Having control when riding has nothing to do with forcing your horse to do something or forcing it into a particular shape. Being in control when riding a horse involves two things: on the one hand, that the rider is able to determine and guide the horse’s pace, direction and sequence of movements, and on the other hand, that the…
In terms of fitness, both professional riders with eight horses a day, and the recreational rider with one horse a day, can benefit enormously from having a structured training programme. The recreational rider should concentrate their training on strengthening body tension and core stability, as well as resolving any small or large body imbalances that they may have. Routine daily…
Of course, the ability of thinking is great. Thinking things through is helpful as long as it serves you and your goals. However, it becomes a problem when thinking turns into overthinking or non-stop ruminating while riding, when you get mentally “stuck”. This often leads to negative emotions. You may struggle to concentrate properly, you can no longer trust your…
When Olympic Champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl gets into the saddle, she has one principle: “I don’t just want to avoid disturbing the horse; I want to be able to shape it.” For this, a quiet, stable seat when riding is essential—and this is achieved by the rider through a complete package of a strong back, a stable core, and mobile…
The warm up phase in your warm up is an important component of every training session. It is the foundation upon which further education and training are built. Crucially: The horse shapes the loosening phase – depending on age, level of training, training plan, and current condition. The warm up phase in riding Basically, the loosening phase is a warm-up…
There is no general answer to which head and neck position you should ride a horse in. This depends on the horse, its level of training and its form on the day. No matter how or what you train, the aim should always be a relaxed, supple, content horse that energetically goes forward with a swinging back. The FN guidelines…
The rider should be able to give soft rein aids at any time, regardless of the bit s/he has chosen, or whether there are two or four reins: because the rider is holding the horse’s sensitive mouth in his hands. There are five types of rein aids: asking, yielding, non-allowing, supporting, and sideways-guiding. The Lynchpin of the Rider’s Seat That…
A test or an important appointment are approaching. We start worrying about our performance and skills. Will we be able to meet expectations? Can we perform as well under pressure as we do at home? Can we win? Your heart starts pounding, your hands are sweaty, relaxation or sleep are elusive – performance anxiety is taking hold. All of us…
The goal of under saddle training is to bring the horse into balance in motion, at the halt, and in the different movements. The prerequisite for accomplishing this is a rider who is balanced in the saddle him- or herself. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl explains: „It is important to me to be able to optimally sit all my horses so they…
Acknowledging these two facts when considering how to deal with setbacks is crucial: Firstly, all of us – no matter how successful, smart, and self-confident – experience setbacks. Secondly, setbacks are not automatically bad. The idea is not to avoid setbacks but to deal with them skillfully. The first important step is to accept the setback and deal with it…
