Sunday Strides: Know What's "Normal" for Your Horse
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
Release Date: 11/09/2025
A 10-Minute Riding Plan to Keep You Riding When Life Gets Busy
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
Life doesn’t always leave space for long, luxurious rides, but that doesn’t mean your riding has to slide backwards. In this episode, Lorna shares a simple, intentional 10-minute riding plan that keeps you connected, consistent, and moving forward with your horse… Even when everything else feels chaotic. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “I don’t have time for a proper ride,” this episode will show you how to make the most of the time you do have, and why short, focused riding sessions often create more progress than long, unfocused ones. In This Episode, You’ll Learn…...
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Going Slow to Speed Up – Your Riding Questions Answered
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
Slowing down in your riding can feel frustrating, especially when you’re eager to move forward or feel like you “should” be doing more. In this episode, I’m answering the most common questions riders sent in after last week’s conversation and showing you how slow, steady work creates real, lasting progress for both you and your horse. We’ll cover: Where to begin when slowing things down (and why groundwork is the missing step for most riders) How to tell the difference between thinking forward and rushing so you know what’s actually improving Why your first attempt at slow work...
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What You’re Not Willing to Do in Order to Improve Your Riding
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
If you’ve ever felt like things in the saddle are either happening at 100km/h with you just hanging on, or your horse feels like the handbrake will not release no matter how you ask... This episode is for you! Today, we’re diving into the uncomfortable truth that keeps so many riders stuck: not being willing to slow down in order to go faster later. We’re stripping everything back to the foundational communication between you and your horse, the mindset of forwardness, and rebuilding from the beginning in a way that actually works. Whether your horse feels like a rocket with a mind of...
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Sunday Strides:- The Quiet Power of Simply Being With Your Horse
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
Your Energy Begins the Conversation From the moment your horse becomes aware of you, before any halter, tack, or aids, the conversation has already started. In this episode, we explore how your energy sets the tone for the entire interaction. Whether it's calm, chaotic, focused, or distracted, your energy speaks louder than your words or actions. Suggested Reflection: Pause before you approach your horse. Ask yourself: What energy am I bringing into this space? Intentional Stillness as a Training Tool Doing “nothing” might be the most impactful thing you do this week. We often think...
info_outline![[Encore] Strides Revisited: Riding alone? Are you Making Progress in Your Riding? (Originally Ep #986) show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/content/195495235?height=50&width=50)
[Encore] Strides Revisited: Riding alone? Are you Making Progress in Your Riding? (Originally Ep #986)
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
You’re in the arena. It’s just you and your horse. No trainer. No instructor. Just the two of you - riding alone. This probably wasn’t the plan, yet here you are. And if you’re like most riders, it’s not the riding alone that’s the problem... It’s what tends to creep in when you do: You lose motivation You skip the structure Progress stalls (or feels non-existent!) Boredom shows up You start questioning everything And before you know it, you’re wondering if you’re going backwards This week’s Strides Revisited episode goes back to the heart of riding...
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Turning Your Reviews into a Plan when Riding Alone
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
Whether you're training your own horse or simply trying to get back into the saddle more consistently, planning when riding alone can feel like a guessing game. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to use your own riding review to create focused, doable 1 to 2 week plans that actually move your riding and training forward. We’ll cover: What to include in your review (and why timing matters) The 3 planning traps most riders fall into (and how to avoid them) How to choose your one priority that will create the most progress Building in practice, progress, and pauses for lasting...
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Sunday Strides: Know What's "Normal" for Your Horse
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
How well do you really know your horse? Not just how he feels under saddle, but how he is when you're not riding? This week on Sunday Strides, I’m inviting you to do something simple, but powerful. You're going to spend a few minutes each day checking your horse’s vitals. Why? Because when something feels “off,” knowing what’s normal helps you act fast, give your vet accurate information, and be the advocate your horse needs. No riding required. No lunging. Just you, your horse, and a little extra attention. Here's Your Challenge for the Week: ✅ Take your horse’s temperature...
info_outline![[Encore] Strides Revisited: Applying the Click Your Fingers Rule to Your Riding (Originally Ep #1085) show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/content/195246570?height=50&width=50)
[Encore] Strides Revisited: Applying the Click Your Fingers Rule to Your Riding (Originally Ep #1085)
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
Most riders think they’re balanced, until something unexpected happens! This episode brings you back to one simple, brutally honest test: If your horse disappeared beneath you right now, would you land on your feet? That’s the Click-Your-Fingers Rule. It’s the fastest way to check if you’re actually carrying yourself, or letting your horse carry you. This matters because when you rely on your horse for balance, EVERYTHING gets harder. Your transitions are 'less than' great, leg position goes for a ball and the overall communicate between horse and rider breaks down. ...
