Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians

Latest Episodes:

Re-Training Your Horse Using Lunging Jul 13, 2020

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Did you know that almost anything you can do from the saddle, with your horse, you can do from the end of the lunge line? And the words lunge line there are important. I often chat with riders who believe in free lunging or loose lunging. They are not lunging! Lunging is when you are using your aids, both natural and artificial, to actively improve your conversation with your horse through your aids.

And correct lunging is one of the best ways to begin re-training or re-schooling your horse, regardless of your abilities (or lack of abilities) when in the saddle.

So many riders struggle with re-training because their aids lack consistency when riding. They 'think' they are saying one thing to their horse, but meanwhile, their horse is hearing something completely different! Lunging removes this challenge.

When you lunging, you can clearly see - in real-time - how your horse responds to your aids. Not how you think he is responding. You take on the perspective of a trainer.

And you can do this in a few simple steps...

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Transforming The Next 12 Weeks in Your Riding; for You and Your Horse Jul 06, 2020

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There is an opportunity right now, as an equestrian, to choose again for you and your horse. To become really intentional about what you want your riding to look like and feel like for you both. Because everything has changed, you are at this unique place where you can change your riding. You can decide what is working for you and what is not, and then build out the coming 6 months to reflect this 'new you' as a rider.

One of the positives of 2020 is that most people have greater clarity about what they actually want. What is really a priority and what was simply a habit?

You can choose your better. Maybe this is better scores or results. Or it could be a better partnership and conversations with your horse. Whatever your better is, I am urging you today to identify it and then go for it.

Give yourself a 12-week window and make this happen for you and your horse.

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Simple Groundpole Exercise to Ride this Week with Your Horse Jun 29, 2020

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Do you have 5 or 6 poles that you can use in the arena? They don't have to be the same length or width. In fact, the more variations you have, the better. If so, I am going to encourage you to ride this exercise a few times this week and begin noticing the differences. It is one of the most simple and effective ways to develop your skills as a rider. And it will help develop your horse as well… There are two ways to approach this. The first is to just place the poles randomly around the arena. No set layout. No set 'track'. Just random poles, at random angles and intervals, sprinkled around your arena. Obviously, apply common sense and don't place the poles too close to the track or at tight angles to the corners, etc. If in doubt, think 'sweeping' bends and corners. The second is to get out a pen and paper and scribble a bit! A few squiggles, circles, loops, and twists. Then just draw the poles on this wonderfully creative 'track' you have just created. Take your 'plan' and create it in the arena. Whichever way you decide, what is key is that the poles are random. No straight lines, no related distances, no doglegs or anything at all, expect pure random. Then, simply mount up and off you go.. Read More... Additional Resources on This Topic

Improving Your Riding Coordination And Aids While Lunging Jun 22, 2020

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As a rider, it can be easy to think that the only way you can improve your skills is to ride. And yes, riding is important; obviously! However, you can also use lunging as a way to develop your coordination and aids. And not just on the ground, but also to benefit you and your horse when you're in the saddle as well. Lunging gives you a different perspective when you ride. And often, this one simple change can be enough to burst through limitations in your riding. You see, when you are riding, it is easy to believe that things are happening a certain way. That things 'look' a certain way. However, if you have ever watched a video of yourself riding, you will know that this is often not true. Lunging gives you second by second feedback on how your horse is actually responding to your aids; not how you 'think' your horse is responding to your aids. And it is so easy to get started with, even if you have never lunged before. I have a step by step system HERE you can use. Read More... Additional Resources & Information:-

Artificial Aids when Working With Horses Jun 15, 2020

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For some reason, many riders have a negative story around artificial aids. And yet, most riders use artificial ads on a daily basis, whether riding or on the ground with their hose. What is important to remember is that artificial aids are neither positive nor negative. They just are what they are. And you can use them to create a positive or negative reinforcement with your horse. And, let's be honest here, you as well. So in light of all that, I want you to begin being a little more mindful when using artificial aids with your horse. This will allow you to begin the process of figuring out when and how you can begin moving away from that aid and towards a more natural aid instead. Read More... Additional Resources on This Topic

What Does an Equestrian Look Like? Diversity in Our Sport Jun 08, 2020

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Both you and I have a voice. I think it is important to begin using our voice right now to help our sport diversify. To change the status quo of what an 'equestrian' looks like.

As I write this, early June 2020, it has been a difficult few weeks. So much hurt has been and is being felt by so many people all over the world. It is still being felt right now. And, importantly, it was being felt before now for so many equestrians. It is just that now, it is being spoken about.

