Patrick King Horsemanship & Dressage

09/11/2026

"Your job as the pillar is to inspire them to find the reinback. Self-carriage starts right here. Self-carriage doesn't start when we're on their back. It starts with them understanding the responsibility to answer the question you're asking and to find the way to answer that."

A snippet from last year's Hand in Hand clinic as we count down to this year's clinic! The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork and I will join forces once again to bring a 3-day, immersive clinic experience, combining bodywork with classical in-hand work to release tension, promote relaxation, and help you develop your partnership with your horse.

Want to join us?
𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 in Natural Bridge, VA for three days of learning, discussion, and Q&A. https://pkhorsemanship.com/shop/ols/products/hand-in-hand-with-patrick-king-and-jim-masterson-participant-deposit-sept-12-14-hnd-in-hnd-wth1

Can't make it in person? New this year, 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺, powered by HorseClass. Full livestream access not only includes video feed while the clinic is in session, but lifetime access to the replay and both a classical in-hand course and a bodywork course, so you can follow along from anywhere in the world, anytime you want. https://training.horseclass.com/ftm-enroll?am_id=patrickking

09/10/2026

If you want to improve your horse’s balance, collection, and clarity of your aids, the 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 is one of the most valuable exercises you can bring into your daily routine. It isn't just about changing direction. It’s a foundational building block for balance, organization, and understanding.

When executed correctly, a proper turn on the haunches asks the inside hind leg to step under the mass and carry increased weight rather than letting the horse pull themselves along on the forehand. This begins developing the essential muscular strength required for higher-level collection. At the same time, asking the horse to bend around the inside leg while maintaining a steady rhythm unlocks stiffness through the ribcage, shoulders, and hips, teaching them to remain soft and responsive to lateral aids without leaning or falling out through the shoulder.

A correct turn also keeps the inside hind leg active and articulated, stepping in place or stepping slightly forward and under, rather than locking up or sliding backward. This preserves the forward-thinking mental state we always want to maintain, laying the vital groundwork for more advanced collection work, pirouettes, and refined control of the horse's center of gravity.

Ultimately, when approached with correct understanding and feel, the turn on the haunches transforms a simple change of direction into a powerful diagnostic and strengthening exercise.

🐴 How do you incorporate the turn on the haunches into your schooling sessions?

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Our focus this month in the 𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 is "Turns on the Forehand and Haunches" Be sure to look back over our recent posts and stay tuned for more on this subject all month long.

Want to try the Academy FREE for 2 weeks? Visit https://www.academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com/joinacademynow

09/09/2026

"What do I want to do? Some people want to teach. Some people want to ride. Some people want to show. What do you want to do? And if you visualize yourself, best of what you can do, what is that going to be?"

Great advice from Barbier Farms in episode #51 of Talking About Horses. Want to hear the full discussion? Check it out here! https://www.academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com/podcasts/talking-about-horses/episodes/2148953416

09/08/2026

𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀... 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲?

It is easy to lump these two movements together because both involve moving the horse's hind end away from pressure. Developmentally and structurally, however, they are entirely different exercises that use the horse's body in contrasting ways. Understanding the distinction is key to developing proper balance, straightness, and self-carriage.

When looking at the 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱, the mechanics require the horse to engage the inside hind leg. The movement maintains on a coordinated diagonal balance pairing the inside hind to the outside front. The horse maintains a correct line of travel, keeping the ribcage lifted and the inside shoulder elevated. Rather than dumping weight onto the forehand, the inside hind steps underneath and takes weight, creating a rotational action around the forehand while the front legs articulate in place or take small, rhythmic steps. This is excellent for teaching the horse to move away from the inside leg, increasing suppleness through the hindquarters, and introducing the concept of weight-shifting without losing structural integrity.

On the other hand, 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀, which is often used as a tool for quick safety disengagements, asks the horse to step the hind legs laterally across, completely crossing the inside hind over the outside hind. During this movement, the horse leans in on the inside shoulder. This shifts their weight forward and down, placing them in an incorrect or temporary defensive or submissive balance. While this is highly useful as an emergency brake, a groundwork tool for emotional regulation, or a foundational control of speed and power, it is not a posture of collection or proper longitudinal balance.

Both have their proper place in a well-rounded training program, but they serve entirely different purposes. A turn on the forehand builds engagement and coordination through the diagonal pairs, while disengaging the hindquarters shifts the horse into a posture of yielding control. Knowing which tool to use, and understanding what is actually happening in your horse’s body, prevents us from accidentally teaching habits that compromise their balance or over-using a simple foundational tool that should only sparingly be applied.

🐴 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 2 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨?

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Our focus this month in the 𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 is "Turns on the Forehand and Haunches" Be sure to look back over our recent posts and stay tuned for more on this subject all month long.

Want to try the Academy FREE for 2 weeks? Visit https://www.academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com/joinacademynow

09/07/2026

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt

09/06/2026

"A thank you to the unglamorous teachers..."

I often think about how every horse I help now is a sort of indirect apology to a horse in the past that has allowed me to fumble through inadequacy. And as our horsemanship grows. I am sure that we always look back throughout our progression and continually apologize as we go.

Can you think of a horse (or several) in your past that opened the door for your growth or spark the inspiration to do better?

