Schooling Your Horse
Ideas and tips on all aspects of riding for riders of any level. A different schooling idea each week. All comments, questions and suggestions welcome.
Schoolyourhorse has joined forces with http://hay-net.co.uk/ and I'll be there to answer your equestrian problems whatever they may be. Look me up under Anything Equine Agony Aunt!
If you like this blog but want tips on jumping check out http://www.theequestrianstoreni.com/blog/
For excerpts from this blog plus other information check out http://www.equineglory.com/horse_training.html and http://www.nwriders.co.uk/
Blogs can be frustrating when you're looking for a quick answer. Leave a comment or check out one of the pages at the top right. These contain links to all posts on the title subject.
THE SCHOOLYOURHORSE BLOG HAS MOVED!PLEASE CLICK ON THE BADGE BELOW TO GO TO THE NEW SITE WHICH NOW INCLUDES A SHOP AND A FORUM AND ALL NEW BLOG POSTS AFTER 1/3/12. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
Friday 2 March 2012
New Post - New Site
The schoolyourhorse blog has now moved. This week's post can be found here - http://www.schoolyourhorse.com/2012/03/03/show-schedule/ It's all about warming up at a show and how the way you do it affects your horse. For all future posts please click on the logo above to go to the new site at www.schoolyourhorse.com Thank you :)
Saturday 25 February 2012
Thumbs Up or Down?
Thumbs Up!
Great news! On Thursday 1st of March a new schoolyourhorse
site opens at www.schoolyourhorse.com
This blog will still be a central part
of it but there are two new additions. With massive support from http://esequine.co.uk a new range of downloadable schooling guides will be
launched from the SYH shop.
The Get Started, Teach Yourself and Read to Succeed series are
perfect if you need to brush up your skills, you’re looking for help with a problem or you want to know the finer details of a dressage test. At 99p they’re sure to suit everyone’s
budget.
It’s early days and there are just two guides per series at
present but more guides are in the pipeline. The aim is to produce at least one
new title per month. There ought to be something that suits you or your horse
but if it’s not there - ask! It could be in the pipeline or you could inspire a
new idea.
Regular readers of this blog will appreciate it’s all
about positive thinking and riding. Have you succeeded with your horse when
those around you were sure you’d fail? Why not share your story on the schoolyourhorse
forum? Or if you do buy one of the guides please share your thoughts on its contents, how the series could be improved or any new ideas that you think would be helpful.
I’d just like to thank everyone who has supported the blog
so well over the last year. Riding is all about confidence and self belief – so
is writing! Those of you who have been so positive about SYH have given me just that. THANK YOU J
Anyway – back to business -
Thumbs Down
Most riders have heard the expression
“Thumbs on top” but on top of what exactly? There are two things guaranteed to
have a negative effect on your horse. One is the where you put your thumb. The
other is how you hold it.
All riders know they shouldn’t carry
their hands as if they’re pushing a pram. Their thumbs should be on top of
their fist. That’s the general position anyway. But the more you relax in the
saddle and start to trust your horse the more habits you get.
Next time you ride concentrate on
your hands. Where is your thumb exactly?
Is it on top of your rein or your
hand? It’s easy to wrap your thumb around your rein rather than clamp it on
top. Don’t think it matters? Are your reins always too long? How many times do
you shorten them in a session? Where does your whip point? It should be
pointing diagonally back and down towards your horse’s hocks. Is it lying
straight down his shoulder like a baton? Are your fingers closed around your
reins or open?
A loose or intermittent contact
isn’t a good one. Nor is it kind to your horse. Imagine having a bit in your
mouth and not knowing when the next tug is coming. Take hold of both reins,
clamp your thumb down on top of the reins and let him know exactly where you
are. Then he’ll be able to relax.
If your elbows are bent and next to
your body there should be a straight line from your elbow through your arm,
down your rein to the bit. If your reins are too long you’ll draw your hands
back to get a contact. Your elbows have to go somewhere so they stick out to the
side. Instantly the line is broken and the tension in your arms goes straight down
the reins to the bit. Your horse will tighten his mouth round the bit to avoid
the pressure. The next time he pulls think twice before you blame him.
