The diagram below provides an important tip for equitation classes that many beginners learn the hard way – by performing the pattern incorrectly in the show ring. As this diagram shows, to correctly execute a figure 8 in an equitation class at a horse show, it is important to not ride the pattern in …
Sometimes the technical terms and jargon used by horse owners and horseback riders can be confusing to beginners and those outside of the “horse world”. Recently, we’ve been exploring some of these concepts through a blog, and today we are going to talk about what it means to say a horse is “heavy on the …
After competing in dressage for years, one statement I’ve heard occasionally- especially in the midwest- is that dressage is unnatural for horses. Proponents of this view feel that the way in which horses are “forced” to move during a dressage competition are not natural, and that such movements would never be performed by a horse …
All About Billet Straps on an English Saddle This photo shows the part of an English riding saddle known as the “billets”. The billets are three straps underneath the top flap, on each side. The billets are the anchor to which the girth is tied. The billet straps are securely attached to the tree (a …
A Pelham bit is a horse bit with a solid mouthpiece, long shanks, and two rings for reins to attach. A Pelham bit is unique because it functions as a snaffle bit or a curb bit, depending on how it is used. A Pelham bit is essentially a plain snaffle bit, but with a second rein …