Support v. Holding the Horse
Proceed
with Extreme
Caution!
So you're sitting on the horse that looks pretty good
but has it's center down low and forward.
This is the horse that looks pretty good but is 'going
on the forehand.' As long as you've got hold of the reins
the horse's head is up 'where it belongs.' But as
soon as you let go, down goes the horse. OR, even worse,
hiding under the saddle is an inversion of some
kind. The head is up the back is down. And
maybe there's no weight in the reins at all, but you have the
distinctly uncomfortable feeling it's all about to topple
over.
There is are certain builds in horses that pre-dispose
them to moving like this. (And, sadly, yes, there are
some misunderstandings in training and riding that make it
worse.) All horses, though, can move lightly when they
want to! So it's possible to get them to move lightly
more often.
'In Case of Emergency' Only
Over the years I have learned a variety of things to do
with reins. The problem with rein fixes is they are
seductive, and after a while they're just happening too
much. They have quit being support and have become
holding and part of the problem. Also, there are so many variables involved, which
one to use when would be rather difficult to put into static
print -- so, I'm going to skip over the details of how to do
them!
Sometimes, though, you find you have to resort to one of
these things to break through the old
pattern.
In this case, you get to use
the the approach momentarily.
Usually the idea is the horse is given a choice and chooses
the easier, also by the way, more balanced
approach.
You get about two steps usually and then start
over. During those two steps, the
horse has to have complete freedom of movement and be calm
enough to kapish that the better choice was indeed
better.
If there's any holding during the 'moment of
realization' it's no longer a moment of realization and it's
not learning. The horse was not guided to a better
choice so much as it had a moment to regroup and double down
on being heavy again. Resistance begets
resistance. Pulling creates pulling. We all
know this.
More of a Helping Hand
While you want a horse going balanced and in total
freedom the whole time, when the horse has a low and forward
balance point, the contact may be more firm, which comes
seriously close
to holding, while you ask the horse to do more with it's body
more correctly. Or it may be the contact is more
available. And used more by the horse. The trick
is for the horse to initiate the usage and be held ever so
briefly while the horse regains its balance. (BTW - in
Centered Riding we use the Buttress to avoid holding.
The Buttress allows the horse to find the support when it
needs it and also channel the horse into releasing ... kinda
cool.)
Years ago I encountered the idea that the
rider is like a spotter for a gymnast on the
balance beam. You don't hold your hands three feet away
-- if the gymnast starts to fall, the feedback comes too
late! But if your hands skim the gymnasts sides, almost
as soon as the balance wavers, they get the feedback to
self-correct. This is the best idea for rein
contact. We are there as soon
as we are needed and no sooner.
What to Do
One thing you can do
are transitions. You want to find the easiest transition
to start with. Depending upon your horse, it may
be easier to do transitions between gaits or it may be easier
to do transitions within the gait. I find this is a
psychological thing for the horse. It just depends on
how they think.
Another thing you
can do is to change the lateral balance. Anything which
moves the front end around the back end (a lot) is
helpful. In this category you have wavy lines between
the long wall and quarter line without change of bend, walking
turn on the haunches, turn on the haunches, or simply quick
changes of direction. Walking turn on the forehand and
turn on the forehand can also be helpful to create some lift
in the front end. On the lunge line you can do 4
steps in, 4 steps on the circle, and repeat from the 20m to
the 15m circle, stay on the 15m circle for a circle or so, and
then go out 4 steps, stay on that circle 4 steps, and
repeat until you get back out to the 20m circle.
(and if you can keep your Buttress throughout, brownie
points to you!)
Gauging Effectiveness
Depending upon how 'heavy' the horse is, the horse may
rely more or less on the reins for support. Sometimes
you need the legs and balance point to move and sometimes the
only way that will happen is to tip the apple cart a little
bit -- get the horse to do something different than
usual. Which means they need to loose and regain their
balance some. Which means they'll be in the reins some more.
Some is key.
If you never feel the horse in the reins more, they aren't
being challenged enough to change from what they have been
doing. If you only ever feel the horse in the reins more, they
are being challenged too much; learning has gone out the
window.
There are some different ratios about where the best
'zone' is. Some say it's 1 'bad' to 4 'good.' Some
put it as low as 1 'bad' to 7 'good.' If your horse is
getting worse, the ratio is tipped in the wrong
direction. You need to put more good experiences in
there. The moments of lightness need to be increasing
from week to week.
If you go down the long wall 'supporting' your horse,
then I would suggest you leave the horse alone for at least
the short wall and a diagonal while you change direction on a
loose rein. This is similar to the 'Dead Man' pose
in yoga. The experience needs to sink into the
cells.
Also, five intense minutes total during a ride is enough
for this kind of thing. When a horse has been going with
the balance point down and low, the body has changed.
Systems will need to be strengthened for them to be able to
sustain a different balance. That will take some
time. Two years is always a good goal. (Because
it'll take less than two years! But if you think it's a
two year run, you can stay patient.)
Think on it!
Usually I say 'check it out' but with this I think maybe
think on it first. If you're dealing with this and not
sure, find a trainer you trust.
Cheers!
L
* The original picture was of a pretty well
balanced horse. The imbalance here is represented by the
burst of color.
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