Q. I’m helping a rider who pinches with her knees. How do I tell her to fix it? A. Try the old slip-of-paper trick. Place a slip of paper between the lower part of her inner calf muscle and the saddle. By concentrating on maintaining steady contact along her lower, inner calf, she’ll automatically release…
Q. Overarching is causing my back problems! But, if I breathe a lot and relax, my back goes straight. Is this the right way to correct it? A. Proper spinal alignment begins with the seat bones. You can not establish a straight back unless you are sitting squarely on your seat bones – not back…
Q. I have sponsored before, and I am about to start with a new horse. She is a twelve-year-old Appaloosa/Thoroughbred. She has no problems except for tying and picking up her right lead. I was just wondering if you have any good and fun exercises to do in the arena. Usually, when I ride alone,…
Q. There is a fat horse at the barn where I board. I’m scared she’s going to colic or founder because of the weight. My friend part-boards her but can only get up once a week to ride, only now the horse is so fat the girth won’t fit. (not even western). I couldn’t just…
Q. Whenever I get ready to ride after the horse is tacked up, I always pull their front legs forward, not only to stretch them but so the girth doesn’t pinch them. But when I got my horse, I tried to do this, and he wouldn’t let me! I was just wondering if it makes…
Q. My horse WON’T stand still when I mount him. He is bad about it. Any good tips? A. First, I need you to understand a couple of things. I have never had a horse who I couldn’t get to stand still for mounting within 5 minutes. Secondly, in two decades of teaching riding professionally,…
Some questions appearing previously on my Equine Answer Board are categorized and archived on this page, along with my responses. Riding & Training • How can I teach my horse to stand still when I mount? • The horse I ride moves when I mount or shift my weight in the saddle. Any advice? • I’d like to…
A Life Together Albert wouldn’t jump. Now I don’t mean spook jump, or play jump, or jump for joy. I don’t even mean jump big scary walls, or loudly painted coops, or huge spreads with bottomless water pits beneath. I mean Albert wouldn’t jump … period. He saw no point in it. He was designed…
