Nearside Equestrian

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas to all! It wouldn’t be Christmas without a festive sweater!

20/12/2025

Hot take:
If your horse ignores small aids, you are in trouble.

When riders say,
“He just doesn’t react unless I really ask,”
what they usually mean is this:

The horse has learned that quiet aids don’t matter.

That didn’t happen overnight.
It happened slowly — every time a small aid was ignored and nothing followed.

Horses don’t suddenly become dull.
They become dull when whispers have no consequence.

And here’s the important part:
When a horse ignores the whisper, he forces the rider to shout.

Bigger leg.
Stronger hand.
More pressure.

From the horse’s point of view, that feels unpredictable and unfair —
because the correction comes late, not clear.

That’s why I repeat this so often in lessons:
If he ignores the whisper, clarify immediately.

Not aggressively.
Not emotionally.
Just clearly.

A quick clarification, followed by an instant release, teaches the horse that light aids matter.

And once light aids matter,
everything gets easier:
– the horse feels lighter
– the reactions improve
– the tension drops
– the ride becomes calmer

Quiet horses aren’t born.
They’re trained — through timing and clarity.

💬 Be honest — does your horse react to the first light aid, or only the second or third?

👥 If this sounds familiar, follow me for more clear, practical training advice like this.

12/12/2025

🟢 OVER-TRACKING - Your horse’s hind feet step clearly IN FRONT of the prints left by his front feet.

🔴 TRACKING-UP - Your horse’s hind feet step INTO the prints left by his front feet.

🔵 UNDER-TRACKING - Your horse’s hind feet step BEHIND the prints left by his front feet.

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WALK

👉 Over-tracking is mentioned on a dressage sheet in reference to the free walk and is also looked for in the extended walk.

👉 If your horse has a particularly good walk, he might over-track in free walk by as much as 12 inches.

👉 Although it’s not demanded in the medium walk, some over-track is expected if your horse is using himself properly, but at the very least, he should track-up.

👉 In the collected walk, the steps are shorter and more elevated, and the horse may under-track.

TROT

🫱 In working trot, tracking up is expected.

🫱 In the medium and extended trot, a degree of over-tack is required in line with the lengthening of your horse’s stride and frame.

🫱 In the collected trot, the steps are shorter and more elevated, and the horse may under-track.

CANTER

🤙 Because of your horse's natural canter gait sequence, over-tracking, tracking-up, and under-tracking don’t really apply.

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Your horse’s capacity to fulfill these requirements will depend on multiple factors, such as his conformation, innate talent, level of suppleness, and the correctness of his training.

Illustration created and copyrighted by HowToDressage

10/11/2025

“Confessions of a Riding School Saint”

Hello, human.
Yes, you — the one still trying to find the correct diagonal.

I’m the riding-school horse you meet once a week. You call me “steady,” “safe,” or, when I don’t immediately burst into extended trot, “lazy.” I’ve carried hundreds like you — some with bouncing enthusiasm, others with a death-grip on the reins and a look that says, “Please, not canter.”

Every rider brings their own style. Some kick like they’re starting a lawnmower. Some perch like a baby giraffe learning ballet. One even tried “natural horsemanship” by whispering at me for twenty minutes. (I admired the effort, but grass would have been more persuasive.)

I do my best to translate. But it’s tricky when one person wants me to go forward, the next to collect, and the next to “just feel the rhythm” while clamping both legs and pulling on my face. You’d be confused too.

Sometimes, when the messages get too loud or too mixed, I tune out. You call it “lazy.” I call it “self-preservation.” You see, my job isn’t easy — I must keep everyone safe while pretending your seat bones aren’t trying to send Morse code in three languages at once.

I’ve met every training philosophy going: “forward fixes everything,” “never use the leg,” “ride from the seat,” and my favorite — “just sit deeper!” (Usually shouted as the rider performs a mid-arena levitation.)

But I’ve also met kindness. The quiet rider who remembers to breathe, softens their hand, and says “good” when I try. That’s when I lift my back, stretch my neck, and remember what partnership feels like.

I don’t care about levels or ribbons. I care that you try to understand me. That you see me not as a piece of gym equipment but as a partner — one who has to process your nerves, your posture, and your Spotify playlist of contradictory aids.

So before you call a horse lazy, ask yourself: am I clear? Calm? Consistent?
Because the truth is, I’m not stubborn — I’m exhausted from reading mixed signals.

If you listen, I’ll listen. If you work on you, I’ll meet you halfway — maybe even with a flying change if I’m feeling fancy.

After all, I’m not just your ride. I’m your mirror, your teacher, and occasionally, your unpaid therapist.
Now, pat me. I’ve earned it.

Author: Gary A Diplock

27/09/2025

It is in our DNA . . .

17/09/2025

26/08/2025

Week Two Camp Crew!!!

25/07/2025

25/07/2025

In an unexpected turn of events, the principal of Conrad High School in Montana had his hands full, literally, with 12 horses on May 23. It turns out, an old Montana law states that if students ride their horses to school, the principal is responsible for caring for them throughout the day.

The Conrad Public Schools district shared a photo of the senior prank, showing students proudly riding horseback to school. Though the law’s existence couldn't be verified, it seems this quirky tradition has been pulled before, including in 2016, when seniors took advantage of the same "rule."

Whether or not the law still stands, Montana’s history with hitching posts and horse stables on school grounds suggests this tradition might have roots dating back to the 20th century. Looks like Principal DeBruycker had a busy day tending to horses, talk about a senior prank for the history books!

22/07/2025

Get ready!

The second Nearside Equestrian Combined Test is this coming Sunday. Dressage Starts at 9am sharp. Additional timing can be found on the entry form. Entry forms can be found in the July edition of the Nearside News. Contact Cait if you have any questions.

19/07/2025

18/07/2025

One of the fabulous jumps made by our campers this week! Looks stunning! 🤩