MANAGING AN ATHLETE – TOP TIPS FOR CARING FOR YOUR HORSE AT AN EVENT

With the Olympics occupying our screens and closer to home, the upcoming World Cup Qualifier down in Shongweni, here at HQ, we’ve been pondering what it takes to optimally care for your horse at an event. Here are a few of our top tips: 1. Transport While in the box, horses are constantly using their…

BylizzieJanuary 25, 20250Comments

Horse Channel Horse Training

FLATWORK FEBRUARY #11: SPIRAL IN AND OUT

We have featured both The Spiral and The Stairs so now, we are going to combine the two... So, how do you execute the spiral with a leg yield out? You will spiral in like usual until you are on your new, smaller circle. Now that you are on your smaller circle, you will prepare your…

BylizzieFebruary 13, 20240Comments

Horse Channel Horse Training

FLATWORK FEBRUARY #10: THE STAIRS

‘The Stairs’ is an excellent exercise to help improve your horse's suppleness by using a leg yield. You can do this exercise at the walk or trot. To ride it, go down the centre line (if you are in a dressage arena), do a few steps of leg yield (three to four steps), go straight for…

BylizzieFebruary 13, 20240Comments

Horse Channel Horse Training

FLATWORK FEBRUARY #5: PUSH AND COLLECT

In essence, this exercise asks that you 'push' forward on the long side of the arena and 'collect' on the short side of the arena i.e. on the long side of the arena, you extend the gait and on the short side, you collect it. This exercise is excellent for developing strength, balance, and reactivity to…

BylizzieFebruary 6, 20240Comments

Horse Channel Horse Training

FLATWORK FEBRUARY #3: THE FIGURE EIGHT

The Figure 8 is typically done with 20m circles with a change of direction where the two circles join over 'X.' However, as with most of these exercises, you can accommodate your horse's level of schooling. If you have a younger horse and the space, you can do bigger circles or with a more schooled horse,…

BylizzieFebruary 3, 20240Comments

Horse Channel Horse Training

FLATWORK FEBRUARY #2: THE STATION

To begin this exercise, you need four transition markers. Place a pole parallel to the arena edge and complete a transition at each of these transition markers. There is no rule regarding the transition; you can do an upward, downward, or transition within the current gait. Having a visual marker allows you, as the rider, time to…

BylizzieFebruary 3, 20240Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Training Q&A

ASKHQ: WATER-PHOBIA

Q: My horse hates water, even tiny puddles. If we encounter water on an outride, I have to find a way to go a long way around it, or sometimes even turn back. What can I do to make him more confident? A: Many horses are wary of putting their feet into a puddle because they…

BylizzieJanuary 24, 20240Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health Horse Training

UNDERSTANDING THE CORE

The core in a horse is just as important as it is in humans. Yet, relative to the emphasis most gym goers place on these muscle groups, most horse owners spend comparatively little time focusing on the horse's core. Unfortunately, this often leads to our horses moving incorrectly and using unhealthy movement patterns to compensate…

BylizzieJanuary 16, 20240Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Training

IMPROVE YOUR TRAINING WITH ONE SMALL CHANGE

By Ryan Tehini Athletic training typically follows a very unidimensional approach. Most practices involve the continued repetition of a task - in order to improve the odds of success in competition. This is typically done through attempts to improve the physical aspects of speed, strength, and flexibility (amongst others). For example, you may spend time in…

BylizzieJune 20, 20230Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Training

THE WONDERS OF CIRCLES

Dressage is all about suppleness. Without consistent bend throughout your horse’s body lots of exercises become difficult and you’ll struggle to get a respectable dressage score. Here we give you two simple exercises that you can work on that will ultimately help to improve your circles: Spice it up: Circles are the mainstay of every…

BylizzieAugust 3, 20210Comments

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