Studies in animals, and humans, have shown that the mere association with reward for particular behavior can quickly replace the need for direct reward. The brain assumes that a reward is coming and begins to signal that we ought to behave in a particular manner to receive that reward. In turn, this neural firing on …

Do you ride without stirrups on a regular basis? It has been 7 years since I began riding without stirrups, with one exception – when I go down the trail and spend a significant amount of time posting and two-point. This began as a pact with a good friend of mine to encourage one another …

Every single one of us needs to be nurtured by an inspirational equestrian from time to time. Riding horses, whether you are conscious of it or not, is an art form – and like all artists there is something to be said for inspiration in order for us to be at our best. In our …

[dc]By nature[/dc] we are designed to work against the horse, and the use of our hands is no different. When we sit in the saddle we respond in fear by leaning forwards rather than sitting up taller or leaning slightly backwards. We squeeze with our legs when we want to stay in the saddle instead …

Interestingly, I find that most cases in which the horse is found to be gaping at the mouth is blamed on the bit. Whether it is the right bit, fits properly, if the horse has some other mouth issues – even when it is glaringly obvious that the issue lies with the overbearing pressure being …

Ah, yes. Those rather innocuous-looking tools used throughout every discipline be it hunters, jumpers, western and even (shocking!) Dressage. The simplest directions for use are as follows : fold them in half length wise and throw in the nearest trash can. Seriously. If you are reading this article because you wish to know how to …

Natural Horsemanship gurus of all methodologies and followings have a tendency to employ this method to control run-away horses, to promote suppling and basic control over green horses. Most will also tell you it is the “must have” emergency parashoot to instill in your horse because, after all, you never know when he might go crazy. Yes, it is …

It is absolutely, 100%, scientifically certified as fact – certain breeds of horse are too lazy to canter and instead they prefer to run faster and faster at the trot instead. Does this logic sound a bit off to you? It does to me too. I’ve heard that it is believed by some that certain …

It is merely a myth… and one excuse for Rollkur / Hyperflexion. This question is raised frequently – how to soften and flex a horse who is stiff in the neck. There is a problem with the question however, because it assumes that addressing the horse’s stiff neck will actually correct the stiffness. In reality, …

The word Dressage can be translated from French to mean “training” and although it has lost some of its credibility thanks to competition, the original intentions are invaluable. Even if you strictly ride western and loath the sight of any english discipline you can benefit from incorporating the fundamentals of Dressage into your riding and …