suppleness – Horse Listening

Why We Dressage: The Horse

While most people think of the competition ring when they hear the word "dressage," there is so much more to be gained from the system of dressage than originally might meet the eye. I mean, it's only walk, trot and canter (with the occasional lateral movement thrown in), right?

But there is a secret about dressage. Because the focus, especially at the lower levels, is on developing quality movement, there is much to be gained for riders of other disciplines - to learn, and then develop these skills in their horses. Which discipline doesn't want the horse to move as well as it can?

So here are 11 reasons why we dressage the horse.

1. The Path

First off, the dressage "levels" and the training scale give riders a well thought-out path to follow when training their horse. While not everyone aims to learn the exercises and movements in order to compete, the organization of all the skills into levels allows every rider to follow a sequential order of progression, from the very basic to the advanced. It's not all about the horse, either. Rider's skills are also progressively addressed so that the rider can effectively influence (and balance) the horse.

2. Inside Hind Leg

You might hear somewhat of an obsession about the inside hind leg among dressage enthusiasts. There is good reason for this. When we ride a horse in the ring, the inside hind leg carries the balance of the horse. The inside hind leg that can step deeper underneath the horse will always be able to carry the horse and rider's weight better, maintain a better rhythm and tempo, and use the musculature of the horse's body in a way that allows the horse to move stronger with less constraint.

3. Swinging Back

The back is another area of obsession because without a supple and swinging back, the horse will always move in tension and rigidity. Done over the long term, the tightness of the horse's back transfers into every part of the horse's body, and can eventually be the root cause of a variety of lamenesses. And so... we try and try some more to move with the horse, encourage better movement through the back, and allow the energy "through".

4. Rider Education

Dressage isn't all about the horse, of course (well, it is, really). Because if the rider doesn't know how to create these flowing, going movements, even the kindest, most accommodating horse will inevitably suffer. And so in order to dressage the horse, we need to dressage the rider too.

5. Rider Position and Effectiveness

The rider can look "pretty" on the horse, but in order for the horse to look pretty, there must be more than just holding the body in a certain way. And so in dressage, you will get into "the effectiveness of the rider," because without that, the movement will always suffer, even in the most talented horse.

6. Quietness of Aids

One of the most common observations about good dressage riding is that it looks like the rider is doing nothing; the horse is just moving merrily along and the rider moves not an inch! Well, if you know riding at all, you'll know that the quieter the rider looks, the more work she has done to get to that place. We're talking about muscle memory, coordination, balance, timing, and so much more. And it's not really that the rider wants to appear motionless - it's more that the rider wants to become "at one" with the horse - the ultimate place to be!

7. Suppleness

Nowhere will you hear the word "suppleness" more than in the dressage ring. This is because in order for the horse to be able to do anything with ease, he has to learn to flex left and right, and over the top line. This is something that needs to be learned early and then maintained as the horse becomes more fit and educated. All horses, in all disciplines, benefit from suppleness in their work.

8. Transitions

In dressage, we live in transitions! And transitions help the horse with engagement, impulsion, and all the good things that come from reaching deeper underneath the body with the hind legs. Transitions also get the horse and rider tuned into each other, helping to develop better communication and responsiveness between them.

9. Power From The Hind End

You simply can't "dressage" the horse without working on increasing the power of the hind end. The stronger the horse can become in the hind end, the better he will maneuver through his discipline-specific movements.

10. Off The Forehand

The reason we want the horse's hind end to strengthen is so that he can learn to "balance back" - and take some of that weight off the forehand. The fit and balanced horse is much better able to carry the rider. He also puts much less weight on to the front legs and shoulders.

11. Dancing

Finally, this is where the magic happens! Because once all the above areas are developed, the horse and rider will have the skills and relationship to play at will. And this is what riding is all about!

What Is A Neck Bend? And What To Do About It.

straight neck — Well positioned neck on a turn. Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Have you seen a horse doing the neck bend? Maybe you do it unintentionally, thinking that it "feels right".

On a turn, you "bend' the horse, and the horse's neck comes far to the inside. The body continues on the same original arc, but you've got that head and neck pointing in the direction you want to go!

