Learning how to establish a good posting trot is essential for every English rider. Whether you are just starting out or at an advanced level, the posting trot is a key basis for riding. A posting trot helps the rider to be able to follow the horse’s movement and also learn how to flow together in the same rhythm. Doing a posting trot also helps with keeping both horse and rider more comfortable while riding. With beginner riders, the posting trot can be a hard motion to achieve.
Dressage is a sophisticated style of riding that requires a deep communicative connection between horse and rider. In dressage, the horse and rider flow together effortlessly as they perform a dance-like routine to the sounds of different types of music. A dressage horse has to be very obedient and supple to the rider. Suppleness comes when the horse is able to bend and transition smoothly. A stiff/disobedient horse is not going to have the flexible bend that is needed for Dressage riding. Dressage is all about gliding across the arena floor and flowing from move to move.
One of the most important pieces of riding tack is the horse bit. The horse bit is the device that is placed inside the horse’s mouth and is the main tool that communicates with your horse. The bit lets your horse know what direction to go and when to stop. Depending on whether the rider wants to stop, turn left, or turn right, the use of the reins sends a pressure signal to the bit and puts a certain amount of pressure in the horse’s mouth.
Learning how to control your horse’s speed, can be one of the hardest things to accomplish as a rider. Even riders of advanced levels have trouble with controlling their horse’s speed from time to time. Riders usually have speed control problems in two different ways. One, they have trouble moving their horse forward. Or two, they have trouble making their horse slow down. However, both of these issue result from one thing: not riding with an independent seat. Without having a secure/independent seat, a rider cannot coordinate the proper aid signals to their horse.
Finding the right saddle fit can be a frustrating process. There are so many different measurements that have to take place in order to find the right saddle that is going to suit both you and your horse. For the horse measurement you need to measure his withers, his back length, as well as his body structure. For the rider, you have to first determine what type of saddle you will be using (i.e. Western or English).