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18GErQxfDu/

A thank you to the unglamorous teachers. 💙

The horses that probably aren’t going to set the world on fire.

The ones no one ogles in the warmup.

But who day after day, they quietly teach.

They teach riders how to find their balance, how to sit correctly, to develop an independent seat instead of relying on the reins, to feel for the right answer.

They forgive bad timing, loss of balance, lack of knowledge.

They explain the lesson again tomorrow, and they make better horsemen without spotlight.

I think every rider has one of these horses somewhere in their story, likely several.

Upon reflection… they’re often one of the horses you’re most grateful you knew.

Because teachers don’t necessarily change the world by being extraordinary, but some change it by equipping students for what’s to come.

09/04/2026

"Classical horsemanship is therapeutic riding." - Charles de Kunffy

Of course we must make sure tack is comfortable and correctly fitted, known physical issues are appropriately addressed, and obvious signs of pain or discomfort are taken seriously.

But we can also do horses a disservice by becoming so afraid of asking them to work correctly when it feels difficult that we never give their bodies the opportunity to develop and become stronger.

A horse struggling with something does not necessarily mean that he is in pain. Think about going to the gym: learning a new movement can feel difficult and awkward at first, and it takes time to develop the strength, coordination and balance to perform it well. Horses are no different.

A good rider is also the horse’s physical therapist. Thoughtful, progressive training develops the very things that help horses function better in their bodies: strength, coordination, balance, mobility and confidence.

The goal isn’t to ignore discomfort or assume every problem can be trained through. It’s to listen, address physical concerns when they arise, adapt the work when necessary, and recognize that correct training itself can also be part of the solution.

09/04/2026

"Six to eight months to build muscle. The problem is you can start to like see the increase in size of the muscle. Right. So you think, oh man, we're getting fitter, right? I mean, you can see that pretty quick. They lose their fat and you can kind of see his pectorals and you think, he's getting fitter because you can see the muscles. It doesn't mean that they've made mitochondrial density that I mentioned earlier to fuel the ability to shed the toxic waste that's built up from doing an exercise of any duration." - Jec Aristotle Ballou

Enjoy this bit of wisdom from Episode #46 of Talking About Horses

https://www.academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com/podcasts/talking-about-horses/episodes/2148953410

🎙 Catch this full podcast episode and many others by visiting TalkingAboutHorsesPodcast.com

09/03/2026

If you’ve ever tried to force or push your horse into a turn on the forehand or turn on the haunches by shoving with your leg or pulling with the rein, you already know the frustration. The horse braces against your hand, the rhythm falls apart, and the hindquarters swing wide or freeze completely.

Here is the hard truth every dedicated rider eventually learns... 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁.
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When a rider relies on physical force (clamping with the legs, gripping with the knees, or using heavy rein pressure) it creates an immediate bracing response from the horse. Instead of engaging their core and finding clarity in your aids, the horse becomes heavy on the forehand, hollows their back, and simply tries to escape the pressure. The movement stops being a conversation about geometry and balance, and turns into a wrestling match.
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True collection and lateral gymnastics don't come from brute strength. They come from absolute clarity of aids and genuine comprehension from both the rider and the horse. When your horse truly understands the requwest for the movement, the aids become microscopic, requiring only a quiet shift of your seat bones, a soft opening of the leading rein, and a supportive outside leg. The horse then takes ownership, taking responsibility for maintaining their posture and rhythm instead of needing you to carry them through the movement. Fluidity replaces friction, transforming a turn on the haunches into a sitting, self-carrying expression of engagement rather than a choppy, pivoting shuffle.
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Stop trying to make your horse's body go where you want it to go through sheer effort. Instead, focus on setting up the preparation by finding the balance, keeping the softness, establishing straightness, and using a subtelty of your aids to clarify the question. When the question is clear, the right answer becomes easy for the horse to give.
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🐴 What is the biggest hurdle you face when schooling turns on the forehand or haunches?

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Our focus this month in the 𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 is "Turns on the Forehand and Haunches" Be sure to look back over our recent posts and stay tuned for more on this subject all month long.

Want to try the Academy 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀? Visit https://www.academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com/joinacademynow

09/02/2026

"If something's not going right with the horse, you may think that you're clear on your intention, but there's always a doubt in the back of that intention. Is it gonna happen? Is this gonna go the way I want it to? But if you just say whatever it is you're doing to the horse, give me this, give me that. Like he doesn't understand verbally [...] but you're clear on your intention when you say something and then they pick up on that."

🤝🧘 Another fantastic discussion with The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork in episode #62 of Talking About Horses. You can find the full episode here: https://www.academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com/podcasts/talking-about-horses/episodes/2149002521

🙌🎉We’re just 5 weeks away from this year’s Hand In Hand Clinic. This one‑of‑a‑kind event blends classical in‑hand work with bodywork for three days of learning focused on relaxation, mobility, engagement, and more. Participant spots are full, but audit spots are still open! And new this year: the Free to Move Livestream event. Join us from anywhere in the world and get lifetime access to both an in‑hand and bodywork course, plus the full real‑time clinic and replay access. https://training.horseclass.com/ftm-enroll?am_id=patrickking