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KandJ Slave a bit more difficult but should be fine!

Glad it was helpful. Let me know if there is anything else I can help with ! You can also catch me on Facebook" Equine insights with Rosemary Root"

The demonstration really made sense for me. Finally! I've been riding for 10 years and could not 'get it' right. I tend to get tense in stirrups and that must be making me sit up more instead of on my seat.

hopefully when you are "going backwards" it is because you have asked for it! reinback (the backwards movement of a schooled horse) is a diagonal gait and is an extention of the halt. If you ask your horse to halt and don't stop asking when he achieves the stop he will continue in a backward movement until you cease asking. There is a great exercise for finesse with your horse that is walking, stop and reinback in one fluid motion. when you get good at that you can do the same and add in walk forward at the end. Eventually you can stop, reinback and lope off in one fluid motion... great fun to have that much harmony with your horse, but takes time and practice to get smooth So basically the reinback as an extention of the halt uses the same aids except shift your center of balance just a little to stay balanced when you start moving back...careful not to lean backwards or you will drive your seat into the horses back causing him to hollow and making it difficult for him to properly pick up his feet to step backwards in diagonal pairs. And just as a FYI when a horse is traveling backwards to stop the backward motion you need to relax the reins and close your leg if you want to send him forward again. I see a lot of riders who don't understand that to stop an unwanted back you need to let go and use your legs!!! It is mostly because as a general rule our horses travel forward and we seldom have the need to stop them from unwanted backing...most unwanted backs come from to much pulling on the reins :( Hope this has been helpful ! Stay safe and ride with a Smile :) Rosemary

Hi..so sorry for being so long with a response!!!! The toes out actually initiates in your hips! A lot of riders roll their hips out and sit on the back of their thighs...this takes the leg out of alignment and "pop" out go the toes ! If you want to have a better seat and allow your toes to come more into alignment you need to start with how you sit in the saddle. I use an exercise called "legs away" where you can start with one leg at a time and lift it away from the saddle all the way to the hip, then draw your leg out back and in the same motion push your heels "down back and out" Then let you leg..not draw your leg... lower your leg softly back on to the saddle. You should have the feeling you are now on the front of your thigh, but in reality you will only be on the true inside of your thigh. relax your leg and you will notice how much longer your legs feel. repeat with other leg!! To start with you may have to push with your hand(s) on the saddle to get this done, and eventually you will be able to just loosen your leg and do a mini legs away...think heels down, back and out. As you get better at letting your leg relax ( in the beginning you won't have contact with your horses side!!) the outside muscles in your leg will stretch and allow your leg to hang correctly, then your toes won't be pointing east and west!! you do have to realize humans and horses are all built a little different so not all horse and riders are a good match for the perfect leg position AND you do NOT need to have a perfect parallel foot on the horse, the best position is a slight toes out....unless you are extremely bowlegged! ;) Another thing I have my students become aware of is how they naturally walk, do they walk with their toes east and west? Chances are they do to some extent! When you can, think about walking with your feet straight...find some sand or someplace you leave footprints and have fun :) Stay safe and ride with a Smile:) Rosemary

I am in need of a camera person! But in the mean time the rules are pretty clear these days from USEF and WDAA on proper tack. They are relaxed enough so if you are mostly a trail rider but would like to give the tests a try you shouldn't have to invest in expensive upgrades to your current tack. If anything isn't legal you could borrow what you need as basic is best!

Working Horse Magazine your welcome...please let me know if there is anything else you'd like information on

Western Dressage is becoming VERY popular here in Northern California

Chuck Bartok I am glad to hear western dressage is taking off in northern California!! It is a fantastic new sport that I believe is filling a much needed gap. There will be many who will take advantage of the soft systematic training to improve their horsemanship and the relationship they have with their horse, many who will use this to improve their working horse for another discipline and those who wish to compete in western dressage,but without a doubt, western dressage is fast becoming an exciting new part of the horse world. The WDAA has done an outstanding job on getting western dressage recognized by USEF and providing guidance and educational opportunities for those of us professional to be well educated and well informed in the development of this well needed discipline! They have also been incredibly generous on providing information about western dressage and where to find professionals that are participating in the educational programs they are offering. There is a lot of information on their web site for everyone to use as well as the rules and tests . www.westerndressageassociation.org There are many of us who have been participating in WDAA educational programs that are available to come conduct clinics and starting in 2015 some of us will have our USEF western dressage judges card as we complete the first WDAA's judges program! Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with :) Rosemary E. Root AQHA Professional Horsewoman USDF The Art of Teaching 2012 2012 ~ WDAA Train the Trainers ~ 2014 WDAA Judges Seminar 2014 WDAA~ USDF ~ AQHA ~ NRHA ~ NEDA ~ NERHA ~ APHA ~ Vermont Horse Council Western Dressage of Vermont www.NewHorizonsVt.com

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the horse i am working with at Reining hope in Morgan,VT, his name is Allegro, he is by The Contortionist.