Becoming a Better Rider

April wrote to say "I am trying to become a better rider, realizing that riding only 2-3 times a week makes it difficult to be even marginally better. I really can't go to clinics as they are too far away and too difficult to do. There is a local dressage club, but that does not appeal to me. My question is what do you work on or what can you do by yourself to refine your riding skills? Thank you. "

I think you an get some improvement by limited riding - it's likely how you approach it. As far as clinics, they can be really useful but if they are not possible for you right now then there are many DVD's from tophands available and they can help. Having someone watch you or even video taping you for later review can help as well.

Dressage may not appeal to you, me either, but auditing a schooling session or, better yet, riding with some of those folks may help you become a better rider. The way I look at it, dressage riders have to know what they are doing to sit in those tiny saddles! Some dressage clubs also offer Western dressage. I don't know much about it though, so I might be negligent in saying it's just dressage in a western saddle,....likely it's a little more than that, I just don't know. If the competition aspect of dressage (or other events) bothers you, so could just approach that work from a training angle as opposed to just competing for ribbons or buckles. I know that competition sometimes brings out the worst in some people, but it can also serve to illuminate shortcomings and motivate others.

As far as becoming a better rider, I think I've always wanted to become a better horseman and never much thought about just the act of riding until a fairly short time ago. I remember about 12 years ago I was riding with some cowboys on a gather in a BLM managed grazing unit. One of the older cowboys said to me something to the effect that I have slow hands - meaning that I was not trying to man handle my horse through the reins. It was meant as a compliment and I took it that way. He also said something to the effect that he was happy to cowboy with me. I replied that I was just trying to become a better horseman. He thought I was trying to funny or something. I'm not saying that cowboys can't be horsemen or vice versa, just that my focus was getting better at communicating with horses and riding is just a part of that.

I always thought I had a pretty good seat and rode in a balanced manner. I've been on some broncs (by accident mostly) and have other horses bolt and take me for a ride. But now I realize that I could use some improvement when it comes to simply riding horses as it pertains my seat, posture and balance. On that thought I brought in a noted area dressage rider and teacher, Martha Diaz, to give a private clinic. We worked simply on circles and straight lines where I was critiqued that I had a tendency to ride with my back a little too rounded, needing to be straighter; that I was dipping my right shoulder when riding circles to my right; and when riding circles to the left I was not riding the outside of my horse and also letting his outside shoulder drift.

I was basically unaware of these faults but now am cognizant of looking to correct these faults when riding. Maybe an option for you April is to have one of the better dressage riders work with you one on one once a month or so. Another option would be to video tape yourself riding which may help you see things in a different way than from the saddle.

Easter Trail Ride Event Idea

My wife thought that hunting Easter eggs on horseback would be great fun, so this past Easter weekend we tried it out. I rode out an hour and a half ahead of the group to hide Easter eggs around the obstacles we have on our extended trail course.  Picture at left is Junior and I heading out in the early morning with sacks full of eggs to hide.   

These weren't just regular Easter eggs with candy,....they were large plastic eggs containing stuff like rope halters, vet wrap, get down ropes, lead ropes, leather conditioner, boot socks, goats milk soap and even a stuffed animal (a horse, of course) in one of the eggs.....and there was also a smattering of candy in those eggs - wouldn't want anyone to feel cheated.

I hide one to three eggs around most of the obstacles, within a 75 yard radius.  The rules were after everyone had completed the obstacle, the group scattered to hunt for eggs. Once all the eggs around that obstacles were found, the group would move off down the trail to the next obstacle.


 Each rider could take home two eggs, so if a rider found a third egg, they had to give one of their eggs to someone who did not have more than one.   Nobody could open their eggs until we got back to the ranch for lunch. 

As it turned out everyone found two eggs and an eight year old girl on her very first trail ride found the big egg with the stuffed horse. The picture at right is Jenna, the 8 year old and her kinda nervous Mom.

Sure was a beautiful day to be horseback with friends on the day we celebrate the ever lasting life of Christ.

Cross Training for Horses

Serena wrote to ask if doing cowboy events on her horse would degrade her horse's training and ability in Dressage...."Hello, I am wondering if you think trying cowboy events like cow sorting and roping on my dressage horse would teach him bad things and set back his training.  My friend wants me to try both with her."        

Hi Serena.  I think if you go about it right, practically anything you do on your horse, no matter what or how different, would be good for you and your horse.  I think most people would call it Cross Training and would recognize that term.  Cross- training refers to training in activities other than the one event that the person (or horse) primarily competes in with a goal of improving overall performance. It takes advantage of the particular effectiveness of each training method, while at the same time attempting to negate the shortcomings of that method by combining it with other methods that address its weaknesses.....my apologies to Wikipedia.

