ARTICLE

AIM FOR AIDS WHERE LESS IS MORE

Aim for aids where ‘less is more’. If aids become strong, re evaluate your communications. For instance the horse is capable of leaping away if a fly lands on him. He can demonstrate great sensitivity. Begin with building more self awareness of your breathing, calmness and own self-carriage.

Become aware of your mood – the horse responds instinctively to both fun and stress. If you feel focused, positive and creative the horse will tune into your state of mind and become your mirror. It may be that you come up against a barrier in the schooling. For example, the horse may become too tense to produce correct flying changes. Rather than seeking a confrontation with an excitable, tense horse, come back to walk. This may be the opportunity to change the exercise for a while or ride on a long, loose rein to relax both yourself and the horse. Take the time to use your mind to change the responses the horse is giving.

COMMUNICATIONS

Every relationship, takes time and patience to a build a foundation of trust. and there are no short cuts to a partnership of true empathy. For instance, the word “submission” can mean that the horse accepts the contact with the bit from the riders hand and can show a physical demonstration of “submission”. Have you observed the stance of a foal who is submissive to an older herd member? The neck is lowered and arched as a gesture of submission. When the horse is full of fear and flight the neck is normally held high and tight.

To gain a response from the horse where he is comfortable to accept our contact, he needs to be in a confident frame of mind, where he can place his trust in us, his herd leader.
This affirmation of our herd leadership can be developed through working from the ground. The ridden work then becomes just an extension of a relationship already built up from body language and mutual harmony in ‘mind to mind’ communications. If you have established your place as herd leader in loose work from the ground, the horse already has built some trust and respect and will more willingly listen to your aids as a rider.

The horse will tune in very quickly to your body language and breathing which is a reflection of your state of mind. Once you can understand the power you have through this form of communication, then aids can become telepathic.

NO ATHLETE CAN PERFORM WITH A RESTRICTED HEAD AND NECK

No athlete whether human or horse can perform with a restricted head and neck. Forward movement begins with the head and neck of the horse and if we focus on restricting natural motion, we are giving the horse confusing messages. I believe we can teach the horse to move in natural self carriage. Throughout training at every level, we can use loose work, lungeing and work-in-hand to build confidence and self carriage.

Every athlete needs time to warm up both physically and mentally. The horse can benefit from loose work as if he is a little stiff then he can move in his natural carriage without the weight of a rider. The horse may be feeling tense through the restriction of standing in a stable and he can take this time working in freedom to play or buck and release stress without causing confrontation between horse and rider. The more as trainers we can use our minds to encourage the horse to be ‘on our side’ and enjoy his work, the more harmony we can gain. Also this is the way to increase our knowledge, not only of the technical requirements but of the nature of the horse we are teaching.

Frequent problems apparent in ridden work are relentlessly pursued causing much tension to the rider and stress to the horse. God has given the horse an incredible memory and this can become our greatest ally or our worst enemy within training, if we do not show patience and respect.

We are in a climate of reviewing various training techniques and analyzing which may be the suitable to be included within a structure of work.

Maybe a logical approach could be to just take a look at the horse being taught. Is his expression relaxed and proud. It is so important that we look to the face, eyes, ears, nostril and mouth. Also to the fluidity of the horse’s back and the freedom of movement. Surely these significant signs will tell us as trainers whether our methods are enhancing the partnership we are seeking.

This is an era of asking the ‘experts’ but maybe the horse can give us much valuable information, if we choose to listen. I believe the horse can become our ‘expert’ if we choose to observe the signals which he gives to us. He can teach us more skills of communication so we can ride with empathy. Our training then can progress so we are not only more technically correct, but can attain artistry from the mind and soul. The exercises of the school can begin to demonstrate harmony as both horse and rider experience the feel of ‘dance’

Jenny Rolfe's new book ‘RIDE FROM THE HEART’ is available at our shop section or please visit her web site www.spanishdressagehorses.com for further information.

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