June 27, 2003, Newsletter Issue #131: Tips For 3 Day Eventing
Tip of the Week
Keep your horse on a close contact (with the mouth) and use either a medium or long release on the crest of the neck. Encourage him to have a slightly elevated frame (not behind or at the vertical, but slightly above; in order that his vision is clear). As the horse gallops, go into 2 Point position. Let the horse gallop with you in 2 pt. position for 10 strides, then sit DOWN on the saddle and strongly bring back the contact into your lap the contact (increasing the contact on the mouth and your seat, while gradually releasing the contact of the legs). As the horse backs off the gas, release and then half halt the contact on the mouth. If the horse does not come back to you immediately, then increase the SIT in the saddle (deepen your seat contact), and increase the contact on the mouth, and decrease the contact from the leg. Again, if he gives, then soften contact on the mouth, but deepen the seat contact and relax the leg contact. To bring a horse back, you must keep increasing seat contact, mouth contact (to bring the head at or behind the vertical) and relaxing leg contact, and the reward must be the softening of the mouth contact as the horse responds to the rider.
Use your voice, and tell the horse, whoa or hoe or the command that softens the horse, and usually brings the horse back down to a calm and steady pace.
Some horses will require stronger half halts out in the field, or from a gallop. It all takes practice in finding the secret that brings your horse back to you quickly. That is how to best ride the Cross Country field.
REMEMBER: Remember to have fun, and to wear a SMILE~!~!
July will discuss Pleasure Riding Tips.
Here’s hoping you have Good GO!s every outing with horses.
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