Improve Horseback Rider Skills- Leg pressure and usage

Continued from Connecting the Dots and The Bridle. 

In regard to leg pressure...

I do not want to feel like I’m “driving” my horse forward constantly with my leg; instead, the energy I offer with my seat (before using leg pressure) delegates the energy that should be reflected in the horse's movement.
AFTER that I will use my legs to finesse, fine-tune, and ask for a more specific movement.

Horseback Rider Help- Improving the Skills: The Bridle & Rein Usage

Continued from the "Connecting the Dots"

In regards to the bridle…

Contact, accepting the bit, not ‘leaning’ on the bit, following a feel, softening to pressure…
Each of the above concepts is used throughout various disciplines.
You may have heard some of these, others maybe not. To me, they all are attempting to reach the same end goal. A horse that softly accepts of the bit, maintains a willing responsiveness when used by the rider, without fear or defensiveness.

Connecting the Dots of Horseback Riding

Connecting the Dots

(This will be a several-part entry that will be covered over the next week or so...)

When resistant, unwanted, and/or dramatic behavior occurs with the horse, people get distracted by the big-ness of the horse. In my mind, the “big” is an after-the-fact response by the horse. The root of the problem has occurred or began to occur anywhere from minutes to months before the horse finally resorted to undeniably dramatic behavior.

Finding a Horse Boarding Facility- How to Choose the Right One

Choosing the right barn to board your horse means knowing what questions to ask and what to look for when visiting boarding facilities. In this video, we discuss the important features to consider, like cost, other horse owners, facility rules, owner responsibility, and the health of the animals currently boarding.

Subscribe to the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel for the Tuesday Trainer Tips series and the Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series on Fridays.

Help- My horse suddenly stops moving forward!

The theme of the past few days has been new folks asking for help with horses that are going "fine" and then the horse "randomly" or suddenly stops, or quits, moving forward.

Horsemanship Challenges: The Human Learning Curve

In this horse trainer advice video, Sam discusses in her Dear Sam: Horse Help Horsemanship Series challenges, frustrations, and understanding of the horse many horseback riders experience as their horsemanship journey progresses. 

Subscribe to the Alternative Horsemanship YouTube Channel for weekly videos in this series and the Tuesday Trainer Tips Series.

Horse Buying Check List- Red Flag Behaviors

There are several warning signs to consider before buying a horse, especially to make sure they're a good fit. In this video, Sam shares tips to help horse shoppers understand if a horse is appropriate for their abilities and goals. Are the sellers hiding something? Learn how to spot dishonest sellers and avoid buying a dangerous horse.

Horse and Rider Mental Distractions

Horse and Rider Mental Distractions