Debbie begins her work with this pair by asking for more connection and contact. They supple to the outside to help him find the contact, straightening when he submits. In the canter they continue to work on the contact while making sure he moves off the leg. Watch for great tips on riding from...

Debbie begins her work with this pair by asking for more connection and contact. They supple to the outside to help him find the contact, straightening when he submits. In the canter they continue to work on the contact while making sure he moves off the leg. Watch for great tips on riding from...

Debbie begins her work with this pair by asking for more connection and contact. They supple to the outside to help him find the contact, straightening when he submits. In the canter they continue to work on the contact while making sure he moves off the leg. Watch for great tips on riding from...

Debbie McDonald leads this rider through the process of encouraging her horse to accept the bit at the walk. When he slows at the trot as he holds the bit, she asks that he remain forward and quiet in the mouth.

This segment provides great instruction on the mechanics of how to develop contact and feel as well as tips on how to straighten your horse on the circle.

The contact becomes steadier and they begin to work on asking him to stretch. Debbie again gives good feedback on how to ride with quiet hands and have a more consistent feel at the trot.

Dealing with the hollow right horse - Debbie McDonald

Dealing with enthusiasm & relaxation - Dr. Ulf Moller

Dorothee shares her training philosophy with us and gives us an idea of what to expect during Day 1 of the NEDA Symposium.

Daniel Martin Dockx returns on the second day of this clinic to continue his work with this pair on keeping the contact. He has them ride forward through the short end with inside bend. The horse shows better connection and Daniel asks for medium trot on the diagonal when changing directions. The...

Sacha Hamilton introduces us to another Para rider, Marie, who is rated a grade III, and explains how her cerebral palsy causes a weakness on her left side as well as a spatial awareness problem. She points out her reins have added loops and she also rides with toe caps on the stirrups. They have...

Spanish Olympian Daniel Dockx works with a young American rider on a PRE horse showing Prix St. Georges s and I1. In the warm up they show great stretch, which continues into the trot. Daniel asks that they make downward transitions with the head still in the down position. When they start into t...

Nicholas reviews their ride from the previous day where they had discovered a noseband that didn't fit correctly and a saddle that should be refitted. The rider asks about the proper contact for stretching.  Since they are just learning this skill, Nicholas has them begin rounder until they reach...

After they change direction, Nicholas asks her to position the horse with his ribs away from her inside leg.  The rider is successful in getting him to stretch as she gives on the rein.  They next lengthen down the long sides making sure that he is straight, which means positioning him right.   N...

Nicholas has the rider work on going from posting to sitting trot while staying forward.  He explains that when she uses her aids she must have conviction that she will get the response desired and respond if she doesn't. When they go to the canter, Nicholas  encourages them to keep the canter an...

When they return to the trot he shows a forward trot and do a great transition back to canter.  Nicholas has her lengthen down the long side, keeping the lengthening all the way down the side.  They practice their lengthened trot and then finish on a beautiful stretchy trot.

They continue the work on the circle, getting more activity behind with help from the ground while the rider concentrates on the contact. When the horse gets running a bit, Dr. M_ller has great advice for containing this. He challenges her to collect the horse using her seat.

Steffen Peters teaches a session with a Friesian cross 15 year old mare  schooling PSG.   The rider expresses concern with the mare losing activity and jump and a lack of responsiveness to the aids for the change due to the quality of the canter. Steffen points out that it is really an issue of h...

They reverse direction and continue with the walk pirouette.  Steffen asks to ride the horse ( Steffen removes his microphone before he gets on. The rider wears it later as she watches him ride.) He begins by repeating the same exercise at the walk, using his leg for a short push rather than a ki...

The rider now remounts, and Steffen clarifies that when she pushes with the spur it needs to mean more to the mare.  When she goes to the canter pirouette she shows a much better collection and when she breaks to the trot Steffen encourages her to make a bigger correction. He asks them to extend ...

When they first ask for collection in the canter the mare breaks to the trot and Steffen explains how this can be a training opportunity to clarify the aids for collection versus a down transition. Steffen has her stop and ride a walk pirouette to reinforce the response to her outside leg when th...

When they come back to the canter the mare expresses her opinion, and Steffen helps her work through it diplomatically, emphasizing that she must have a clear understanding of the aids and respond correctly.  When the horse swings a little wide behind, Steffen points out how that does need to be ...

Dr. M_ller encourages the rider to become quicker with her corrections, and continue on the same path of keeping the contact through the resistance. Even as she is allowed to stretch, they still ask for contact on the reins. Dr. M_ller explains that once any possible soundness concerns are rule...