Your thumb should point towards the
bit. It will have a huge effect on your horse. Take a look at yours. There’s
every chance it points upward towards his eye or his ear. If it does your rein
will be supported by your third finger. There will be a ‘kink’ in your wrist
that tips your hand up and back breaking the direct line to the bit.
The pressure from this ‘kink’ creates
a backward pressure on the bit. Your horse will tighten his mouth against it
and tighten his jaw and poll. Tip your thumb forward and down so it’s pointing
towards the bit. Your wrist will straighten up and relax which removes any
tension from your arm. Your horse’s reaction will be instant. He’ll relax.
Breaking any habit is hard work but
this is one that will have a dramatic effect on your horse. It will take as
much effort as jumping twenty fences or practising trot to halt transitions but
it’s worth it. Put yourself on this simple exercise to try it.
Ride a 20m circle at E/B in any
pace. (It’s well worth spending time in walk while you get a feel for it.) As
your body turns onto the line of the circle your arms should move with it. Your
hands should stay directly in front of your body. Push your thumb down onto the
rein and tip it slightly forward so it’s pointing to the bit. Nag at yourself
to keep at it. Your horse’s response should be encouragement enough.
Go large for half a circuit and
return to the circle. It’s a simple thing but it’s enough to send you back to
old habits. If your wrist is in line with the rein it stays relaxed and so does
your horse. Tip your thumb towards the bit and keep it there.
This is such a small thing to
change but it’s one that affects everything in such a positive way. You’ll find
your horse is more willing to accept the contact in upward and downward
transitions. Instead of pulling him back to a contact you’ll be pushing him
forward to it.
In walk ride large round the school
and get your leg on! If your wrist is in line with your elbow, rein and bit
you’ll find your horse going into your hand – not coming back at you or
jogging. Instead of pulling back when he nods his head you’ll start to feel as
if you’re pushing him forward.
If you’re struggling to keep your
horse in a steady outline, if he resists your hand the second you take up the
reins or you think getting him on the bit is physically impossible try it.
You’ve got very little to lose and everything to gain.
Good luck and enjoy your schooling.
(And if you get a minute on or after the First of March come over to www.schoolyourhorse.com and say hi!)
Friday 17 February 2012
Don't Fall Out - Get Even!
If your horse falls in or out do
you bend him to the outside? Many riders do. In fact some seem to spend more
time ‘flexing’ than they do riding forward. It works, of course, but why? It’s all
to do with your contact on the outside rein – or lack of it. You take it up to
flex him, balance out your contact and straighten him up. So if you’d had an
even contact to start with … you get the idea.
Unlike you your horse doesn’t have
a collar bone. His shoulders can go in two directions at the same time.
Whatever you do with your hands he’ll do with his shoulders. Allow your hands
to drift apart and so will his shoulders.
Wherever your hands point your
horse will go. Things get complicated if they point in different directions. If
your left hand is ‘pointing’ to the inside but your right hand is pointing
straight on that’s what he’ll do. His inside shoulder goes left but his outside
shoulder (and the rest of his body) goes straight on.
If your hands are together but your
rein contact is uneven it has a similar effect on your horse. If the pressure
is stronger on your inside rein he’ll lean towards it. His outside shoulder has
nothing to bring it round so it carries on up the track. Eventually it has to turn but by then it’s too late. In a dressage
test it’s a 4. In a round of jumps it’s probably 4 faults.
If your horse falls in he turns
inside the line you want him to take. It’s caused by an uneven rein contact (a
stronger inside rein) or by moving your inside hand to the inside. Turn your
body to show him where you want him to go. Keep your contact even in both
reins. Turn his shoulders before you turn his head by moving both hands
together not by putting pressure on the inside rein.
If your horse falls out his head
and neck turn before his outside shoulder. He takes a wider line than you wanted.
