Hampton Riding Centre

Funny post! Look at what I was doing …17 years ago. And look what I was doing today! Thanks Christy for the memory ❤️

It's National Coaches Week - be sure to thank yours.

! Sept 14 - 20 is National Coaches Week

Did you know online courses qualify for professional updating hours with ?

We salute all the hard working coaches in the industry and their dedication to educating their students in horsemanship and health and welfare.

Learn more: https://thehorseportal.ca/partner/equestriancanada/

The main purpose of braiding is to enhance your horse’s appearance. A good braid job—neat, tidy and uniform—shows the judge that you're a winner. A bad one—loose, messy and unkempt—is distracting and gives the impression that you don’t care about your presentation.

"Braiding is all about the economy of motion and getting into a rhythm. To do a good braid job takes practice, but it doesn’t have to take so long that you’re tired and frustrated by the end of it. Instead, it’s about having a sensible and effective system that doesn’t wear you out. Eventually, your muscle memory will take over and braiding will become instinctual."
~ Pro braider Jennie Vigliano

Click on link in the Comments below for Vigliano's top tips and step-by-step instructions on how to create picture-perfect hunter braids.

📸 Amy K. Dragoo

Looking for a quick and easy techniques for keeping your horse mud-free when it's too cold for a bath? Click the link in the comments to learn how.

The half-halt is one of the most talked-about—and most misunderstood—tools in dressage.

Learn more about it at the link in our comments.

This makes a lot of sense - in riding and in life.

"It is important that we focus on what we do right and what the horse has done well and build on that with positive reinforcement. For you, as the rider, this means allowing yourself to attend to what felt right so you can repeat your success," writes psychologist and Grand Prix rider Jane Karol. "This does not mean giving yourself or your horse recognition only when something is done exactly right. It means acknowledging the moment things are going even incrementally in the right direction."

Read more of Karol's advice to a rider who's getting hamstrung by the pursuit of perfection at the link in our comments.
📸Marta Kent