German Riding Instructor

With a horse that naturally looks at everything around them, preparation becomes even more important.

We want to stay on the left rein, keep riding, look early, and turn early — so the horse already understands where they’re going before the landing happens.

Instead of throwing your body into the turn, sit tall, stay balanced, and open the inside rein into the direction of travel.

That preparation after the jump is what gives the horse confidence and clarity, especially with a spooky horse that can lose focus easily.

This mare and rider have come such a long way because they’ve learned to plan ahead of the turn and keep riding through it ✅

Remind yourself of this;
Your horse doesn’t have one magical take-off spot where everything works and anything else is wrong. What matters is the support you give them on the approach and take off.

If the distance is a little deep, support them.
If it’s a little long, support them.

When you have a good pace and you don’t interfere last minute, your horse can jump confidently from many different places. Good riding isn’t always about chasing perfection — it’s about creating a horse that feels supported so they can help you out when you need it!!

As long as the horse does what I ask when I need him to, I’m happy ✅

Let them have their expression. Let them enjoy the work. When you create a good pace, the rest becomes simple — just sit tall, stay balanced, and flow from fence to fence.

Many riders are constantly communicating, adding more and more questions. The problem is, when you actually need a reaction, the horse is still processing everything you’ve already said 😵‍💫

Ride smart. Be effective. And let your horse have some fun too🤪

Many riders feel the counter canter… then stop riding.

Recognise the moment, keep riding, support your horse through the turn, and keep your pace.

When you keep riding forward, your horse always has something to work with.