Jane Savoie's Blog – December 2008 Archive (4)

Jane Savoie's tips for sitting straight and square in the saddle

Hi Guys,

Regardless of which discipline you ride, it's very important to sit straight and square in the saddle. Can you tell if you're collapsing at your waist and sitting crookedly?

Ask a ground person to stand behind you.

1. Are your shoulders level (i.e. the same height)?

2. Is your seat in the center of the saddle so that each seatbone is the same distance from the middle of the saddle?

If your shoulders aren't level which means that one shoulder… Continue

Added by Jane Savoie on December 26, 2008 at 8:30am — No Comments

HOW TO GET YOUR HORSE ON THE BIT

Hi Guys,

Do you saw left and right on your dressage horse's mouth or wiggle the bit with both hands to get him "on the bit".

If you "saw" on your dressage horse's mouth by alternating squeezing and releasing with your hands, you're riding your horse from front to back. He might look like he's "on the bit" because… Continue

Added by Jane Savoie on December 19, 2008 at 2:30pm — 5 Comments

How to use the correct aids to communicate better with your horse

Hi Guys,

When you train your horse, you're speaking to him in a foreign language. Think about how it feels to have someone speak to you in a language you don't understand. If you don't know the language, you can't understand them. If they speak slower, you still won't have a clue what they're saying. If they shout at you, you still won't understand.

That's how it is for your horse. When you train, you're developing a non-verbal… Continue

Added by Jane Savoie on December 12, 2008 at 3:00pm — 1 Comment

SUPPLE YOUR HORSE'S POLL

Hi Guys,

Your horse should be able to flex laterally at his poll to the left and right. If you're not sure if he's locked at the poll, ask yourself some questions:

Will he easily flex to the left or right with one quick turn of your wrist or does he stiffen against the action of the rein?

Does he tip his head on small circles or lateral work with a bend like shoulder-in?

Are his ears level when you ride either to the… Continue

Added by Jane Savoie on December 5, 2008 at 7:30pm — 3 Comments