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horsemanship

Feb 22
Love1

The Canter

By Uncategorized
Welcome to this months blog, presently I am home in Central Qld – Aust starting horses on my families cattle property. I have already begun the years course schedule with a one day home course in January and then a visit to New Zealand’s South Island. Thank you to Scott and Michaela for all your efforts in organising the 3 days. Below is a schedule of courses coming up in March, more info is available on my website www.davidstuart.com.au I have also added an article on the canter below, that may be helpful to those struggling with it.

UpComing Events:

  • March 2nd & 3rd Green Horse Course , Nebo – Qld – Aust.
  • March 15 – 19, Horsemanship & Masterclass, W.A. – Aust
  • March 29, 30 & 31st Green Horse Course, ACT – Aust


The canter is a topic that can cause a lot of anxiety in both horse and rider. What many riders may not be aware of is that they can do a lot at the walk and trot to help prepare the horse and themselves for the canter. Don’t think that it is a case of take a deep breath, pull your hat down, hold on and kick like crazy and canter. Many riders experience horses kicking out or bucking going into the canter.

For a long time I have said that forwards is your friend, if in doubt ride forwards. That is not to mean that your horse runs off with you, getting your horse to carry you in the gaits is really important. If you have to peddle / continually kick your horse in the walk & trot then you are probably going to struggle with the canter. Equally keeping your transitions smooth both upward and downward. If you “ambush” your horse into the canter through the sudden use of a crop etc, you are likely to find your horse starting to run into the canter.

I also encourage riders to use trotting poles or a cross rail to transition into the canter. The horse then often finds the canter without the rider having to override their horse. If you can feel your horse is really on the forehand at the walk or trot, you may wish to get your horse more in balance before asking for the canter. Asking for the canter transition going up a hill will have your horse more in balance. At the walk and trot try and feel for your leads, then when asking for the canter see if you come out on the lead that you thought you were on at the trot.

Knowing the foot falls of the canter will also assist in your leads. In the image above you can see the horse taking the first stride on the left lead. (The right hind being the first stride for a left lead.) The middle image showing the moment of suspension before the left hind starts the sequence for the right lead. I trust that the above is helpful to those struggling with the canter.

Nov 28
Love0

A Blog Update

By Blog

Whats Happening or Coming Up: With the end of November and another year upon us all. Temperatures are beginning to climb as we officially enter the Australian summer. Since my last blog there has been a home course here on the family station in Queensland. This was a green horse course, there is also a horsemanship/cow working course planned in mid January as well.  Another green horse course will be held in early March at the end of the young horse intake.

U.K.: Next years U.K schedule is available for viewing on the course schedule page. Please contact Tina for more info at [email protected]

Young Horses Modules: The young horse modules are quickly filling up so if you are wanting to send your horse please contact to ensure availability.

New Zealand: In January on the dates of 25, 26 & 27 I have a 3 day horsemanship course in the South Island, again more info is available on the course schedule page. On the 28 I am having a lesson day, please email Scott and Michaela at [email protected] for more info.

More info @: https://www.davidstuart.com.au/courses/

Below are some of the images taken this year of young horses and of my travels from Australia to the U.K. Below is also a horsemanship article on backing, so please scroll down. I hope all enjoy these blog updates and horsemanship articles. I can be contacted via email at [email protected]

Horsemanship: Backing Your Horse:

  • A backup has 2 beats and is the diagonal back and front
  • The weight distribution is to the hind quarters
  • The poll should be the highest point
  • You should feel your horse lifting through the withers  and starting to round out through his back underneath you.

Some tips to improve your back up:

  • If your horse is dragging his or her feet try backing up a hill to encourage your horse to start to pull with the hind end instead of pushing.
  • You can also back on a circle if you live in flat country.
  • As your horse’s balance and impulsion improves so will your horse’s back up.
  • Don’t get to pulling your horse back wait for the feet to come, the weight should change first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan 26
Love0

Happy New Year

By Blog, Food for thought

Its been a month or so since I have updated with a blog or E-Newsletter. In that time I have had young horse intakes and the Legacy of Legends in Tamworth. The Legacy event is always a great time to catch up with friends and colleagues from around the world and this year was no exception. The image below was of the colt that I had to start this year. The New Zealand course has been rescheduled for later in the year, a date and venue to be confirmed soon. My Australian and U.K. schedules are up on the website for viewing, schedules may change from time to time.
Events Coming Up

February: Qld – Nebo – Lesson Day Feb 4,  March: Canberra – Green Horse Course – March 23, 24, 25,  May: Qld – Nebo Young Horse Intake. For more info, please email: [email protected]

Horsemanship: Transitions are an important part in our horsemanship and riding.  Transitions are relevant from riding young horses to older horses from one discipline to another to hacking/trail riding your horse out. When many riders are riding a young horse they are looking to survive and perhaps have the view that they will start riding their horse well when he gets a little older with a few more rides. Why wait, ride to the best of your ability every time, your horse will appreciate it and benefit from it.

