Do you feel like your ankles are inflexible? Do you have difficulty getting your heels down? Do your ankles hurt? Do you need hinged stirrups in order to get weight in your heels? Here’s a quick tip develop flexibility and depth in your heels. Next time you ride notice what happens to your ankles when […]
the murdoch method
Murdoch Minute No. 76 Cantering Can be Child’s Play
Do you have trouble cantering? Does your horse rush, resist or have difficulty maintaining canter? Are you better on one lead vs. the other? Do you have problems with your transition into or out of canter? Cantering on your own two feet on the ground can be revealing and can dramatically improve your canter on […]
What a Wild Spring!
Well it has been a whirlwind tour these past 6 weeks! First to Holland for 2 terrific riding workshops organized by Wendy van Duuran at Van Stahl and Stal Mirielle, then on to Breda for a day-long Feldenkrais workshop for humans organized by Angele van Tilberg. We had lovely weather and great people so the […]
Murdoch Minute No. 109: Release Your Tongue Tension
Do you know what your tongue is doing while you ride? Is it relaxed or tense? Do you move it around or brace it against the roof of your mouth or cheek? Does your horse play with the bit, pull his tongue back or stick it out to the side? Your horse may be mirroring […]
Murdoch Minute No. 108: Heavy Elbows/Floating Hands
Do you tense your shoulders drawing them upward? Do you force your hands down onto the horse’s withers to keep your hands “low” and “quiet”? Does your horse go above the bit? Do you try to pull his head down? Riding with heavy elbows and floating hands will allow your horse to lower his head […]
Murdoch Minute No. 72: Soften Your Jaw
Does your horse have a tense jaw? Is it hard to get him to go forward? Is he unwilling to stretch forward and down? Does he chomp on the bit, pull his tongue back or otherwise fuss with his mouth? The answer may not be where you think! Horses often mirror the rider’s behavior and […]