This hurt has been and still is, the predominant feeling for so many equestrians. The simple truth is that riders are being treated differently based on how they look.

Equestrian sport has the ability to change. It has done it before. And yet, there is so much still to be done. Now is the time to begin doing this work.

It starts with us. You and I are equestrians. And I believe that our sport needs our input right now.

Your Half Halt on the Ground with Your Horse Jun 01, 2020

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Sprinkled liberally all over the arena and every ride. That is how important the half halt is to your riding. However, it is also an important aid on the ground with your horse. And, it consciously practicing it on the ground can really help to clarify the aid for you, as a rider.

So many riders think that the half halt is only for the saddle. It is an aid that exclusively happens when communication is coming from above with regards to their horse.

However, I am a huge believer in groundwork and in how practicing the half halt on the ground will help your overall riding efforts going forward on your journey as an equestrian.

The Half Halt Helps You

Working on the half halt ion the ground is a great place to begin being more mindful about how you are showing up for the overall conversation with your horse. Be honest, how much of your interactions with your horse on a daily basis are just routine? Autopilot? No thought, you just do it?

Autopilot is great for certain aspects of your riding. The conversation with your horse is not one of those things!

Noticing and working on improving the half halt on the ground is a great way to begin taking the 'day to day' off of autopilot. Doing this has the potential to change the whole conversation, as you will see where the boundaries truly are. You will also see where you might just be allowing a lack of consistency to be the only thing that is truly consistent in your riding!

Heels Down; The horse riding basic that many riders and equestrians misunderstand May 25, 2020

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It's probably one of the first things you were told on your first ride. It is also, for many riders, a misunderstood concept. The truth of 'heels down' is that once you can correctly master it, it is an absolute game-changer for everything else in your riding. It is that important.

How much your heel is down will depend on what you are doing at any given time. What doesn't change is that the weight is dropped into the heel. Always.

It is a pretty easy thing to do. Heels down. And it is also one of the first things you should work on putting onto autopilot in your riding. Meaning that you don't have to think about it. It just happens by itself.

Having heels down on autopilot will allow you to focus on your actual communication with your horse.

The Weight Drops into Your Heel

Heels down are easily visualized. If someone tells you to put your heels down, you know what they are talking about and what they want you to do. Compare this with 'allow the weight to drop into your heels'. Come again?! And this is why riding instructors use the term 'heels down' when working with novice riders.

However, I want you to begin to understand that it is the weight dropping into your heel that is important. Your heels down is a result of you allowing weight to drop into your heels.

But again, when you are initially starting out on the riding journey, 'sitting' in your saddle. Foot firmly in your stirrup due to the level of mental comfort it provides; the question is often "what weight?! I'm sitting down in the saddle!". As you dive more into your position and posture as a rider, you begin to understand that there is carrying and a draping that happens through your body. A balance between elongating and simply allowing.

The degree of heels down can certainly change. In fact, I can bet that it will depend on the set of circumstances you find yourself in at any given time.

What shouldn't change is the fact that the weight is dropped into your heels.

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Connection in Your Riding; Seat and Leg Aids May 18, 2020

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Have you ever thought about what you can feel, in the saddle as you ride your horse? The physical connection points you have with your horse each time you're in the saddle.

Often we can become so caught up with our aids and what we 'should' be doing, that we forget to focus on the actual points of physical connection between you and your horse. And the impact these connection points are having on each ride.

The first thing I am going to suggest is to actually mount up and simply allow your horse to walk. It is amazing how often we forget to allow this to happen. We think that because we are in the saddle and the horse is moving underneath us, we are allowing the walk.

And yet, so often we are blocking or working against our horse doing this simplest of tasks. Walking freely while we are in the saddle.

How many times have you been in the saddle and focus on 'getting the horse to walk'? This versus sitting back and actually just allowing the horse to walk.

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Getting Back to Regular Riding After a Break? Listen to this first... May 11, 2020

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So, you've been out of the saddle? And now - you're ready to get back on the horse. Firstly, congratulations! Whether your time on the ground was due to the pandemic or due to some other life circumstance, returning to riding is a great feeling and time in your life. I personally felt a buzz of anticipation when I got back into the saddle after both of my boys were born. I made the decision not to ride during each pregnancy, so finally getting back felt great. But there were a few challenges along the way. It definitely was not 'plain sailing'. Today I want to help you navigate a few of these potential sticking points so that you can make this transition back to regular riding as enjoyable and resistance-free as possible. Read More... Additional Resources to Help with this Topic:-