Instant gratification.  It is a very real thing in the world we live in.  People see the thing they want and, without doing a whole of anything, expect to have the same thing.  Equestrians often suffer from this same issue.  Instead of being on a path to better riding, they are guilty of taking shortcuts... And then wonder why, after time goes by, they never really get anywhere.

The shortcuts are more like little circles.  They feel like they're taking you forward initially, but then you will inevitably end up back in the same place all over again. 

Following a tried and a trusted path takes time.  Doing the work and putting in the effort also takes time.  And yet, it is the riders who are willing to start slow and then, over time, speed up, that see the results.

What Shortcuts in Riding Look Like

There are things that take time to develop and strengthen.  Suppleness, straightness, impulsion, contact...  Now, I realize that these are all steps on the training scale, but many shortcuts are based on trying to short circuit the results when it comes to one of the above.

The reality is that, when you take a shortcut, you begin crumbling the foundations...

I believe that the foundations of all horses and riders are relaxation and rhythm.  Take a shortcut, and look for one or both of the above to disappear.  Excess tension, choppy steps, increase in speed, heaviness, and so many other things are the symptoms of lack of rhythm and relaxation.

Commit to doing the work and taking the time when it comes to improving yourself and your horse

 

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  Additional Resources:-

• Turning Your Horse Versus Asking Your Horse to Turn
• Why Forward is Essential for Contact
• Assessing On the Bit when Riding
• True Impulsion Versus Running in Your Riding
• Developing Your Horses Hind Quarters