Sometimes, the horse's body actually drifts out even though the neck is pointing in. Other times, the horse takes a tight turn to the inside, almost stumbling over his front legs because of the sudden movement.

Neck Bend

The neck bend looks exactly as it sounds. The rider goes to bend the horse, and instead of achieving a tail-to-head arc through the body, only the neck juts to the inside. It looks almost like the neck comes off the body and does its own thing, regardless of what the rest of the horse is doing.

It might be caused by the rider who is pulling the neck in with the inside rein, or it might be caused by the overly one-sided horse who prefers to carry his neck to one side of the body. If you feel carefully, you might notice the outside rein getting longer and the inside hand pulling farther back.

The neck bend causes the horse to be imbalanced. No matter which movement he performs, his neck is essentially taken out of the equation and the horse moves out of straightness. Crookedness can cause many problems over the long-term, from misbehavior to soundness concerns.

Needless to say, all horses and riders have a stiffer and a more supple side. We work diligently on developing both sides equally in effort to become truly ambidextrous in the long run.

True Bend

True bend happens through the whole body. The hind end has a slight inclination to the inside, the rib cage is actually lifted off the inside leg, and the whole front end - from withers forward, not just the neck - is correspondingly pointed to the inside. Some people describe a good bend as a "banana curve", which gives us a good image to keep in mind (although no horse can really bend to that degree).

"Bend" is one of those constantly challenging basics of riding, no matter what level you ride at and the experience of your horse. Bend allows the horse to move in balance around turns. Proper body positioning encourages adequate weight-bearing of the inside hind leg, freedom of movement and swinging through the back. A lateral bend encourages (and allows) longitudinal flexion - the lifting of the back that results in "rounding" and better weight carriage of both the horse and the rider.

From Neck Bend to True Bend

1. Straighten the neck.

I know this sounds counter-intuitive. You want to bend so the neck should be bent, right? Well, not exactly. Make sure that the neck comes out of the shoulders naturally. Use your outside rein to support the neck. If the horse wants to take his neck to the inside, use a resisting (not pulling backward) neck rein aid to prevent him from pulling in.

In contrast, if you find yourself pulling his neck in with your inside rein, stop! Even out your reins and start working on a nice neck rein to doing the talking.

2. Point your body into the turn.

Starting at your seat, position yourself so that your whole body is looking just about a quarter of a circle ahead on your circle. Your torso should be on top of your seat (not collapsing/leaning in or out). Your shoulders will be also pointing in the direction of the turn - not too much but also not too little. Your head should look natural - about 1/4 of a turn ahead - don't crank your own neck to the middle of the circle!

3. Use your inside seat and leg.

Start the horse's body bend with your weight on the inside seat bone and your inside leg at the girth. You can pulse your inside leg in rhythm with the horse's strides rather than keeping one even pressure through several strides. If necessary, you can let the horse drift out a bit until he understands that you want him to take more weight on the inside hind leg. This should help him move his rib cage slightly away from your inside leg.

4. Use your outside leg.

The outside leg asks the horse's hip to come to the inside. Position this leg behind the girth. This leg also prevents the horse's hips from drifting out too far.

5. Use the inside/outside reins.

The inside rein is responsible only for the horse's flexion through the jaw. Use a direct rein pressure on the inside rein until you see just the corner of the inside eye and no more. The outside rein is the neck rein. It should indicate the direction of the turn and act as the barrier that prevents the horse from stepping out too far.

Start with a mild bend and work toward a deeper bend over time.

Developing a true bend on a 20-meter circle is hard enough for a stiff horse and rider. So start there, and work on achieving and then maintaining the bend over the whole circle. As you both get stronger and more evenly supple, make the circle smaller in increments. 15-meter and 10-meter circles require progressively deeper bends. In all cases, make sure it's not just your horse's neck that is coming in but that there is a nice arc through the whole body.

It takes years for both the horse and rider to become truly supple on both sides. Every time you add a new movement, you will likely need to revisit the bend within that movement. But don't despair - just keep working on it at all times and be aware of that dreaded neck bend!

Five Components of the Ultimate Warm Up in Horse Riding

Elbows — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

Every ride starts with a warm-up. But there is a huge difference between a warm-up and a Warm-Up.