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Why Your Horse Is Hollow and How to Start Fixing It
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
Have you ever felt your horse suddenly “drop out” from underneath you? It can feel like his back becomes a little shallow underneath you, his head and neck lift, energy is usually lost... And things become REALLY jarring and disconnected! If so, you've likely experienced your horse becoming hollow. It’s uncomfortable, frustrating, and honestly, it can feel like the whole arse has just fallen out of your ride! In this episode, we’re unpacking: What hollowness really is Why it happens (there are 3 big culprits) How to begin retraining your horse so the back engages again ...
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Sunday Strides: It's Okay to Change the Plan Sometimes!
Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians
“Make the plan… but stay supple in your approach.” In this short and sweet Sunday episode, Lorna shares a real-life moment from the past week where sticking to the plan just wasn’t going to work. What started as a flatwork session in the arena quickly turned into a very different kind of ride; one that ended up being even more impactful. Because sometimes… The plan isn’t wrong. But the timing is. Here’s What You’ll Hear: Why tension can derail even the best-laid training plans How to tell when it’s time to change your session on the fly A simple way to “reset the...
info_outlineHow well do you really know your horse? Not just how he feels under saddle, but how he is when you're not riding?
This week on Sunday Strides, I’m inviting you to do something simple, but powerful. You're going to spend a few minutes each day checking your horse’s vitals. Why? Because when something feels “off,” knowing what’s normal helps you act fast, give your vet accurate information, and be the advocate your horse needs.
No riding required. No lunging. Just you, your horse, and a little extra attention.
Here's Your Challenge for the Week:
✅ Take your horse’s temperature (morning + evening)
✅ Count their resting breath rate
✅ Check the colour of the mucus membranes (gums or inner eyelids)
✅ Test capillary refill time
✅ Record the digital pulse in the lower leg (for all 4 legs)
✅ Run your hands down their legs and feet for lumps, swelling, and heat
Do this four times this week, ideally morning and evening for 4 days, and then commit to making this part of your regular routine twice a week going forward.
It takes just a few minutes, but could save you hours (or worse) later.
Mentioned in the Episode
🔁 Strides Revisited (Thursday Episode)
Want to saddle up with more clarity this week? Thursday’s Strides Revisited episode is a riding-based lesson that complements what we covered today. It helps you take what you’re learning from your daily groundwork and body checks—and apply it to the time you spend in the saddle. Listen in to keep your momentum going.
💬 Join the Free DSPodcast Online Community
The conversation continues in the Daily Strides Podcast Online Community on Facebook. It’s a welcoming space to share your wins, ask questions, and get support as you build a stronger connection with your horse. This week, post a photo of you doing one of your daily checks—or share what surprised you most!
🎯 Connection Membership
If you’re enjoying this and want more structure, support, and rhythm in your riding and training, Connection is where it all comes together. Inside, we follow a clear 90-day cycle of Groundwork, Basics, and Training. Members receive ride plans, live lessons, and monthly challenges that turn awareness (like today's topic!) into consistent progress.
🧭 Connection VIP Private Coaching
Sometimes you don’t need more information; you need the right eyes on your riding. The Connection VIP Private Coaching is a private coaching experience where we identify the gaps, create a plan, and move you from stuck to certain. If you feel like you’re spinning your wheels, this is for you.
➡️ Learn about private coaching →
🏇 Your Signature Ride Challenge
A fun and free challenge designed to get you thinking (and riding!) in new ways. You’ll track your ride using GPS and ‘write’ your name in the arena using only seat and leg aids. A great way to practice intentional riding, and maybe even win 3 months of Connection!