Gwyneth McPherson
Training in the Right Way: An Ode to the Snaffle…
…Or why you may not need the trendy, majikal bit to achieve your riding goals. Let’s discuss why your bit might actually be hindering your training. →
Training in the Right Way: Developing Your Competition Plan
Once again, we’re approaching the start of USDF Championships, followed by the show season really starting up here in Florida. To get ahead of it, I want to revisit this article discussing some of the things to consider when developing your plan for competition. →
Training in the Right Way: “My Horse Hates Dressage.”
He doesn’t. I promise. Story time. →
Training in the Right Way: The Need for the Trained Lesson Horse
Let’s talk about why learning to ride on a horse that’s actually trained correctly is a vital part of a rider’s education (Hint: The aids don’t work if they don’t exist…). →
Training in the Right Way: Balance — It’s Much More Significant than You Think
We talk a lot about collection in dressage, but we often fail to discuss WHY it’s so important. →
Training in the Right Way: Training as Explaining, Not Correcting
The process of training a horse to do (or not to do) something is the process of explaining →
Training in the Right Way: In Order to Be a Good Trainer, You Must Change Parts of Who You Are
We often think of training as mostly about riding well and having a solid knowledge base (both of →
Training in the Right Way: Tack vs. Training Problems
It’s never the tack, it is always the training. Except sometimes, when it is the tack. Sounds fun, huh? →
Training in the Right Way: Learning to Ride Well Takes Time…
And a process. How much time? Longer than you think and with more oversight than you’ve probably been →
Training in the Right Way: Is Your Dressage Teacher Knowledgeable?
This week’s article revisits an earlier topic that continues to be problematic for riders: How and where to →
Training in the Right Way: Equitation vs Training
Let’s look at why simply “riding better” doesn’t result in a trained horse. →
Training in the Right Way: Unpopular Opinion — You Shouldn’t Ride Horses You’re Scared Of
When a capable rider is actually afraid while riding a horse, it is usually because the horse is →
Training in the Right Way: It’s all About the Process
While having goals is important, more important is remembering that reaching them is entirely dependent on your process. →
Training in the Right Way: Dressage Reading List
Often, students ask me for a reading list and I am always overwhelmed with trying to choose my →
Training in the Right Way: Dressage Terminology Refresher
This week’s article revisits an earlier discussion on dressage terminology and why it’s important to understand within your →
Training in the Right Way: Test Riding Before a Competition
Yes, show season is upon us. And, also yes, you should indeed be practicing your test in its →
Training in the Right Way: Set Yourself Up for Success Wintering in Florida
It’s the time of year when riders participate in a mass exodus from the northern states in favor →
Training in the Right Way: Habits and Sports Psychology
Because your internal environment is as important to your growth as a rider as your development of your →
Training in the Right Way: Dressage Training Nuggets
Dressage is supposed to be a systematic approach to creating partnership and understanding between two species. Horses have →
Training in the Right Way: Don’t Perpetuate Your Training Problems by Repeating Your Training Problems…
…or, in other words, sometimes you have to stop participating in the problem to eliminate the problem. →
Training in the Right Way: Using the Lower Leg
You can do so much more than simply “kick to go”… →
Training in the Right Way: Your Horse’s ‘Bad Days’ May Be a Training Opportunity
In my experience, most riders think of these days as bad or a day that was lost in →
Training in the Right Way: Skill Not Strength
“Excellent riding is based on technique, not wrestling a 1200 lb animal into submission.” →
Training in the Right Way: The Process vs. The Practitioner
“Dressage training is a systematic process that anyone can learn, however, the quality of the training is in →
Training in the Right Way: Repetition in Training
Although training a horse always involves repetition, it has to be done in the right way at the →