It won’t matter how much outside leg you use – if you haven’t got a contact in
your outside rein he’ll still fall out.
It can seem illogical keeping hold
of a rein you want your horse to move away from but think of your reins as a
pair of tram lines that keep your horse’s shoulders together. Keep his shoulders
between those lines and whether you want an accurate turn, a square halt or a
shoulder in you’ll have a much better chance of getting it.
Don’t use your hands to make
corrections to your horse’s body or quarters. Use both legs. The more forward he
is the straighter he’ll be. Increase the pressure from your outside leg if he
doesn’t leave the track when you ask. If he tries to cut the corner a sharp
nudge with your inside heel should pick him back up again.
Practise in walk and trot on a
figure of eight. Use the two long diagonals rather than two circles. The two
ends of the figure of eight are half circles but forget about asking for an inside
bend. Focus on keeping an even amount of weight in both reins and pushing your
horse forward to it from both legs.
As you reach a corner marker turn
your body towards the marker at the end of the diagonal. Your horse will copy
what you do and turn. Your contact shouldn’t change. Make a conscious effort to
close your fingers around your outside rein as you leave the track.
The second your horse turns onto
the diagonal straighten your body and hands to straighten him. Squeeze both
reins to tell him to stop turning and push forward. And don’t get any ideas
about lengthening his strides! Get him back on his hocks and into your hand.
Leave the medium for another day.
As you reach the other side don’t
do anything. The diagonal naturally takes him onto the new rein. Hold your
contact and push him forward. He’ll go into your hand and – more importantly –
his shoulders will turn onto the track together.
In canter ride half 10m circles between
the ¾ and ¼ lines. With a younger horse ride half 15m circles from the track to
the ¾ line. The lack of track or fence will make you aware of his shoulders and
straightness.
As you start the half circles focus
on holding both reins. Turn your body onto the line you want to take bringing your
hands round in front of you. And look
where you want to go! There is no better way of getting somewhere than looking at
it.
Keep your horse’s head and neck
straight in front of you until you’re sure you have total control of both
sides. When you do introduce an inside bend do it by increasing the pressure
from your inside leg NOT by increasing the pressure on your rein.
Many schooling problems are caused
by lack of control of the shoulders. When things go wrong don’t panic. Forgetting
about bend and getting your horse straight isn’t a backward step. It’s a giant
leap forward towards a far more exciting level of riding.
Good luck and enjoy your
schooling.
Saturday 11 February 2012
Don't Stop into Trot!
When you ask your horse for a
canter to trot transition does he tip his head up? Tuck his chin into his
chest? Poke his nose? Tank off? Have you
ever stopped to ask yourself why?
The easy answer is because he’s
resisting your hand but surely there’s more to it than that? Why does he choose
to resist your contact at that particular time? Could it be the instant you
think about trotting you stop riding?
Riders have an uncanny knack of
taking their legs off at the very moment they need them! You may be trying to
stop your horse rushing off into trot by sitting as still as possible but
that’s exactly why he can. Keep your
body moving through your transitions and you’ll find his will too.
Establish canter on a 20m circle at
E/B. It’s the best place to use as your horse won’t have the fence to guide him
and you won’t be able to rely on it. Avoid using unnecessary aids and turn your
body in line with the curve you want him to follow. He’ll copy what you do with
your body. When his shoulders and hips are turned to the inside his body will
bend round the circle.
Stay in canter for at least three
circles. Think of the number of circles you’d do in trot without thinking and
start to use your canter in the same way. It’s just a pace. Use it as such and
you’ll find problems with transitions disappear as your horse starts to think
canter is (depending on his temperament) less exciting or less exhausting.
The trick to this exercise is
positive riding – and thinking. You have to believe your horse can do it. He
can, of course, as long as you ride him forward – which is exactly what you
haven’t been doing before. Your position is vital to keep his weight back on
his hocks. Pull up through your body to get yourself as balanced as possible.
