Bendology is a brand new course starting December 5, 2025.
For everyone who’s ever begged
for a horse that bends…
Bendology is the What, Why, and HOW of bending.
To Bend or NOT to bend...
- Has NEVER been the question.
The question is...
HOW to bend.
The neck only?
The ribcage?
- But HOW?
With the reins?
The legs?
Or <gasp> the spurs?!?
- But HOW?....
With inside aids only?
With outside aids?
With both?
- But seriously... HOW?!??
We are all TIRED.
Tired of being told what to do.
Without being told HOW to do it.
PERHAPS...
Perhaps YOU are tired of your horse...
FALLING IN ON CORNERS
Or turns, circles, and voltes.
Perhaps you are TIRED of being told...
"NOT ENOUGH BEND!"
Or "USE MORE LEG!!!"
And perhaps you are ALSO tired of seeing horses
OVERBENT...
KNOWING that can’t be right.
Then being told how great it is.
Well, you ARE right. It is not “right”....
It’s not classical. It’s not correct. And it is unhealthy for the horse.
It sets the horse up for incorrect development and eventually… INJURY.
CORRECT BENDING...
Correct bending is foundational.
You cannot build a solid house on a foundation of rubble. Likewise, you cannot develop a fit, functional, healthy, well-trained horse on a bad foundation of incorrect bend biomechanics.
NEVER too early…
Habits formed early set the stage for correct development throughout your horse’s life.
NEVER too late…
No matter how long YOU or your horse have been doing it wrong, it’s never too late to do better, to learn how to do it differently.
As the saying goes: The best time to plant a tree was yesterday. The next best time is today.
The best time to train correct bend was at the beginning of your horse’s training. The next best time is… TODAY.
WELCOME TO
BENDOLOGY...
Bendology is the What, Why, and HOW of bending.
NEW COURSE begins December 5, 2025.
Bendology is a brand new, 12-module course that finally shows you how to bend - correctly, classically, and without all the confusing, conflicting advice that never actually solves anything. We go straight into what bend is, what it is not, and how the whole horse’s body needs to work together so you are not left pulling the head around or trying to hold your horse up with your inside leg.
The course runs December 5, 2025 through April 23, 2026 and includes clear theory, riding exercises that show you exactly what to do, and Feldenkrais lessons for the rider so you can actually feel what you’re trying to ride. You will know what is happening, why it’s happening, and how to fix it - without force, frustration, or guesswork.
Everything is designed to help you understand bend in a way that finally makes sense and actually works for you and your horse.
Includes:
- Classical Theory and Biomechanics (so you understand the WHY)
- Instructional videos - All completely brand-new (so you understand the WHAT)
- Riding Exercises tailored for focusing specifically on bending (so you understand the HOW)
- Rider Imagery lessons to help you visualize (so you translate what is in your head to your body)
- Feldenkrais lessons with Catherine McCrum (so you can actually feel what you're trying to do)
☞ Fully supported course with 11 Q&A sessions (some are exclusive to this course only) plus a Facebook group where you can post questions, get feedback, and connect with others who are learning alongside you.
What’s Included.
01.
MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS BEND, WHAT IS IT NOT
Bend isn’t just about the neck or a shape you force. Actually, it’s a whole-body coordination that starts in the hind legs, flows through the ribcage, and arrives into the rein contact. In this module, we bypass all the confusion and define bend in biomechanical, classical, practical explanations so you finally know exactly what you’re aiming for.
Why does this matter? When you understand bend correctly, everything else in training stops feeling quite so mysterious.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• You stop accepting “false bend” and start creating functional bend
• You immediately recognize when your horse is truly bending vs. faking it
• You understand how the whole body participates - not just the neck
• You stop pulling, pushing, and guessing
• When your mind is clear on your objective, your aids become better organized, purposeful, and effective
• You finally have clarity on what trainers mean when they say “more bend”
02.
MODULE 2: ALIGNING THE FEET ON A LINE
Before bend, there must be alignment. Here you'll learn how to place the horse’s shoulders, ribcage, and hips on the actual line of travel, which is the foundation for every single curve you will ever ride.
