Videos Archives - Practical Horseman

Holly Hugo-Vidal’s Top 3 Tips for Effective Aids

Editors of Practical Horseman — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 21:49:43 +0000

In her video series on EQUESTRIAN+, Holly Hugo-Vidal says the hallmark of excellent riding is invisibility of the aids and that correct rider position is the cornerstone of effective communication with your horse.

“When your position is correct and secure, your confidence increases, allowing you to use subtle aids that coordinate like instruments in an orchestra,” she explained. “This creates a harmonious partnership where the horse responds willingly and the ride appears effortless—the ultimate goal in any discipline.”

Hugo-Vidal shares her strategies to improve the effectiveness of your communication with your horse by coordinating your leg and hand aids, keeping him in front of your leg and using a figure-eight track-riding exercise to fine-tune your aids.

1. Coordinating Your Leg and Hand Aids

Click to watch the full episode with Holly Hugo-Vidal on how to coordinate your rein and leg aids.

“The foundation of your position begins with correct foot placement. Position the ball of your foot on the stirrup at a diagonal angle, with the inside bridge slightly behind the outside. Your heel should be angled down, creating your first critical angle. This downward heel position serves two essential purposes: it helps absorb concussion when landing from jumps and provides stability for your entire position.

“Whether you’re working on the flat or navigating a jump course, the ability to coordinate your leg and hand aids depends entirely on a solid, balanced position.

“Hold the reins correctly with your thumb on top and little finger between the two reins. Most importantly, maintain a straight line from the bit to your elbow. This straight line appears consistently across all disciplines with accomplished riders and enables clear, effective rein aids.”

2. Keep Your Horse in Front of Your Leg

Click to watch the full episode with Holly Hugo-Vidal on how to get your horse in front of your leg.

“Proper impulsion is crucial for success in hunter/jumper disciplines. When a horse is in front of the leg he responds promptly to the rider’s aids, maintains forward energy and moves with purpose.

“Your horse may be behind the leg if you notice he’s sluggish in response to your leg aids, feel the need for repeated leg pressure to maintain pace, lack of impulsion or go, falling in on turns or inconsistent tempo.

“Remember that consistent expectations and clear corrections will help develop a horse that stays reliably in front of the leg, making your hunter/jumper rounds more successful and enjoyable.”

3. Fine-Tune Your Aids with This Figure-Eight Track-Riding Exercise

Watch the full episode here with Holly Hugo-Vidal on to fine-tune your aids with a figure-eight track riding exercise and drone footage to illustrate the track.

“The figure-eight pattern is a fundamental exercise that develops a rider’s ability to maintain precision, control and rhythm while transitioning between directions. It’s particularly valuable for hunter/jumper riders as it improves your ability to ride accurate lines to fences while maintaining proper leads and balance.

“Your position is crucial for this exercise. A solid, balanced seat allows you to use your hands and legs independently or together as needed.

“Remember, this exercise is challenging because it requires constant turning, stride management and track awareness. Even accomplished riders must focus to maintain precision. Start slowly and build up to more challenging variations as your skills improve.”

You can watch Hugo-Vidal’s full series on effect aids, here.

About Holly Hugo-Vidal

Based out of Scott and Nancy Boggio’s Arbor Hill Farm in Canton, Georgia, Holly Hugo-Vidal maintains a busy schedule with her junior and adult riders as well as giving clinics and judging. With her former husband, Victor Hugo-Vidal, she ran the successful show barn, Cedar Lodge Farm, in Stamford, Connecticut, learning from his ability to help anyone with a desire to accomplish his or her goals. Her next mentor was show jumper Rodney Jenkins, who provided her with lessons in reading horses and creating in them a desire to please. She is the author of the book Build Confidence Over Fences!

Watch & Learn

From short training tips to how-to videos and insider-access to private clinics and lessons, learn from top hunter/jumper, eventing, equitation and dressage experts on EQUESTRIAN+.

Young Horses with Kelly Soleau-Millar

Editors of Practical Horseman — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Meet Kelly Soleau-Millar and her first homebred Bit of Luck, aka “Clover”. She shares tips on how they bring along young horses to hopefully make them the next group of superstar show jumpers. Young horses grow up in a herd together, but they are handled regularly from a very young age so they are comfortable doing basic skills with a human. Overall, she feels the biggest trait people need to have with young horses is patience. Watch the full video for more great tips on starting young horses!

About Kelly Soleau-Millar

Kelly Soleau-Millar starting riding at the young age of two and had her first pony, Sweet Dreams, when she was three. Competing as a professional, Kelly works full-time as a rider, trainer, and the manager of Millar Brooke South. In December of 2015, Kelly married Jonathan Millar in Key West, Florida, and as a true animal lover, Kelly is rarely seen without her pack of Welsh corgis in tow.

Have you seen these other Team Millar videos?

