Our experienced and green horses learn to move off the leg with energy and impulsion. We need this impulsion to then meet the hand so we can create positive tension between leg and hand to where the horse comes off the leg and arrives in the hand. The degree to which the rider asks the …
Serpentine
Here's a wonderful exercise to help you become more effective in bending the horse from one direction to the other. Remember all your horse has to know is how to turn right, turn left, go forward and come back. Timing of the sequence of changing the aids from one bend to the other is crucial …
Videos on the Hourglass Exercise (Figure 8)
This exercise asks you and your horse to take part of a circle, connect it to a straight line and change direction. This is asked in the show ring, regardless of which discipline, Jumpers, Hunters, Dressage. You can increase the difficulty by adding a cavaletti like we did or even a small oxer or vertical. …
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Video on the Circle Exercise III
This again starts with a basic circle but this time we change direction out of the circle and combine it with the earlier counter bend exercise. For a more advanced horse and rider we added a canter transition at the point where counter bend turns back into the true bend.
Video on the Circle Exercises I and II
Here's a basic example of how to create a proper circle and change direction through the circle without loosing temp, rhythm and balance.
T-M-B Explained Method – Part 2
Explanation of the use of aids in relationship to what I call “IS” and “SHOULD” be track. The “should be track” is the ideal track on course or in an exercise to execute the ride in rhythm and balance. The “is track” shows the deviation from the ideal track. Knowing the difference will help you …
T-M-B Method Explained – Part 1
Horsemanship Is Learning Their Language
A good horseman seeks to communicate with the horse in ways the animal will understand. If you search for a definition of horsemanship online, you’ll find the following: ”A rider or driver of horses, especially one whose skill is exceptional; a person skilled in caring for and managing horses. Skill in, or the art of, riding, managing or training horses.” I think the skill …
Do you have the right Habits?
We all are creatures of habit, good ones and bad ones. It is the things we repeat most that stick with us and we go to them without conscious thought most of the time. The definition of habit is “A settled or regular tendency, one that is hard to give up.” When I teach …
How to improve the feeling in your hand
Everyone always talks about having the horse ON the aids, not in front or behind them. I want to share with you a great exercise for a softer hand. This will invite your horse ONTO the bit for better communication. It doesn’t matter if you ride Western or English, do the Hunters, Jumpers, or Dressage at any level, or just want …
Juliana Zunde 