Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians

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Are You Blocking with Your Seat While Riding? Part 1 Sep 21, 2020

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So you say go. But immediately follow it up with whoa. And all because you're blocking with your seat. It's like trying to drive a car with the handbrake on! And you continue to blame the car for not going forward…

For many riders, the even more frustrating part of it is that it can be hard to notice. If you are blocking with your seat, you probably don't even realize you're doing it. I have 2 exercises for you to ride that will help you feel if you are indeed blocking with your seat or not…

But before you begin riding, I first want to make sure we are on the same page with regards to your seat...

Understanding Your Seat

There are basically 3 basic ways your seat can be used to influence your horse. Go, whoa, and neutral. Driving, resisting, and allowing. It is the 'allowing' part that so many riders struggle with. Go or driving is when you use your seat to ask for forward or more. Resistance is how you ask your horse to steady, slow down or stop using your seat

Allowing is the equivalent of telling your horse to 'carry on'. It means that the energy can move underneath you, through your horse's body, on its path from the backend to the frontend.

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Leg Yielding to Refine Your Asking Aids in the Saddle Sep 14, 2020

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Have you ever considered that, when riding, you have been thinking about things all wrong? You have been trying to move your horse; rather than asking your horse to move. One of the areas I see riders trying to move their horse is when working laterally. Leg yielding is a great example. Riders will try to push and shove their horse across the arena.

You don't move the horse. You ask your horse to move. If you began to actually implement this in your riding, it has the power to change everything.

Efforting does not equal results. Especially where lateral work is concerned. The key is to have built responsiveness to a point that you can ask a question of your horse, and your horse will simply respond.

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Practicing a Square Halt on the Ground with Your Horse - Groundwork for Equestrians Aug 31, 2020

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Think about the last time you were with your horse. How many times did you ask him to halt while working with him on the ground? Before you mounted up? Was it 4? Maybe 10? And what about after you dismounted?

When interacting and working with our horses, so much of it happens on the ground. Beside your horse. Here is how you can begin using this in a way that will help you when you do mount up in the saddle.

All conversations with your horse start and end on the ground. Before you mount up and when you dismount after each ride. So it makes sense to use this daily interaction to intentionally help your riding.

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Turn on the Forehand; A Basic to Revisit This Week Aug 24, 2020

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Forward and sideways. And yet, without leaving the spot you're in… It can feel so contradictory and, maybe even asking for the impossible! But no, It is all possible. And pretty simple to get started with. You're simply beginning to really work on turn on the forehand with your horse. So many riders fail to include the 'forward' part of the equation when working on this basic movement.

And the power really does lie in the 'forward' aspect of this, especially when you take the time to revisit it from a more developed and more progressed place in your riding journey.

If you are at a loose end with your horse this week, I am going to suggest incorporating turn on the forehand into your training somewhere. Whether it is on the ground, in groundwork. Or on the trail at a gate or fence. Maybe you'll go the traditional route and practice in the arena. Whatever you decide, this versatile movement can help you and your horse at all stages in your development and work together.

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What's Your Number in Riding? Aug 17, 2020

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I recommend 16 to most of my riders. However, maybe your's is 12. Or 20… The number is not really that important. What is important is that you choose one and then stick to it. And what does this number represent?

Your number is the number of interactions you are committing to this month with your horse. Riding, lunging, groundwork or anything else in between!

Your number must work with your current schedule and lifestyle in order for you to really use this method. So if you can only manage 3 rides a week, perfect. 12 is your number. If you can fit 5 in, go you! 20 is your number. Having your number is important. What you then do with that number has the power to change everything…

Knowing your number in step 1. Creating a clear focus and intention for each of those numbers is step 2.

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Combining Natural Horsemanship with Your Riding Aug 10, 2020

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Have you ever tried natural horsemanship? The name is a bit of a misnomer; is anything natural about horses and humans interacting and becoming partners? It's debatable. However, misleading name aside, natural horsemanship can really help to build your partnership with your horse.

If - and this is a REALLY giant-sized if - it is done correctly and complements what you are trying to achieve in the saddle.

I personally use natural horsemanship in some shape way or form each and every day when interacting with horses. I can almost bet you are too. This is partly due to there being a fairly large shared area that almost all disciplines and methods of working with horses occupy. Horses are horses after all.

However, I also use specific methods on an almost daily basis which have their roots in natural horsemanship

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Why You Need to Start Your Riding Journal Today Aug 03, 2020

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I have a little 'test' for you… Can you describe, in full detail, each interaction you had with your horse 4 weeks ago? Yes, go back 4 weeks and each of the lunging or riding sessions you had with your horse, describe what happened. How was your mood? What did you focus on and how did that go?

Now, I'm going to bet that you can probably give some information about those rides. However, can you see how all of the rides begin blending together with the passing of time? Specific details become blurred and more difficult to pinpoint.

A riding journal is a simple way to ensure you have all the details in one place so that you can use them to help you develop your riding and your horse.

And yet, why do we so often equate simple to worthless? We rather look for complicated because we think it guarantees better results. I don't know the answer to this. But I'm asking you to try using a simple journal for your riding. And I'm making a bold statement that has the power to change everything…

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Retraining Your Horse Versus Training Your Horse Jul 27, 2020

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You have a unique language as a rider. A unique way that you do things when you are with your horse, both on the ground and in the saddle. In fact, every single other rider in the world also has their own unique language. Which is great; special snowflakes and all that.

The trouble starts when your horse learns someone's unique language; someone other than you…

Once a horse has learned to do something or to associate a specific action with a specific response, it requires consistent diligent attention from the rider to retrain the horse. Retrain the horse to their way of doing things. And this is important. Failing to retrain your horse will result in mixed results, frustration, and eventual resentment for both horse and rider.

You have your own unique way of doing things. It is not your horse's fault when he does not understand your unique way. It is your responsibility to teach him how to understand your unique way.

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Plan Your Ride with These Simple Steps Jul 20, 2020

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How often do you dismount and honestly have no clue what you just spent the previous 30 minutes working on? If this is happening more often than you want to admit, you're not alone. The good news is that planning can help completely change this.

The conversation between you and your horse begins with the conversation already ongoing in your head. Your conversation with yourself. Tapping into that conversation - and maybe guiding it in a different direction - can help you transform your riding.

Consistently doing this on an ongoing basis for 3 months has the potential to change everything in your riding.

It all starts with sit-in down and beginning to create 'the plan'…

Before You Begin...

Enthusiasm is great. In fact, it is one of my top values in life. However, sometimes it can backfire on us as riders. You see, often we want to achieve everything in a single day. And, when we are thinking about things from this positive and enthusiastic frame of mind, sure why not do it all in a day?!

Instead, I think you should start smaller with your '1-day goals', and then set the bar a little higher for your '12 week goals'.

Overwhelm is a real thing. And thinking too big in the short term is one of the top ways riders tend to bring this on themselves. Ironically enough, thinking this same way in the long term has the same effect. The whole 'this is going to take forever'. It really doesn't have to. Think bigger long term.

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