Submitted by member: Elizabeth How do you train for soundness and longevity? I have a 2 1/2-year-old that I hope to have for the rest of her life and my number one goal is making sure that I train her on the ground and under saddle to maintain health, soundness, and happiness. I’d love to hear what your experts advise regarding exercises (both on the ground and under saddle) and advice on appropriate age to start under saddle work to ensure a healthy, happy, sound horse. She is bred for jumping and could certainly event–at least at the lower levels. Answer by: Linda Allen First, Elizabeth ..read more

Submitted by member: Jen I have a cute 6-year-old warmblood—16’2 gelding, big stride, scopey, lazy type, and a beautiful mover. He seems at lower jumps (3′- 3’3) to almost canter over top. I also noticed it looks like he is just jumping up with front end (it looks like he is chipping). My trainer says to make the oxers wider to help him to get across or give him a bigger ground line. Since he is young, I let my trainer do most of the jumping. I want him to tuck in front, yet have a bascule and go across. He kinda pops up and canters over. Thoughts? Jen. Answer by: Natasha Hi Jen, I woul ..read more

Submitted by member: Beth I am interested in information and exercises to help address taking back in front of fences; also exercises to help establish a balanced and forward pace at the canter. Answer by: Natasha Hi Beth, It sounds like you are having trouble staying on a consistent rhythm to the fence that allows you to choose better distances. Continuously picking shorter and shorter distances and adding strides can become a very difficult habit to break. I find that this issue typically arises out of a poor canter and rhythm; consequently, your eye develops a habit of picking or alw ..read more

Submitted by member: John S I love all of your videos. One question that comes to mind—all of the training videos are mostly done on very large, open arenas (e.g. flatwork over jumps). A lot of riders and coaches are not so lucky to have so much real estate available to them. What are your suggestions on how we can improvise to do similar work in smaller arenas (i.e; going from a canter to a hand-gallop, over a small jump, to a cavaletti etc.) The shaping out is easy, it’s just not having a large enough area to execute the different paces, approaches and ride-aways that are depicted in the ..read more

Submitted by member: Southengland5005 I would like some advice on how to balance the horse as you approach a jump and after landing, as you approach the next jump. Answer by: Natasha Hi Andrea, I would like to know more about your horse and some specifics of what you are encountering in the canter. Does your horse get too hot or too slow and heavy to the fence? Do you often feel a change in the rhythm that makes it difficult to find the distance to the fence? I would love to know a little bit more as far as the trouble you are encountering so I can properly answer this question for you ..read more

Submitted by member: Alallos My (young) horse shifts to the left when he takes off at a jump. How do I keep him straight? Answer by Natasha Hi Alexa, Thanks for submitting your question. You can implement a few exercises into your training to teach your young horse straightness over fences. But, firstly, I suggest that you ensure your horse is physically well and sound. Outside of simply being green or uneducated, I have found that a horse that typically shifts one direction before and over a fence is usually compensating for pain, discomfort, or weakness in an area. It may be beneficial ..read more

“The Broken Line” As stated in my previous Part Six A post on the following hand, it is said that the straight line from the rider’s elbow to the horse’s mouth may offer the best connection. Certainly, when practicing this release, I would strive for a straight line as it’s more difficult to achieve, and disciplined practice will make you better at it. I agree with Gordon Wright (illustration in photos) that a line broken to some degree above the straight line is acceptable. On a phone conversation with the Master of Masters, Bill Steinkraus agreed with that concept. Sometimes, it is a bit d ..read more

“The Straight Line” If one chooses to master all releases, achieving the automatic release will require dedicated, disciplined practice to develop complete independence of the arms from the body through a strong base of support over fences and to be as good a rider as you can. Since its inception, it has been taught by maintaining contact before, over, and after the fence, and in a straight line from your elbow to the horse’s mouth. It is said that the straight line may provide the best connection with the mouth. The release should never be below the line and often will be broken above the l ..read more

We frequently see the short crest release in the jumper, equitation, and, sometimes, hunter divisions. (I find that the long release seems to be the fad in the hunter division.) There is some degree of the rider’s balance on the horse’s neck, but normally less so than the long release. In the long release, the hands are placed far along the crest of the neck, whereas in the short release, the hands are lower. There is some light contact usually maintained with the mouth giving the rider more control, yet the placement of the hands should always allow the horse to use its head and neck as muc ..read more

The medium crest release is more subtle than the long release and has a bit more of an appealing look while still giving the horse total freedom to use its head and neck in the air. The rider’s balance is still on the horse’s neck, to some degree, but less so than with the long release. Hand placement is alongside or toward the top of the crest. The following photos display riders using a medium crest release. I’ll dive into the short crest release coming up in the next post of this series—stay tuned! To book a clinic with me click the button below. Book a Clinic With Bernie Bernie Traur ..read more