Riding Tips

Any horse lover knows that horseback riding is expensive. Ultimately it’s all worth it, right? Your horse deserves the best that money can buy. But we have to be realistic here. As I write this, we’re in the middle of a global pandemic. So many people have experienced loss of income. I know I have! … Read more

I still struggle at times getting a smooth canter transition from the trot when riding a new horse. How to ask for the canter is tough because each horse is unique. Every horse has their own specific way they like to be asked with little nuances during the transition. I talk in detail about the … Read more

I had no idea how to stop a bolting horse the first time I was on a horse that “bolted”. Let me explain why I used quotations around that word. I talk extensively about stopping bolting horses as well as a bunch of other stuff that I WISH I knew as a beginner in my … Read more

When I first started riding, my coach would very often make me practice how to ride without stirrups, or ride bareback, or play around the world with the horse moving. When I was about 8-9 years old, I was able to do all flat work without a saddle or a bridle. Unfortunately, as I got … Read more

My third coach was an expert in all English riding but, specifically she was dressage expert. She competed in dressage on her stallion and had won countless competitions. I had already been riding for a while when I found her but I had mostly focused on jumping. For the longest time, she didn’t talk about … Read more

Today, I wanted to tell you about a problem that I struggled with for a long time. It made it really challenging for me to properly collect my horse. That problem was neck flexion. I get into much more detail about neck flexion and all of the other stuff I wish I had known as … Read more

Something that I have really struggled with in the past is how to sit the trot. Especially with really bouncy horses, I would often find myself feeling like at any moment I could bounce right out of the saddle. Other times, I would wake up the day after sitting trot a prancing horse and feel … Read more

I want to address a simple yet important skill that can help you hone in on how well you’re communicating with your horse. I call this my “secret” walk-to-trot riding aid although it’s really not that secret! You probably already know it but the trick is staying mindful of it and really implementing it when … Read more

Okay, so this week we’re just talking about English Riding vs Western Riding!  So one of my favourite articles on the blog is my piece on the difference between English and Western Riding. I love being able to explain something like that for you, and answering all of your questions. But there was one question … Read more