Help! No One Taught Me This

Hello and Welcome!

This book is something I desperately needed in my early equestrian life. I used to watch skilled riders perform movements like shoulder-in, travers, or half-pass with such harmony that it took my breath away. Their communication with the horse was effortless—almost magical. And yet, when I asked how it was done, the answers were always the same:

"Just use your legs and seat, kid"

But how? When? In what way? And what about rein aids? No one ever truly explained them to me. I knew there had to be more to it than just pulling left or right, but the deeper details were always missing. So, I set out on a journey to find the answers myself. I surrounded myself with the old equitation books, studied advanced riders, and experimented with my own horses—until everything finally started to make sense.

Now, I want to share that knowledge with you.

Inside this book, you’ll find:

• A complete guide to rein aids – including all five rein aids, with aerial photos for better understanding.
• Seat and leg aids explained – how they work and what can you achieve with different position
• The things no one ever explains, like:
• How to actually hold the reins
• Active vs. passive rein aids – what does it mean and which one is doing what
• Inside vs. outside rein – what they really mean and how it has nothing to do with the inside and outside of the arena
• Flexion vs. bending – the difference and how to achieve both
• Turns – did anyone taught you all the aids for turning the horse? And yes there are more than one
• Circles – how to form the circle and aids for riding a circle
• Step-by-step basic dressage movements – including shoulder-in, leg yield, haunches-in, half-pass etc.

I wrote this book for the rider I once was—the one searching for answers, feeling like something was missing, longing for a deeper knowledge. If you’ve ever felt that way too, I hope these pages bring you the clarity and confidence you need to take your riding to the next level.

Best wishes,

Maya