Leg Up Equestrian Enterprises

10/09/2025

Well kids these days won't likely get it but.....the giggle for today :)

10/08/2025

truth🐴🐴😍

10/07/2025

10/07/2025

10/06/2025

This is a great little article because ultimately in the end I want all of you to become " good trainers " not just " good riders ".....I can only lead/ help you get there BUT you are the one who HAS to really WANT that and be prepared to WORK for that.....

There’s a difference between a rider and a trainer. I’m not talking about the difference between an AA and a Pro. A “rider” is someone who rides the horse, doing what the horse already knows. Certainly you can be a good rider or not so good. And you can even be a Grand Prix “rider.” And that’s nothing to sneeze at! Learning to be a really good rider is a huge accomplishment. You keep the horse where they are in their training. Hopefully through good riding you keep them fit, happy, confident, keep their minds and bodies sound. All wonderful things.

A “trainer” is different, though. A trainer is able to assess a horse, and come up with a path to improve the way the horse goes and then hopefully teach the horse new things. A trainer needs a very inquisitive mind, needs to be bold enough to push the envelope sometimes, and needs enough grit to work through the inevitable mistakes that will arise. Mistakes are no fun, especially when you’re on a 1200 lb animal, who might tell you that you made a big one 😳 But there’s no learning without mistakes. And as a trainer - that’s your job. Your horse is going to have to learn new things from you. New movements, yes, but also new concepts (that we often call “the basics”) that really change the way they use their body.

Are people just naturally “riders” or “trainers?” Sometimes. I’ve met some young kids who just intuitively wanted to train their horse, and not just ride him. But I’ve also met plenty of people who were “riders” and over time became very effective “trainers.”

Want to be more of a trainer? Learn to assess a horse’s strengths and weaknesses. Learn when to push and when to just cruise for a while. What do you do when you run into a problem that’s tricky or one you didn’t expect? All of these can be learned, mostly from horses who will teach you but hopefully from an educated and patient trainer who has run into whatever problem you’re having many times before. That’s why great trainers still work with another trainer themselves. Always more to learn. Always a new problem to solve, and no single person has all the answers. I’m so grateful to all the trainers who helped and are still helping me learn!!

10/06/2025

You might substitute the words " Confidence"," Improvement ", "Success "

10/06/2025

Be a Great LOSER!

10/06/2025

So whether you are just starting to learn lateral moves/ just starting to introduce to the horse you are riding or simply practicing keep this in mind....:)

LATERAL MOVEMENTS - PRINCIPLE #5 - Aim for quality rather than quantity.

When it comes to riding lateral movements, it's the quality of the steps that count, not the quantity.

While it may be tempting to increase the number of steps and the duration of the exercise, this can lead to fatigue and tension, which will deteriorate the quality and correctness of the movement. (Do not drill the movement! You will not get better work from a horse that is tired and stressed.)

Instead, ask only for a few high-quality steps and focus on executing the movement correctly.

Repeat the exercise several times, interspersing it with stretching, changes of pace, and other movements your horse can do well.

Once your horse can demonstrate ease and proficiency in a small number of quality steps, you can gradually increase the quantity.

Stock image from Shutterstock