Talisman Farm

08/16/2024

No, you’re not too old to rediscover joy. Life can make us forget our childhood passions, but it's never too late.

Reconnect with horseback riding and find fulfillment.

Visit our website:
http://www.talismanfarmlv.com

08/16/2024

Praise often.
Praise the smallest try.
A touch, a walk, a break, a gallop, a long rein.
A word filled with friendship and pride.
Nothing builds confidence in horses like the acknowledgement of their good will and efforts to please.

- Manolo Mendez

08/16/2024

3 steps to transform on-the-forehand to (more) on-the-hind-end – and what it feels like.

08/15/2024

Corners!

The old masters used to say that if you can ride good corners, you can ride anything. If you can’t ride good corners, nothing will succeed.

The corners are a part of the short side.

You have to plan the corners a little in order to get the maximum gymnastic benefit out of them.

Half halt into the outside hind leg during the last 2 strides before the corner in order to connect it with the ground and the weight. This means that you apply your half halts when the outside hind leg touches down.

The outside hind leg has an anchoring function. If it is well connected to the ground and the weight, the horse is able to bend and stay balanced in the turn without leaning into it like a bicycle.

The corner itself is ridden in 3 strides of the inside hind leg in the tradition of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

Asking the inside hind leg to sidestep lightly by enlarging or a shoulder-fore position helps to bring the inside hind leg far enough under the body, to connect the horse to the outside leg and rein, and to develop the proper bend.

A sloppy corner in which the horse is neither balanced nor bending, means that the horse isn’t ready to perform the movement that you’re planning to ride on the following long side or diagonal.

08/15/2024

When someone leaves a comments or a like here, I often click on their name to see their riding images on their page. I do this to keep track of what today's typical riding looks like. I see all kinds of riding. Some images and videos show very good balanced riding. What seems to be a common riding flaw that I see recently is with head position. So many riders post pictures of their riding with their eyes looking down. This might seem a minor issue, but it is not.

When your eyes are down, your horse can feel that your balance is forward, more over the forehand. This will put your horse onto their forehand. When your eyes go down, your head that weighs 15 pounds (7 kg) goes down and forward, and usually your shoulders fall forward as well. The fact that your head is up high at the end of an effective lever that is your upper body, multiplies the forward weight that you place over your horse's shoulders.

The negative effects this has on your horse show up in several ways. It makes both upward and downward transitions more difficult for your horse. This is because Horses need to push off or reach under with their hind, and you have shifted their balance off their hind. Lead changes become more difficult for the same reason.

Worst of all for riders, looking down makes it more difficult to develop "feel". I briefly had an argumentative student who insisted on looking down. She would argue with me when I said "eyes up", saying "I like to see what my horse is doing". I'd explain that with eyes up you can feel what your horse is doing and that makes all the difference.

If you look down when riding, just stop doing that. If you have to look down, move your eyeballs, not your head. If you do this, many improvements will follow. You will sit the canter better because your head and neck position will no longer interfere with your hips swinging to the 1-2-3 beat of the canter. "Eyes up". It's simple and fixes a lot of things.

08/15/2024

Another one of the many reasons not to just focus on the head

(Photo credit: Philippe Karl
“The Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage”)

08/15/2024

The art of riding is being an easy weight to carry!

When the rider is in complete harmony with the movement of the horse, the inconvenience of the weight of the rider will be minimal for the horse. However if the rider is against the movement of the horse, ie. if he loses his balance often or if he falls backwards or forwards, then he asks a great deal of adjustment from the horse.

08/15/2024

08/15/2024

08/15/2024

Just before we wave goodbye to this year’s Olympics… and the accompanying themed posts… we thought this was a great illustration to end with… and to start the week on!
Have a great one!
⭐️🏅👏🏻🚴 🧗‍♂️

08/14/2024

Another benefit of embracing success and progress:

Recognizing and celebrating personal achievements in horseback riding.

This helps build confidence and motivation, making the journey of progress even more rewarding.