Transitions will help the horse with impulsion, balance and collection, keeping the transitions smooth both up and down is also a tip for riders. At first work more on your transitions at a walk and trot, don’t try going from canter to walk while you are on the straight. In other words don’t override your horse to the extent that the downward transition becomes difficult.

As your transitions become better you will feel your horse is more off the leg and seat than being dependent on the reins. For a very forward horse you may want to do your transitions more on a circle and for a less forward horse more on the straight.

Hope all enjoyed the above, happy riding, stay safe and I look forward to catching up with everyone throughout the year.

Best to all – David

 

 

 

 

Oct 26
Love1

Your Horse’s Expression

By Blog, Food for thought

My travels for the year are now finished and I am now back home in Central Queensland for the first time since the end of June. There is still a colt starting course here at home in November and a young horse intake to finish the year out and with the Australian Legacy of Legends event in Tamworth to start the new year in January.

In the last few sessions that I had with Ray,  a couple of the points that he really seemed to be wanting to emphasis or get across was the importance of expression and getting down to the feet. The reality was that he was always trying to get those points across. It is amazing though if your horse’s feet are freed up and your horse is going forward then the horses expression is also more likely to be more positive. If your horse is going into a jump with the ears pricked forward then the horse is also more likely to jump and while I have used jumping as an example it is also true for other situations. Crossing a stream or a creek while out riding, leaving the stables or riding back to the stables may be the better example.

It was always emphasised not to drill your horse on any exercises and to keep setting it up and to help your horse gain in confidence. You were trying to get the exercise done with a positive expression. As we all gain more experience and our judgement improves it is the small things that matter, the end result will take care of itself.

Feb 23
Love0

February’s 2017 Blog

By Blog

MapMarker It has been a good start to the new year with young horses and cattle work. My course schedule started off recently with a 2 day course at home in Central Queensland, everyone made a lot of progress and the riders were a great group to teach. There is another 2 day course planned for May 20 & 21, this will be a horsemanship and cow working course.

I am now in New Zealand and have just finished a great 2 day course in the North Island at Russell Higgin’s facility, Brumby Farm. I have not seen Russell and Ruth for some time, so was great to catch up, and thank you for your hospitality. There is now a 3 day course this weekend in the South Island near Timaru, details are available on the website.

Also there are still a couple of young horse places available for my next intake in May in Australia. Places can go quickly, so if you are interested then please email me at [email protected]

I have included a small horsemanship article below, I trust that all will enjoy.

A young horse from the U.K.

A young horse from the U.K.

In reading a recent interview with Carl Hester, he spoke of situations where riders have a horse that has impulsion at the canter, but is not in balance and how riders then slow the horse down to where there is more balance in the canter, but no impulsion. Equally you could say this is true of other gaits as well.

Ray Hunt and Tom Dorrance spoke of Feel, Timing and Balance. As a rider, and as your position and effectiveness as a rider improves, so to will your feel and timing. You will not use the reins for your balance and you will gain a feel for when the horse is in balance.

If you can count strides with your horse’s feet, at the different gaits, you will develop your feel and timing. Equally an exercise to try, might be to count how many canter strides to a marker and as your eye for a stride develops you can increase the strides. This exercise will also help you to develop a canter that is adjustable and one that you can lengthen and shorten.

With time you will continue to refine and redefine what a good saddle horse means. Most of all, we need to enjoy the process and realise that this is not a race and there is not a finish line.

 

 

Nov 13
Love0

November’s Blog

By Uncategorized

MapMarkerIt is hard to believe that we are in November and nearly at the end of another year. The last months travel has taken me to W.A. and recently Braidwood in NSW, Wamboin just outside Canberra and Bowral. Next week I am back home in Qld  and will have the last course of the year at home. For those that are interested in this course please email me.

The image below was from a course that I had in Serpentine in Western Australia with Jenny Jackson at Horsemanship First.

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Past Reflections: The first Ray Hunt course I went to was in 1986 and I promised Ray that I would work really hard on my horsemanship. I did not understand his reply at the time when he said don’t work to hard at it son, I am still working hard on my horsemanship , equally though I now have a better understanding of what Ray meant by those words. I have also had many that have helped me over the years some very well known and others not known at all.

In reflection over past years it has been interesting to watch the evolvement of the horse industry and horsemanship in general. You now see where many riders have some sort of ground work repertoire, many are wanting to consider and understand things from the horses perspective. Riding has in general changed for the better and riders now have more access to information and knowledge than ever before, whether this be in the form of books, DVDs or internet.

Again in my travels I have had the opportunity to meet, many people from all over the world. Some have been leaders in their respective fields and others leaders of large companies and leaders of families. Many have an interesting story to tell and many have become good friends and if they choose to  give advice I really try hard to listen and act on this. I know they are going to ask me if I have done my homework. These people also have a huge desire to learn and improve. They have a real fire in their belly, that is very hard to put out.

Those that really progress with their horsemanship are ones that continue to educate themselves, do their home work and keep the fire stoked. As Ray could not do “it” for me, nor I for others. If you can learn to do “it” for your horse and yourself , what you will lean, will be more valuable.