This week’s Q&A is all about helping your horse become more forward, light, and responsive to your aids. Nicole stepped in to cover this session and answers questions about horses that are behind the leg, slow to react, or difficult to keep in front of the aids.

In this she talks about:

• How to create a horse that is self-going instead of needing constant leg pressure
• Why "aid, reaction, release, repeat" is so important for training responsiveness
• The role of transitions in developing better reactions to your aids
• How groundwork can improve responsiveness before you even get in the saddle
• Creative exercises to motivate horses and make training more engaging

One of the biggest themes in this episode is learning how to use your aids more effectively by rewarding the horse the moment they respond. Nicole explains why constantly pushing can actually make horses duller to the leg and shares practical exercises to help horses become more sensitive, reactive, and easier to ride.

There is also a great discussion on using transitions within and between gaits, developing adjustability, troubleshooting horses that lose energy, and using other exercises to improve motivation and responsiveness. If your horse feels lazy, behind the leg, or difficult to keep in front of the aids, this Q&A is packed with practical exercises and simple strategies you can start using right away.

Happy Riding,

Amelia

PS. Next week we'll be celebrating the Canter Challenge and announcing the winners of both the Canter Challenge and the Trotters Trophy, so be sure to join us live!

This week’s Q&A is a little different as I share an important update about some changes coming this summer. After years of weekly Thursday Night Lives, we’ve decided to take a break from our regular Thursday broadcasts so we can focus more of our time and energy on supporting our students, improving our courses, and developing some exciting new programs behind the scenes. While it’s a bittersweet decision, it’s definitely not goodbye. We’re already brainstorming new ways to connect and share content in the future.

In this episode I talk about:

• Why understanding your dressage scores is essential if you want to improve and move up the levels
• The upcoming webinar, The Truth Behind Low Scores, and what riders often misunderstand about judging and scoring
• Our Dressage for All month on YouTube, where we’re celebrating different horse breeds and highlighting how every horse can benefit from dressage
• Why confidence, partnership, and rideability often matter more than having extravagant movement
• How strong basics create better movements and higher scores
• The importance of keeping training interesting with cavaletti, poles, and versatility exercises while always prioritizing safety

Most importantly, I want to thank all of you who have joined us week after week for these Thursday Night Lives. Your questions, comments, support, and even the banter have meant so much to us over the years. We’re looking forward to taking this time to regroup, create, and come back with something even better.

Happy Riding,

Amelia

PS. The Webinar is happening tomorrow, Saturday 13th June at 12noon PT, RSVP here!

Last night’s Q&A was a fun little life update from Florida and everything happening with the horses lately. I did try to do the live from the barn, but the internet completely failed… and of course we had an interruption from Messi barking in the background too!

I shared about Kensington and how much I’ve been enjoying riding him out in the fields lately. We’ve been schooling pirouettes & flying changes out in the open, and I honestly think he enjoys the variety so much more. I love mixing things up and finding ways to make training more fun for both me and the horses.

There’s an update on Mik and how exciting it’s been to finally get his flying changes confirmed and start working on tempi's with him. It’s been such a rewarding process bringing him along over the past year.

I’ve been filming lots of new Strides content with Future for our upcoming biomechanics month, plus talking about Harvey’s journey and how special it’s been having him back in work and happily going in a hackamore.

One of my favorite parts of the week was our older rider webinar. Hearing everyone’s stories and perseverance was honestly so inspiring, and it reminded me how incredible our horse community really is.

I chat a little about the upcoming show webinar and some of the common mistakes I see riders making during show season, along with tips to help you feel more confident, prepared, and successful in the show ring. Will I see you the? Click here to RSVP as I’ll be sharing some of my best tips to help you improve your rides and your scores!

Happy Riding,

Amelia