The training guides are about learning to ride better and developing your horse with intent. You'll find explainers on the basics for beginners, reading and riding a dressage test, walking a jumping course, and building a training week at M to Z level. There are also guides on choosing an instructor, handling competition nerves and breaking through a plateau. The common thread is practical: what you do in the arena, what to pay attention to, and how to build up step by step without overasking your horse.
What the Landelijke Rijvereniging (LRV) is, how the federation and local clubs work together, which disciplines it offers, and how to join.
5 min readFirst time on a horse at 30 or 60: what adult beginners experience differently than children, and how to plan around it.
5 min readHow to choose a dressage trainer who fits you at M and Z level — what to look for, what to ask, and when switching makes sense.
6 min readGetting your horse ready for the first time? Groom and saddle up step by step, with attention to order, safety, and the girth.
5 min readThe words your instructor uses in your first riding lessons, explained in the context where you'll hear them — from hoefslag to lichtrijden.
5 min readFor adult beginners nervous about their first riding lesson: where the fear comes from and how to feel calmer, step by step.
5 min readThe difference between private and group riding lessons for beginners, what each costs, and which fits your goal, budget, and pace.
5 min readCan you join a pony camp or riding holiday with no riding experience? What to expect as a beginner or parent, what to check, and when to wait.
4 min readThe unwritten riding school etiquette nobody explains: how to behave in the arena, in the stable, and around other riders and horses.
5 min readConcrete criteria for assessing a riding school before signing up — from horse care and safety to lesson groups, prices, and first impressions.
6 min readThe age children can safely start, why there's no upper age limit for adults, and what changes at each stage of life.
5 min readWhat to wear to your first riding lesson without buying anything: pants, shoes, layers, and what the riding school lends you.
5 min readA practical guide to your very first riding lesson: what to wear, what to expect, and how to recognize a good riding school.
6 min readWhat side reins, Lauffer reins, chambons, and draw reins do, when auxiliary reins make sense, and why correct lunging usually works better.
6 min readWhat groundwork is, what it does for trust and safety, what equipment you need, and five basic exercises to get started.
6 min readWhat natural horsemanship involves, how it differs from regular training, what the criticism is, and which principles any rider can use.
6 min readWhy horses spook, which causes to rule out first, and how desensitizing, groundwork, and a calm rider build trust step by step.
6 min readWhen you're ready for your first trail ride, why an experienced companion horse is the golden rule, and what to agree on the way.
6 min readHow to safely lead a horse in hand with a halter or rope halter: position, the lead rope, stopping and turning, tying up, and common mistakes.
5 min readWhich bit suits your horse? An overview of the common types, how they act on the mouth, and how to arrive at the right choice.
5 min readThe mistakes almost every beginner rider makes — from gripping the reins too tight to looking down — and how to correct them.
5 min readHow to learn the posting trot — feeling the rhythm, finding the correct diagonal, and why sitting trot is harder at first.
5 min readHow to load your horse into a trailer calmly and without stress, transport it safely to a lesson or show, and prevent loading problems.
5 min readHow riders build strength and symmetry, with targeted core, balance, and posture exercises that improve your scores in the ring.
6 min readAn explanation of lunging for beginners: why the instructor holds the horse on a long line, and what you learn from it as a rider.
5 min readWhen a beginner is ready to canter, how to ask for and sit the first canter strides, and how to stay calm and confident.
5 min readHow a dressage test is structured, how to memorize it, and what to expect on the day of your first start.
6 min readHow to ride a specific test more deliberately and use the judge's scoresheet to see where you gain — and lose — points.
6 min readHow to read a dressage judging protocol, understand why you scored as you did, and find which movements offer the most room to improve.
4 min readHow to walk a show jumping course smartly — pacing off distances, choosing lines and tempo — and ride that plan clear at the higher levels.
5 min readHow to walk a show jumping course on foot — reading the route, choosing your lines, and counting distances in canter strides before you ride.
4 min readFrom groundwork and handling basics to backing and the first year under saddle: training a young horse without overloading body or mind.
6 min readWhy almost every horse is crooked, how to recognize a hollow and stiff side, and which exercises gradually straighten your horse.
6 min readWhat to do when you feel like you're no longer improving at riding — common causes, how to find yours, and practical ways to break through.
6 min readHow to get a sport horse physically fit for harder work — building stamina, strength, and recovery step by step without injury.
5 min readHow long it takes to learn to ride, how often you should practice, and realistic milestones to expect in your first year.
4 min readWhat to note after every ride, and how weeks of entries reveal trends in scores, health, and technique instead of relying on gut feel.
5 min readHow to plan a full competition season around one main goal — from choosing it to the calendar, training periods, and a moment to adjust course.
5 min readHow to build a weekly schedule for your dressage horse — the balance of technique, fitness, suppling, and rest, periodized around competitions.
6 min readAn overview of horse and equestrian podcasts — Dutch and English-language shows on welfare, training, mindset, and news, and how to choose.
6 min readHow the Rozetten certificates from Paardensport Vlaanderen work: six levels, what you demonstrate, where you test, and what it costs.
5 min readHow to tell whether your horse is physically and mentally ready for harder work, and when it's better to wait.
5 min readWhich roles steer the talent pathway — from national coach to training stable — and how to find out who matters for your discipline and age.
5 min readWhy you freeze up at a competition and what to do about it: breathing, routines, and focus to get nerves and blanking out under control.
5 min readWhen moving up to M or Z dressage makes sense — the signs you're ready, and the pitfalls of promoting too soon.
4 min read