Stepping Stone Sporthorses

02/24/2025

Don’t let someone tell you horses don’t plan out activity because they live in the moment. Just look at these two having their very own Test discussion 😂😂

02/16/2025

Wish people still knew this

01/29/2025

Reward every try. 🙏🐴 Guy McLean

01/28/2025

😂

01/18/2025

𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓: 𝑨 𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈

By understanding and practicing the concept of turning from the center, riders can significantly improve their horsemanship skills and build a stronger partnership with their horse.

01/08/2025

http://americasfavpet.com/2025/allie-f115/

Allie is an incredibly intelligent and loyal dog. She goes everywhere with me and brings joy to everyone who interacts with her.

01/05/2025

Saddle Fit for Horse and Rider

01/03/2025

01/03/2025

I once heard someone say, “the difference between a professional rider and an amateur is that the professional knows what they want.” So, how do you know what you want? Obviously, there are a lot of ways to learn what you want and it is certainly beneficial to ride a horse who is properly trained so that you have an inkling of what the horse should feel like, but you also have to figure out how to attain that, or at least what feel/response you like from your horse. A fruitful approach to this is simply to begin to experiment with what to do -and how much to do (“dosage”)- in order to progress as an intentional rider. This is simpler than it may seem if you are methodical, as horses frequently have only two alternative outcomes: something works or it doesn’t, whether it’s left or right, more or less, faster or slower, bigger or smaller, up or down. etc. You can experiment with everything and pay attention to what yields a favorable result, or what doesn’t. Retain what works; eliminate what doesn’t. You can gain a wealth of information from your horse; he is probably trying to tell you, anyway. Try to figure out what the minimum amount of an aid is that gives you what you want; make a game out of doing as little as possible and still getting a reaction.
For example, in the attached illustration, the horse on the left is demonstrating connection by reaching into the bridle. His hind legs are "tracking up" underneath his lifted abdomen. This means that his hind hoof steps into or beyond the hoof print left by his front leg, indicating that the horse is moving freely through his back. His stride is loose, long and swinging. The horse on the right has no connection. The reins are dangling and his neck is inverted. To lift the head, the back muscles contract and shorten, causing the back and stomach to sag in front of the hind legs, blocking their forward swing. This restriction shortens the stride and his hind feet step short of the front feet's footprints. This means the horse's hindquarters aren't engaged. The difference in the spread of the hind legs is readily apparent. Each of these descriptors provides a wealth of information: What is the most effective method for encouraging your horse to reach/swing more with his hind legs? To lengthen the stride, alternately press with your legs on his belly. You can leg yield sideways. How much do you need to push? What is the minimum? Do you get a longer stride for a stronger push? You can shift your weight, or not. Does your horse feel tense or loose? Is his head higher or lower? Are the reins dangling or connected? Play with this idea.
artwork by Taylor Sterry