Training Pointers

Here are some pointers to help you in your training of your young horse, and help the more mature horse that perhaps had some of his training left out. 

1. Always warm up with some walk, and then trot work which stretches your horse downwards and forwards towards the bit and relaxes his back muscles.

2. You can never ride too many transitions, so practise the ones between the paces, but also make some that change the stride length without losing the rhythm, so between working and medium strides.

3. In the canter work, try staying on the inside track so that you can improve the straightness. Use your diagonal aids and practise until your horse can canter by himself and you can just sit there.

4. The walk needs practise too, so that the horse can swing through his neck and his head moves freely forward.

5. Do not punish your horse when things do not work. Use repetition and practise the same thing until it is consistently good, and when it is, reward by stretching him before you start on anything new.

6. Finally, your horse must enjoy his work so, keep it simple. He should leave the training arena in a happy and relaxed state, so stretch him again at the end of his work and walk him “off” .