Maribeth Dunlap Dressage

Perfect Practice

By Maribeth Dunlap

March 2009

I often give my students homework, usually something that we’ve been working on together, and something that they need to practice. I usually say something to them like, “remember, just don’t practice it - practice it perfectly.”

What is the difference between practice and perfect practice?

When learning a new skill, it takes about 100 repetitions to get it into your muscle memory. If you’re trying to over-come an old habit, then it takes about 10 times that, or 1000 repetitions to break the old habit and form the new one – or daily repetition for 21 consecutive days.  So, first, it is very important to learn the new skill correctly the first time. And secondly, it is very important to practice the new skill perfectly so as not to form bad habits while programming the new skill into your muscle memory.

Perfect practice is, in many ways, learning to be a disciplined rider. It means not taking short cuts or the easy way out. It is riding with perfection and paying attention to every detail, large or small. Perfect practice means raising your standards, little by little, every day and every schooling session. You learn to expect a little more from yourself and your horse. You learn to expect nothing but your personal best and giving it your best shot. By practicing perfectly, you become more in-tuned and focused. Outside stimuli often disappears, your concentration and sensitivity levels rise, you’re better able to feel your horse, and all these things lead to a more harmonious partnership with your horse.

Practicing perfectly not only helps you to progress, but it also does the same for your horse. Like you, he also needs to practice the new skill perfectly to get it into his muscle memory. Perfect practice helps to establish a good work ethic in the horse and he learns much faster when the questions being asked are clear every time and do not vary, but remain the same. When you keep asking the same question, he is more apt to figure out the correct answer. When the same question is asked differently every time, then how can the horse answer it correctly? He can’t; he’ll most likely give a different answer, which only leads to confusion, frustration, and misunderstanding.

So often, riders ride inaccurate arena patterns. They take short cuts by cutting their corners, and riding sloppy circles. They often ignore the correct bend and having a consistent rhythm. They don’t pay attention to the details of the transitions and may not think much about their position and posture. Some riders come out to the barn more for social reasons. They spend their schooling time chatting about unrelated horse things and there is no logic, plan, or goal in their riding session. If you ride like this during your own practice time, then how can you expect to progress very quickly? If your instructor is reminding you, over and over, the same things during your lesson time, then maybe you need to think about how you are practicing.

You can begin perfect practice by the way you approach your schooling session.

Are you often rushed and struggle to find time to ride and school your horse?

Not having enough time is the first thing that often robs riders of perfect practice. Be sure to schedule enough time to do it right. If, after a long, hectic day, you still have only a limited amount of time to school, focus on one thing and do it perfectly. Don’t pick this limited time to introduce something new or work on something that challenges you. Rather, focus on something that you’re working on and coming along well. Spend the time perfecting and improving it. Use the time you have wisely.

Do you know what you need to practice?

If not, then ask your instructor to give you some homework. Ask her what you should be working on and what your schooling sessions should include. Most instructors give you a good idea of what you and your horse needs to progress, but, if not, ask.

Are you focusing on what you need to practice?

A good way to stay focused is to keep a riding journal. I ask all my students to keep a journal. At the end of a lesson, I usually ask them to give me three things that they learned or need to work on. This helps to wrap the lesson up and helps them to recall the main things that we focused on during the lesson. They then write these three things in their riding journal, along with the date, any questions that they have and want to discuss, and any other information that they choose to write in their journal. I ask them to do the same with their own schooling sessions and to refer to it often to help keep them focused on the work at hand and the ideas fresh in their minds. Review your journal and formulate a schooling plan and an idea of what you want to work on. Then practice it perfectly.

Imagine and practice perfectly.

Another thing that some of my students are very good at is to ride in their mind. They practice perfectly the new skills they’re working on in their mind. Try it and imagine riding the perfect half-halt and really imagine feeling the horse rebalance beneath you. Imagine sitting the trot with perfect posture. Imagine riding the perfect half-pass and feeling the power and strength of the horse. Whatever new skill or movement you’re working on, imagine practicing it perfectly. You’ll be amazed at the effectiveness of this exercise. Don’t imagine it less than perfect. Imagine practicing it, and practice it perfectly!

Ride accurate and perfect arena patterns.

One of the best things to learn to become a disciplined rider is to ride perfect and accurate arena patterns. This means that all circles are to be round, straight lines are to be straight, corners are not to be cut, figures of eight are to have two equal halves, and serpentine loops are to be of equal size. This also means that you must learn how large a 20-meter circle is and become comfortable riding it. This also goes for the 10-meter circle. You must discipline yourself to ride your horse on the track that you want, straight down the quarter-line or centerline. You must know when you are on the correct posting diagonal, and eventually how to automatically pick up the correct posting diagonal without looking. Practicing these things perfectly every time and every ride will help you to progress more quickly. Practicing these things perfectly is also good training for your horse. Riding perfect and accurate arena patterns has a great gymnastic value to the horse. It helps you and the horse to learn to stay on the aids as you guide him with your seat, legs, and reins. Using all your aids correctly to ride accurately helps to bend and frame the body of the horse. He learns to allow your aids to guide and shape him while you learn what aids and the varying intensities of the aids are needed to achieve your goals.

Become a detail-oriented rider.

Perfect practice means that you have to become detail oriented. Sometimes it is the little things that can make all the difference in learning a new skill, acquiring a better position, or learning a new movement. When schooling the lateral movements, it often comes down to the smallest details like the degree of the bend, maintaining the energy level, consistent rhythm throughout the movement, and the degree of collection. A strong and effective core makes all the difference in your ability to give an effective half-halt, which in turn, can make all the difference in schooling any movement. When it comes to dressage, it is about these little things, these tiny details that can make all the difference in the world.

