MEET HANNAH PETRIE HAY

Member of The Horseback Vet Team and Core Conditioning proponent Could the key to your horse's long-term soundness be hiding in plain sight, not in the vet's diagnostic kit, but in the way your horse moves, and the way you ride? It's a question that's gaining traction in equine circles, and one that veterinary surgeon…

BylizzieApril 30, 20260Comments

Horse and Rider Horse Channel

FLATWORK FOUNDATIONS – BUILDING BETTER TRANSITIONS

Smooth, balanced transitions are the hallmark of a well-trained horse and rider partnership. Whether you're preparing for your first dressage test or refining your technique for advanced competition, mastering the art of transitioning between gaits is fundamental to good riding. Yet for many riders (us included!), transitions remain one of the most challenging aspects of…

BylizzieApril 9, 20260Comments

Ask HQ

ASKHQ: IMPROVING CANTER TRANSITIONS

Q: What’s the best way to improve my horse’s canter transitions? A: Quality trot creates a quality transition so focus on straightness, impulsion, and rhythm in the trot before you ask for the canter. No horse can canter easily from a disorganised and messy trot. Use exercises like trot–walk–trot to sharpen responsiveness, and try for…

BylizzieJuly 24, 20250Comments

Ask HQ

ASKHQ: DOWNWARD TRANSITIONS

Q: My horse makes very tense and sudden downward transitions into the walk. What can I do to make them a bit smoother? A: Tense transitions can occur for many reasons, but it is absolutely essential first to rule out any pain issues. You don’t want to be schooling your horse through discomfort, so make sure…

BylizzieFebruary 23, 20250Comments

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 #9: THE SIMPLE CHANGE

Yesterday, we looked at the walk-to-canter transition, and today, we add to that by combining it into a simple change. A simple change is a change of canter lead with a few steps of walk between periods of canter. The simple change is the beginning of teaching your horse to do a correct flying change; this…

BylizzieFebruary 13, 20240Comments

Horse Channel Horse Training

BACK TO BASICS 4

Reaction If you feel like your horse is a little slow in his reactions to the leg , now’s the time to iron out those glitches! Just as the horse should respond with ease to the rider’s contact, so too should his reactions be quick to the leg. Assess by asking …

BylizzieJune 5, 20200Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Training

ASKHQ: WARM-UP

Q: What are the key checkpoints to look out for during the warm-up? A: The key things to establish during your warm-up are as follows: Contact During the warm-up the contact should gradually be taken up by the rider and accepted by the horse. When taking up the contact, you should always strive for a smooth connection…

BylizzieApril 12, 20200Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel

ASKHQ: WEIGHT AIDS

Q: What are the weight aids? My instructor often asks me to use my weight as an aid, and I am unsure exactly what this means. I feel very unbalanced if I try to lean to one side or the other. A: The weight aids are a large part of your seat aids and the seat…

BylizzieApril 11, 20200Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Training

ASKHQ: TRANSITION TROUBLE

[Q] How can I keep my horse on the bridle when transitioning downwards? Asked by Chesney Williams [A] Problems with maintaining a contact through downward transitions are common symptoms of a lack of throughness or suppleness. In order to achieve true throughness, your horse must create energy in his hindquarters and transfer it over his back, withers,…

BylizzieFebruary 8, 20200Comments

HQ Newsletter