Harmony Horsemanship

A better quick release knot when tying your horse: The Bank Robber's Knot.
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Do not use this knot!

Absolutely priceless!

I believe in letting children struggle through the process to find their own solutions. They build confidence and resilience and also learn the lessons better than if I just fed them the solution right away. We are fortunate to have amazing horses that make better teachers than I could ever be. 💛 #horsebackriding #horses #wataugatx #ftworthlocal #fcrawatauga

Every parent of a child taking riding lessons with dreams of being a top rider should read this article and take it seriously. There are NO SHORTCUTS to success.

In the United States, it’s not unusual for a child to walk into their first riding lesson and be labeled a “hunter rider” by the end of the week. Trainer David Reichert believes this early specialization is one of the biggest flaws in our system.

“What unfortunately happens a lot in America is early specialization,” he explained. “You go to a riding school, and that typically happens to be a hunter riding school. After day two of being in that school, you’re considered a hunter. And then you stay in that hunter path forever. You don’t get proper dressage education, and you may not even touch [the jumpers] until way later.”

The result? Riders develop in a silo. They may be polished enough to compete in the short term, but they lack the cross-discipline foundation that makes truly competent horsemen.

Reichert grew up in Germany, where every rider learns dressage and jumping before choosing a specialty. To even enter a recognized show, young riders must first pass two “riding badges.”

- Badge I: A training-level dressage test, a 75 cm jumping round judged on style, and a theory exam.
- Badge II: A first-level dressage test, a 95 cm style-jumping class, and a more advanced theory exam.

Only after proving competence across disciplines are riders allowed to compete. By then, most young Germans have schooled second-level dressage and jumped 1.10–1.20m, regardless of whether they later pursue hunters, jumpers, or dressage.

“For us, it’s completely normal to grow up in both dressage and jumping,” Reichert said. “It doesn’t matter which discipline you end up choosing. If you can ride the horse, you can ride the horse.”

In the U.S., the lack of structure leads to a different kind of pressure. Parents often want quick results. Trainers feel the need to keep clients happy. And the system rewards ribbons rather than correct basics.

“If somebody comes to our riding school with a 7-year-old daughter and asks, ‘How long until she’s successful at shows?’ I have to be honest,” Reichert said. “It’s going to take five or six years. First, she needs to spend years learning how to walk, trot, canter, and jump correctly. Then she needs more years at home before she’s ready for 70 or 80 cm courses. Only then can she really start competing.”

That answer doesn’t sit well with everyone. “Some parents hear that and decide to go to another trainer who promises success in six weeks,” he said. “But then the child learns shortcuts instead of fundamentals.”

Without a patient, progressive structure, early competition can become counterproductive. Courses and expectations often outpace what beginners need, and classes can reward rushing and speed over equitation.

“The trainers are under pressure to produce winners quickly,” Reichert explained. “But if you chase ribbons in the 70, 80, 90 cm classes by riding fast, you’re not going to become a 1.30m rider later. You’re missing the foundation.”

For Reichert, that foundation must be rooted in balance, rhythm, and equitation—not tricks or short-term strategies.

At the UDJClub which Reichert founded, the system is designed to reward correct riding. Early divisions focus on gymnastic questions and style over speed, aligning judging with correct riding rather than quick rounds. Riders can be “successful” at 70 or 80 cm by demonstrating good position, control, and feel… not by cutting corners or galloping past the competition.

“You shouldn’t have to beat the system in order to develop a kid correctly,” Reichert said. “We need a system that rewards doing the right things.”

Early specialization and quick-win culture may produce short-term success, but they fail to create horsemen. By adopting a broader, slower, and more thorough model, one that values dressage, jumping, and equitation basics before specialization, the U.S. can build riders who last.

As Reichert put it: “At some point, you can say, ‘I’m thoroughly educated, and now I choose hunters or jumpers or dressage.’ But first, every rider needs a solid base. That’s what makes real horsemen.”

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I currently have a few openings for new riding students, ages 9 and up. Lesson horses may be available on a very limited basis or you may haul-in your horse to my location. I am also available to give lessons at your facility depending on location. Please message me for more info.

Are you having problems with your horse drifting out on turns? The problem isn't your horse, it's rider position! The following short article will help riders understand just how their position helps or hinders the horse.

Dressage Solutions: To Maintain a Correct Upper Body Position in Corners Try this tip from Jane Kelly.

A great story and an even better lesson in good horsemanship from legendary eventer, trainer, coach, author, leader, and activist Denny Emerson.

Sixth Sense Spookiness

Many years ago I was riding in the indoor arena at the former USET headquarters on Bridge Street, in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.
In those days, with Jack Le Goff as coach, each rider was assigned a small string of horses to school, and for some reason the one I was riding that day was part of Tad Coffin's normal string. Maybe Tad was away, or sick, or something, doesn’t matter

I was just riding the horse around the ring, and I heard Jack say something like, “Look at that. Denny doesn’t know this horse always spooks in that corner, so the horse didn’t spook.”

I asked Jack what he meant. Jack said that Tad knew the horse usually got tight coming into one particular corner of that specific indoor, so as the horse and rider approached, Tad got ready, in anticipation of the horse shying. The horse felt Tad tightening up, even that little bit, and it was like saying to the horse—“Red light! Danger ahead!”

Because I didn’t know about the horse’s normal reaction, I hadn’t prepared myself against it, so the horse just trotted on by. There are any number of situations like that, where the horse and rider get into patterns, each setting off alarm bells in the other, creating situations that are self perpetuating.

If we, as trainers, can figure out these patterns, we might be able to ease off and change the reactions.