Wisdom Wednesday

Wisdom Wednesday: Whips and spurs are training aids, not weapons.

We Start em Young

Tech Tip Tuesday

Tech Tip Tuesday: The biggest misunderstanding is that when a horse has his head down, neck arched, and is flexed at the poll, that he is collected. The good news is that your horse is framed up, the bad news is he is not collected. The only way a horse can be truly collected, is to be allowed to move FORWARD into a light soft hand and have drive and impulsion coming from behind  (Think about riding a tube of toothpaste, you have to squeeze from the back of the tube to get the toothpaste out). The drive from behind allows the shoulders and front legs to become lighter and starts the beginning of self carriage/collection.  Without FORWARD movement there can never be collection, the horse can be framed up, but never collected.

Happy Happy Happy

Yay! Got the new mare home, aka "Fergie". Once again,.Steve Kutie of Steve Kutie Performance Horses has worked his magic. Thanks Steve! We love the mare. My turn next LOL

Forward Fixes Everything

The simplest and easiest way to fix most of your training issues is to understand the concept that your horse has to be moving FORWAR...D from your leg. Anytime your horse loses steering or doesn't cross over cleanly in a spin is usually due to your horse not moving FORWARD into the bridle. The key to keeping your horse moving FORWARD into the bridle is to understand that you have to ride your horse FORWARD with your legs out to the bit rather than pulling the bit back to the horse. Your legs are what create the drive and impulsion in your horse; basically, you need to think that the more you squeeze with your legs the more the horse will drive up under himself, your left leg controls his left hind leg and your right leg controls his right hind leg. You have to understand that the more leg you use DOES NOT mean your horse speeds up, more leg means more drive and impulsion creating more lift and lightness, never more speed.

Motivation Monday

Motivation Monday: Our fears are more numerous than our dangers, and we suffer more in our imagination than in reality.

Fact Friday

Fact Friday: There are no severe bits, just severe hands. Any bit that you place in your horses mouth will never cause harm or pain on it's own, the riders hand will ALWAYS be the determining factor in the severity of the bit. Remember that a bit is only as mild or severe as the riders hands that are using it. - Steve Kutie