This week in lessons

This week in lessons are are going to work on changes of direction keeping the horses shoulders and hips in line rather than just getting the horse's nose to follow the path.

I really need to illustrate this, but it I will try to explain in writing;

The horse's motor is ideally in their hind end so that they can push their way around. This means they have a round back for increased carrying power and are "engaged" front to back. Most horses though are more on their front end, with their shoulders and front legs doing most of the weight bearing. This is fine when out in the paddock, but not so good for weight carrying.

Having the horse's engine in the back means they are pushing themselves along like a speedboat and think of how you turn a speedboat; with the rudder right? And where is the rudder? In the back. So with a horse travelling on its haunches, you need to use your legs to balance and turn the horse. Your hands do some work to create the shape of the neck as unlike a speedboat a horse is bendy, and the hind end is not independent of the front....it all needs to work together, but you want to mostly exhert control over the engine end.

Now think of a horse whose engine is mostly in the shoulders...most rider's address this by trying to steer with their hands...but the hands don't directly control the shoulder, they control the horse's nose..and there is a fair bit of horse between the two. This is why a horse can careen around a left hand corner looking right! Reins can, to a certain extent block the shoulder (rein against, but not crossing the neck), or allow the shoulder to move over (openning rein...but not backwards pull when open).

So with the engine in the front horse, if you pull the head to the left, but don't control the shoulder, the engine is going to push the horse's body to the right and make the horse bulge out. Kind of like what happens when someone backs up a horse trailer...the truck pushes the trailer in the opposite direction the truck is being steered. Unlike the horse trailer example though, rider's can work to control the shoulders and haunches with their legs.

So for a basic turn, you want to approach the turn with your eyes looking around the turn and your inside hand asking the horse to flex and soften by sponging the reins. At the same time your inside leg bumps the horse to ask it to bend at the ribs and to step up and under further with the inside hind. Your outside rein needs to more or less stay put; if you give with it then the horse will likely over bend, and if you bring it up or down, the horse may twist its head. (the exception to this is if you are riding in a curb...if so you may have to give on the curb). The outside leg has to be behind the girth, but for the most part it can be quiet...it just has to be ready in case the horse wants to swing wide with its hips to avoid engaging behind.

Something else that happens that messes up a correct turn is that the rider allows the horse to speed up. A horse speeds up to evade using its hind end properly. Or to evade moose. But rarely does a horse speed up for a good reason. They can lengthen out to make a jump or pole on the correct stride, but that is not the same as speeding up. Always pay attention to your rhythm, and correct any speeding up immediately.

This week we are working on changes of direction with correct/square turns, so rider's need to complete the first turn, then get their horse straight with both legs down at the girth, and hands equal, then rebalance (half halt) while changing diagonals if posting, looking in the new direction with your eyes, and moving your aids to the new bend.

Being stiff through this exercise will result in stiff horses who aren't going to be able to bend, so we are also going to work on having a following hand on the flat and over jumps. Having a stiff or taking hand can limit how comfortable the horse is to use their neck on the flat and in the air. Having a straight wrist and maintaining a straight line from elbow, wrist to bit while taking on the reins is crucial. One exercise we will do to help cement the idea of having a folling hand is to hold the reins so they come out at the thumb rather than at the ring finger. This small change can make a big difference in how you take and hold the contact.

For jumps...not sure yet. If we are jumping outside at all it will be a grid/simple exercise. Inside though...not sure. It will be something to help work on lead changes still, and likely involve lots of changes of bend with oppotunities to balance back. It will be a course though, with a combination of sorts.

Karen