Some people either recognizing the value of cross training with their horses, or simply for the joy of being horseback will ride in practically anything they can get to. In either case, the results of often the same, a much better horse.

And cannot but be beneficial to the horse and rider. Everything from a trailer ride, exposure to different events and requirements, seeing what you and your horse are weak on and therefore need to work on, learning from other riders,.....the benefits are pretty wide.

I remember being entrusted to take children out on trail rides by their non-riding mothers as I convinced them that this will make their horses safer for the child's hunter jumper or dressage events. The same for barrel racers - taking their horses out on the trail makes for better riders and helps gentle those horses - getting them desensitized to various stimilus and learning to think before reacting.  Just getting outside of the arena and exposing your horse to about anything - from water puddles (picture at top right) to big barking dogs (picture at left) to rabbits jumping up close by or squirrels running up trees can be challenging and make a better and safer horse.

While I think if you go about it right, trail riding can be really beneficial to your horse and you, events like sorting, penning and arena obstacle competitions can likewise be as good. Just taking your horse to these events and not competing can be good, that's why you see people taking young horses and ponying them around or tying them so they can absorb all the stimulus.

Lately I have been ranch sorting. Several practices then a jack pot. I saw horses and riders week by week become more comfortable and confident with sorting cows and the strategy of putting the cows one by one into the adjacent pen, but also with riding in a more settled manner. It's pretty cool to see horses new sport to this figure out what needs to be done. Same for the rider's, as some were being asked to ride one handed in a port bit, according to the ranch sorting rules, and thereby making it necessary to get functional at it.

From basic cowhorse clinics, to competitive trail events, to western dressage, to ranch sorting and team penning, to gymkhanas - all of it potentially increases our skills and communication with the horse. The young lady who sorted cows on her dressage horse as well as the team roper who pretty much only rides his horse in an "go fast and turn left" pattern all benefit from cross training.


The flip side to competition is that it often brings out the negative in people. Rider's wanting to win so much that they demand their horses respond, before their horses reach an understanding of what they are being asked to do, usually by jerking on the reins and banging on their sides.  So I think if you approach everything.....every event, every ride as working on your horsemanship as opposed to focused on winning, these cross training events will make it beneficial to your horse.  Safe Journey. 

On Bad Days, Just Slow Down

Christine wrote about her training issue: "I have an eight year old gelding who I bought from my friend who moved away. I have been riding him for three years, usually twice a week for 30 to 60 minutes a time. I am not a trainer but I have been doing pretty good with him but now we are not making any progress and it's frustrating. And in some ways he's getting worse. Maybe dull is a better word. There is a local trainer about 45 miles away which is always an option but another friend of mine sent her horse there and the horse came back with a pretty severe skin fungus. I'll take any suggestions. v/r Christine."

I'm not being a smart mouth, but,....join the club. Just the other day I was riding and my horse seemingly forgot everything we've been working on....least it seemed that way.   I know enough now not to get into a fight with him, and even though I know horses have bad days like we do, it was still pretty disappointing. In fact in ruined an otherwise good day. Once I got back to the corral before unsaddling him I did a couple things that he's always been good about, loading himself into the trailer and siding up to me on a fence rail so I can mount, just so I could salvage something out of the day and end on a good note.

I was thinking about that ride and what I did and could have did different, so it became pretty clear that I should have just slowed up.

Two days later, I saddled him just with the thought of going someplace. So we went out into the desert for a few hours, not doing anything but riding and had a great ride. We didn't do anything other than some walk to jog to canter transitions, following coyotes tracks and even found an old brass D ring that came off some unlucky cowboy's saddle probably years ago.

So I'm saying this because sometimes you gotta accept that you're not going to always make progress each day. I have to remember this as well.

Another thing you may do is to break the lesson down in as small of increments as you can. Say for instance you are working on turns on the forehand and your horse is getting smoother and responds to lighter cues. Then all of a sudden he is stiffer and needs more definitive cues,...maybe he's bracing on you as well. Think about starting over like you are teaching him turns on the forehand from the beginning. Ask him as subtle as you can for the slightest movement of his hip, once he gives you that, stop and pet him, let him think on it, then do it again. This isn't really starting over, it's just asking him in a different way and lets him be successful.

You did not elaborate on what things your horse is not progressing through or even regressing in, but riding twice a week on what is still a pretty young horse probably ain't working in your favor. Riding a little bit more often may help solidify those lessons and also give you some room just to ride and enjoy your horse. It can't be all work for him and you know the saying about a lot of wet saddle blankets making a good horse.

One more thing you might try is on those bad days where you think you're not making any progress, be sure to finish with something your horse does well. Somebody said words to the effect 'its not how you start, it's how you finish that counts".