Turning Point Training

04/10/2026

Okay everyone some plans changed and when I come back the end of the month I won’t be headed to NJ on Friday 4/24 for lessons. So I’ll be offering one on ones Friday at Hidden Acres! Can do a lesson on the obstacle course, trailer loading, groundwork, whatever it may be you need a little help with! You can message Sue LaPolla or myself to set up a time! $60/hour

Thanks everyone!

04/06/2026

As someone who has done 3 day eventing, western and everything in between this is something everyone needs to read and understand!! It doesn’t matter the disciple you do, if you only do groundwork, if you only jump or even just trail ride….you should understand these movements and your horse should be able to do them! Maybe not a canter pirouette🤣 I’m not completely crazy, but all the other movements are very simple to do at a walk if your horse can move his/her parts correctly and is balanced correctly. These aren’t just movements for dressage horses, these are basic movements every horse should learn and be able to do! Just some food for thought today

Understanding Lateral Movements in Horses

Lateral movements are foundational to the art of dressage, developing balance, strength, and flexibility in both horse and rider. They are movements where the horse moves forward and sideways simultaneously. Here’s a breakdown of the key figures shown in the diagram:

🔄 Shoulder-in & Counter Shoulder-in

The Shoulder-in movement will present the horse’s shoulders slightly inward from the track while the haunches stay on the track. The horse bends around the rider’s inside leg. The Counter Shoulder-in is the same position but with the head and shoulders directed towards the outside of the ring.

🔄 Renvers & Haunches-in (Travers)

These movements involve the haunches being displaced from the line of travel.
Renvers (Tail-in) - The horse’s head and shoulders stay on the track while the haunches are brought inward. The horse bends towards the outside.
Haunches-in (Travers) - The head and shoulders are on the wall (outside rein) while the haunches are brought inward. The horse bends to the inside.

🔄 Half-Pass & Pirouette
These are more advanced lateral movements:
Half-Pass - A diagonal movement across the arena, with the horse parallel to the long side but bending and moving sideways in the direction of travel.
Pirouette - A 360-degree turn in a canter (or walk) where the horse turns around its hindquarters while moving slightly sideways. It demands great balance and control.

Mastering lateral movements improves coordination, engagement of the hindquarters, and responsiveness to the rider’s aids.

03/19/2026

Next month is around the corner and there’s still time to sign up for the clinic April 25/26! Whether you have a green horse you need help with or want to learn more about groundwork/horsemanship this is the perfect time to come out and learn! Some other things that can be worked on are
-trailer loading
-buddy sourness
-soft/suppleness
-self carriage
-spookiness/reactiveness

All levels of horses and riders are welcome! Message myself or Sue LaPolla for more info on times and pricing and to get signed up! There’s room for 2-3 more people!

03/03/2026

Also a reminder anyone who is participating in my clinic this April whether it’s when I’m in NJ or MD if you’re interested in buying a rope halter let me know! I have a couple different color options at the moment and can do any size you need!

02/28/2026

Still plenty of time to sign up for my clinic April 25/26 in Rising Sun, Md! I will also be in South Jersey April 24 and still have room for one on one sessions on that day! PM me for info or with any questions!

02/26/2026

Horsemanship 101
There are two phases to training a horse
Phase 1: getting the horse to want to have a conversation
Phase 2: having the conversation
If you’ve ever been to one of my clinics or have had me work one of your horses, you have probably already heard this! But sometimes we forget the simplest things and we’ve all been struggling this winter to get anything done with our horses!
Most people think groundwork consists of just lunging your horse around until they’re tired or just walk trot cantering each direction and calling it a day, but it’s so much more! It’s about creating a connection between you and the horse, paying attention to the littlest details when working your horse and making sure you reward the “try”. Horses learn from pressure and release so the biggest struggle people have is rewarding the try.
The other side to this is knowing when your horse is ready to have a conversation! How many times do you just get on your horse and go ride without “checking in”? Most people say they know their horse is good enough to get on, but how do you know they’re good?
If you’re someone who wants to learn more about horsemanship and creating a better connection with your horse, learning how to make sure they’re actually ready to have a conversation with you and being able to have a nice ride without the bu****it sign up for my clinic this April! April 25/26 I will be doing a clinic in rising sun, Md! There are a few spots left so sign up now!

01/26/2026

Just was talking about building a bridge to help your kids be able to function later in life. Teaching respect and discipline and responsibility from a young age. This might sound crazy, but it’s the same with horses! If you can build that bridge for a horse that’s just getting started they will have a great future ahead of them, whether it’s with you or another person if they get sold. It’s our job when working with our horses to be consistent and direct. To have a soft, but firm hand. Horses like kids need discipline and repercussions and they also need to be rewarded when they get it right! There’s a balance to be had and sometimes we sway to the side of cautious too many times to avoid conflict and that leads us to ignoring the problem rather than fixing it or overcoming it!

Just some food for thought on this cold day!

01/12/2026

I’m ordering rope today to make more halters and leads! I’m getting pink, blue and purple for the haters and the leads are the same black I’ve been using! If you want one please let me know so I can figure out how much rope I need! $50 for a set!

01/09/2026

Gearing up for the clinic in April I just wanted to make a post about some of the stuff we’ll be focusing on! This is a horsemanship based clinic so we will be doing some groundwork, but also riding!

Some things I like to look for on the ground with every horse before moving into the saddle is making sure they’re responsive and soft. A lot of times people ask too much or too fast and the horse just ends up blowing through the movement rather than using their bodies properly. I want a responsive horse not a reactive horse and a responsive horse you can soften and move their parts properly and accurately. If you’re someone who has more of a reactive horse or even a dull horse that you’re struggling to have move with a purpose and your goal is to have a responsive horse who’s ready to work and ready to follow your cues then sign up for this clinic!

01/06/2026

Planning to come back to Hidden Acres April 25/26 for another clinic! If you want to sign up please let me or Sue LaPolla know sooner than later! It will be $300 for the weekend and we are working on finding an indoor to use so weather won’t be an issue! If you want to sign up deposit is $100. This will be another horsemanship based clinic, we will work on ground work, but will also have plenty of time in the saddle as well!

11/04/2025

Okay everyone I’m back in Maryland for 2 weeks! If you want to set up a day for a session let me know!

10/22/2025

Just a reminder I’ll be coming home the first two weeks in November! (Home is based in Rising Sun, Md) so if you want to come over to Hidden Acres for a session let me know! Whether you want help on the obstacle course, trailer loading, desensitizing, or just want to learn some groundwork skills I can help you! Private message if you want more info