Kristy Herrera explains and demonstrates counter canter. Even though counter canter isn't shown in the hunter ring, Kristy uses it in training as an exercise that helps the horse become stronger and more balanced on both leads in both directions.

Holly introduces her series of videos.

Holly Hugo-Vidal shares an exercise of three obstacles set side-by-side that are ridden on a circle. Riders first canter over a ground pole. When that is smooth, they advance to a vertical and eventually finish over an oxer. If they focus on maintaining the correct balance, rhythm and track, the ...

Holly Hugo-Vidal explains that the first of two focal points is set on the landing side of the jump, and the other about halfway around the circle. Riders determine if there are any canter issues before the first focal point, then repair the canter between the two focal points. When they pass the...

Holly Hugo-Vidal explains how the demo horse falls to the inside of the circle on the left lead, making the distance a little short. To fix this issue, the rider applies her inside leg pushing the horse to the outside rein so he approaches the jump bending in the direction of the circle. This hel...

Holly Hugo-Vidal explains that riders know they can advance from each obstacle—the pole to the vertical to the oxer—when they can canter over each element a few times in correct balance, meeting solid distance so their horses jump smoothly.

Holly has a rider on a green 4-year-old Thoroughbred trot two standards set on a diagonal. The rider focuses on keeping an even rhythm and riding straight though the center of the standards. She repeats the exercise at the canter, focusing on the horse’s rhythm, pace and straightness. Holly then ...

Holly describes how rein length needs to allow a rider to make downward transitions while maintaining the hand position slightly above and in front of the horse’s withers. The rider shortens the reins by pulling the rein through the opposite hand as opposed to “nibbling” the hands up the reins.

Holly describes different types of seats—three-point, two-point, a light seat and the driving seat. For galloping and jumping, a rider can use the two-point to encourage freedom off the horses’ back. A rider can lower to a light seat through the turns on a course to help balance a horse.

Holly explains the hands’ primary and secondary grips on the reins and their placement—slightly above and in front of the withers. There is a bend in the elbow, which acts as a hinge to allow for a relaxed arm and following, yet still, hand.

Riders should hold their heads so they are looking ahead at eye level and the brim of their helmets are parallel to the ground. They want to keep their balance in the center of the horse and turn their heads slightly in the direction they are going, using their eyes to look at the next fence.

For a strong, balanced foundation, Holly explains that the rider’s heel should be slightly below the toe with the leg just slightly behind the girth so that there is a straight line from the rider’s hip to heel. The angle of the thigh and lower leg allows the calf to be against the horse so it ca...

Holly describes where the rider’s foot should be in the stirrup iron: She likes the inside branch of the iron to be cocked slightly back so the foot rests on the stirrup diagonally and closer to the outside branch. This helps with the flexibility of the ankle, allowing it to work like a spring.

To ask a horse to go forward, the rider squeezes with her leg. If she doesn’t get the desired effect, she turns her toe out to use the spur, what Holly describes as “telling” the horse to move forward. If a rider uses the leg and spur together, it will make the horse numb to the aid.

Holly explains how a rider can use her body weight to slow a strong horse. To ask a horse to slow down, first the rider would close her hand. If he didn’t respond, she would then close her hand and bend her elbow. If that didn’t work, she would lean back, being careful not to drive with her seat.

Holly Hugo explains a related distance between two fences in a line. If a rider meets the first jump of the line perfectly, she may just need to maintain the horse’s balance down the line and jump the center of the second fence. But if she meets the first jump short or long, she needs to adjust t...

Holly Hugo-Vidal works with a rider over a trot gymnastic of a crossrail to a vertical to an oxer to keep the rider’s upper body quiet and to land into her leg so her hands can work independently. They also work on fitting in six even strides to the oxer and straightness to correct a left drift, ...

Building on the exercises in Part 1, Holly Hugo-Vidal explains why bad distances happen. For the final exercise in the series, she has the rider approach a vertical in a good rhythm and balance, and when the horse has focused on it, she has the rider look at her raised hand, concentrating on main...

Holly shares how, as a judge, she likes equitation riders and their horses to be well tuned out, what that consists of and why. She explains what she means by a workmanlike position, the point of equitation and rider basics.

A U.S. Equestrian Federation “R” judge, Holly shares what she likes to see in a hunter and in a hunter round, including the horse’s movement, jumping style and way of going. She also explains how judging has helped her become a better teacher and an etiquette tip if you’re late to a class.

Holly explains what a hunter should look like in an under-saddle class. She also explains how a rider needs to ride a hunter in the flat class, including the contact with the horse’s mouth and tips on how to make sure the judge is easily able to see the horse in a crowed ring.

Holly Hugo shares how to encourage a horse to trust and believe in you so he jumps his best. She explains what riders do to lose a horse’s confidence and why horses jumped so beautifully for her mentor Rodney Jenkins.

Holly shares what she believes makes a good horseperson, including always putting the horse’s needs first and understanding all aspects of a horse’s well-being.

Here's a look at hunter trainer and rider Kim Barone's training philosophy.