While you are cantering or galloping, your horse is on one lead or the other. If they have both of their legs on the right side of their body going further forward than their left ones, they are on the right lead which is better for them and you when they are turning right.

Christian demonstrates how to execute a nearside shot without crossing over the line of the ball, a common foul.

Christian demonstrates stops, checks, and both right and left turns throughout the chukker. He emphasizes keeping a relaxed grip on the horse, keeping the horse balanced and on the proper lead, and using soft contact with the horses mouth via the reins.

Riding with your toes sticking out is not a big deal. Some people are naturally inclined to be straighter then others. The real sin is gripping with the lower leg.

Christian talks about acclimating the green horse to other horses on the field, and the swinging mallets that come with them. He talks about introducing the ride-off and using the trot to help balance the horse by changing diagonals rather than being forced to balance the horse by changing leads at the canter.

Injuries are much more likely to occur when horses are not fit enough. Imagine not exercising for months then deciding to jog for 10 days before running a marathon. It is equally rediculous to play a horse that has only had a week or two of exercise. Why risk injury to begin your season?

In this, the sixth video in the Schooling a Green Horse for Polo series, Hanalei plays in her first chukker! In a very few weeks from her first introduction to a saddle, Hanalei has made great progress.
Notice that Christian takes care to keep the intensity and stress low and allows Hanalei to enjoy running with [...]

Whatever the case the horse has begun to shy from the ball and it might just be that you’re introduction to the ball was a bad one.

In this 5th installment of the Schooling a Green Horse for Polo series, Christian works with Hanalei on her stops. This is perhaps the 10 to 14th time she has been ridden.

One of the benchmarks of a amateur developing proper riding skill is learning how to properly execute the walk to canter transition.