When your canter is settled the
idea is to ask for trot as you cross the ¼ line (still on the 20m circle) and whatever
happens change the rein onto a 10m circle as you cross the centre line.
Sound impossible? It isn’t if you get your legs on! With a young horse just
make the circle slightly bigger but keep the change of rein in.
Ask your horse to trot by closing
your fingers around both reins to create a restrictive contact. Think of
yourself as a clothes peg and press into the saddle with your thighs and knees
to restrict his shoulder muscles. (Check this out to see how http://schoolyourhorse.blogspot.com/2010/12/other-way-of-stopping.html ) As you feel him trot hold the pressure until
you’re happy with the speed. Releasing him too quickly allows him to rush,
making him unbalanced, which is why he tightens his back, lifts his head or pokes
his nose and tanks.
Never take your lower leg off
because you’re slowing down. Push harder to keep your horse’s hocks under his
body. When he steps under his body with his hind legs he stretches his back
muscles (so he can’t tense or hollow) and he’s in a much better position to
stay balanced.
As you approach the centre line be
quick to turn your body towards the new rein. Turn your head so you’re looking
at least half a circle ahead. Your horse will pick up this change in your body
and copy you. Keep your contact even in both hands. But DON’T lift your inside
hand! Do that and it won’t stop him falling in on the circle – it will only
make him tip his nose to the inside. Support him with a strong inside leg and draw
him away from the 20m circle with your outside leg.
Using a small circle to steady a
horse isn’t a new idea but it can make matters worse if it’s on the same rein.
Riders often get hung up on the inside bend and unwittingly start to draw their
inside hand back - especially in canter. That draws their hand towards their
hip and they curl their body to the inside. Their horse does the same.
If you’ve got this problem turning
onto a small circle on the same rein just accentuates it. The smaller the
circle the tighter you both curl up. This puts your horse out of balance and
he’ll get faster and faster. (This is why when your instructor tells you to sit
up it works. You sit up and straighten out your body and your horse instantly
relaxes his.)
The change of rein stops horse or
rider fixing on the inside simply because the inside suddenly becomes the
outside. Even if you should make a grab for the new inside rein you’ll just balance
out the pressure and your horse will go straight – and be balanced.
Ride the 10m circle for as long as
it takes to settle your horse. The first few are likely to come as a bit of a
shock to you both but he’ll settle quicker the more you do. In time you’ll be
able to ride one circle and rejoin the 20m circle immediately. Ask for canter
again and ride at least three circles before repeating.
With a more advanced horse you can
move this exercise to the centre line. Canter down the centre line, trot after
D/G and change the rein onto a 10m circle at X. Rejoin the centre line and ask
for canter before the turn at the end. Put your horse to the test by varying
the lead you ask for.
Having to ride the instant change
of rein will really make you realise how little you usually do as you trot. This
exercise is all about your faults not
your horse’s. It’s one thing admitting that his problems are caused by you but
how often do you really try to find out why?
Good luck and enjoy your schooling.
Friday 3 February 2012
Halt - The Stationary Pace
Will your horse stand still? Nobody
likes a fidget, especially at the end of a dressage test, but before you blame
him stop and think about what you do as you halt. There’s a strong possibility
you’re trying to avoid him fidgeting. And
that’s the problem!
If your horse is fairly sharp the
chances are as you ask him to halt you relax your legs and hold your breath. If
you don’t move he won’t move – right? Wrong! The trouble is the minute your
legs leave his sides he’ll be thinking “What’s going on?” he’ll also tense up
in anticipation of the next bit of leg that comes on to say walk or trot on.
However much your head is telling
you not to when you ask your horse to halt you need to keep your legs on. This
has two effects. It will reassure him – he’ll know where you are and be able to
relax. It will also keep him listening. If your leg is there he’ll know
something is about to happen and he’ll be waiting for your next aid.
Don’t think you’re immune if your
horse is lazy either! There’s a fair chance that as he halts you both collapse
in a heap because “at least you can stop pushing then”. Think again. Halt
doesn’t just mean die. It needs energy and he needs to be ready to either move forward
or rein back.
