23/09/2026
✨ Some food for thought ✨
This is fundamental advice regardless of which discipline you ride, I have built how I ride & train around all of this.
No.1 ~ The horse's engine comes from the hind end, so drive from the hind end, don’t focus on the forehand simply because you can see it.
No.2 ~ It takes two to pull. Don't pull. Push.
No.3 ~ Never fight the oats. You feed the oats, you work the oats, or don’t feed the hot feed. 9/10 your horse doesn’t actually need it.
No.4 ~ The inside rein and inside leg controls the bending, the outside rein and your seat controls the speed.
No.5 ~ Never rest your hands on the horse's mouth & never let them rest on your hands. They need to carry themselves & you need to be responsible for carrying your own hands.
No.6 ~ Once you've used an aid, put it back.
No.7 ~ Know when to start and when to stop. Know when to resist and when to reward.
No.8 ~ You can think your way out of many problems faster than you can ride your way out of them.
No.9 ~ Don’t let over running, drills, or dull boring routine erode the horse's desire to work. It's hard to compete if your horse isn't trying.
No.10 ~ Get your tack and equipment just right, and then forget about it and concentrate on the horse.
No.11 ~ Your horse is bigger than you are, and it should carry you. The quieter, more centred you sit, the easier this will be for your horse.
No.12 ~ The harder you work, the luckier you get.
Everyone will interpret this in their own way, but they are some key points I’ve learnt from great horsemen & horsewomen over the past & they’ve treated me well
