EquestrianHow2 » dressage http://equestrianhow2.com Operating Instructions for Your Horse Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:19:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 How to get your horse long and low http://equestrianhow2.com/2012/01/14/how-to-get-your-horse-long-and-low/ http://equestrianhow2.com/2012/01/14/how-to-get-your-horse-long-and-low/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 02:13:43 +0000 admin http://equestrianhow2.com/?p=377 In many disciplines, riders use long and low as a way to encourage their horses to stretch down and engage their backs. When done properly, this helps relax the horse, encourage more “swing” to its stride, and improves suppleness. The problem is, too many riders focus on head position and not enough think about [...]]]>

riding long and lowIn many disciplines, riders use long and low as a way to encourage their horses to stretch down and engage their backs. When done properly, this helps relax the horse, encourage more “swing” to its stride, and improves suppleness. The problem is, too many riders focus on head position and not enough think about engaging the horse’s hind end, riding the energy forward and asking their horse to lift his back by engaging his abdominal muscles. When you ride from the back to the front of the horse, you achieve the full stretch and have a horse that is balanced and light on its forehand.

Long and low happens when you have your horse on the bit and then you encourage him to stretch forward and down by moving your hands forward. The horse follows the contact into the stretch without becoming heavy (on the forehand). Contact must come first, then the stretch. Ideally, the horse’s poll should be no higher than its withers and your horse should feel like it is in arc — it’s head and neck are low, it’s back is rising up to meet the rider, and it’s haunches are lowered and stepping under its body.

Video demonstration of how to ride your horse long and low

The video below gives a very clear explanation and demonstration of how to get your horse to use it’s back and encourage it to stretch.

]]> http://equestrianhow2.com/2012/01/14/how-to-get-your-horse-long-and-low/feed/ 0 How to tie a stock tie for foxhunting or dressage http://equestrianhow2.com/2009/11/27/how-to-tie-a-stock-tie/ http://equestrianhow2.com/2009/11/27/how-to-tie-a-stock-tie/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:53:22 +0000 admin http://equestrianhow2.com/?p=126 There’s nothing like a stock tie to make an accomplished equestrian feel like they are all thumbs.

After years of cheating by using pre-tied stock ties, I took the plunge and bought one that required the ability to tie a square knot in a mirror and have it come out looking elegant.

The process gets [...]]]>

A properly tied stock tie is elegant -- and useful, too!

A properly tied stock tie is elegant -- and useful, too!

There’s nothing like a stock tie to make an accomplished equestrian feel like they are all thumbs.

After years of cheating by using pre-tied stock ties, I took the plunge and bought one that required the ability to tie a square knot in a mirror and have it come out looking elegant.

The process gets easier when you think of it as tying two square knots. It’s also helpful if you use a tie that has some stiffness (think starch). Don’t forget to have a good quality stock pin on hand with a hardened steel shaft. The cheap ones will bend as you try to push them through the layers of fabric which is most annoying!

Click on the image below to go to the source and see it full screen.

How to tie a stock tie.

Video demonstration:

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