Why does this matter? Alignment is the beginning of all correct biomechanics. Bend cannot co-exist with misalignment.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• Your horse begins to stop falling in or drifting out
• Circles, turns, and corners become easier and more balanced
• You learn how to organize the shoulders (the forgotten half of bend)
• Using your inside leg to support the bend suddenly works because the body is aligned to receive it
• You develop an eye and feel for correct geometry
• You stop riding “the shape” and start riding functional lines
03.
MODULE 3: CONNECTING THE FEET TO THE GROUND AND THE WEIGHT
This is where you learn the real secret behind bend that no one has ever told you before: the outside hind! You’ll discover how weight actually travels through the horse’s body and how the outside hind supports, carries, and stabilizes all of the bending work.
Why does this matter? Without the outside hind supporting the bend, the horse will inevitably always fall in, lean, counterbend, and lose balance.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• You finally feel what “connection to the ground” means
• Your horse becomes more balanced, secure, and confident in turns
• Falling-in dramatically decreases
• Your inside aids stop fighting against gravity
• You learn how to influence the horse through the hind legs, not the reins
• Bending starts to become smoother, more reliable, and repeatable
04.
MODULE 4: BEND IS ABOUT THE WHOLE HORSE (NOT JUST THE NECK)
In this module, we transform your focus from “neck-bending” to body-bending. You learn how the ribcage actually moves, how the spine curves, and how the hind legs and barrel create the true bend without overbending the neck or blocking the shoulders.
Why does this matter? Neck-only bend destroys balance, suppleness, and soundness. Whole-body bend restores it.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• You're able to stop your horse from overbending in the neck
• You learn how to mobilize and supple the ribcage
• You get a softer, lighter connection instead of that dreaded heavy inside rein
• The horse starts to feel “wrapped around your inside leg” (you finally understand what this means)
• Bend becomes healthier for your horse because it is becoming more correct
• You stop creating the very problems you’re trying to fix
05.
MODULE 5: NO BEND WITHOUT STRETCHING THE OUTSIDE
Here you learn the missing half of bend: the outside stretch. You’ll see how the outside musculature must lengthen to allow the inside to shorten. You will learn how this creates that beautiful, elastic, swinging feeling every rider wants.
Why does this matter? The horse can only bend to the extent that he can stretch on the outside of his body. Bend collapses or becomes rigid when the outside doesn’t stretch. This is the piece most riders never learn.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• The QUALITY of your bend improves
• Bend feels more spacious, elastic, and fluid
• Contact becomes more equal and less heavy on one rein
• You achieve both inside engagement and outside lengthening at the same time
• You're find more and more that you're able to prevent tension, bracing, and stiffness
• The horse's muscling improves. It becomes more even and symmetrical.
06.
MODULE 6: FIRST AND SECOND DEGREE BEND
Here we clarify the progression from basic bending (inside leg + inside rein) to advanced, connected bending (inside leg + outside rein). You learn when, why, and how each degree works. And you learn when and how to graduate correctly from one to the other.
Why does this matter? Most riders get stuck in first-degree bending forever. However, second-degree bending is where true balance and understanding emerge.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• You stop relying on the inside rein
• You learn how to “hand off” the bend to the outside rein
• Your horse starts carrying the bend instead of you managing it
• You gain softness, alignment, and connection in both reins at the same time
• Transitions in and out of bending become smooth and controlled
• You stop micromanaging and start influencing
07.
MODULE 7: SHIFTING WEIGHT TO CHANGE BEND
Changing the bend is NOT about flipping the neck. It's about shifting weight smoothly from one hind leg to the other. In this module, you learn how to feel and influence this shift so changing the bend stops feeling chaotic or abrupt.
Why does this matter? Typically, all change-of-bend problems come from a failed weight shift, yet most riders resort to the rein aids to address it. No wonder this never works!
WALK AWAY WITH:
• Direction changes become smooth instead of jerky
• Your horse stops counterbending in figure-eights and serpentines
• You learn how to move weight, not just the neck
• You are able to ride with your seat and hold the bend with your seat. Your seat becomes the primary influence, not your hands
• Balance improves dramatically
• Flying change prep becomes easier and clearer
08.
MODULE 8: AWARENESS OF AIDS ON BOTH SIDES
Horses are naturally uneven and often “live” on one diagonal. This module teaches you how to wake up the stiff side, soften the dominant side, and help your horse feel both sides of your body equally.
