A paradigm-shifting video for creating a great connection with the reins. Karen discusses and demonstrates how to mix and match having connection with the reins (or not) with being precise in your focus (or not). Too often riders feel like they have to choose between being loose and light but imp...

Karen discusses the 3 main purposes of the reins with students at one of her clinics. This is a 'must see' for everyone. The points discussed here will help riders with advanced horses to refine their concept of connection, but will also help riders with less advanced horses understand when they ...

Karen speaks with a group of students at a clinic about the ingredients that factor in to having an excellent connection with the reins. This talk will help you understand the things that effect the connection. Best of all, it will help you diagnose and more wisely begin to solve some of the issu...

Karen talks about connecting with the circuit of energy as Breanne rides Karen's Lipizzaner, Monty. You will see the difference between a 'whatever' gait, an actively stretched gait and a working gait, and the transitions from one to another. You will also see how quickly the flow of energy can b...

Karen demonstrates how the basics of foundation are carried forward as you begin DN posture exercises. She shows how 'Freestyle' can fit inside the 'finesse'. This video is excellent for any rider who is playing with the exercises of D,N and is wondering how it fits with their foundation

Karen gets on a student's horse to help improve the steadiness of his connection. This student and his horse had all the ingredients they needed, they just needed to play with them to find a more consistent sweet spot of connection. You will see how Karen used small lateral yields in the horse's ...

Follow a student of Karen's through 5 sessions over a 9 month period. This video is not so much a 'how to' as it is a 'look what is possible' video. Khodee is a young, squirrely Arabian who was having a lot of trouble organizing his body, especially when presented with the challenge of riding in ...

Karen rides her 5.5 yr old in a way that will solidify the concept of 'freestyle inside the finesse' or feeling like you're riding without the reins, even when the reins are there. Natilla can do both connected and loose reins very well, but the focus is to be able to flow from one to the other i...

Karen rides her 4 yr old, Solana, in sessions where she is first starting to directly influence her posture.
This video is great for anyone with a young horse at the stage where posture is starting to be important.

In this video I teach Ewa in Sweden on her lovely Lipizzan. He has a habit of curling his head behind the vertical, and becoming too low in the poll. This can be much more challenging to correct than a horse who is too high! I will explain my thought pattern for this issue and you can watch as I ...

Karen rides a student's horse, focusing on alignment to help him find more throughness. After Karen rides, she coaches his owner on him. You can see a previous session with this student and horse in a video called: 'Alignment - Barbara and Ponce'

This is a quick tip to help clarify a small but important distinction. When someone tells you to "shorten your reins", it actually isn't enough information! Karen rides Solana to demonstrate two different ways to shorten your reins and the implications of each

In this video, Karen teaches a dressage student with a beautiful warmblood how to create a more balanced posture and positive connection by focusing on Poll High and Self Carriage. This video will show the power of these priorities, and will give you a very beautiful horse to watch

Karen rides Duncan again in a continuation of the video 'Beginning to Rebalance - Duncan'. This is his third day with Karen and she rides him in a halter and snaffle. His owner had been told he should only be ridden in a double bridle. The focus is on self carriage. You can find more videos about...

Karen teaches Shelley and Isabella as they play with improving their balance and self carriage. You will see a few weeks worth of progress. They use transitions, shoulder-in and attention to rider position to help create the lightness that was missing. Shelley and Isabella have a good foundation ...

Karen teaches a student and rides her horse to help them find more throughness. They have an excellent foundation and freestyle, but the horse shows a defensiveness about the bit. This video is excellent for anyone riding in connection

An excellent example of how a problem in the reins is not always a problem with the reins! Karen teaches a student who has asked for help to steady her horse's connection with the bridle. He is unsteady and tosses his head up. Karen describes and suggests a Basic Alignment Exercise focus and the ...

In this video, Karen helps a student to find her working posture. It shows how quickly you can make a big change when you have the ingredients in place and you play with confidence. Pay attention to the questions I ask Ellie and you can ask the same questions to yourself as you ride!

This video ...

Karen teaches a lesson to help a 4-year-old horse be less bracey about the contact. The horse feels blocked by the reins and we help her to be more open and to find the freedom inside her body. In this video, you will see how much of an effect even a small resistance can have on the quality of th...

Karen teaches a student and her horse develop a more harmonious connection with the reins over a couple sessions. The focus will be to improve their 'First Thoughts' about the contact, as well as a 'Freestyle inside the Finesse' exercise. This video will help any rider at any level who is thinkin...

Karen teaches a student, Elisabeth, on a horse she is working with to help her find a better foundation. The horse is a big, long mover, but does not have the basic responsibilities of self regulation of speed, or steering. She also does not have a positive relationship with the reins. You will s...

This is a recording of part of a Q & A webinar that is included in the Virtual Arena Sweet Spot course where Karen talks about neck and poll position. Karen wanted to share this excerpt because it had such great information about a common area of confusion when riding.
This video is great for any...

Karen helps a student (also named Karen) with her horse Sage. Sage and Karen had been focusing primarily on freestyle and bridleless, as they ran into some tension and connection issues when riding with contact, especially with a bit. Karen will show you the range of exercises they practiced duri...