My riding Philosophy:
1. Simpler is better. Horses are not rocket scientists and neither are most people! Yes we train horses to do amazing things with riders, but everything we do stems from basics, which over the years of training are gradually refined. What this means is that when a rider or horse is having difficulty break the movement down to its most basic pieces. By doing this you will be able to figure out the root of your problem and address it across all parts of your riding and as my dressage instructor would say fix the cause not the symptom.
2. Progress is made by being consistent. To succeed in riding you need to consistently ride, when riding you need to consistently reward and consistently correct.
3. Never ride out of anger. Even on the most frustrating of days, horses are not out to get us and if we ride out of anger we will miss opportunities to reward.
4. The thinking rider will win in the long run over the physically stronger rider, and form a better partnership with their equine companion. Use Brains not strength!
5. To get your best jumping you need to practice dressage. Dressage strengthens the haunches (which a horse needs for jumping), makes the canter more adjustable, and makes turning easier. If you can control the speed, balance, and get to the right line, jumping is much easier.