Most horses are naturally crooked – some a little more, others a little less. This is comparable to the right- and left-handedness in humans. As a rider, you can easily notice this, for example, if the hindquarters don’t stay on the outside track, if the horse leans on one shoulder or if the rein connection is uneven. The physical causes…
It takes more than physical skill to be successful. The capacity to produce top performances at exactly the right moment and to think clearly under pressure is essential. Mental training helps to increase awareness of your actions, and to stabilize and strengthen on a physical, emotional, and mental level. It addresses your own conviction of your ability to master challenges.…
A spooky horse is a challenge for every rider – especially when you are so busy calming down your horse at a show that you don’t actually get to ride and show your skills. This calls for good nerves, the ability to understand your horse ... and a well thought-out approach. Raphael Netz rides many different horses every day. The…
Correct toe positioning is something many riders struggle with. Very often, everything looks great in walk, however once you go over to sitting trot or canter, or maybe if you need to put your leg on a little more to push your horse forwards, the toes rotate outwards. When it comes to toe position, it’s actually important to understand that…
take a few minutes ... think about your abilities ... focus on something positive. In any situation, you can find something positive or something you can change or learn from. Henry Ford once said: „Whether you believe that you can do something or not – you are right.“ In other words, if you think that you will fail, that you…
To achieve your goals and to better cope with your life’s challenges, you need energy. Your „batteries“ do not necessarily always have to be fully charged, but we need them at a good level to perform. So it makes sense to invest some time into finding out what helps you personally to recharge your batteries and gain more energy. Energy…
„Our posture, especially that of your upper spine, is crucial for good, pain-free shoulder function”, explains Sports Scientist Marcel Andrä. And here is why: A slouched posture stops your upper arms from moving freely in the shoulder joints. „Unfortunately, this is exactly the position we usually take when we are sitting – in the car, at the desk and sometimes…
A training unit is generally divided into a warm-up phase, a working phase and a relaxation phase at the end. The warm-up is crucial and determines the course of the actual training. “We use the warm-up to really listen to our horses and find out how they feel on that particular day,” Jessica explains. “Is he in a good mood?…
What do successful athletes do differently? How much of it is talent? What external factors are involved and how important is the correct mindset for success? Leading experts and coaches around the world repeatedly come to the same conclusions on these questions: personal success depends on a huge extend on ourselves. And that’s great news, if you think about it!…
Every rider wants to be able to sit comfortably and ride in harmony with their horse using only very subtle aids. This requires a great deal of balance and coordination skills. To achieve this, the rider’s body and mind must work together. The rider’s brain must give the right commands at the right time and the body must then be…
