Rider Position and Aids

Rider Position and Aids

Improve your body position and effectiveness of your aids with help from the Equestrian+ coaches.

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Rider Position and Aids
  • Frame and Contact | Chrissa Hoffman | PART 03

    Chrissa Hoffmann rides Faustus in this new video. We saw him last year in the video entitled Developing the Changes. She is now showing him in the Prix St. Georges s Developing classes. He is struggling a bit in the pirouettes, but scored 8's on his changes! They begin to warm up in a lovely, ...

  • Frame and Contact | Chrissa Hoffman | PART 02

    Chrissa explains the way she uses her body to perform the shoulder in, haunches in and half pass without holding him. As she does the half pass to the rail, she waits to do the change until she can give on the right rein with a soft neck. She rides multiple changes with soft contact and then go...

  • Forward Is Not a Speed | Laura Graves | PART 02

    Laura watches this pair warm up and encourages them to stretch while keeping the same tempo. In the canter she encourages the rider to follow the motion of the gait with her elbows.  Laura gives a great explanation of what the difference is between contact and connection.

  • Forward is Not a Speed | Laura Graves | PART 02

    When they go to the canter Laura asks them for counter canter and he offers changes instead.  They patiently continue on the circle in the counter canter while asking for changes in the flexion from left to right.  Laura explains the necessity of rideability and being able to move the shoulders, ...

  • Forward is the Way to Think | Laura Graves | PART 02

    They next work on the trot with Laura helping her find a trot that is taking the rider forward without being quick.  They work on half pass and  passage, making sure the hind end remains active.

  • Focus on Equitation: Achieving Proper Bend | Alex Gerding | PART 01

    Focus on equitation, work on achieving proper bend with Alex Gerding.

  • Focus on Equitation: Achieving Proper Bend | Alex Gerding | PART 02

    focus on equitation, work on achieving proper bend with Alex Gerding

  • Feel Your Seat | Isabelle von Neumann-Cosel

    Isabelle works with this Training Level rider who has trouble keeping her right leg steady. Isabelle works to help this rider feel her seat and uses exercises that allow her to gently play with where she sits in the saddle.

  • Even In Both Reins | Debbie McDonald

    When this pair gets to the canter in their warm up, Debbie has her adjust the balance when the horse falls to the forehand by asking her to carry more weight on the hindquarters. On the long sides they ask for haunches in while keeping the shoulders on the rail, and on center line a little shou...

  • Second Level: Engagement | Colleen Kelly | PART 01

    Colleen Kelly begins her Level 2 clinic by explaining the term Engagement.  She explains that it needs to start with extension, and has the riders demonstrate how she counts head nods to check for regularity in the step. She talks about the difference between rhythm and tempo.

  • Second Level: Engagement | Colleen Kelly | PART 02

    As the demo horses walk they work on creating a bigger walk that shows a bigger head nod.  The next step is to change the rider's position and see if it affects the number of head nods they get between letters.

  • Second Level: Engagement | Colleen Kelly | PART 03

    Colleen discusses how changing the body position altered the tempo of the walk.  She explores how the top level riders change their tempo in movements of the Grand Prix test.  The riders repeat the same exercise at the trot, varying the number of steps with their position.  Colleen explains how t...

  • Second Level: Engagement | Colleen Kelly | PART 04

    They return to the sitting trot and work on extension by giving the reins and then discusses the use of cavaletti.

  • Second Level: Engagement | Colleen Kelly | PART 05

    Colleen has them return to the rising trot while rising with their chest first, then tailbone first to see how the horses move differently.  She explains the importance of the rider being straight.  While in the rising trot, she has them rise with their belly button to either the right or left ea...

  • Encouraging Reach | Felicitas von Neuman-Cosel

    Felicitas von Neuman-Cosel coaches a rider with an Iberian horse on feeling the hind legs to encourage a greater lateral step rather than the horse getting quick and short. She also works at canter to get a longer, more relaxed stride with more stretch from the base of the neck. It is easy for Ib...

  • Elastic Elbows | Gerhard Politz

    Elastic Elbows with Gerhard Politz

  • Effect of the Seat and Leg on Impulsion | Nancy Pugh-Later | PART 02

    Effect of the seat and leg on impulsion with Nancy Pugh-Later

  • Effect of the Seat and Leg on Impulsion | Nancy Pugh-Later | PART 01

    Effect of the seat and leg on impulsion with Nancy Pugh-Later

  • Stretching the 4-Year-Old | Dr. Ulf Moller | PART 01

  • Self Carriage | Dr. Ulf Moller | PART 01

    Dr. Moller describes the use of the leg to increase the impulsion and activity of the hind leg. He asks for more relaxation in the back and more self carriage. They go to the trot canter trot transitions, encouraging the horse to open her neck and be light and forward. The horse shows lovely se...

  • Too Deep | Dr. Ulf Moller | PART 03

    Dr. Moller works with this pair for the first time, and begins by watching them warm up. As they trot, Dr. Moller encourages the rider to sit and ask the horse to go forward when she comes off the contact. He helps her sit more centered in the saddle and keep contact on the reins. They work tra...

  • Contact From Behind | Dr. Ulf Moller | PART 01

    Dr. Moller works with this pair for the first time, and begins by watching them warm up. As they trot, Dr. Moller encourages the rider to sit and ask the horse to go forward when she comes off the contact. He helps her sit more centered in the saddle and keep contact on the reins. They work tra...

  • Discussion of Position and Use of the Seat | Catherine Haddad | PART 01

    Discussion of Position and use of the seat - Catherine Haddad Staller

  • Discussion of Position and Use of the Seat | Catherine Haddad | PART 02

    Discussion of Position and use of the seat - Catherine Haddad Staller