In this video, Spidey and I will show you how riding brief trot-walk-trot transitions on straight lines and circles can help you address moments of resistance and how to engage your horse to accept your leg aids more willingly. You will also see how to redirect your horse’s energy firmly yet peacefully when you encounter phases of non-compliance in the walk and trot.
Watch and you will find answers to the following questions:
1. How does giving my horse a break during moments of resistance positively influence her/his brain chemistry?
2. How can I (re-)establish a sense of peaceful leadership with my horse in the walk during moments of non-compliance?
3. How can riding straight lines and circles help my strategy to keep my horse moving while sorting out our leadership issues?
NOTE: Do not nag/nudge/kick your horses in the rib cage in an effort to make them go forward. I’m not kidding. There are still many riders and educators who see this as their go-to method to ask their horses to move forward. This type of action will create an adverse reaction in your horse because you’re touching bone against bone - your heel against the horse’s ribs - which doesn’t feel good and makes the horse push against the pressure. Do use gentle, vibrational movements with your lower leg and allow your horse to respond in small increments. Reward with a release of leg pressure. You may underscore the meaning of your light leg aids by using your breath, your voice, clucking and gentle guidance (never hitting) with a whip. Watch this video to find out more about re-sensitizing your horse: How to Re-Sensitize A Not-So-Forward, ‘Lazy,’ Shut-Down Or Desensitized Horse - • Dressage Pointers: How...
You may also enjoy watching these videos:
Energizing Exercise For Your ‘Not-So-Forward’ Horse: Trot-Walk Pattern (1) Transitions On Straight & Curved Lines - • Exercise For A ‘Not-So...
Energizing Exercise For Your ‘Not-So-Forward’ Horse: Horse: Walk Pattern (2) Introducing Legyields On Curved Lines - • Exercise For A ‘Not So...
Happy riding! :)
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Horse: Spidey (Asgard’s Impact), 6 year-old gelding, Westphalian; Background: Imported from Germany, inconsistent training due to health issues. Current training: Dressage and ground training; Temperament (0 being extremely calm/laid-back, 10 being highly excitable/hot): 6. Personality: Kind, sensitive, dominant, intelligent, good-natured.
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Note: Viewers should consult a professional before adopting any of the training techniques shown in this video. Any activity you do with your horse is at your own risk and may produce varied results.
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California-based Dressage trainer, instructor, clinician and life coach, Katja Elk, provides gentle training solutions for riders and horses of all backgrounds.
“Being a kind rider and trainer, to me, means learning how to ride with reasonable expectations according to where we find ourselves and our horses on our developmental journey. It also means that we need to continue to refine our technical riding skills so we can support our horses with more finely tuned aids as we are moving more joyfully and more in sync with one another.”
“Over the course of my life, I have been fortunate enough to learn from many amazing human and equine teachers. In my videos, I share tips and pointers with people interested in expanding their knowledge about foundational Dressage and different types of groundwork. You will see me work with my clients’ horses of various breeds, levels and backgrounds, highlighting parts of the journey we call work/play-in-progress with our equine partners. None of the shown clips are flawless. In fact, they all show the many imperfections an active, aging rider faces who entered the professional field as an instructor/trainer later in life and who keeps on striving to show that Dressage can be an activity we all can enjoy with our horses at most stages of our lives and at varying levels of expertise. The videos are honest, heartfelt attempts to show you ways to nurture a kind, joyful and productive relationship with your horses as you are exploring and expanding on the many facets of Dressage and groundwork.”
Katja applies the concept of a friendly, trust-based, two-way communication system to riding Dressage, work-in-hand as well as groundwork such as halter-work, longeing/lungeing and longlining.
Additionally, Katja, a Martha Beck certified master life coach, works with people who are looking for relief from anxiety, depression and/or other challenges in their lives.
www.gentlesolutionsdressage.com
www.windhorsecoaching.com
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