Solutions: Seek the Connection

Try this tip from Karen Adams to have your horse reach into both reins when asking him to stretch forward and down.

To encourage your horse to seek the connection and reach into both reins when asking him to stretch forward and down … 

Close your leg and give your reins forward, thinking of the reins as telephone lines where the messages can be sent and received only if the circuit is not broken or loopy.

— Karen Adams 

Illustration by Sandy Rabinowitz

Karen Adams is s a retired U.S. Equestrian Federation “R” dressage judge, instructor and coach in Keedysville, Maryland. Previously, she was the head instructor at Linda Zang’s Idlewilde Farm and competed through Prix St. Georges.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of Practical Horseman. 

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

CATEGORIES

TAGS

RELATED POSTS

USARebecca WaiteDoktor
Learn How to Improve Your Dressage Horse's Halt, Part 1
DressageVertical_TN_2
How to Tell if Your Horse is Behind the Vertical—Without Mirrors!
SchroederHannoverianSandro Hit x SPS EsmeraldaDressage at Devon
Ask the L: Should I Rise or Sit the Trot for Training and First Level?
Barbara Strawson (USA)
Introduce Your Dressage Horse to Passage and Piaffe

TRENDING ARTICLES

USARebecca WaiteDoktor
Learn How to Improve Your Dressage Horse's Halt, Part 1
DressageVertical_TN_2
How to Tell if Your Horse is Behind the Vertical—Without Mirrors!
Barbara Strawson (USA)
Introduce Your Dressage Horse to Passage and Piaffe
DT-01-dressage-position-shannon-peters
Dressage Position 101 with Shannon Peters
Dressage Today
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.