Here are a few of
My favourite things
Most people know that I am an absolute minimalist, but….. There are certain things that make a rider’s life simpler… Here are the things I find myself recommending time and again….
NECKROPES
If you have ridden with me, you might know that I often use a neck rope. These are great for a horse who falls on the forehand, a horse who can get heavy or fussy in the mouth, and a rider who is venturing towards riding bridle-less. I have searched all the corners of the world that I go to, and this is the only one I love… Hanna makes these neckropes in Sweden and currently doesn’t ship outside the EU. However, she and I are trying to make a plan… I usually have a few with me that can be bought too…
Knowing Ashleigh brings a magic bag of tricks to the arena, I shouldn’t have been surprised when the most wonderful neck rope popped out that bag! As soon as we tried it, the well planned design and both choice and placement of materials allowed my horse to immediately understand the change we were asking for. When I contacted Hanna, desperate to have one for myself, I was absolutely thrilled that she had exactly what I wanted. I’m using it at home now to help lighten and lift the shoulders and encourage my horse to use himself through his whole body. It’s also a great reminder to me to keep my hands light and out in front of me.
I have had biomechanics lessons with Ashleigh for some years more and always get so much out of them. My horse goes so much better just because I am sitting better. More balanced and more effective. Tiny changes make such a huge difference. Ashleigh has a great eye for what is needed at the time. It is advice that you can easily take home with you and practice. It isn’t just for when you are in front of her. My last lesson, my biomechanics instructor felt my horse was loading his forehand. She suggested trying one of Hanna’s neckropes. It is designed for bridleless riding but I was using to remind my horse to lift his forehand and not drop forward onto it. It is only used occasionally and lightly but makes a big difference. A gentle reminder not to fall forward. Can be used for a single step in walk, during walk, trot and canter. It lies quiet around the horses neck when not being applied. These are beautifully made and a good price. A quality item and you even get a choice of colour! Would highly recommend
PIVO
This little gadget is called a Pivo. If you are thinking about having online lessons, head here for details of how to do it… Unless you have a long suffering friend who is willing to film you for an hour, you’ll need a Pivo. You can also use it to film yourself in between lessons. I do have an affiliate link that gives you a discount. If you are happy to use the link, go to the Pivo website and type KUDAGURU as the code.