Elizabeth “Lizzie” Fera, who organized a clinic with Steffen Peters, talks about the insights that she gained from the experience. Lizzie rode her 5-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding in the two-day clinic with Steffen. They worked on lightness, responsiveness to the aids and the start of collectio...

For the next part of the lesson, Jennie Brannigan and the Intermediate-level student continue to work on the horse’s self-carriage. Jennie has the rider reverse the cavalletti exercise and adds a line of bounces to an oxer. During the transitions, they work on making each transition come from the...

FEI Eventing and USEF Dressage judge Jane Hamlin coaches a Training level pair on how to create a better connection between horse and rider. Jane has the pair ride circles, turns down the centerline and corners to develop a consistent contact. She emphasizes the importance of softening the contac...

For the end of the lesson, Jennie Brannigan raises the fences in the cavalletti line. She asks the Intermediate-level rider to open up the horse’s stride before jumping the line to work on the adjustability and rideability. Jennie and the student talk about how useful these exercises can be to im...

Jennie Brannigan, five-star and U.S. team rider, shares a show-jumping lesson with an Intermediate-level pair. Jennie has the rider walk cavalletti on a curve, reversing direction with a turn on the haunches. This helps the horse with self-carriage. Jennie then adds two cavalletti jumps on a curv...

Ashley Donadt shares her early riding days and moving from Washington state to California in 2012 where she worked as a groom and assistant trainer for various dressage riders including David Blake, Rebecca Rigdon and Elizabeth “Beth” Ball. Donadt talks about her training with Ball as well as Oly...

Dressage riders will relate to what Ashley Donadt loves about dressage—the idea of communicating with a horse and the feeling when that communication “clicks” and you feel like you’re dancing with your horse. What does she find challenging about dressage—trying to make it look “easy” is “really h...

Ashley Donadt shares strategies for dealing with competition nerves. These include acknowledging the source of your nerves to help take away their power, looking at the physical effects nerves have on your body, thinking about how your nerves are affecting your horse and establishing non-score re...

In the prior exercise (PART 03), Ashley Johnson created an exercise by having a square of ground poles with a pole laid diagonally across the middle. Now, she raises the diagonal pole to a low vertical. The Training Level horse improves his canter quality in the exercise and rounding his bascule ...

FEI five-star eventing ground jury member Jane Hamlin shares a lesson confirming Intermediate-level eventing dressage skills. She offers insight into what a judge looks for in the test. She also includes a combination of exercises—including shoulder-in to 10-meter circles to shoulder-in to haunch...

Clayton Fredericks introduces horses to skinnies and corners in a show-jumping lesson, using it to prepare for schooling these elements cross country. In Part 1, he focuses on skinny—narrow—fences. He emphasizes that the horses need to be on their line and have the right canter for the fence size...

The half-halt rebalances the horse, asking him to shift more weight onto his hind end and recycling forward energy to his hind legs. In this video, Ashley Donadt offers simple exercises to help you feel and understand the mechanics of the half-halt, explains why and how it’s used, and teaches you...

Susanne von Dietze takes to the saddle and demonstrates her how the rider seat, balance and position affect the horse.

In Part 2 of a cross-country lesson, Sharon White continues helping Training, Modified and Intermediate-level pairs, designing courses for each. Teaching points include riding the line, not the distance; working with mares; and keeping the correct pace. The riders practice various fences includin...

In Part 2 of a cross-country lesson, Sharon White continues helping Training, Modified and Intermediate-level pairs, designing courses for each. Teaching points include riding the line, not the distance; working with mares; and keeping the correct pace. The riders practice various fences includin...

Ashley Donadt explains how riding every corner mindfully can translate to higher test scores in competition. Her simple exercise offers training benefits such as improving your horse’s balance and focus, getting him tuned in to your aids, naturally teaching the half-halt, and ultimately setting u...

Sharon White, five-star star competitor and 2023 Pan American U.S. team member, takes herself and three riders competing at Training, Modified and Intermediate levels schooling cross country. She shares tips on maintaining the line to a fence, rider position, what to do in case of a runout, keepi...

Sharon White, five-star star competitor and 2023 Pan American U.S. team member, takes herself and three riders competing at Training, Modified and Intermediate levels schooling cross country. She shares tips on maintaining the line to a fence, rider position, what to do in case of a runout, keepi...

German Olympic eventer Bettina Hoy works on balance and canter departs with this horse and rider. In trot, the horse has a too-quick reaction to the aids, so the rider asks for improvements and responsiveness over three to four strides. In canter work, Bettina has the rider depart from sitting tr...

Sven Rothenberger joins J.J. Tate and talented gelding, Denali. The pair are schooling Prix St Georges movements. Denali is swinging out behind in his volte. They work on keeping the hind legs in the track of the front legs, having more flexion and controlling the haunches. Working at the canter ...

Sven Rothenberger shares his expertise with J.J. Tate riding the Oldenburg gelding Romeo. He advises J.J to be more conscious of riding Romeo over the back to compensate for his conformation. She also needs to maintain control with the outside rein through the outside leg in canter. Sven also has...

Sven Rothenberger continues the work with J.J. Tate and the Oldenburg gelding Romeo. Sven is pleased with Romeo's canter improvement. They continue to work on coming from behind and giving the rein to check Romeo is in self-carriage. Sven advises J.J. to not throw the rein away before a change. H...

Olympic medalist Sven Rothenberger continues his work with Endel Ots and the Dutch gelding Lion King. Praising the horse and offering a short moment of relaxation helps avoid tension. Sven wants Endel to make clear transitions between medium and collected gaits. It's important to warm Lion King u...

Sven Rothenberger coaches Endel Ots and Lion King. The horse needs to feel confident about himself, so Sven advises Endel to relax and encourage him: Slow him with the seat, not the reins. Don't accept shortcuts from the horse, and sit big in the saddle. Lion King has a beautiful uphill canter. ...