Many riders have a hard time getting their horses to pick up the correct lead in one direction. There can be many reasons for your horse picking up the wrong lead.
Here are two exercises that can help you with this problem. The first exercise increases bend. The second exercise engages the strike-off leg.
Exercise #1 – Increase the Bend
You want to increase the bend because horses pick up whatever lead they’re bent and flexed toward.
Gradually decrease the size of the circle by spiraling in. The pattern looks like the swirl on an all day sucker lollipop. As the circle gets smaller, the bend increases.
Keep your inside leg on the girth, switch your weight to your outside seatbone, and leg yield back out to the larger circle with bend. Make sure your horse bends as much BEHIND your leg as he does in his neck.
Do the spiral in/leg yield out exercise several times.
When you feel him bending well, ask for the canter WHILE you’re still going sideways in the leg yield.
SAUGERTIES, NY (May 17, 2012) — HITS and The Bardavon have teamed up again, bringing music legend Michael McDonald to the summer stage at HITS-on-the-Hudson as the conclusion to the richest weekend in show jumping. McDonald, a five time GRAMMY award winner will perform a live concert directly following the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on Sunday, September 9, 2012 to conclude HITS Championship Weekend.
HITS President and CEO Tom Struzzieri proudly welcomes rock royalty Michael McDonald to center stage with excitement, noting no better way to thank exhibitors for their continued support.
“The three classes that will take place on that Sunday have always been about giving back to the customers who support the HITS product throughout the year. Pairing those with a concert of this caliber is another demonstration of our appreciation and a great tool for drawing spectators beyond the equine set to the show grounds for the competitions,” he said. “It adds a great family-friendly flavor to the weekend and helps to put folks in the bleachers, so it’s a true win-win.”
Hunt Tosh and Lone Star swept the Performance 3'6" Hunters on the first day of the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG’
Lexington, KY – May 16, 2012 – Today marked the first day of the Kentucky Spring Classic as horse and rider combinations gathered at the Stonelea Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. The professional divisions started out the morning, seeing some of the nation’s most talented riders vie for the top honors in their respective divisions. Riders who rode to the blue today included Victoria Colvin, Scott Stewart, Havens Schatt and Hunt Tosh. The competition was fierce, but it was Tosh who came out on top in three of his divisions, including with the infamous Lone Star, who made a clean sweep during his comeback in the Performance 3’6″ Hunter division.
Although it was the Performance 3’6″ Hunters who rounded out the day, the hunter excitement was nowhere near at an end. Tosh navigated Lone Star, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker of Middleburg, VA, to a clean sweep of the division. It has been well over a year since Lone Star last showed; however, it appeared as though the horse did not miss a beat as he posted the division’s top scores of 88 in both rounds over fences. Havens Schatt guided Just Fred, owned by R. Bruce Duchossois of Aiken, SC, to scores of 87 and 85, taking the second place honors.
Reed Kessler and Ligist won the 1.45m Open Jumper class at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG
Lexington, KY – May 16, 2012 – Sunny skies greeted the exhibitors as they kicked off the Kentucky Spring Classic in the Rolex Stadium of the Kentucky Horse Park. Once again it was Reed Kessler at the top of the leader board as she piloted Ligist to the only double clear effort in today’s 1.45m Open Jumper class to earn the blue ribbon prize. Earlier in the day, Andre Rodriguez and Remonta Eden sped to victory in the 1.40m Open Jumpers, just topping Kessler and Onisha, who placed second during the speed class.
Germany’s Olaf Petersen Jr. built a technical track for the 1.45m Open Jumper class that snaked through the Rolex Stadium and included a triple bar, two double combinations, and an open water option. Only two horse and rider combinations were able to master the first round and advance to the jump-off, which featured three new fences and a double combination.
Reed Kessler, of Lexington, KY, and Ligist were third on the posted order, and made the first round look easy as they made their way over each obstacle. Advancing to the short course, Kessler picked up a quick gallop, and despite a hard rub at the first part of the double combination, they left each rail intact and dashed across the finish line in 32.588 seconds.
Toyota Donating 100 Cars to 100 Nonprofits in 100 Days – Public to Choose the Winners on Facebook. Kentucky Horse Park Foundation Needs Toyota Tundra Truck to Help Care for Park’s Horses and Maintain the Park
Lexington, Kentucky – May 14, 2012 – The Kentucky Horse Park Foundation announced today that it has been selected as one of 500 nonprofit finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, a major philanthropic initiative in which the automaker is giving 100 cars to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100 days. The Kentucky Horse Park Foundation was selected as a finalist from more than 4,000 applications nationwide.
Each day, beginning May 14, 2012, 100 Cars for Good will profile five finalists at www.100carsforgood.com. Individual members of the public will be able to vote for whichever nonprofit they think can do the most good with a new vehicle. The nonprofit with the most votes at the end of each day will win one of six Toyota models. Runners-up will each receive a $1,000 cash grant from Toyota.