Position Exercises with Jonathon Millar
Nonverbal Cues with Amy Millar
Counting Strides in a Line of Jumps with Ian Millar
Fungasol with Danny Ingratta
Raised Trot Rails with Ian Millar
Santa Fe Spray with Cayden Hill
Trot Rail Tips with Ian Millar
Magic Cushion® Lineup with Danny Ingratta
Stride Control with Ian Millar
The ShowSheen Lineup with Caden Hill
The Mental Side of Show Jumping with Amy Millar
Lunging Your Horse Safely and Effectively with Ian Millar

Position Exercises with Jonathon Millar

Editors of Practical Horseman — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:32:01 +0000

Rider position is crucial regardless of level. Canadian show jumper Jonathon Millar explains the importance of position and demonstrates how it can be improved with flat and jumping exercises. Watch the video below to see how he starts on the flat and then goes on to riding an exercise that is a combination of jumps and ground poles. It helps improve both the horse’s and the rider’s balance.

About Jonathon Millar

Jonathon Millar was a member of the Canadian Show Jumping Team for 20 years and first alternate for the Olympic team in 2000. He is the oldest child of Canada’s most decorated equestrian, Ian Millar, and his late wife Lynn. In early 2023, Millar suffered a severe brain injury in a non-riding accident in 2023, from which he is still recovering.

Have you seen these other Team Millar videos?

Nonverbal Cues with Amy Millar
Counting Strides in a Line of Jumps with Ian Millar
Fungasol with Danny Ingratta
Raised Trot Rails with Ian Millar
Santa Fe Spray with Cayden Hill
Trot Rail Tips with Ian Millar
Magic Cushion® Lineup with Danny Ingratta
Stride Control with Ian Millar
The ShowSheen Lineup with Caden Hill
The Mental Side of Show Jumping with Amy Millar
Lunging Your Horse Safely and Effectively with Ian Millar

Learn all year from the show jumping experts at Team Millar. Check back every month for more Team Millar Tips brought to you by Absorbine!

Nonverbal Cues with Amy Millar

Editors of Practical Horseman — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Canadian Olympian Amy Millar talks about how people communicate with their horses through nonverbal cues – basically body language. If you can understand your horse’s body language, then you can better understand your horse and that will ultimately help you in your training. Watch the video below to get tips from Millar on what to look for and some of the nonverbal cues she uses with her horse.

About Amy Millar

As the daughter of Olympian and Canadian legend Ian Millar, Amy Millar was born into equestrian sport, riding horses at an early age on the family farm. Training alongside her father and older brother Jonathon, she also found her niche as a show jumper. In 2015 she began competing with Heros. In 2000, she made history with her father and brother at the Spruce Meadows Masters tournament in Calgary as they became the first family of three to compete for a Canadian Nations Cup team.The pair were Canada’s top performers at the 2016 Nations Cup in Ocala, Florida. Millar and Heros made their Olympic debut at Rio 2016 where they were part of Canada’s fourth place finish in the team event, losing a jump-off for bronze to Germany.

Have you seen these other Team Millar videos?

Counting Strides in a Line of Jumps with Ian Millar
Fungasol with Danny Ingratta
Raised Trot Rails with Ian Millar
Santa Fe Spray with Cayden Hill
Trot Rail Tips with Ian Millar
Magic Cushion® Lineup with Danny Ingratta
Stride Control with Ian Millar
The ShowSheen Lineup with Caden Hill
The Mental Side of Show Jumping with Amy Millar
Lunging Your Horse Safely and Effectively with Ian Millar

Learn all year from the show jumping experts at Team Millar. Check back every month for more Team Millar Tips brought to you by Absorbine!

Counting Strides in a Line of Jumps with Ian Millar

Editors of Practical Horseman — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Do you know how to count strides when riding a course? When watching a show jumping class, can you tell how many strides a horse and rider combination will take between each jump? Canadian show jumping legend Ian Millar shows you how riders might walk a line in a grand prix class and why riders might have to make adjustments based on their individual horses. Watch the video below and then try it out at the next show!

About Ian Millar

Ian Millar is an icon in international show jumping. The most decorated equestrian in Canadian history, his record-breaking career has set the bar for its numerous achievements and unparalleled longevity.

Millar has competed in more Olympic Games than any athlete in history, in any sport. As of the 2012 Games in London, he set a new World Record for number of Olympic starts—10 in total—and recorded his best individual result to date, finishing ninth overall. Ian’s Olympic attendance record from 1972 to 2012 is blighted only by the 1980 Games, which Canada boycotted. That year, he rode for Canada at the Alternate Olympics in Rotterdam in which Canada won the Team Gold.

Have you seen these other Team Millar videos?

Fungasol with Danny Ingratta
Raised Trot Rails with Ian Millar
Santa Fe Spray with Cayden Hill
Trot Rail Tips with Ian Millar
Magic Cushion® Lineup with Danny Ingratta
Stride Control with Ian Millar
The ShowSheen Lineup with Caden Hill
The Mental Side of Show Jumping with Amy Millar
Lunging Your Horse Safely and Effectively with Ian Millar

Learn all year from the show jumping experts at Team Millar. Check back every month for more Team Millar Tips brought to you by Absorbine!