In any pace you know to ride your
horse from your leg to your hand. Halt is no exception. Your contact is
essential to contain the energy your legs create. Imagine a bottle of coke
shaken up. With the lid on the drink fizzes and the bottle expands. With the
lid off the drink leaks out and goes flat. Your hands are that lid. No contact
= flat paces.
Think of halt as a stationary pace. Your horse should be
so charged up that his back rounds as the energy inside him tries to escape but
can’t. Tighten your fingers around your reins and keep them closed. Keep your
calf muscles against his sides but leave your heels away.
If you’ve read http://schoolyourhorse.blogspot.com/2010/12/other-way-of-stopping.html you’ll know if you press your thighs and
knees into the saddle you can bring a horse to a standstill. Try it from walk
to halt. Walk round the arena and try halting at E and B. Get straight on the
long side before you push your thighs into the saddle as hard as you can. This
puts pressure against his shoulder muscles and he will slow down. As you reach E/B press both knees in tight and
he’ll stop. You may need a slight squeeze on both reins to start with but he’ll
soon learn.
To move on again release your thigh
and knee and use a nudge with both heels. If your contact and calf muscles have
kept your horse on the ball he should move straight into walk or trot.
Use the E/B line or the ¾ lines to
practise walking or trotting into halt and out of it. Avoid the centre line as
the last thing you need is your horse thinking he should halt halfway through
your entry centre line.
When your horse stands in halt you
must have some pressure in your hand. A horse that is light or nonexistent on
your rein has no contained energy. He may swing his quarters to one side or
ignore your aid to walk on again. The more you push him into the contact the
more likely he is to stand still.
Sharpen him up by riding large
round the school and asking for halt at every marker. Halt, count to three and
then release your knee and use both heels. Soon he’ll be as attentive in halt
as he ever is in trot and canter. When the halt is good you’ll feel him rock
back onto his hocks. Keep your weight on your seat to help him stay balanced.
If your horse is crooked as he halts then it’s probably down to
your position. He copies whatever you do with your body with his. If you’ve
turned your body to the inside to come round a corner he’ll have done the same.
If you straightened your shoulders up but forgot your hips then he’ll have done
the same. As he halts his shoulders will be square on the track but his quarters
will be to the inside.
If your horse moves after he’s halted it’s more likely to be
uneven pressure. Most riders have a stronger and a weaker side. Be aware of
yours. If the contact is heavier in one hand he’ll move his shoulders towards
it. If the pressure from one leg is greater or one leg is further back than the
other he’ll swing his quarters away from it.
Most dressage tests ask for immobility,
salute. Be proud of the fact your horse will stand still. It’s a sign of
engagement. Only a horse that is balanced on his hocks and moving forward into
the rider’s hand can halt square, straight and still. Halt and immobility need
as much energy as trot or canter – you just need to be prepared to create it.
Good luck and enjoy your schooling.
Labels:
crooked halt,
halt,
horse won't stand still,
immobility,
square halt,
trot to halt
Friday 27 January 2012
Are You Sitting Comfortably?
How many times have you been told
to sit back on your seat? It’s good
advice, of course, but the way you do it can have a huge effect on your
position and your horse.
Most riders are aware of their two
seat bones but what about your fork? That’s your pubic bone – or the front of
your seat. (The bit nobody dares to mention!) It has to take some weight. How
else can you support the weight of the front
of your body?
Think about it. There’s a reason
your feet stick out in front of you – they give you a broader area to support
your body weight. When you get on a horse you take both feet off the floor yet
suddenly you think you can support your whole weight on two small bones at the
back of your seat. That’s like walking around on your heels. If you did that
you’d spend most of your life falling over backwards! You can balance on your
heels – try it – but your muscles would be so tense to maintain it you’d soon
get tired.
Tip back onto your seat bones and
you’ll put direct pressure onto your horse’s back in one small area. It’s the difference
between being prodded with a finger or pushed with the palm of a hand. Is it
any wonder some horses get tight behind the saddle?
