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Scene 1
The rider holds the reins tightly, pulling backward, providing little give and take through the arms, elbows and shoulders. The tension radiates through the rider's body to create a tight back, an unmoving seat, and clinging legs.
The horse may or may not have a tightness to the neck, but because of the pull on the reins, there is little opportunity for him to balance using his head and neck. His strides are short, his back may be hollow and he is likely on the forehand.
Scene 2
The rider lets the reins out to the point of creating a "loop". There is no contact with the mouth, other than at points of time when the rider needs to communicate something: stop, turn or downward transition.
The horse's neck and body is l-o-n-g and strung out. Hind legs are stepping out behind the horse's croup. This horse is also probably on the forehand and hollow in the back but for completely the opposite reasons.
So whether it is a perpetually pulling hand or an occasionally rough, abrupt hand, you must know that every time you use your hands improperly, you are assuring your horse shortened usefulness and an unhappy life. - Charles de Kunffy, The Ethics and Passions of Dressage, p. 60
There is no doubt that there is more to riding than just what the hands are doing. We already know that the seat, legs and hands together are actors in the same performance and must work in combination. But for the purposes of explanation, let's do an in-depth analysis of the role of the hands.
The scenes above demonstrate the extremes of what can be done with the reins: too much contact versus not enough contact. You've probably watched both types of riders at different times, or maybe you've explored or experienced both ends of the pendulum yourself.
Eventually, with enough experience, we learn that neither technique represents an exclusive path to effective riding. As with so many other things in life, we need to find the happy medium.
Try This
1. Find the correct placement of your hands and arms. Your elbows should have a nice soft almost "L" bend in them and hang in line with your body. Your hands should be in front of the pommel, no more than four inches higher, forward, sideways or backward (we call this the four-inch box).
2. Your hands cannot move backward from the box. In other words, you won't pull back and your elbows won't go back past your body line.
3. Your hands cannot move past the front of the box. In other words, you won't push the reins ahead or open your elbows so that your arms straighten.
4. Your hands can give and take within the four-inch parameters of the box - but the catch is that the give and take comes from your elbows, not your fingers! The rein length should not change during the give or take (although you may need to readjust your rein length from time to time if the reins slip through your fingers or you intentionally want to lengthen or shorten them).
Keep your reins short enough to allow you to provide support instantly, but also long enough to allow for the horse's level of training and muscle development.
And that's it! From here, you can ride as usual from the seat and legs, and reinforce your aids with the hands.
If the horse pulls, you resist with a bracing from your elbows and seat. But you don't pull back.
If you want to give a release, only slightly open your elbows to create a little space forward in the horse's mouth so he feels a supported freedom (i.e. not thrown away) to move into that space. Do not lengthen the reins out or straighten your elbows.
The give and take should be so invisible that only you and the horse know it happened. Anything bigger and the horse's balance will be affected. Ideally, you should alternate between a give and take as needed depending on the horse's balance and the movement being performed.
Do you have any other tips for finding the space between the give and take? Comment below.
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If you enjoyed the above article, you might also like to read:
The #1 Rider Problem: The Outside Rei
n! The outside rein is the most underused and poorly understood of all the aids, and here’s why.
From a Whisper to a Scream: How Loud Should Our Aids Really Be? Should we be “loud” in our aids, or should we be working as softly as we can in hopes that our horse can respond to lighter and more refined aids?
Interpreting the Half-Halt: This topic is a tricky one but here is a shot at it.
How to Halt Without Pulling on the Reins: There is a way to get your horse to stop without pulling on the reins.
Stepping “Forward” in Horse Riding: The term ‘forward’ is used liberally in horse riding but is often misunderstood.
Riders sometimes complain that riding in a ring can become too boring. If you're bored, your horse is certain to be bored too. But there are literally hundreds of exercises you can do with your horse if you are creative enough. Here is a list of just a few ideas to keep ring riding fresh and interesting for both you and your horse.
1. Ask for more "go" and stay for the ride! Don't let go of the reins but also don't pull (and maybe half-halt if your horse loses balance a bit to the forehand) and don't get left behind.
2. Try a "loop": coming out of the corner, head on a diagonal line toward the 1/4 line, then head back into the next corner. This will require your horse to go from one bend to another and back, all along one length of the ring.
3. Try a loop in the canter - this introduces a counter-canter - what fun! Stay fairly straight in the counter canter - don't bend too far to the inside.