Many people think that because the horse starts the ride "cold", that the warm-up has to be slow and under-power. They think that it takes a long time to let the horse's body warm up and therefore, they need to take things easy.

The warm-up proceeds at a fairly leisurely pace. The legs move, the horses truck along and riders feel that in ten or fifteen minutes, the "real" work can start. They do very little during that time - just stay on and get the horse moving. There may or may not be a canter in that first fifteen minutes or so, but even if there is, the canter is stiff and laborious.

After all, the horse shouldn't put too much effort into the movement that early in the ride. Right?

The Most Important Goal in Horse Riding

Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals. These steps and stages are essential to our overall development.

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans.

They work hard to improve their horse's way of going. Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse's longevity.

Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse's health and well-being.

Why You Don't Want to "Take It Easy" in the Warm Up

Despite your best intentions, the horse that moves incorrectly is the horse that is hurting himself. Without effective use of the hind end, the horse has more difficulty carrying the rider's weight.

The disengaged horse moves with short strides and a hollow back. The body is stiff and difficult to bend and the horse appears to be sluggish. Transitions come slowly. The horse leans into or out of turns. The body shows little suppleness.

The top line - the area over the back that carries the rider - sags.

Combined together, it is simple to see why slow and soft is not the way to go during a warm-up. It just isn't healthy for the horse.

Not that your riding should be harsh or aggressive. Somehow, you have to find the perfect middle.

So what is the alternative?

The Five Components of the Ultimate Warm-Up

The goal of the warm-up is not only to increase circulation and warm up the muscles. It is also to set the horse up to successfully carry the rider's weight with the best balance possible on that day. Only after the horse is moving well, can the "lesson", or more challenging part of the ride, begin.

1. Energy

The key to all things riding is energy. However, be sure that the energy doesn't translate into legs just moving quicker. Instead, use several half-halts to increase the energy without increasing leg speed. Transfer that energy into longer strides, a swinging back and bouncier movement (indicating better use of the muscles).

2. Topline Use

The horse that uses his top line develops good longitudinal flexion. In clearer terms, being supple over the top of the back means that the horse can carry the rider's weight in a healthier fashion. The muscles contract and release in tandem to allow the horse's back to act as a muscle "bridge" - thereby relieving some of the pressure off the horse's joints while it moves.

3. Bend

Every horse has a stiff and hollow side, but letting him go about the ring in tension is not the answer to the problem. In contrast, work on developing a deeper bend left and right early in the ride. The horse that has lateral suppleness has better balance.

4. Straightness

The horse that can bend well is also the horse that can move straight. In order to be straight, the horse's hind footprints should land into the same track as the front footprints. Beware! True straightness is difficult to develop and takes years of consistent riding to achieve.

5. Rhythm

There is little else in riding that is as essential as rhythm. Every other movement, skill or technique builds upon regular, cadenced footfalls regardless of gait. The warm up should be devoted to developing rhythm - sometimes quicker, sometimes slower and most often, the rhythm that is most ideal for your horse (horses may have different perfect rhythms).

Your warm-up may take only 15 minutes, or it may take up the majority of your ride on a given day. The length of time devoted to improving your horse's movement is always well spent, regardless of whether it seems to take longer than you initially intended.

Although it seems counter-intuitive to ask for energy and suppleness early in the ride, it makes the most sense when considered from the horse's perspective. Simply put, weight-bearing requires energy, strength and suppleness. Instead of letting your horse move along in an unhealthy fashion, amp up the warm-up, ride effectively, get you and your horse breathing and work toward correct movement right from the get-go.

Then listen to your horse and see what he says.

What do you think about doing an active warm-up? Let us know about your warm-up routine. .

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

From Horse Listening, The Book:

"There are many reasons why we enjoy riding horses. Maybe one of the most appealing facets of riding is the sense of freedom: freedom from our own limitations, freedom from gravity, freedom to (literally) roam the Earth. Time stands still while we have the privilege of feeling movement from the back of our four-legged friend.

Riding gives us the place to just be.

Of course, there are other purposes too. Some of us revel in the challenge of learning the skills required to becoming a good team member of this unlikely duo. Riding is like no other sport or recreational pursuit simply because of the equine partner that must not only carry us, but also do so effortlessly and gracefully. As we develop our specific skill sets, we also grow as human beings in character, emotional maturity and mental acuity.

