KADIE'S 1 MONTH TRANSFORMATION + VOICEOVER

[@nala3055]

Anyone else so incredibly pleased to see a jumper who really takes the time to do their flatwork? I know so many who just jump jump jump but dont do any of this

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

90% of a showjumping round is flatwork, it’s so important

[@maroonmidnight5908]

I do eventing, so 50% of my training is dressage, 30% jumping, 10% Cross-country and 10% lungeing and other stuff. The dressage/flatwork is so important!!!

[@chelseabartlett5520]

I bet her owner is thrilled, shes a much different horse. Just as far as selling goes, she'd sell for much more moving that way than she would've before.

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Her owner is delighted, but I’m pretty sure she’s going to keep her forever haha

[@mollyellashowjumping3836]

It's amazing what you can do with horses Holly. Pure talent!

[@daisyequine]

u tell her girl

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Haha thank you ❤️

[@goldenleafstables6347]

1:12 one way you can also reduce horses getting excessive muscle under the neck is by feeding them hay on the ground/ in a hay bin on the floor because when horses eat from hay nets it builds up their muscle on the under side rather than on the top..if you feed a horse hay on the floor it's encouraging their wild instincts because i'm sure no wild horses eat from hay nets xD but it also helps to reduce that muscle and build it up on top :P

[@padoodledonk2688]

Good info thanks!

[@lilisheldan4234]

It's amazing how much she's improved in only a few weeks. Great job! 😊💕

[@kadeapplegate9310]

Shipping my horse off to you now 😂

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Haha 😉

[@fleetskipper1810]

When my off-the-track thoroughbred had just finished with racing, he was muscled upside down, just like this horse. It was similar to riding a giraffe! We called him the pencil-necked geek because his neck was so crunched up. When he developed proper muscling, his neck literally looked two times longer than it used to. He became very balanced and very beautiful to look at. You did a lovely job with this mare in a very short time.

[@poppymercer984]

You're so talented to be able to bring her that far in just a month! Wow wow wow😍😍😍

[@chesnoodle]

This was how my saddlebred was when I first brought him home, I know they natural carry their head high but he was very swayed back and tense. He is still extremely swayed back but I can now ask for a trot without his head in the air and he can even stretch in the trot down to his knees! It's amazing what you can do with a little time and effort.

[@eliseblair5228]

I never understand how people can jump giant courses on horses with terrible flatwork 😂! It’s soo difficult

[@bqualitysnake6549]

absolutely, some horses barely know how to stopp but jump 1.40 at competitions. I wouldn't jump a 50cm on a horse that has terrible flatwork

[@freyagoffin6948]

Till 3* its pretty much lines and just distances. 4 and 5 * is harder and there you need to have control. I watched a 3* olympic kwalification course and it stood at 1m60, really high and it was more a 4* course in technique. 1 rider was faultless... The italian champion (who rides with the army or navy uniform). Almost no horse was really in control, they all had horrible flatwork

[@NoThankUBeQuiet]

@@freyagoffin6948 You still need control. Just for the sake of having a horse that doesn't suck.

[@lucasa1849]

She looks so much better. I’m glad you’re taking the time to help her relax and stretch

[@miacolleran152]

Holly you should really consider getting another project pony like Indie when you get enough time. The progress you have made with Kadie is incredible!

[@ayowayo3235]

She's got Fiona, Khal and soon Dali to be working with, all while being a full time student. I think she's got enough on her plate.

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

I would love to but I only have time to ride one horse because of college :)

[@Patti-1962]

I am so glad you will still be involved with Kadie's training. She looks like she would have been very hard to ride during the first ride. Her issues seemed really difficult to fix, but you did a great job! I would imagine this horse has been holding her head this way for years... so hard to "undo" years of bad habits. I can't wait to see more videos! I hope your transition back to school was a successful one!!

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Thank you, she’s in great hands with her current owner ☺️

[@notevenreallife]

Yesss, great video Holly! This is really gonna help me with my horses' flatwork

[@nerearobles1272]

The work you've done with her is lovely Holly and you explain it beautifully. Keep it up xx

[@allukahrushton1753]

My horse is exactly like Kadie in the begining of the video. THanks for sharing - Lots of helpful tips

[@nicoleequestrian6969]

You did amazing with her Holly! Its incredible how much she has transformed! She looks so much more fluent now and she has started developing lovely top line! Also, her head is so much better! Good job!