4. Count a certain number of strides per transition. For example, aim for 5 walk strides, 10 canter strides and then 8 trot strides. Go back to the walk and try it all again.
5. Try a figure 8 or two: one way is to use the diagonals and ends of the arena. The 8 should cross exactly over "x" (the middle of the ring). Another way is to make the 8 look like two balls attached in the middle (like a snowman), with the circles being more in the center of the ring, off the rails. This one is more challenging for the horse - one circle tends to be larger than the other, and the change through the short center tends to be more difficult.
6. Do a figure 8 with canter on one circle and trot on the other. Transition right in the middle of the 8.
7. Play with transitions: canter - to halt - to back up 5 strides - to canter.
8. Ride right into the corner of the ring and maintain the strength of your stride whether in walk, trot or canter. Keep a true bend as you enter the corner, and increase impulsion as you exit.
9. Do 4 circles as you go around the ring at A, E, C and B (dressage ring letters), one a little larger or smaller than the others. Be really picky about exact size and shape of each circle, and maintain a bend corresponding to the size of the
10 . Play with the canter-trot to increase impulsion and get the horse to reach further underneath with the hind end.
11. Try the not-canter to improve your transitions from trot to canter.
12. Do a circle at A. After completing the circle, head into the corner with a good bend, straighten up to come out, and fly through the diagonal in a lengthen or medium trot. Finish by doing a circle in the opposite direction at C. When your horse gets good at the bend changes, add an additional variable of changing gaits at each circle.
13. Circle at A, lengthen across the diagonal, come off the short end at the 3/4 line and leg-yield to the rail.
14. Do a 3-loop serpentine and work on correct bend to bend with a true straight line in the middle.
15. Play with the serpentine: maintain all as in #14, but change gaits from loop to loop.
16. Accordion your horse: on a large 20m circle, get the horse to stretch down and out with the neck (with light contact on the reins), then come up and shorter in the neck (engage the hind end to raise the neck), then stretch down and out again. This can be very difficult as there is variation in the balance of the horse, as well as in the length of the back and neck. Be sure to use many half-halts to maintain balance through the changes of body posture.
Well, you get the idea. I'm sure you can think of other fun exercises you can work into your regular ring ride. Be creative, decide what you want to do and build your ride into a series of exercises that develop from one to the other. Challenge yourself and your horse and you will never again be bored by the four walls that surround you!
Do you have any other interesting exercises? Share them in the comments below!
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Not all rising trots are equal.
There are three reasons we rise at the trot. First, we might want to take our weight off the horse's back - and the easiest way to do it is to rise (or "post") every other stride in rhythm with the horse's movement.
Second, maybe we want the horse to have the opportunity to reach further underneath his body with his hind leg. By rising while the outside shoulder reaches forward (called rising on the correct "diagonal" leg), we remove our weight from the saddle just as the horse's inside hind leg comes off the ground. This encourages and allows the horse to step deeper with the inside hind leg, which is the balancing leg especially on a turn.
Third, we can influence the horse's activity level - we can change horse's leg speed by posting faster or slower. The horse tends to follow the tempo of our seat, and if we can control that tempo, we can be more effective without ever having to go to the hands or legs.
The next time you go to a show, or visit the barn when there is a riding lesson, stop and analyze the way that the riders ride the horse's trot.
Look for the riders that appear to be working most in tandem with the horse and then watch their technique. What do you notice?
They don't move up and down.
Instead, they move forward and back within the movement of the horse.
That is, their pelvis comes forward to the top of the pommel, hovers there for a moment (or even two), and then gently settles back into the saddle, off the cantle (ideally). The "forward" movement follows an upward arc toward the pommel, and the "back" follows a similar arc.
The knees are soft and the angles demonstrate little change.
What they are not doing is standing up and down in the saddle.
There is very little rise. Why not?
When you move straight up and down, you fall behind the horse's movement. As you work to regain your lost balance, you come back down heavily and push your weight straight down to the ground. This might shorten the horse's stride, throw him off balance by putting him to the forehand, and may even cause back discomfort over the long term.
Stay in balance in the trot.
If you can move forward and back with the horse's movement, you can maintain a much more organic balance.
Use the trot bounce to send your pelvis on the arc toward the top of the pommel and steady yourself at the top of the movement with your inner thighs. Then arc back with control so you can mindfully rest on the horse, causing as little discomfort and interference as possible.