Why does this matter? A horse that only listens to one side can never bend evenly, stay straight, or move with confidence.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• Your horse becomes responsive to both legs and both reins
• Crookedness issues start to dissolve naturally
• Contact improves and starts evening out beautifully
• The horse begins to carry himself between your aids. The horse stays, more and more, on the seat.
• You stop fighting the stiff side
• You start a REAL dialogue instead of one-sided communication
09.
MODULE 9: FRAMING: NO SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS
Here you learn how to create an elastic, yet effective, channel with your aids so the horse stays supported but never trapped. You’ll discover how to guide energy forward without letting it leak out through the shoulders or haunches.
Why does this matter? Without correct framing and boundaries, the bend falls apart. If your framing aids are too rigid, you will block the flow and energy. If insufficient, the horse slips through the cracks and all recycling of the energy in the "circle of the aids" falls out.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• You stop losing shoulders and haunches in the bend
• Your horse stays better organized within your aids
• Frame becomes effective supportive, not restrictive
• Transitions become even steadier and more balanced
• Energy flows forward cleanly
• Your horse gains confidence and self-carriage
10.
MODULE 10: THE THREE PHASES OF BENDING WORK
You’ll learn the three-phase progression that takes bend from basic to advanced: single-track bend, sideways against the bend, and sideways with the bend. This is the roadmap for developing suppleness, carrying power, and lateral understanding.
Why does this matter? Riders often jump ahead; these phases give you a clear, safe, progressive structure for developing true suppleness.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• You learn exactly what to train and in what order (and you'll be able to explain WHY)
• The progression of lateral work suddenly makes sense.
• Your horse gains strength and balance systematically through applying these principles and their accompanying exercises
• You prevent overwhelm, confusion, or tension because you know the order of progression in the training
• Shoulder-in, travers, and half-pass improve immediately
• Bending work essentially becomes more powerful, organized, and controlled
11.
MODULE 11: BENDING FAILURE MODES/MISTAKES & TROUBLESHOOTING
Every rider loses the bend sometimes. The skill is knowing how to fix it in the moment. This module teaches you the most common bending mistakes and the fast, simple corrections that bring everything back into balance.
Why does this matter? When you can diagnose quickly, you will progress faster, stay calmer, and help your horses stay confident.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• You stop feeling stuck when something goes wrong
• You can fix issues like falling in, falling out, overbending, stiffness - and you can do it quickly and efficiently.
• Your horse stays relaxed and confident
• You learn to read your horse’s body like a map
• You prevent the build-up of bad habits
• Every ride becomes easier and more productive
12.
MODULE 12: CONCLUSION & INTEGRATION
This module ties everything together and shows you how to apply Bendology concepts across your daily riding, warmups, problem-solving, and long-term development.
Why does this matter? Knowing "pieces" is good, but knowing how they fit together is transformational.
WALK AWAY WITH:
• You develop a full-picture understanding of bend
• You will know how to structure your training sessions with clarity, particularly around the topics of bending
• You can adapt Bendology to any horse, any day
• You feel more confident riding independently because you can diagnose and problem-solve
• Your horse becomes more balanced, willing, and supple over time
• You leave with a clear long-term roadmap of how bending fits into the entire landscape of the training of your horse
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What will riding feel like when bend finally MAKES SENSE?
EVERY DAY BECOMES A "GOOD BEND DAY"
RIDING BECOMES MORE ENJOYABLE
When you understand how bend actually works - in the body, in the balance, and with your aids - everything in your riding gets lighter, easier, and more enjoyable.
DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, GET SOMETHING DIFFERENT
No more wrestling. No more bracing. No more hoping doing the same thing will somehow start producing different results. No more praying that today is a “good bend day.”
This is what becomes possible for you when correct bend becomes part of your everyday riding:
CLARITY without guessing
When you truly understand how bending REALLY works, you are able to communicate this more clearly to your horse. You know what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and why.
Your clarity means your horse no longer has to guess, either.
No more contradictory instructions, no more blind trial-and-error.
YOUR AIDS BECOME SIMPLE, LOGICAL, AND REPEATABLE.
Your horse becomes easier, happier, and MORE BALANCED
When your aids and understanding are clearer, your horse understands you better.
This means he can respond better.
A horse that understands bend stops fighting gravity. He stops falling in, stops falling over the shoulder, stops overbending, and stops bracing.
When your aids make sense and HELP him, he becomes even more receptive to your aids. He becomes more willing and open to the rest of the training work.
IT MAKES YOUR HORSE FEEL BETTER, TOO.
Circles, corners, figure eights, serpentines, and lateral work
STOP being a battle
Everything suddenly feels smoother.
Turns have shape.
Serpentines have flow.
Lateral movements stop feeling like “surviving” and start feeling like riding.
YOUR CONFIDENCE SKYROCKETS BECAUSE YOU FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE BIOMECHANICS
You're not waiting for a MIRACLE
You know what you’re doing.
You stop worrying you're doing it wrong - and your horse RELAXES because of it.
EVERY RIDE FEELS PURPOSEFUL AND EFFECTIVE. NOT RANDOM AND UNFOCUSED.
YOUR horse develops CORRECTLY.
More evenly. More symmetrical. And healthier (a.k.a. sounder).
No more asymmetrical muscle development or unhealthy patterns.
No more faking-it “pretty on the outside but disconnected underneath.”
You see and feel correct development happening week after week.
AND IT SHOWS IN YOUR HORSE'S TOPLINE.
Your horse TRUSTS you because your aids finally make sense.
When you are calm and clear, your horse becomes calm and clear.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR BOTH OF YOU.
Your Support System Inside Bendology.
EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS-ONLY COMMUNITY
Progress happens faster when you’re surrounded by people who help you see what you can’t yet see - and who cheer you on as you grow.
Learning happens best in a supportive environment where you can feel safe to express yourself, share your A-ha's as well as your difficulties. You can let down your guard here and trust that everyone is on your wavelength. They get it, they know the struggles and frustrations.
This isn’t a giant, noisy group where posts disappear into a void. This is a small, focused community learning the same material at the same time, moving through the journey together. You can ask questions, share videos, compare insights, and get feedback not only from Thomas but also from our team of experienced assistant coaches who understand this work deeply.
BI-WEEKLY Q&A SESSIONS LIVE WITH THOMAS RITTER
You’re not left alone to figure out the nuances or wonder if you are "doing it right". You get continuous, personalized guidance that keeps you on track and supported.
This is your direct line to clarity. Every two weeks, you get the chance to bring your questions, your doubts, your sticking points, and hear exactly what Thomas would do... and why. No guessing. No hoping someone online understands your problem. You get the biomechanics, the classical reasoning, and the practical next step, right from the source.
FELDENKRAIS LESSONS WITH CATHERINE MCCRUM
When your body becomes clearer, more organized, and more available, your horse finally has the freedom to respond without tension, confusion, or resistance. Your horse can only bend as freely as you can move. That’s where Catherine’s work comes in.
Catherine McCrum is an accredited Feldenkrais practitioner and Gestalt psychotherapist with a background in sport and movement education dating back to 1986 - including many years teaching skiing and working as a personal trainer. She has a rare gift for helping riders understand how their movement patterns, perceptions, and unconscious habits shape the way they sit, feel, and communicate with their horses.
In this course, Catherine offers Feldenkrais lessons designed to improve your coordination, stability, balance, and feel - while also helping you notice the subtle habits that may be influencing your riding. Her guidance is calm, intelligent, and deeply grounding, and her work has become a cherished part of many of our programs.
IT'S TIME...
BENDOLOGY BEGINS DECEMBER 5, 2025
🫒 Classical Theory & Biomechanics
🫒 Completely brand-new, exclusive teaching videos
🫒 Riding exercises specifically for bending
🫒 Rider Imagery lessons
🫒 Feldenkrais lessons with Catherine McCrum
🫒 Exclusive, small community
🫒 Q&As through to the end of the course
🫒 Audio podcast of all the trainings
🫒 Lifetime access
Today’s Price = €460
(Other currencies and payment plans available)
OUR GUARANTEE AND PROMISE
We will do everything we can to make this course the best it can be. With thousands of happy courses members in our other courses, we are extremely confident that you will LOVE this course!
...So much so that we want to eliminate all of the risk for you. We want you to try it out, completely risk free. Try it, attend the sessions, implement the lessons we teach, and if after 30 days, you are not totally in love with the course, let us know and we will refund your entire course fee.
Bendology is a BRAND NEW COURSE
And you will be in the first cohort of this course. But I can share with you what our course members have to say about our other courses.
HAVE GIVEN ME MY CONFIDENCE BACK...
“I feel so much more empowered”
“The Ritter courses have given me my confidence back. A year ago, I was almost ready to give up and just be an owner and find someone who could ride my horse. We were stuck in a cycle of 1 step forwards 2 steps back in our training. I felt over-horsed and completely inadequate. A year later I feel so much more empowered and my relationship with my horse is so much better. I enjoy riding again and I know that he and I are on the right path, and I’ve found the right community of people to help us succeed. 😊”
Katharine Trevelyan
United Kingdom
I REALLY CAN'T GET ENOUGH...
“The best coaching program”
I really can’t get enough of the Ritter approach… at this point it is the BEST coaching & goal/objective setting program. After 4yrs, it is now how I think and feel and ride my horses. So - why not! I’ve done a number of Beta classes and love the concept of being immersed in it forever.
Tracy Farrell
United Kingdom
I'VE GONE THROUGH A TRANSFORMATION
“I'm much calmer, happier, and more
methodical about my training”
“I've been doing Ritter courses for a few years now. I've gone through the same transformation. I'm much calmer, happier, and more methodical about my training. Which, of course, also makes me more effective. My horse and I both thank Thomas Ritter and Shana Ritter.”
Anne Zahradnik
USA
THIS HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE
“I love the teaching style”
“I have done most Ritter courses and love the teaching style. Thomas and Shana are amazing at getting into the reason of everything, the Why. They have helped me to decode what I feel at the end of the rein... This way of thinking has made a huge difference to my riding AND my teaching."
Morgan Laura Osborne
United Kingdom
ENROLLMENT is only open for a short time.
The doors to Bendology close on Friday, December 5, 2025 at 6:00pm GMT.
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Frequently Asked Questions.
What if my horse is very stiff or only bends one direction?
Perfect - this course was made for you. You’ll learn why that happens biomechanically and what exercises actually fix it (hint: it’s not more inside rein). You’ll have everything you need to improve your horse’s suppleness safely and progressively.
Do I need a specific level of horse or rider experience to take this course?
No. Bendology is designed to meet you exactly where you are. Whether you’re riding basic circles or beginning lateral work, the principles of correct bend apply to every level and they will immediately improve your balance, clarity, and communication with your horse.
Will I get feedback on my riding?
Yes. Between the bi-weekly Q&A sessions with Thomas Ritter and the private Facebook group, you have multiple opportunities to ask questions, share videos, and get direct guidance from us and our assistant coaches.
I can’t attend all the live Q&A sessions. Will they be recorded?
Yes. Every Q&A is recorded and added to your course portal so you can watch - or rewatch - anytime. If you prefer to listen while doing something else, you can listen to them all on the course podcast.
Do I need special equipment or a specific arena setup?
No special equipment. Simple is best, in fact. A few cones or markers can be helpful, but everything can be done in a standard riding arena or field with normal tack.
What if I fall behind?
You can’t fall behind. The course runs December through April, but you keep access to all materials. You can move at your own pace and return to the lessons whenever you need them.
You’ve spent enough time feeling unsure, second-guessing yourself, or trying things that never quite worked. Bendology is your roadmap out of that. This course gives you the biomechanics, the feel, the exercises, and the support to finally understand bend at a level that transforms your riding.
You’re getting a structured roadmap of training, guidance from Thomas, feedback from our team, a dedicated group of riders moving through it together, and Feldenkrais sessions that improve your body as much as your horse’s.
If you want clear progress, not more fumbling in the dark, now is the right time to step in.
Let’s mix this thing together - stirred, not forced.
BENDOLOGY BEGINS DECEMBER 5, 2025
🫒 Classical Theory & Biomechanics
🫒 Completely brand-new, exclusive teaching videos
🫒 Riding exercises specifically for bending
🫒 Rider Imagery lessons
🫒 Feldenkrais lessons with Catherine McCrum
🫒 Exclusive, small community
🫒 Q&As through to the end of the course
🫒 Audio podcast of all the trainings
🫒 Lifetime access
Today’s Price = €460