[@kirshajo]

Absolutely love the mechanics of ground work. I cannot wait for my 3 year old to mature a bit more and we will begin. He works forward, low and round on the lunge and he is very submissive to ground driving rein aids. This video is inspiring, informative, and lovely! Thank you for sharing!

[@gillianmccolgan]

Kadies so gorgeous,Bronachs lucky to have her😍

[@gillianmccolgan]

**Bronach's

[@ponycards]

I love that you're posting this kind of vids! :) Not many people out there do that. Thank you for giving us hope and know-how. You're an awesome horse-person 😊

[@lizlavoie5672]

Wow. You have done such an amazing job with Kadie in just a few short weeks. She looks so good, and is a really cute mover. I can’t wait to see how she is in even a few more weeks from now. I absolutely love the purple pad on her. Such a beautiful contrast.💕💕

[@silky2204]

Great video. I finally got the explanation for the form that is needed on the gaits. Nothing was really clear from all the other videos. Or, maybe I just finally got it.

[@anastasiagodun5818]

Hi Holly ! Love you and your vids sooo much ! Keep on going !

[@chasingeq7963]

Riding horses that hollow is HARD it totally throws you off balance and at that point, it’s forgivable to sacrifice perfect eq for functional riding. Getting my tense mare project an Arab to relax and collect under saddle was hard! I used to have crotch hands riding her especially when that head was right up my nose, people should stop hating on your eq LOL you make it look easy!

[@reverse_thoughts8120]

You did such a great job with her! Too bad you couldn't have another month with her, she would've been going amazing by then! If her owner keeps up with what you've been working on, I would love to see another video of her down the line!

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

There will be one coming very soon!

[@gillianmccolgan]

Love Kadie and all the horses she and her sister used to own,I know Bronach we went to the same stables(near where she lives)shes so lovely x😊💕

[@kawenapoepoe7299]

Where did you get the vienna reins?? I've been looking for bungee ones and only see leather, please help!!

[@ninachistel2024]

Kawena Poepoe same!

[@Lexi-sy3zs]

Hi! I don’t know if you’re from the states or not but we call them ‘neck stretchers’. It sits at the top of poll then threads through the bit and connects on the d ring the girth. You can buy them at Dover Saddlery, Smartpak etc. Pretty sure it’s essentially the same exact thing she’s using in the video.

[@reverse_thoughts8120]

@@Lexi-sy3zs @Kawena Poepoe definitely check these out if you can! I've used them for many horses and they work great! Just make sure you get the right size otherwise they'll be too tight!

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

They’re not the same as neck stretchers at all. And they don’t have bungee, they’re generally made from leather :)

[@gracesinclair9943]

They’re called sliding side reins as well in a lot of places, you might find some a bit easier by searching for those!

[@cavaleiro.reitercoaching]

It's amazing! So much progress in so little time! Great job!

[@xxchloexx854]

Amazing, your videos give me so many tips that I use on my horse 🐴!! X

[@colinebaudez2953]

Verry nice job, I love it! Just a questio : what kind of exercises did you do to obtain such result? Mabe you told it, but English isn't my mother language, so I could missed it

[@JenniferJCouch]

Inspiration it has. Thank you. Good vlog!

[@horseshine6137]

Lovely job, she's starting to work forward into the contact. It's really hard with a horse this forward, but it is possible and you're 90% of the way there after one month whereas it usually takes much longer!

[@rosielindgren5829]

Woah awesome work, pony looks way happier 🙌

[@bryanlund9098]

Love the explanations. What a change!

[@emilyw9309]

You’ve done so great with her and she’s beautiful - is that the burgundy le Mieux saddle pad ? Xx

[@siennamckenzie5704]

Emily W Yes it is

[@emilyw9309]

Sienna Mckenzie yeah I thought so it’s lovely I was thinking it would suit my Connemara

[@ride4lifelottie251]

Emily W yes it is! It would look sooooooooo cute on my pinto pony!

