Gwyneth McPherson
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 framework. →
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 entirety BEFORE you compete. Here’s why. →
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 →
Training in the Right Way: Mythbusters Edition
In riding and training, there are some commonly held beliefs that while they may seem plausible, are actually →
Training in the Right Way: Let’s Discuss Self-Carriage
Or, why it isn’t always “bad” that your horse anticipates. →
Training in the Right Way: Looking for Effectiveness
We’ve discussed this before, but given recent events in the dressage world, I think revisiting what effective training →
Training in the Right Way: The Good Side vs the Bad Side
Here’s a hint: There isn’t one. At least not in the way you think. →
Training in the Right Way: Let’s Talk About Spurs…
And their purpose and how to use them correctly (rather than like a jerk). →
Training in the Right Way: Why We Don’t Pull in Dressage
This week I’m tackling another reader submitted question, this one focusing on why we pulling on the reins →
Training in the Right Way: What Is an Aid?
Aids are meant to tell the horse what to do. They are not meant to MAKE the horse →
Training in the Right Way: The Rider’s Responsibility vs The Blame Game
Instead of taking or giving all the blame, riders should understand that the results of their aids, good →
Training in the Right Way: Ask the Trainer – My Horse Isn’t Forward
This week I thought I’d try something a little different and tackle some reader/rider submitted training questions. This →
Training in the Right Way: FEI Horses Don’t Grow on Trees…
Just one of the dilemmas when you have FEI aspirations. →
Training in the Right Way: Unraveling the Half Halt
“The half halt is a beautiful, effortless way to ask your horse…” The half halt is many things, →
Training in the Right Way: Positive vs Negative Riding
Those words ALSO do not mean what you think they mean… at least not in the context of →
Training in the Right Way: Repetition and Correction…
Those words do not mean what you think they mean… at least not in the context of effective →
Training in the Right Way: A Clarification on Normal vs Fancy Gaits…
Or, rather, why fancy gaits in and of themselves were not the original point of dressage competition (here’s →