Visit our website:

http://www.talismanfarmlv.com

🐴✨

08/12/2024

Biomechanics of arms in riding - Part 3

Imagine holding a heavy weight in each hand, or better yet, actually have the rider hold a heavy item in each hand while holding the reins as long as they're safe. This allows you to feel how the fascial lines and muscles of the arms connect and fire in your chest as well as your back. In the photo below, Jennifer is holding hand weights designed for aerobic workouts. The inset photo shows another great visual of holding the stem of a fishbowl type beverage filled so it creates weight. For children I use the image of a double or triple scoop icecream cone.

If you've ever tried to hold a heavy weight in your hands without a bend in your elbow, you'll know you can't hold the weight up for long, if at all. It is the bend in the elbow that allows the rest of the shoulder girdle and appropriate muscles to fire in assistance. Additionally, the resistance created by the weight allows the natural bend in the elbow and further allows the rider to feel how the connection in her hands needs to come from her lats. The lats will fire naturally as the rider lifts her hands against the weight and drops her shoulder blades down on her back. You can get a sense of this off horse by sitting in front of a counter with a ledge and pushing your hands upward under the counter (as if you were holding reins, to create a gentle resistance. Notice which muscles fire as a result. This soft tone is one of the many ‘feels’ behind the broad term ‘good hands’ and well worth the effort!

Many thanks to my human model, Jennifer Dowden and of course my lovely mare, Visa.❤️

08/12/2024

The importance of thighs - 1

Over the last few posts, I discussed several strategies to help achieve the correct biomechanics of riders arms. Without a stable seat, we are bound to depend on our hands for balance. So lets talk about the importance of thighs...

How many riders have been told to ‘take their thighs off the saddle’? To be clear, having your thighs on properly, does not mean gripping with the knee, but gives you a nice even contact from the inside of your panty line, all the way down to the knee. It’s very much a wet towel type of feel in the connection, but it IS a connection. There should be no daylight peeking out between your knee and the saddle. This applies to all riding disciplines.

Over the next few posts I will discuss both strategies to get the correct rotation and contact in your thighs along with the many benefits, which include: far more comfortable (for horse and rider) weight distribution, security (confidence), steering (lateral work), suction(ability to draw up the horses back).

In the mean time, I challenge you to start to notice how your own thighs connect with the saddle. Then look closely at those riders you wish to emulate, and just how their thighs connect with the saddle. Often times, what they say and what they do are two very different things!! ❤️

08/12/2024

"Horses allowed me to find my way back to myself again." ~Tara Coyote

08/12/2024

To ride or not to ride? 🐴 Add humidity in % + outside temperature in °F to figure out when it's too hot to ride.

(Example 👉 100°F + 50% humidity = 150)

PetMD

08/12/2024

🏇💨 Did you know? During a race, Thoroughbreds breathe 10 times faster and inhale 30 times more air than at rest! Their powerful lungs and rapid breathing are crucial for getting the oxygen they need to maintain top speed and stamina.

08/12/2024

Have you ever wondered about the unique bond between humans and horses?

Building trust with horses offers emotional benefits and a deep connection.

At Talisman Farm, we emphasize the mental and physical well-being of horses.

Call or text us at 702.592.8381 to schedule an appointment.

🐴✨

08/12/2024

Tf students final call to rsvp your fall time slot!

08/12/2024

“You are never too important to be nice to people”

08/10/2024

Horses pick up on our most subtle emotions, while at the same time not being judgmental and even uncovering emotional blind spots.

Our Equine Partners teach people how to deal with what life throws at us.

Being around horses help with wellness, empowerment, peace and confidence.

The horse doctor is in!

Join us at : http://www.talismanfarmlv.com.

Share your thoughts below!

08/09/2024

Mastering the Basics:

- Refining fundamental skills and techniques for intermediate riders.

- Elevate your riding by focusing on the essentials.

- Embrace classical riding with our expert guidance.

- Call or text us at 702.592.8381 to schedule an appointment.

🐴🌟