Dressage training
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Boost the quality of your horse’s canter with this straightforward poles routine
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A simple polework exercise to help distinguish between sharper corners and rounder circles
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Develop your horse’s engagement in canter with this quick transition exercise
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Boost your horse’s suppleness and manoeuvrability using five poles on the ground
Eventing training
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Olympic rider shares simple polework exercise that can improve flexibility and rideability in horses at any level
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Top event riders share their tips for training horses to tackle drops with confidence
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How to make the most of cross-country schooling with advice from top trainers
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Teach your horse to jump water trays with tips from top showjumpers
Showjumping training
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Top riders share their tips to turbocharge your jump-offs and win rounds against the clock
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How to stop the drift and correct a horse that swerves over a fence
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‘My job is to challenge the horse but never overstep the mark’: Joe Stockdale on what a good training session should look like
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Teach your horse to jump water trays with tips from top showjumpers
Showing training
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‘I strongly dislike seeing fat horses’: Top judge shares his ‘pet hates’ and tips for first-timers
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‘A well thought out show is a big tick’: Show pony judge Gina Kobbe reveals what she wants to see
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‘I hate to see horses that are too fat’: judge reveals what she wants to see in the show ring
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Top judge with extensive CV reveals what she’s looking for – and hoping not to see – in the ring
Cross-country schooling
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Top event riders share their tips for training horses to tackle drops with confidence
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How to make the most of cross-country schooling with advice from top trainers
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85 cross-country courses and schooling venues for hire across the country
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Help your horse master cantering through water confidently with advice from Olympic riders turned top coaches
Polework exercises
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Boost the quality of your horse’s canter with this straightforward poles routine
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A simple polework exercise to help distinguish between sharper corners and rounder circles
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Boost your horse’s suppleness and manoeuvrability using five poles on the ground
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Improve your horse’s bend in walk with this simple polework exercise
Gridwork exercises
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Olympic rider shares favourite jumping exercise to develop horse’s technique and rider balance
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Ahead of the curve: train your horse to be soft yet strong with Alex Bragg’s jumping exercise on a turn
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Teach your horse the art of patience and power with Alex Bragg’s five-fence training exercise
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How Alex Bragg’s training exercise uses turns to master straightness while jumping
Groundwork techniques
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Teach your horse to rein-back from the ground to engage their core and release tension
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Try this exercise to encourage your horse to engage his hindleg from the ground
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3 quick muscle-building exercises that make a valuable addition to your horse’s daily routine
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Why in-hand work could be the missing piece in your dressage training: four simple exercises to build your horse’s strength, suppleness and focus
Lateral work
Hacking skills
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Fancy a beach ride, but feel nervous riding in open spaces? This expert advice will help build your confidence so you can enjoy it
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Expert tips to help you ride your horse on the roads with confidence
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Be safer on the roads: introduce your horse to traffic with this five-point plan
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Does your horse hate to go behind when hacking? Try these three exercises
How horses learn
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Curious about clicker training? Start with these two simple exercises
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Clicker training: an expert guide to why, how and when to use it to benefit your horse
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Can you change your horse’s behaviour and emotional state? Try operant conditioning as a training skill
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Build your horse’s confidence with this expert’s guide to classical conditioning
Training young horses
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Championship changes to prepare youngsters in more ‘age-appropriate and horse-friendly way’
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Are young horses being ‘ruined’ by doing too much too soon? Experts debate
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‘There’s pressure to produce young horses a certain way to get the big bucks’ says rider, who is going against the grain
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‘To have a best friend you need to be a best friend’: Pippa Funnell and other experts on giving young horses the best start
Horse riding skills and techniques
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How much can artificial intelligence boost our training – or is ‘feel’ everything?
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Lacking inspiration? Mary King’s three simple exercises on a 20m circle will improve your riding skills – whatever your level
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Could changing how you hold the reins improve your contact? Become a more independent rider with Charlie Hutton’s rein-handling techniques
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Want to improve your balance in the saddle? Try these simple but not easy international eventer-approved exercises on the flat, with poles and over fences
Rider fitness
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Develop your core strength and balance by practising these positions in the saddle
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How soon can you ride after giving birth? Experts and top equestrians share their advice
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How much can artificial intelligence boost our training – or is ‘feel’ everything?
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How to cope when the menopause affects your riding life
Rider mindset and confidence
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‘I thought I’d lost my mojo’: five-star event rider Simon Grieve on bouncing back to the top tier of the sport
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How elite riders cope when their warm-ups go awry, plus tips to overcome blips in your best-laid plans
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How the right mindset can make all the difference when stepping up a level
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Top showjumper Joe Stockdale reveals how he turns pressure into record-breaking form
Problem solving
Learning to ride
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What to wear horse riding: A beginner’s guide for those learning to ride
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How to choose the ideal riding school for you or your children to start horse riding
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Mother who found joy in horses inspires others to get involved: ‘More than a hobby – a source of strength and joy’
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How does the cost – and benefits – of riding lessons compare to other sports for kids?
Daily training inspiration
Ride a 10m loop in trot
• Ride out of the corner, aiming slightly before X
• As you approach X, change your horse’s bend and brush the centre line over X
• Look to the corner marker, change the horse’s bend and ride a balanced corner to finish
To increase the difficulty, ride this in canter. To make it easier, ride it in walk or reduce the size of the loop to just five meters from the track (to the quarter line instead of the centre line).
Try today’s exercise or find more daily inspiration.