[@emilyw9309]

Horse Crazy awww I Love the Le Mieux saddle pads so much

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Yup I think it is ☺️

[@sophiebarney4432]

Your amazing she’s improved so much😍❤️

[@chelseatodd1449]

My one mare is JUST like Kadie. I wish you could come work her for me!!! Want a trip to the states???!! LOL

[@ride4lifelottie251]

Chelsea Todd same with my mare! New Zealand???? 😂 😂😂😂😂

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Haha you buy my flights, I’m there! I could do with a holiday 😉

[@nicholeclark-smith1788]

This mare's personality is JUST LIKE my grey mare's personality to the T

[@amanirafiq1434]

Loved her ! She is so cute ... Well done Holly x

[@NoThankUBeQuiet]

You can tell Kadie has all the buttons and just needed them put together. I ride a horse with similar issues but only half the buttons. Also I once rode a horse who didn't know how to WALK undersaddle.

[@oliviahunter868]

I love your videos, they give me lots of ideas xx

[@sparklesandmagic]

Kadie is so like my mare! My mare is a speed demon who thrives on jumping but loves keeping her head up 🙈

[@Galemor1]

You are good at explaining, really enjoyed this video.

[@barneyfromblackmesa2454]

I sincerely hope you don't read my critique as negative, I cannot stress enough how unique you are on youtube for even approaching the subject. 1. Get a chambon and lunge her on as long a line as possible. This horse needed a stretch that's almost to the ground before she was going to be able to lift her back. 2. Most of this video when you say you're giving her rein, you're not; contact should be the weight of the rein, it should be light and almost unfeelable. There are many times in the video where she asks to put her head into the stretch and meets a wall. 3. Truthfully, this horse is never working over her back. If you pause the video and look at the trajectory created by drawing a line from her croup to her withers, it is always sloped towards her head. In an engaged horse this line would be flat, and in a collected horse this line would slope up towards the withers. This is a good start though and you have the right idea. I love and appreciate riders who talk about actually developing the top line and start with dressage to train, as "the whole point of dressage itself is to make the horse calm and controllable in any circumstance, even the chaos of battle." Engaged dressage creates a calm and happy horse because engagement allows their movements to feel good to them. It frees their spine and lets their hind legs swing through. I always compared it to finding that perfect beat in a skip when you're a kid. Once again, thank you for trying to give this horse the foundation to pain-free life.

[@northernirishgal2681]

Great tips....will def try these out , such a big difference x

[@TheNativeHorses]

how the heck did you do that in 3 weeks?! amazing job Holly x

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Thank you! Horses do tend to enjoy working correctly, it’s just convincing them at the start is the hardest 😂

[@HannahLucyequestrian]

Such an improvement! Fab job! Ps love the riding leggings 😉 hope you’re getting lots of use out of them!

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Thank you! Literally live in them 😍

[@cate4016]

I love these videos! Especially with the voiceover

[@historyhouse2977]

Hey Holly, I know you used the Vienna reins for lunging in the video, but have you tried the waldhausen lunging aid you got around Christmas time? Did you like it and were you able to figure out how to use it correctly? Just curious... Thanks!

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Do I actually haven’t yet! I’ll let ye know when I do ☺️

[@niamhburke4630]

She’s so dainty!

[@izzyprendergast9986]

Well done Holly!!

[@alanaculleton1914]

Kadie is such a great horse🐎🏇🐎🏇

[@luemun]

That's some fantastic work you've done Holly! I'm so impressed. If you ever wanna come and fix my horse's flatwork in Bulgaria you're very welcome 😂

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Haha thank you ☺️

[@equinejolieguineapigs3670]

When she jumps her head lowers. She loves jumping xx love ur vids

[@mphorsemanship4737]

Joliehorses &guineapigs it’s so she’s able to see the jumps ahead of her!

[@kiahsummers5075]

Wow you’ve done amazing with her! 😍💖

[@jumpingshasta1308]

Where did you buy your lunging aid? I love your videos and your social media.

[@olgalekomtseva2091]

WOW! Great job👍🏼

[@nicolekennedy3836]

I love your videos!!!!

[@eimearnee938]

Great job!!

[@tessa_art]

Hey holly i have a question. My horse "Spot" is a mare under saddle for about 2 months now. She is really scared of jumping and when her head is stuck by using the extra reins to help her with lunging, she freaks out And starts to rear and welk backwards. We encourage her to go forward but she keeps rearing and walking backwards really bad. She'll freak out. She has the same issue as the horse in the video though x.x

[@lpstaylor5816]

I subscribed. Great channel! :D

[@horselover7819]

You really trained Katy really,really good😚

[@literallynoonecares4325]

horse lover *kadie (its in the title)

[@horsecrazy0148]

Something I have noticed is u don’t carry ur hands which is why she isn’t stretching into the contact no hate

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

She is stretching into the contact at the end. Lifting my hands isn’t going to magically get her to relax?

[@user-it4rt5wf4p]

​@@HollyLenahanSJ Hi Holly! I love your horses, they are all super cute. :) I believe what Horse crazy 01 meant is that your hands are not entirely independent. Every time you post, you pop Kadie in the mouth a little bit (because your hands are moving with your body). This is obviously super uncomfortable for the horse and yes, it will stop her from stretching down and out. I really recommend you read this article: www.sustainabledressage.net/collection/true_collection.php#relax I think this site can help any horse in any discipline, even though it's written for dressage riders. Another thing I noticed is that the vienna reins are too short. She's trying to stretch into them, especially after the trot poles, but because they're not long enough she is forced to curl behind the vertical whenever she lowers her neck. And then this reinforces the neck-curling behavior you see under saddle. Stretching down isn't all there is to it, you also want them stretching their nose down and *out.* A better training tool for this is the chambon, because of how it attaches to the bridle. Or, if you can get them to stretch using just the trot poles, that's even better because they can stretch as far as they want. Please don't just ignore this out of hand - you clearly helped Kadie a lot in the month you had her, but I think it could have gone even better if you fixed a few small things.

[@aveesee]

I love the ears!

[@issyrouth4814]

My pony is exactly like this tho I don’t think think I will do as good a job as you, these tips were really helpful!

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

I’m glad to hear it was somewhat helpful, best of luck!

[@bays4days222]

I'm sure youve answered this before in another video, but how big is your lunge circle? My new mare struggles with lowering her head, and often runs with in in the air like Kadie's. Would love to try this!

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

I’m not sure of the exact size, I just hold the lunge rope near the end haha

[@marthadodd1]

bravo!!

[@chasingeq7963]

What camera do you use? I love the quality of your videos

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

It’s in the description ☺️

[@jeweltje6141]

My horse does that to she trots so nice but her head always goes up and moves like a chicken 😂 I bought an thiedeman reins and that helped me so much❤️

[@ninachistel2024]

Where did you get the Vienna reins? I have looked and I can’t find them😕I only see the leather ones

[@Lexi-sy3zs]

Nina Chistel Vienna reins are a very european thing. If you’re in the states we use neck stretchers. They begin at the top of the poll, thread through the big, and attach on the girth. You can buy them at Dover and Smartpak.

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Vienna reins and neck stretchers are completely different :) Vienna reins aren’t elastic and run from the d ring of the saddle, through the bit and under the saddle. They don’t have any poll pressure. The ones I use are actually an old de gogue that I repurposed 👍🏼

[@ninachistel2024]

Holly Lenahan ok thank you .. I want the Vienna reins bc they look like they will work better for my horse

[@gerardosalas9477]

I hate when a horse rides with the head up.... I rode one that just won’t lower it, what do I do?

[@nannatsmed]

Such a nice transformation!! Although I don’t understand how you can ride dressage with so short stirrups 🤪

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

I’m a showjumper so I’m just used to them! ☺️

[@historyhouse2977]

Thanks for replying!

[@dh7206]

Amazing

[@orladaly2356]

💜

[@CatDog612]

the gray horse looks a little lame in the hind end. every once in a while she begins wincing and shortening her stride. it can be a huge reason why her back is so stiff especially on the landing of her jumps. sometimes lameness can cause these horses to exaggerate their U neck frame and carry themselves in a way to avoid feeling the main pain but then ends up causing secondary pain (ie; her back). Id ask the owner to get her checked by a good lameness veterinarian and maybe start her on some treatments because even with the flatwork and retraining her muscles, if she is feeling lameness, she will end up shrinking back into that cramped frame she began in by compensating for the pain. Good work though this is a good video of how to stretch your horse long and low.

[@olliszon8015]

"a little bish" xd

[@tequine4138]

😍😍😍

[@animalmania2873]

Ahh this video was so helpful, I'm teaching my pony to lunge so I can lunge her with a pessoa and over poles as she finds it so hard to relax and lengthen her back. Xx

[@Idgaf28362]

Please,don't lunge your horse with a pessoa!Bits in general are not great for lunging, as they constantly give unclear aids to the horse,the leverage of that bit makes it worse.You should get a cavesson and learn how to correctl y use it for lunging,it really helped my horse to relax and bend.

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Poles are so good for lunging! I’ve never used a Pessoa myself but I’ve seen people get great results ☺️

[@animalmania2873]

@@Idgaf28362 pessoas are very good for getting the horse to lengthen and stretch over their back so they can be balanced and comfortable when being ridden. Thanks for your opinion but as you don't know my horse personally or the way she rides I don't think you can give an accurate opinion on her training and what I'm trying to achieve. FYI I'm trying to achieve suppleness, balance and length over her back so she can feel relaxed so I can do some low level dressage.

[@Idgaf28362]

@@animalmania2873 are we talking about the same pessoa?the ones I know are basically snaffles with leverage,and instead of lunging, groundwork on long reins has been shown to teach suppleness very good. The classical dressage schools like in Vienna still use cavessons in the early stages of the dressage training of their horses.

[@animalmania2873]

@@Idgaf28362 a pessoa that has attachments on the shoulders and under the belly. You're supposed to use is lightly with your hands so as not to confuse any aids and just use your voice for transitions etc

[@danielthomas3333]

There’s a way to deal with this. Basically you gently lift the bit into the corner of her lips and when she relaxes her mouth you take the contact forward and down. She will follow the contact down and chew on the bit. For further study look up Philippe Carl, he is big on it. Decarpentry in Academic Equitation also goes into this. You are pulling down on her and she is coming down, but not working through her back. You are riding her head and not the whole horse

[@amandabonfante8863]

Wow. It hurt my heart to see her form and her hollow back when you lunged her. Couldn’t have been comfortable. Great work!

[@brendaswanson3313]

Is that a bungee did you homemade those is there given that I need to construct my own pair

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

No it’s not a bungee. And if you google Vienna reins, you can find some online

[@chasingeq7963]

HER TAIL😍

[@maddiemason1817]

She’s such a nice mover! Would make a great hunter horse

[@hannahhiggins1367]

❤❤

[@aine7529]

Remember: hips, knees, ankles not just hips

[@psequestrian4698]

Using, that side rein the horse can t extend and strech the neck in a proper way. That isn t a true stretching, that way just force the horse to be in that shape. The muscles doesn t really strech. The horse move in the same way like before, just the shape is changed bit this does not change anythink in substance, however .

[@emilylipsitz]

Do you have five or six horses

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

5 ☺️

[@emilylipsitz]

@@HollyLenahanSJ ok when is your next horse show

[@elenarazpopova73]

Leave me alone I’m only speaking to my horse today.

[@chasingeq7963]

i’ll be out of town until further notice, pls watch my horse xx 😂

[@Kay-yb1lk]

Love how u ride bitless💙

[@eliseblair5228]

This horse has a snaffle in?

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

I’m not riding bitless in this video

[@alissamurnane2143]

Are u Irish?

[@mollyxox1332]

Alissa The horse lover ya she is :)

[@blmblm1568]

Second

[@soph_hope1296]

You should get a P.O. box because with 42k subscribers you would get a lot of letters. I would definitely send you letters and little presents. Xx!

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Haha I think I would feel guilty if people sent me stuff!

[@soph_hope1296]

Why, you are an incredible rider and you deserve it! @@HollyLenahanSJ

[@jameswillmert137]

Are you planning to buy stallion

[@hannahmaria167]

Come to the us and ride my horse for a month please😂😂

[@HollyLenahanSJ]

Hmm well a holiday to America doesn’t sound too bad 🤔😉

[@anarcturian8525]

Big a