Michaela Hempen

Hi, The Runway is a ‘complete’ lesson as it contains fine rope communication, “magnetising” the mat, leaving the mat and a break. Going through the Runway lesson, you will probably find yourself in the situation that your horse is not lined up well to get to the mat. What to do? If you go straight, … Read more

Hi, As we have seen in the last email, Malou’s turns would have benefitted from a “magnetised” mat that pulls her forward after the tight turn. An excellent lesson to get this “tractor-beam effect” is ​Alexandra Kurland’s “Runway lesson”​ to teach her foundation lesson “Standing on a mat”. In a nutshell, you set out a … Read more

Hi, Your horse turns just fine? Why spending so much on time on turns? Being able to get and, in fact, recognise a good turn, is an important skill for beneficial gymnastics later on. A good turn sets you up for good lateral work. A good turn helps you to create the bend, which brings … Read more

Hi, In this email, I want to look at two things: Feeding position and turns. Where you deliver the treat is important.Blondie and Malou are both Quarter Horses and they are very low in front. We want to be careful where we feed so that they don’t get even lower. Graya, a PRE, has a … Read more