Tip back onto your seat bones and
your legs naturally swing forward, just as they do when you sit in a chair.
Your body would like to tip backwards too but if – like many riders – you look
down or lean forward you’ll end up in a slumped position or you’ll have a back
like a banana. These things can all be corrected BUT if your seat is still at
fault then tension moves to your hips and lower back as your body tries to hold
everything in place.
Ideally you should aim to get your
horse to take roughly ¾ of his weight on his quarters and ¼ over his shoulders.
Think of your seat in the same way. Whilst your seat bones take the majority of
weight your fork supports the rest.
Get on your horse and in halt sit
straight down in the saddle. Forget about trying to find your seat bones. Aim
to distribute your weight across the saddle as best you can. Allow your bum to
look big on it! Anyone anticipating cutting themselves in half shouldn’t worry.
If your saddle is big enough and you’re not tipping back (and therefore
‘exposing’ your fork) then you’re actually better protected!
In halt feel how your legs just hang
down when you sit flat onto your seat. The weight should fall directly onto
your stirrup. Let it. Leave your foot in a fairly flat position and move it so
your heel is directly underneath your hip. A good guide is to look down at your
knee. Your toe shouldn’t be visible.
Sit and focus on how it feels to
have your weight supported over your whole seat. Now breathe in and pull your
body up as if you’re trying to pull your vertebra apart. Pull the bottom of
your ribcage out and forward. Be careful as you breathe in that you don’t
tighten your seat, everything needs to stay soft.
In this position you are in self
carriage. Your weight is evenly distributed, your muscles are relaxed and each
part of your body is carrying itself without causing tension through the rest
of your body. It’s what you expect your horse to do.
Still in halt push your heels down.
As your heel pushes down your lower leg will swing forwards. Your seat will
slip back and tense up. You’ll feel your knee tighten against the saddle. In
halt this has little effect on your horse but do the same in trot or canter and
you’ll find it’s impossible to sit in the saddle. If you can’t remain in
contact with his back then you’ll find it difficult to control his speed, keep
him balanced or shorten him up.
Ride forward in walk, trot and
canter on 20m circles and serpentines but forget about your horse’s carriage
and focus on yours. As your seat relaxes your leg will naturally hang longer
meaning your heel will be lower than your toe but don’t force it. Keep your
foot flat on the stirrup and allow your weight to fall directly onto it.
Practise sitting trot with your weight spread over all three points of your
seat and instead of thinking ‘heels down’ think ‘foot flat’.
On turns and corners concentrate on
keeping your whole seat relaxed and in contact with the saddle. Keep the weight
evenly spread and you’ll avoid direct pressure points. When you turn your
shoulders onto the line you want your horse to take don’t forget to turn your
hips. He’ll copy what you do with your body. If his shoulders turn but his hips
go straight on his quarters will swing out on a corner or turn. You can put
your outside leg back to correct it but whose fault was it anyway?
Some of the lightest riders can
actually sit quite heavy in the saddle. It’s not about your weight in stones
but what you do with it. Take responsibility for your own body weight.
Distribute it around your saddle and make yourself as easy for your horse to
carry as you can. Once you’re in self carriage you may be surprised to find he
is too.
Good luck and enjoy your schooling.
Saturday 21 January 2012
Set in Stone?
Once again can I just say a huge thank you to everyone who has voted so far to get me into the final 10 at the Equestrian Social Media Awards. If you like this blog and you haven't there's still time! Click on the logo at the top of this page and find me - Lorraine Jennings in section 21. Thank you :)
Does your horse set his neck? If he
does it can feel as if you’ll never get him to bend but don’t despair! Before
you head out to buy yourself some weights to build up your arm muscles take a
look at where the tension is coming from and why.
Your horse could be setting against
you for any number of reasons. It can be hard to believe when he appears to be
doing his best impression of a rhino but there’s a good chance it comes from
your hands.
