine your aids.

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Are You Blocking with Your Seat While Riding? Part 2 Sep 28, 2020

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Are you guilty of saying one thing to your horse, when you actually mean another? You're not alone! This is the second part of a 2 part series all about blocking with your seat, and how to stop doing it! Part 1 is HERE

Before we dive into the actual riding exercises you can do to discover if you have been blocking. And then, using those same exercises to actually begin allowing. Let's get clear on what we mean when we say 'blocking'.

Blocking is when you mean to say 'carry on', but instead you say 'whoa'. It is applying the resisting force of your seat when you actually want to simply allow your horse to really move your seat.

Exercise 1:- Allowing in the Walk

A lot can be learned about your influence on your horse in the walk. Slight changes and tweaks to what you are doing can have a big and, very important, noticeable impact on your horse's way of going. Use this to your advantage and test yourself…

In halt, take both feet out of your stirrups. From here, ask your horse to walk forward. Your goal is to simply follow your horse with your seat. Like dancing. Your horse is the lead partner. You are literally a split second 'behind' your horse's movement and yet moving with him - not being dragged!

As your horse walks, pay close attention to the rhythm of the walk and how much ground he is covering with each stride.

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