Jun 23 2021
SHORTENING THE FRAME “Ride the horse up to heaven, not down into the ground.” Once the horse understands Soft Feel and can exist and work happily in the working frame, he is ready to begin to be schooled in the shortened frame. The short frame is to Cowboy Dressage what collection is to classical dressage. …
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May 05 2021
When you see – Q, you know it’s Cowboy Dressage. Sidesaddle allows a rider (usually female) to sit aside rather than astride a horse. Sitting aside dates back to Middle Ages as a way for women in skirts to ride a horse in a modest fashion while also wearing fine clothing. It has retained a …
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Apr 19 2021
“Needs Bend in Ribcage” In the walk, your horse’s rib cage swings left and right every time your horse takes a stride. when the horse’s left shoulder is furthest back, the left hind is pushing off and the rib cage is swinging right at the same moment—and vice versa. So when the rib cage is …
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Apr 18 2021
“Above, On, & Behind” The phrases “on the bit”, “behind the bit” and “above the bit” are equestrian terms used to describe a horse’s posture relative to the reins and the bridle bit. A position on the bit is submissive to the rider’s rein aids, given through the bit. Being on the bit requires the …
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Apr 18 2021
Rein Contact Rider’s Left hand – Horse’s Left front leg, Rider’s Right leg – Horse’s Right hind leg “Contact is a private conversation between the horse & the rider.” N.O People are always telling others what “contact” they should have with their horse. But the appropriate contact is a conversation that is constantly changing between …
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Apr 17 2021
Shorter or Longer…….. stirrups? There are two basic methods of using stirrups, a shorter stirrup to allow more mobility and a longer stirrup to allow greater control. The stirrup itself is similar, but the length of the stirrup leather is different. In each case, the stirrup length allows the rider to remain over the center …
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Apr 17 2021
The horse that started it all…. Holiday Compadre 1987 – 2019. Rest In Peace. “Save the Last Dance For Me”! “Compadre has earned worldwide recognition and exceeded his notable ancestors in so far as the numbers of humans that have seen him perform and know his name. His name means ‘friend’ in Spanish, and there …
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Apr 16 2021
The Five Rein Aids While I think most of us can visualize how we can affect the horse’s front feet through the reins, there are infinite variations in how we can use those reins to affect change in the horse’s feet. Here, we will attempt to remove the mystery of the different actions of …
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Apr 16 2021
The Bend – Is the Equine Yoga. Creating bend in the horse and rider is the equivalent of equine yoga. It strengthens and supples the horse throughout his core. It allows for the horse to evenly develop his spine and engage his frame, creating strength and making the horse travel straighter underneath you—once he has …
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Apr 11 2021
The Dance “Looking back on the memory of The dance we shared ‘neath the stars above For a moment all the world was right How could I have known that you’d ever say goodbye”.
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