HORSE & RIDER – ASK THE EXPERTS  4

Question: from Rhiannon Hughes

I have been riding a riding school horse who is a novice horse, and fairly docile/lazy. Etc

Answer:

Before you consider working this horse “through from behind” there are several factors to be considered.

Firstly, the horse’s confirmation:  is she croup high, straight behind, struggling with weak hocks etc?  She may have old injuries or a degenerative arthritic condition, which would make engagement of the hind legs and hindquarters almost impossible.

You say the horse is “novice”, this may mean that she has had little schooling and is stiff in both her lateral bend and longitudinal suppleness.  Presuming her confirmation is reasonable and she has no other difficulties this should be addressed because a stiff horse cannot work correctly and softly from behind through to your hand.  She must be equally supple on both sides to work in alignment and be able to give equal thrust with each hind leg.  Turns, circles, leg yields, counter bends etc. ridden carefully on both reins with the correct bend should help. For the longitudinal suppleness, upward and downward transitions, again correctly ridden, will help to balance and lift some of the weight off the forehand.

I long rein my horses both on a circle and a straight line.  On the circle you have the advantage that there is a line behind the horse to help bring the hind legs underneath. Start with simple transitions and make sure you have the correct bend. I would advise having an experienced person to help you and always work in a fenced arena.

Another suggestion is to work over both ground and raised poles in walk and trot.  The distances will vary according to your horse’s stride, trot poles are approximately nine feet or four and a half feet apart and walk poles about three feet apart.  Ask your instructor to check these for you.  Make sure the horse can stretch her neck forward and down.

Try to vary her work and ride her out of the arena as much as possible so she doesn’t get stale.  You can always school her during a hack.

Perhaps you are not riding with your own back engaged?  If you are too flimsy in your body and your own back is unemployed or weak then you will have little effect on the horse.  Try to prepare your back as if you are going to pick up a heavy load before every transition or bending exercise and you will soon develop tone, which should be a great help. Never have stiff arms or shoulders.

You are quite right not to want a “battle”.  Give light aids accompanied by a flick with the schooling whip to make the horse more attentive and remember it is very important to be free in your hips and allow your seat to follow the movement of the horse’s back or you will have a “hand brake” effect on the hind legs.  Good luck and enjoy the challenge!

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