Louise Serio and Corvine win the lead off $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby on Saturday, May 12, 2012, at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG
Lexington, KY – May 16, 2012 – The Kentucky Spring Horse Shows began on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, and one of the highlight events was the kick-off of the 2012 $45,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby Series, sponsored by Hallway Feeds. The Hallway Feeds Series consists of six national hunter derby events to be held during the 2012 show series at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the final event, cash prizes totaling $15,000 will be awarded to the series’ leading riders.
The Kentucky Spring Horse Show, held May 9-13, 2012, featured the lead-off event on Saturday evening with the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby. The top riders from across the nation gathered to compete over a challenging course and vie for the winning title and valuable points towards the $15,000 Leading Rider Awards. At the end of the night it was Louise Serio and Corvine who took led the victory gallop, giving Serio the lead in the standings. The Kentucky Spring Classic, May 16-20, 2012, will host the second of the six derby events in the series, the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby, on Saturday, May 19, in the Stonelea Arena.
Rebecca Cohen and Downtown continue their winning streak as they count down to the USEF National Championships at Gladstone. (JRPR photo)
Wellington, FL (May 15, 2012) – Dressage rider Rebecca Cohen may be a 16-year-old teen, but she can still find time to enjoy a mother-daughter bonding experience while executing a winning round in the dressage ring. Cohen, who lives in Wellington, recently competed at the Jacksonville Dressage on the First Coast, riding away with the win in the Young Riders Team test on her horse Downtown.
“I am so proud of Rebecca and we had a great time at the show. Rebecca was really poised and in control. We went to the show without a trainer and without a groom and Rebecca took care of everything herself,” said Carol Cohen, Rebecca’s mother. “It was a great mother-daughter bonding experience. We had a ball.”
Cohen is coming off a winning winter show circuit and has her sights set on competing at the NAJYRC in Kentucky this summer. In 2010, Cohen was on the Region 3 Junior Team and helped her team bring home a bronze medal. She won the FEI Junior and Third Level division at Regionals and also earned a spot at the Festival of Champions.
Tom Cunningham, the founder of Cunningham & Cunningham Livestock, Inc., recently used his expertise in the equine insurance industry to speak at Tufts University. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)
Harriman, NY (May 15, 2012) – Tom Cunningham, the founder of Cunningham & Cunningham Livestock, Inc., recently used his expertise in the equine insurance industry to speak at Tufts University. Cunningham spoke at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, which is part of Tufts University and is the only veterinary school in New England.
Cunningham, who has been in the livestock insurance business for 39 years, presented a program to over 60 veterinarians and veterinarian students on the relationship between the veterinarian, the insurance company, insurance agent and insurance adjuster. “It was a great experience speaking to this group at Tufts. They were very receptive and we were really able to discuss the importance a veterinarian plays in helping their patients take care of paperwork so claims can be filed,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham is well respected in the livestock insurance field and has spoken at other schools, regional events and seminars, as well as at New Bolton, the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary school. “I am the only insurance agent ever asked to contribute to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) guidelines with respect to insurance,” he said.
Chester Weber is pleased to welcome Horseware Ireland, the equestrian market’s leader in horse clothing, to his team of sponsors. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber)
Ocala, FL (May 15, 2012) – Chester Weber, the nine-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, is pleased to welcome Horseware Ireland, the equestrian market’s leader in horse clothing, to his team of sponsors.
“My team cannot compromise on the care of our horses, so we use Horseware blankets, turnouts, coolers and fly sheets from the Rambo, Rhino and Amigo lines to keep them warm, comfortable and dry,” Weber said. Horseware will also outfit Weber and his managers and grooms with stylish casual jackets, vests and polo shirts for their upcoming competition tour in Europe this summer.
Weber said his human team is happy about being outfitted in Horseware’s casual clothing. “It will really add to our team spirit to have attractive and well-fitted casual wear,” Weber said.
Since its founding in 1985, Horseware has prided itself on outfitting horses and their people with high-quality, thoughtful clothing and accessories for any season, riding discipline or lifestyle. Horseware is headquartered in Ireland, with a U.S. outpost in North Carolina.
I stepped on a little rock yesterday and bruised my foot. Ouch! It didn’t hurt for very long, but it made me grumpy. Then I got bit on the neck by a big fly. It hurt! I snapped at it and bumped my nose on the fence. I was having a really bad day.
I stood in the corner of my turnout feeling agitated and unhappy. Then I remembered Jane saying that ATTITUDE IS A CHOICE. I could choose to be grumpy, or choose to be happy. But I was so grumpy that I was having a hard time finding even a hint of “happy” in my mind. I was stuck.
Then Indy stopped by to say hello. He looked up at me with that funny, fuzzy face and grinned. One look at his big, smiling mug, and I suddenly found that little tickle of happiness swell in my mind. I thought of all the times we’d played chase and the way he’d laugh with his funny dog laugh as we raced around my turnout. I remembered watching him jump sideways when he spotted the little alligator in the grass and the joyful way he splashed in the pond while chasing a ball.
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Lexington, Kentucky – May 14, 2012 – The Kentucky Horse Park Foundation announced today that it has been selected as one of 500 nonprofit finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, a major philanthropic initiative in which the automaker is giving 100 cars to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100 days. The Kentucky Horse Park Foundation was selected as a finalist from more than 4,000 applications nationwide.