But there is one other motivation that drives some of us to persevere in the never-ending learning process that is horseback riding: improving the horse. As your own skills develop, you begin to realize that not only can you meet your own needs through riding, but also that you can even become an instrument of benefit for the horse."

And so begins the book that reflects the most important learning I have had in all of my riding years: that I want to be the best rider I can be for the sake of my horses.

This book is geared toward the rider:

- the rider's motivations

- the essential skills for the rider

- some specific strategies

- solutions to common problems

- and the results: the great horsey moments we get to experience

Along the way, you will find chapters that discuss everything from the seat to the leg aids to the reins, discussions on half-halts, imbalance, halts, straightness and more!

Special in this book are the "In The Ring" sections that give specific suggestions based on the preceding chapters. Take these to the barn to try with your own horse!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Can You Accordion Your Horse?

At our barn, we've turned the noun into a verb. We call it "accordioning" because the horse stretches out over the topline and then, a few strides later, he shortens once again. Much like an accordion, the horse expands and then compresses - over the back. In riding terms, we call it longitudinal flexion.

Starting from an uphill working trot outline, the horse responds to forward-urging aids and a longer rein by lengthening the back muscles. He reaches forward and down into roundness, loosening over the topline and striding deep underneath the body with the hind legs.

Then, a few steps later, the horse transitions back to the uphill outline. The reins shorten while the body shortens and rebalances up and back. The horse resumes the regular working trot.

stretchy walk — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

The Benefits

While the horse is stretching, the muscles loosen to allow for tension to dissipate. Then, when the horse comes back up, the body is more supple, the gait springier. The trick now is to keep the suppleness that was developed through the stretch.

The change of body position and balance encourages the horse to step under with the hind legs, aiding in the development of collection and hind end engagement.

The joints in the hind end "articulate" better - that is, they show more bend and flexion within each stride. This increase in energy translates into increased impulsion, which you might feel through more bounce, more air time, a rounder back, and a lighter front end. You might even encourage the horse to expel a heart-felt snort!

Done repeatedly, the horse learns to loosen at will. Later, the deep stretch may not be necessary. Once the horse has learned to accordion effectively, the results become apparent even with a small stretch and rebalance.

How to Accordion

The first step to an effective accordion is the stretch.

Tightness - in the neck, the base of the neck, in front of the withers, and behind the withers - blocks the horse's energy. Tension develops and the tightness over the horse's topline becomes visible through short strides, rushing, dullness or lack of response, and more.

Whether in walk. trot or canter, a well-established stretch over the back is the action that releases the topline. Take contact with the bit, use seat and legs to encourage impulsion, and slowly let the reins out as the horse takes up the slack. The key is that the horse should lower the neck and "chew" the reins from your hands, filling the space given by the reins.

Avoid losing complete contact, but continue to allow the rein length as long as the horse keeps reaching for the bit. Take a few strides in this manner.

Ask for a little more impulsion and now begin to shorten the reins. At this point, you might need several half-halts to help bring the horse up again, through roundness. Be careful to not just pull on the horse's mouth - this will cause discomfort and tension all over again.

Once the horse has rebalanced to a regular uphill outline, start all over again!

In the end, the horse that can accordion easily and effectively learns to travel with a more supple topline. The process can teach the horse how to release tension in the muscles and become more forward and engaged in movement.

Have you used this exercise in the past? Let us know how it has worked out for you.

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Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Why You Don’t Need to Panic When Your Horse ‘Falls Apart’: Even if you are not thinking “panic”, your body might be communicating it by either being completely passive or too reactive after the horse is off balance.

Find the Space Between the Give and Take in Horse Riding: As with so many other things in life, we need to find the happy medium.

Why A Release Is Not A Let Go in Horseback Riding: Many people interpret the term ‘Release’ literally – but that’s not what really means.

‘Go and No’: The Connection Between Forward and Half-Halt in Horse Riding: How to develop the two seemingly opposite aids.

Interpreting the Half-Halt: This topic is a tricky one but here is a shot at it.

Living (Horse) Life in the Basics

.Although we revel in our various disciplines, riding and training styles and breeds of horses, there is simply no denying it: the basics are the basics and they are the same for us all.