If you can move efficiently within the horse's movement, you can even influence the horse's length of stride and speed. You can slow down the horse by slowing your posting down, or conversely, you can speed him up.
The next time you ride, pay close attention to your rising trot technique and play with forward/back versus up/down.
Then let us know what you think in the comment section below.
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Has this ever happened to you?
You know exactly what you want to do during your ride. Your horse is prepped, you have all the gear you need, and you head to the riding ring with high hopes and a set plan.
You get on, get going, and then discover that your horse has something entirely different in mind!
At this point, you have two choices: keep going with what you were planning to do, or scrap it and work on what your horse needs to work on.
Goal Setting: Step-by-Step Development
There is no replacement for goal setting in the quest for improvement in riding. When you have an idea of the path you want to take, and the skills you want to develop, it is always good to plan out what you want to do before you get on the horse's back. Each ride should be a development from the last, setting up a series of successes for (yourself and) your horse as he progresses in his training and education.
What are you going to work on today? What went well last ride, what would you like to develop, and what movements will your horse enjoy? How will you warm up? What is the "lesson" for today? How will you cool down? Make your time count, make it a quality ride and then get off.
You need to know what you want to do during a ride. There is nothing worse than wandering around and around in circles, aimlessly pounding legs into sand for little purpose other than perhaps a little conditioning for the horse.
Be clear on the basic skills your horse needs, develop them into the intermediate levels and then finally (over the course of a number of years), move up to the highest levels of training in your discipline.
When to Scrap the Plan
However, goal setting can only take you so far. Even though you are inspired to get that horse to do the next cool thing, your horse might simply not be ready.
Alternately, he might be able to do some parts of the new movement, but loses the basic, most fundamental aspects to riding - enough that the movement becomes labored, difficult and unappealing. Maybe the horse puts up a fuss and even quits.
This is when you should scrap your grand ideas, and get back down to the business of the basics.
Many of the basic movements, like maintaining rhythm, looseness, or the simple act of moving forward, are integral to all levels of riding and therefore should be worked on regularly even if you are also working on something else at the same time.
It is much more important to develop solid basics - and only after your horse is fluidly performing those, move on to more difficult exercises. Have the patience and awareness to reestablish the important aspects of movement.
Because the basics are where it's at. Without the fundamental skill set, there will never be soft, fluid, responsive, enthusiastic work from your horse.
Have you ever scrapped your plan and listened to your horse? Tell us about your ride in the comments below.
Without forward, there is no half-halt but without half-halt, there is no forward. (Click to tweet this if you agree.)
Let me explain.
Has it ever happened to you that after you kicked (or preferably, didn't kick but used more seat/leg for energy), the horse flew out from under you, running faster and faster until he fell to the forehand and perhaps had to scramble his way back to balance?
Or conversely...
Has it ever happened that you went to half-halt (or check) and the horse braced his neck against your pressure, slowed the rhythm and reduced energy until you thought you were stuck in quicksand?
In both cases, there is one aid given to the horse but the other is missing. And there seems to be no other way: if you want to control energy, you have to have energy in the first place. If there is no energy, there is no controlling.
What to do?
We have to learn the coordination between "go and no" - all the while, keeping our balance to give the appropriate aids while not pulling on the reins.
Try this:
Teach your horse to kick (not literally!) into gear when you use a light leg and encouraging seat (that floats right into the movement that your horse offers). Then, before it's too late and he loses balance completely, use a restricting seat, contact with your (probably outside) rein, and a little leg to help the horse's hind end to come underneath his body.
See if he steps deeper underneath his body, rounds more, becomes bouncier, and breathes deeper (or gives you a well-earned snort). Look for more swing in his stride, more reach through his shoulders, and a lighter contact pressure on the reins.
The rhythm should be unaffected. A half-halt is a re-balance; it isn't a "putter down into the slower gait little by little and let the energy peter out." Therefore, the idea isn't to interfere with the horse's gait and tempo. Instead, your aim is to celebrate the energy your horse gives you and redirect it not only straight forward, but also a little upward, so the overall balance tilts a little to the hind end.
Keep your balance.
Encourage more energy.
Keep the tempo the same (not faster or slower).
Get the "go", then get the "no".
And let us know how it works out in the comment section below.
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Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email
Available as an eBook or paperback.
More articles you might enjoy:
Stepping “Forward” in Horse Riding: The term ‘forward’ is used liberally in horse riding but is often misunderstood.
The #1 Problem of the Year: The Outside Rein! The outside rein is the most underused and poorly understood of all the aids, and here’s why.
6 Ways to Unleash the Power of Your Riding Seat: As you become more subtle in the aiding process, you will begin to discover just how powerful the seat can be in guiding the horse without disturbing and interfering in his movement.
Top 10 Ways to Reward Your Horse: A happy horse is a willing partner, and many horses will give everything they have if they feel your acknowledgement and generosity of spirit.
Demystifying “Contact” in Horseback Riding: Does “contact” have other-wordly connotations? Here is why effective contact is within reach of the average rider.
We often talk about the ills caused by the horse moving on the forehand, and we dissect and analyze movement in an effort to understand.
The idea here isn't to cause guilt and doom and gloom; instead, we should learn all we can and take steps to avoid known problems.
What does being on the forehand really mean, from the horse's perspective? Here are a few thoughts:
1. Lack of balance.
First and foremost, from the moment we get on the horse's back, we are messing around with the horse's balance. Horses that are naturally balanced have to negotiate movement with the weight and (dis-) equilibrium of the rider. Horses that are naturally unbalanced have to negotiate gravity with not only their own tendencies toward unhealthy movement, but then also with the extra weight of the rider.
2. Heavy on the front feet.
Have you ever heard a horse banging his feet heavily down on the arena footing? If you've ever wondered if that foot pounding might hurt the horse in the long run, you'd be right.
3. Pain in the hooves, joints and tendons of the front feet.
Travel long enough on the forehand, and you will create a perfect recipe for eventual lameness. The front legs were not designed to carry most of the horse and rider's weight for extended periods of time.
4. Hollow-backed.
A horse that is heavy on the front end often has to compensate in other parts of his body. So don't be surprised to discover that the horse has to drop his back, or become more "sway-backed." By hollowing out the "bridge" that carries the rider, the horse is counterbalancing the weight that is on the front end. This way, he doesn't actually fall head-first to the ground.
5. Braced neck to counteract gravity.
Similar to having to drop the back, the horse sometimes has to drop the base of his neck and lift his head. This will help him keep going although there is a lot of weight on the front end.
6. Restricted hind-end action and ability.
When the neck is dropped and the back is hollow, the hind end simply cannot support the body. There is no room for the legs to reach forward and under the body, which is where they need to be to receive the bulk of the weight.
7. Short strides.
The strides shorten because the horse becomes more earth-bound. In order to maintain the forehand balance, the horse has to scramble to keep from falling forward. Both the front and hind legs shorten in stride and often speed up in tempo.
8. Trips and stumbles.
Although we like to blame trips and stumbles on external problems such as foot trims, footing and tack, if you watch and analyze carefully, you might notice that the way of going of the horse is often responsible for his regular missteps and occasional falls to the knees.
9. Reins pulling on the mouth.
The rider often feels the imbalance (although might not know how it is being caused) and therefore to help correct that awkward feeling, will take up the reins in an effort to hold herself up in the saddle.
10. Body-wide tension.
You know the horse that seems forever off but you can't tell exactly what is wrong? It might be caused by the tension in the muscles. A horse that is heavy on the forehand needs to become tense in order to counteract the balance on the front end.
11. Short and shallow breath.
When the horse is tight and tense in the body, he has more trouble breathing. If you can hear deep, strong breaths, and occasional long-winded, body-shaking snorts, then you know you are on your way to allowing the horse to move comfortably underneath you.
12. Mental insecurities.
Imbalanced movement often causes mental strife as well. Horses that have to regularly counteract gravity tend to lose confidence in their riders and sometimes display irritated behaviors such as tail-swishes, pinned ears, bucks and kicks.
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If this list makes you cringe, and think that riding on the forehand is the root of all evil, you are beginning to see the point.
There's no two ways about it: being ridden on the forehand causes the horse much difficulty and possibly even physical harm. Always remember that the horse has no choice in the decisions we make as riders.
Therefore, it falls to us - the people who want to enjoy the amazing experience of riding horses - to continually work on our education, improve our skills and regularly challenge ourselves to learn how we can not only NOT cause damage with our riding, but even improve the horse's physical and mental well-being through riding.
If you want some ideas on where to begin, check out the links below. But always, always, look to your own instructor to develop your riding skills and resolve your horse training questions.
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I'm beginning to work on my first Horse Listening manuscript, featuring some of the favorite articles and ideas from the blog!
Please let me know in the comments below if there is a post that you think MUST be included in the book.
Thanks!