The source of this tension usually
lies in your horse’s lower jaw or at the base of his neck. If your hands are
fixed or heavy he’ll set his jaw against them. Try it. Grit your teeth together
and smile. Feel how the tension spreads to the front of your neck? If that’s
what he’s doing his bottom line will be more developed than his topline.
If your horse started setting his
jaw and tightening his bottom line then there’s a good chance you’ve tried to
‘get him off your hand’ by squeezing one rein and then the other. (That’s
putting it mildly!) Don’t feel bad – most riders have done it. BUT tighten your
jaw again, smile and then move your head from side to side and tilt your chin
up. NOW you’ll feel the tension move to the back of your neck and settle at the
base. If he’s doing this you’ll see a noticeable dip in front of his withers.
You may well be reading this
thinking “But HE started it!” Maybe he did but unfortunately he’s a horse and
so you’re the only one who can stop it!
In the case of the tightened jaw
you need to look at your balance. When a horse starts to set themselves most
riders lean back. There’s a big difference between leaning back and pulling up. Check out this post which
shows you how to sit up and stay balanced to help your horse - http://schoolyourhorse.blogspot.com/2011/10/pull-up-to-ride-forward.html
When you lean back your weight goes
to the back of the saddle and often your legs swing forward. This does two
things. Firstly it puts direct pressure on one point of your horse’s back –
that’s going to make him tighten his back. Secondly it means you’ll lean back
against his mouth. Without realising it the one thing you’re doing to try to
stop the problem could actually be causing it.
Pulling up through your body puts
you in the perfect position for your horse to carry. Imagine if he was to
disappear from under you. If you’re balanced then you’d land on your feet and
stay upright. Lean back and if he disappeared you’d fall over backwards – which
is exactly how you feel to him all the time you’re on his back.
Pulling your horse’s head to one
side won’t make him bend. He needs to bend through his body. To bend his body
you need to ride him from your legs. The emphasis in these exercises is on your
legs not your hands so it’s important you keep them together and still.
Remember your horse can only set on something if it’s solid. Hold the rein
between your thumb and first finger so they don’t get too long but open and
close the other three to keep your contact soft.
Trotting round and round the school
either large or on a circle won’t help your cause. Your horse needs to get
mobile. To do that you need an exercise that moves him from one rein to the
other and allows him time to relax in between. Try this –
In walk or trot go large. Introduce
10m figures of eight at K, H, M and F that consist of two 10m circles joined by
one stride on the centre line. These will get your horse moving and bending
through his body. It’s vital you don’t pull back on your inside rein. As you
approach the marker turn your body onto the curve you want to take and look
ahead. Your hands should move round with your body – think of using them as a
pointer to tell your horse where you want him to go. As you touch the centre
line ride one stride straight and then turn your body the other way taking your
hands round with you.
Your hands keep your horse’s
shoulders on the right track and used by the girth your legs keep his quarters behind
them. (Move a leg back and you’ll be pushing his quarters over and he’ll be
crooked) What should change is pressure. Your inside leg should become stronger
to push his body out and round. If he starts to step sideways then ‘catch’ him
with your outside leg and push him forward.
As you ride straight on the centre
line your leg pressure becomes equal. As your body turns to the new circle your
new inside leg pushes his barrel out towards your outside leg again. In this
way you’re taking what was a rigid barrel and making it pliable by pushing it
from one leg to the other.
Put this theory to the test by
setting your own jaw again. Now move your own barrel from side to side (you may
want to try this behind closed doors!) You’ll find whether the tension is in
your jaw or at the back of your neck it starts to disappear.
One figure of eight at a time is
enough. As you continue to the next marker make a conscious effort to push both
hands an inch further forward. You’ll find as he starts to use his body your
horse will start appreciate that extra bit of rein as you straighten up on the
long sides and without realising it his neck will soften.
It’s easy to feel frustrated when
your horse sets himself against you but you can never win a battle of strength.
However - you are more intelligent. Try to remember that the next time you lean
back ready to take a pull!
Good luck and enjoy your schooling.
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