Can you distinguish the difference between good and bad movement?

Even if the you are unfamiliar with a discipline's competitive or technical requirements, chances are, you can tell if a performance was well done. The fact is that all movements share several components to them that are fundamental to the quality of movement.

Despite our differences, we are all working toward the same basic purpose.

Rhythm Rules!

Every aspect of riding is rooted in rhythm. Without a sense of rhythm, all riding movements will be sabotaged and become relegated to a lurching, uneven-striding, uncertain series of steps, reducing our rides to a series of jolts, whip-lashed starts and stops, and tension in both the horse and rider.

Take the competitive trail horse, for example. When negotiating miles and miles of uneven terrain, there is no substitute for efficient, energy-saving movement. Whether at the walk, trot or canter, the gait must inevitably become regular to be non-taxing and economical.

Watch the hunter horse. The best mover is the one that masquerades as a metronome - each stride ticking away in an unwavering time measure.

Anyone who has participated in a western trail pattern knows the essential dance that must occur in order to negotiate the obstacles in a smooth, cadenced manner.

I could go on and on, and cover all the disciplines I know of, and even those that I don't. The point is that rhythm is one of those commonalities that we all work toward.

Flexion

There are two types of flexion: longitudinal and lateral.

The first allows the horse to stretch over the topline and use his back effectively. The second allows for side to side stretches. Both are essential to allow for soft, released movement that permits lighter strides and even use of musculature.

Flexion is what allows the horse to be supple left and right, and to lengthen or collect in movement. All figures, patterns and tricks require both kinds of flexion to be performed with ease and strength.

This one is pretty self-explanatory.

Every aspect of riding horses begins with impulsion. The key is to have good enough communication with your horse so that he can put in the energy needed at the right time.

If you are heading into a corner with the horse trotting toward the arena walls, horses will often slow their forward inclination. You need to ride through the corner or turn so that the horse can maintain the established rhythm. This is when "go" enters the scene.

Imagine a barrel horse without "go".

What would a road horse be like without an easy ground-covering gait?

Contact/Connection

I might call it contact, and you might call it connection. It is the language that you and your horse share.

In the end, we are both talking about the same thing: the horse reaches to your aids - seat, weight, legs, hands (and bit or hackamore or whatever other kind of equipment) and there is a communication process that you both participate in.

The better the connection, the more subtle the interaction. The onlooker might only notice the results of the process - but you know how amazing it feels when the horse is "on the aids" and you progress together as one.

Straightness

After finding bend and flexion, all horses must also discover the beauty of straightness.

Without body alignment, all movements lack strength and suppleness. The shoulders must be in line with the hips. The straighter the horse's body, the more efficient the movements become.

Moving straight, even on a circle, is a lifetime goal that is often difficult to achieve.

Collection

Many disciplines discuss the relatively complicated concept of collection. All higher level movements rely on it. Many of us claim to do it.

But don't be fooled! Most of us probably achieve "roundness" and confuse it with collection.

Collection is achieved only when all the above components are in place and practiced on a regular basis. True collection starts with a flexing of the joints in the hind end, a tilt of the haunches and a high level of activity that results in an elevated front end. When you first discover collection, you might be amazed at the energy surge and strength it takes to even begin to collect.

But if you look carefully, you will recognize it in many riding disciplines.

The Training Pyramid

If you think I've pretty much described the dressage Training Pyramid in my own words, you're quite right.

If you think my point is to illustrate the commonalities between horse activities, you're also right!

How does the Training Pyramid work into your daily rides? Comment below.

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https://www.horselistening.com2012/08/08/riding-is-simple-but-not-easy/

https://www.horselistening.com2013/06/10/why-you-dont-need-to-panic-when-your-horse-falls-apart-during-your-ride/

https://www.horselistening.com2013/04/29/go-and-no-the-connection-between-forward-and-half-halt-in-horse-riding/

https://www.horselistening.com2013/02/17/why-you-should-ride-the-left-side-of-your-horse-going-right/

Horses. Riding. Life.

Tag: suppleness

Why We Dressage: The Horse

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Want to advertise your business on Horse Listening? Click here for more info.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

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Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding