Dressage: Foundation for All Riding Disciplines
Lesson Three
In-Hand Work
Now
that we are sure both you and your horse can learn dressage, and that you have
learned to look at how horses move to determine what you are going to be
working with, let's get down to business.
I want you to be able
to see the improvement, or lack thereof, in your work.
It is a good time to
video or take some good pictures of how your horse
looks and moves now.
As for his
conformation, I suggest you take our Conformation course so you’ll have an even
better idea of how form and function go together. As I have tried to impress upon you, a horse
does not have to have the perfect conformation to move well, but a good
conformation is an asset. Learn as much
about conformation and movement as you can; it can only make you a better rider
and trainer.
I
am sure you recognize that most horses are one-sided; meaning, they may prefer
one direction more than the other. Is it
not interesting that most horses prefer to go left? Is it not interesting that most people lead
their horses from the left? They turn
the horse towards the left, the horse prefers the left
canter lead. It is not always the fact,
but it is most often.
Watch yourself! Watch others.
You will notice them leading their horses from the left side. Why?
It is drilled into us as kids.
"Always lead the horse from his left! Always get on from his left side! Keep the horse to your right! Tack up from
the left side! Put the elastic side of
the girth on the left!" Eventually
some horses feel very strange, or won't even move, if you lead them from the
right. As a matter of fact, the horse's
right side is considered his "off-side".
I was often fussed at
by adults and trainers because I would tack up on the "wrong" side,
or lead my horse on the "wrong" side etc. Funny thing was my horses were not one-sided;
as a matter of fact, they could move in both directions easily and canter on
both leads well. They were very easy to
lead from either side; actually, I could lead two of my horses at one time (not
usually recommended).
Certain horse clubs
are very specific and demanding about doing everything to the horse from his
left side. I now teach in many of those
clubs, and I teach the students to vary the side on which they work. It drives other trainers and instructors
crazy, but I get the students to mount and dismount on the "wrong"
side as often as possible. The only
problem is, when they go to a club show, they have to follow the "left
side only rules". I hope some day
to change those rules.
One more note about
being on the "correct" side: being on the left side of a horse
started because in the old days knights and the cavalry wore swords on their
left side. They did not want the sword
to rub into their horse, and they did not want to swing their leg with the
sword over the horse's back. It was safer for them to stay on their horse's
left side. These days, we do not wear swords.
It does not matter what side of the horse we do things on. When someone tells me, even now, that I am on
the "wrong" side of my horse, I just say that I left my sword at
home.
Now, what I want you
to do is lead your horse from his right side.
Use your left hand on the lead.
It may take a little bit of coaxing on your part, but it can be
done. You may not have a problem leading
from the right side, and that would be good.
If you can, lead a friend's horse who might object to you on the right
side; it should not be hard to find a one-sided horse.
I want you to realize
we cause most of the one-sidedness we see in our horses. We can fix it.
If your horse is
already one-sided, that's okay. We will
be working on correcting the situation.
If your horse is okay
with being led from the right side, then try turning him to the right, then to
the left. If he accepts being led from
either side, tack him up from the right side.
Girth your horse from the right side and put his bridle on from the right
side.
Turn him in both
directions. You may be surprised how
resistant he can be. If he accepts all
this with disinterest, then you have done a good job in keeping him supple and
"two-sided".
Can you get on and
off your horse from the right side? If
you have ever secretly smiled at a beginner getting on a horse the first time,
you will understand what they are going through. Unless you are very athletic, or use both
sides of your body often, you will feel every bit a newcomer when you try to
mount or dismount from the "off-side".
As you ride more and
get older, you start using different parts of your body for different
jobs. Your body will adjust so that one
leg becomes your "pushing" leg and the other the "swinging"
leg when you mount. It is hard to change
that. Try it!
Young students have
an easier time. I teach my students to
get on one side and get off the other, and visa versa. Younger bodies have not become so rigid and
accustomed to doing things a certain way, therefore they develop more evenly on
both sides. Adults will have to
re-accustom their bodies to working from either side.
A horse learns the
same way. Lead him from both sides as
often as possible. Move him around from both sides as often as possible. Make it as normal as you can. You will need to get as comfortable as the
horse with this new way of doing things.
Start this as soon as possible.
Let's say your horse is resistant. This is where the work begins.
Stand on your horse's
right side while holding his lead in your left hand. Face forward and gently tap his haunches with
a crop in your right hand by reaching behind your back to tap him. Lead him forward with your left hand pushed
out in front of him. Some horses will
get the idea quickly with a few tries.
Ask him a few times, using your voice as encouragement. You can cluck and use upbeat voice signals to
move him forward.
Do not spank
him. Reward him with "good
boy" or "yes!" in an upbeat voice and pat him.
If he does not move
forward, then put the lead in your right hand and face your horse's right
side. Gently vibrate the lead and ask
his head to follow the lead as you tactfully pull it around to the right. With your left hand, or crop, tap his
haunches to ask him to step forward.
Use just a few,
rhythmic taps and encourage him with your voice to step up. Once he does, tell him “good boy” and release
the pressure. Be sure you can do this
from both sides of your horse. You
should be able to get your horse to move forward with a slight vibration on the
lead with or without a tap on his haunches to move him forward.
If you want to do
these exercises from his "easy" side first, that is fine. Just be sure to do the exercise from both
sides. This is also how you begin
teaching your horse to longer.
Now
ask your horse to move his haunches sideways, but keep his forehand still. Standing on his right side, hold the lead in
your right hand, use your left hand to press firmly but gently on his right
side or haunches to move him a step sideways to the left away from you.
If he pushes into
you, he is telling you that his sides are stiff and that he needs you to be a
little more assertive, not confrontational.
Rub him on his hip, and then gently press your hand into his haunches
just below the point of the hip. Say,
"Over". You may tap the horse
on his haunches rhythmically, but do not discontinue using your voice. Do not poke or tickle him. Use firm, but soft pressure.
If he still does not
respond, then carefully pull his head around to an even greater degree and
deepen your voice, repeating, "Over".
Be sure to praise the horse for any movement in the correct
direction. (This technique is called,
“successive approximation”—you will learn about it in the course Behavior Modification.) The horse does not have to perform perfectly
to be rewarded. When the horse attempts
to perform as asked, he should be rewarded.
If the horse does not
respond, do NOT try to force movement with punishment. Be patient, and keep asking. He will move. Encourage good behavior and
reward attempts to perform, no matter how small.
Positive
reinforcement is extremely important.
Good horse training includes using positive reinforcement as often as
possible.
Once your horse moves
away from you, be sure you reward him immediately. Use your voice in a kindly manner and pat him. Please do not slap or make loud slapping
sounds. Most horses do not find loud or
overly aggressive pats as naturally rewarding.
A mother horse will gently pat her foal or rub him with her muzzle, not
slap him as a reward. Think about how
other horses show affection and rewards—they are gentle.
When the horse is
moving his hindquarters sideways easily, we need to become more specific about
how he is moving. The horse must have
his near-hind leg (the one closest to you) crossing in front of his opposite
hind leg. Your leading hand should also
act as a restraint, keeping the horse from moving very far forward.
The goal is to move
the horse's haunches around his forehand.
His haunches describe a circle around his front end. It will eventually become a pivot around his
forehand.
Usually a horse will
do one side well, but on the other side he will not want to move sideways; he
may rush forward, or he may back up when you ask him to move his haunches. If he tries to back up, use the crop and tap
him forward as previously discussed.
By now, the horse
should understand he is to move forward or move sideways with just a few soft
taps. With the leg closest to you, the
horse should take forward and across in front of the opposite hind leg. The opposite hind leg should then move
forward. (If you are on the horse’s
right side, the sequence is: right leg in front of and across the left; then
left leg forward.)
If
you press your horse and get no response, then back and press him farther
toward his tail. The more supple your
horse becomes, the less you have to reach back to move him. For example, if you want your horse to move
his midsection over, you may need to press his haunch to get him to move. As he becomes supple, you will only have to press
his midsection.
It is very important
the horse eventually moves away from light hand pressure. He must be able to do this from either side
of his body. For the horse’s muscles to
develop correctly, it is imperative the horse moves his legs in the described
sequence. We don't want to shove him
over; we need him to move correctly and smoothly.
When you press the
horse to move sideways, he will respond more quickly and more smoothly if you
press him when his "near" hind foot is off the ground. The timing is important. If you are asking a horse to move a certain
leg sideways or forward, you press when that leg is already off the
ground. (It is the same when under
saddle.) You need to press him at first
to get him to move, and once he is moving, be sure
your requests are timed to assist his response.
As
you do the exercises from the ground, consider how you will use your leg to ask
your horse to move his hindquarters sideways.
Your leg may need to be back a bit, but as your horse becomes more responsive,
your cue can become more subtle. Observe
your horse’s movements while you are on the ground. You will not be able to observe the movement
when mounted. However, knowing what the
horse is doing will allow you to “feel” the correctness of his movement while
you are mounted.
Dressage is all about moving the horse
around. When you start working your
horse toward this goal, you must be able to move him in both directions with
equal ease.
There
is a reason this exercise must be precise.
When the near hind
leg crosses over, in front of the other, it encourages the horse to lift his
tummy muscles up and out of the way of his leg.
This not only helps to loosen up the muscles in the horse's haunches,
but also strengthens the tummy muscles -- much like doing stomach
crunches. As the horse's midsection
strengthens and tightens, his back becomes better supported and stronger. When his back improves, he can more easily
get his hindquarters under his body.
When a horse has his hindquarters well under his body, he will have
better balance, smoother movement, and will be able to arch in the form most
natural for him.
This is the correct order of the chain of
muscles. It does not start at the
HEAD! Do not pull the head of the horse
in to try to get some "headset".
What have we been talking about?
We’ve been talking about the horse’s hind legs—all action is initiated
in the hindquarters.
We need our horse to move away from the
rider’s legs, in either direction equally well.
When a rider presses his or her legs against the horse, the horse should
move. Why does the horse move? He moves because the rider’s legs activate
the tummy muscles, thus initiating hindquarters action and the chain of
muscles.
If
your horse is not moving his hindquarters farther forward and he's got his rump
stuck out with his legs camped out, then his chain of muscles are not working
correctly. His back is probably tight
and his tummy muscles are probably not working.
When a horse is not
using his muscles correctly, you will notice his back has a sway in it. He may have what looks like a "grass
belly", a gut that may make him look fat, even though there may be no fat
anywhere else on him.
Here’s an exercise to
help bring up the horse's back. Stand at
your horse's shoulder on the horse's left.
Hold the horse with your left hand, face him, and use your right hand to
reach under his heart girth. Place your
hand upright and slide it to the far side of the horse's
"pectorals". I want you to
reach the right side of his body. Make
your fingers stiff as you pull up and back towards your body. The pressure of your fingers should make the
horse lift his withers and his back. If
he does not, try using your fingernails.
If he objects
slightly, then continue with a little more pressure. If he objects violently, then his back is
really sore and he may need to be seen by a veterinarian. (You may want to take the online course,
Equine Sports Massage.) Knowing massage
techniques may help you with these exercises.
As a matter of fact, massage is good way to help relax your horse’s
muscles even if he does not have body problems.
It can help keep him feeling good so his training proceeds more
efficiently and smoothly.
If he does lift his
back well, then gradually move along his body, pressing with your hand along
the other side of his belly, asking him to lift his belly. The easier and more sensitive he is when
lifting his back, the easier he will be able to move under saddle. Also, the less leg pressure you will need.
If the horse can move
and turn in both directions, bring his hindquarters underneath himself, and
lift his back, then you are doing well.
Let's look at the
horse’s neck. Does he swing it
around? Fling it up? Bob it back and forth? Is it really bulging underneath or
ewe-necked?
Run your hands all
over his neck on both sides. Feel
it. Are there lumps or bumps? Are there large, misplaced muscle masses? What about hollow places? If there are, and his neck does not look
ideal, then there are a few things we can do.
Rub your hand along
the crest of his neck. Then close your
fingers and feel along the sides of the crest.
If you feel or see any dips, muscle masses or knots, or if he objects in
any way, then that is where you want to start.
Take a dense rubber
curry or use your fingers, and rub the area where you feel lumps or knots. If the horse is sore, then handle carefully
until he lets you rub the area.. He may toss his head, snap, or pull back to
avoid any pressure, but this is merely his way of telling you where he hurts or
is tense. That is where he needs the
body work. Do not give up. Continue as long as he is not dangerously
objecting. If he is sore, he will not
enjoy the rubbing until the tension or pain is gone.
The rubbing releases
muscle knots and removes lactic acid.
As the tension is
relieved, the horse will begin to relax, drop his neck, chew contentedly, his
eyes will go soft, and he may yawn or sneeze.
He is feeling good. This is a
sign that you need to move on to the next tight area.
Again he may object
if he is sore.
Again, the only way
to have a horse that will train easily for dressage is one that has little or
no tension in his body. Find those tight
areas, rub them, press deeply into them, or curry them. Tight muscles or old
scar tissue only release by getting them to constrict first. Continue this on
both sides of his neck, from his crest down. Watch your horse's expression as
he goes from annoyance to contentment.
That will let you know that you are being effective.
Even if tension or
pains are removed initially, you may need to rub the horse a few times a week
for a while. There will be fewer
objections from him and he will stretch his neck out and down more often and
become happier.
When you have him
under saddle, he will have more freedom of his neck and it will take on a more
smooth and arched appearance.
Eventually, with the exercises we will do later under saddle, his neck
will strengthen and he will move with ease and perform better.
The ground exercises
we have just studied should get your horse supple and ready to start his
dressage training. Should your horse
stiffen up, go back to any or all of these exercises to help him relax and
understand what to do with his body.
Whatever he can learn under saddle, he can learn from the ground easier
and faster.
TERMS
Inside --when bending or circling, it is the inside of
the pending circle. For example, if you
are going right, the right is the inside.
Near-side --the left side of the horse.
Off-side --the right side of the horse.
One-sided --a horse that cannot move or bend in one or the
other direction.
Outside --when bending or circling, it is the outside of
the pending circle. For example, if you
are going right, the left is the outside.
Pectorals --a horse's lower chest muscles found under the
girth area.
Positive
reinforcement --an action which
the horse enjoys.