Fungasol with Danny Ingratta

Editors of Practical Horseman — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 14:35:49 +0000

Fungasol is another must-have product at Millar Brooke Farm. Watch the video below to find out why head groom Danny Ingratta loves Fungasol shampoo and spray and how he uses the products.

About Danny Ingratta

Danny Ingratta is the head groom at Millar Brooke Farm. His love and passion for the horses and the sport is what allows him to achieve greatness. He studied Animal Biology at the University of Guelph, and in 2013 won the Royal Groom award at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Ingratta has travelled all over the world with Team Millar and groomed at some of the most prestigious shows worldwide, including going as Amy Millar’s groom to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio with Heros.

Have you seen these other Team Millar videos?

Raised Trot Rails with Ian Millar
Santa Fe Spray with Cayden Hill
Trot Rail Tips with Ian Millar
Magic Cushion® Lineup with Danny Ingratta
Stride Control with Ian Millar
The ShowSheen Lineup with Caden Hill
The Mental Side of Show Jumping with Amy Millar
Lunging Your Horse Safely and Effectively with Ian Millar

Learn all year from the show jumping experts at Team Millar. Check back every month for more Team Millar Tips brought to you by Absorbine!

Raised Trot Rails with Ian Millar

Editors of Practical Horseman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Ian Millar explains and demonstrates how to ride a raised trot rail exercise. He suggests starting with three poles and adding more to increase the difficultly as the horse becomes comfortable with them. It is important to keep the horse at the same rhythm before, during and after the rails. Millar also takes a moment to explain how the horse and rider must always stay communicating even when there are external distractions.

About Ian Millar

Have you seen these other Team Millar videos?

Santa Fe Spray with Cayden Hill
Trot Rail Tips with Ian Millar
Magic Cushion® Lineup with Danny Ingratta
Stride Control with Ian Millar
The ShowSheen Lineup with Caden Hill
The Mental Side of Show Jumping with Amy Millar
Lunging Your Horse Safely and Effectively with Ian Millar

Learn all year from the show jumping experts at Team Millar. Check back every month for more Team Millar Tips brought to you by Absorbine!

Trot Rail Tips with Ian Millar

Editors of Practical Horseman — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Canadian show jumping legend Ian Millar talks about the importance of incorporating trot rails and raised trot rails into your training program. For trotting them, trot rails typically are set four feet apart. Millar prefers rails that are not round as they are safer if a horse steps on one. He explains the many benefits of trotting rails for both horse and riders, including helping the horse engage his shoulders and hips, developing a steady pace and rhythm and developing the eye for both horse and human.

About Ian Millar

Have you seen these other Team Millar videos?

Magic Cushion® Lineup with Danny Ingratta
Stride Control with Ian Millar
The ShowSheen Lineup with Caden Hill
The Mental Side of Show Jumping with Amy Millar
Lunging Your Horse Safely and Effectively with Ian Millar

Learn all year from the show jumping experts at Team Millar. Check back every month for more Team Millar Tips brought to you by Absorbine!

The Ultimate Eventing Playlist

Julia Murphy — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:23:46 +0000

When Practical Horseman OnDemand coaches aren’t teaching, they’re competing! Catch Liz Haliday-Sharp, Boyd Martin, Doug Payne, Phillip Dutton, Colleen Rutledge, and Buck Davidson at the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event.

Learn from these pros when you subscribe to Practical Horseman OnDemand and check out the Ultimate Eventing Playlist as they take you through how to be successful in all three phases.

Improving Jumping Technique with Boyd Martin
Look to the Landing with Buck Davidson
Tips for Improving Your Dressage Ride with Colleen Rutledge
Show Jumping Clinic with Doug Payne
Dressage with a Young Event Horse with Liz Halliday-Sharp
Cross Country Schooling with Phillip Dutton

Practical Horseman OnDemand members can watch the full playlist here.

Not a member? Watch free videos here.

To sign up for Practical Horseman OnDemand, click here.

Troubleshooting Jumping Rounds

Julia Murphy — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 22:19:37 +0000

Smooth out your jumping rounds when you subscribe to Practical Horseman OnDemand and check out the Troubleshooting playlist!

From improving suppleness and rideability to managing rhythm and impulsion, Olympic eventers Boyd Martin and Liz Halliday Sharp, show jumper Andrew Welles, hunter rider Kristy Herrera and the Practical Horseman OnDemand coaches help you troubleshoot your jumping rounds in the Troubleshooting playlist. Binge-watch all 23 videos—over two hours of instruction—or watch them one at a time!

Practical Horseman OnDemand members can watch the full playlist here.

Not a member? Watch free videos here.

To sign up for Practical Horseman OnDemand, click here.