When you practice perfectly, you give yourself the best opportunity to learn, progress, and achieve your goals. You spend the same amount of time either way, so why not practice perfectly right from the start. Don’t take short cuts or the easy way out. Don’t be a “slacker” as my one student would say. When you ride sloppy and inaccurate, you only rob yourself. You’re not spending your time, and if you’re taking regular lessons, your money wisely. So raise your standards, give it your best shot always, and expect your personal best every time. And always practice perfectly.

~This article was written by Maribeth in March 2009 – All Rights Reserved - Used With Permission. ~

Busy Hands

By Maribeth Dunlap

February 2009

Busy hands are usually the result of an ineffective seat. When the seat is not secure, or is unbalanced and out of position, the rider must use crude aids, larger movements with the hands and often the arms to try to control the horse. Any rein-aid that is not supported by the seat, becomes a rein that pulls, holds, or gives unintentional half halts and signals to the horse. This ultimately dulls the horse to the rein-aids and it all becomes a downward cycle as the rein-aids must become stronger and cruder as the horse becomes duller and more resistant. The rider shouts the aids at his horse instead of whispering them to him. This, of course, is not correct and very wrong.

The most important thing that a rider can do to quiet busy hands is to work towards acquiring a correct seat. This should be done by getting quality instruction from an instructor who understands the functions of the seat and from one who clearly understands what it means to have an effective seat. Lessons on the longe line on a reliable horse are also very helpful in establishing in the rider a secure and effective seat. (See my article – Components of a Good Position)

There are also many different exercises to help you identify the weak points in your position. Although these can’t take the place of good instruction, it can help you to become aware of any flaws that you might have in your position. In this article I’m going to discuss a few fun exercises that I have used in the past to help my own students.

Exercise 1: Sitting, Rising, & Two Point!

This is an exercise that I like to use for students who display some stiffness in their bodies, especially in the hips. Excess movement in one area of the body is usually a sign of stiffness and tightness in another area. It is also a great exercise to warm-up the body on a cold day and helps the rider become more coordinated and in tune with the movement of the horse. It can also help teach a horse to maintain the rhythm and a steady tempo while the rider makes the transitions between sitting, rising trot, and the two-point position.

After a proper warm-up in both directions, pick up a rising trot and stay on the track around the arena. Smoothly and gently, go from the rising trot to the sitting position, being careful not to sit too heavily or bounce. From the sitting position, go back to the rising trot. Now from the rising trot go smoothly into the two-point position. The two-point position is just going from the down phase of the rising trot and maintaining the up or rise phase of the rising trot. Your buttocks should not extend backwards and your shoulders should not extend forward. It is the up-phase of the rising trot, as if a photo is taken at the time. If you have some trouble at first holding your balance, place your hands on the withers to help stabilize your position. In time, though, you want to gain the strength, coordination, and balance to smoothly make the transition to two-point without altering your hand position.

When you are comfortable making the transitions between all three positions, try this exercise: Once again, on the rail at the trot, sit and count 10 strides, after 10 strides of sitting trot, immediately rise and count another 10 strides, after 10 strides of rising trot, immediately move into two-point and count yet another 10 strides. Don’t worry about what posting diagonal you’re on. Then pick another number like 6 and try the same sequence at 6 stride intervals. Work your way all the way down to every other stride and see if you can smoothly and with good mental and physical coordination make the transitions between all three positions. Work these patterns in both directions, on both reins. You can also change the pattern by riding the positions in different sequences. You can also do this exercise at the canter using the sitting and two-point positions but it is most effective at the trot.

Exercise 2: Hold That Ceiling Up!

This is a great exercise that I use for students who collapse on one side. It helps them to identify, strengthen, and stretch the muscles necessary to help them ride straight and more in balance.

You must first identify which side that is and sometimes this is helpful with someone with “eyes on the ground” or by taking a video of yourself to identify if you collapse and on what side. Begin this exercise at the sitting trot and raise your arm and point to the ceiling on the side that collapses. Next, bend your elbow out away from your body like a wing and rotate your wrist so that your palm faces upward toward the sky or ceiling of your arena. Now imagine that the ceiling is caving in and you’re trying to hold the ceiling up. It is important to keep your palm facing upwards and flat as if you are holding the flat ceiling on the palm of your hand. Keep imagining that you have to hold it up. You should feel the stretch of your muscles on your collapsed side. Practice this everyday for a few minutes here and there during your schooling session to remind you to stretch that side of your body. Practice it, then ride normally but remembering that stretched feeling. You can practice this at all three gaits and in the sitting and rising trot. You could even really challenge yourself and ride this exercise while riding the above Exercise #1.

Exercise 3: No Hands!

This is an exercise that I like to use if I have a student who is too busy with their hands or, worse yet, a student who balances on their hands. These are exercises that I use mostly on the longe line but they can also be done off the line on a horse that will safely and reliably maintain the gait, balance, and their rhythm, and stay on the track along the rail. Pick up a sitting or rising trot, and allow the reins to lay at the buckle on the withers. First allow your arms to drop and rest quietly along your sides while feeling the motion of the horse’s back with your seat. Allow your hips to flow along with the motion while sitting erect and in good posture. Next move your hands to your hips while maintaining your balance. Place your hands on your abdominals and feel them working as you stay with the motion of the movement.

You can do many things with your hands and arms with this exercise to help establish independence from the reins:

1. Point towards your horse’s ears,

2. Airplane arms reaching out to the sides,

3. Point towards the ears with one arm while pointing towards the tail with the other, and reverse,

4. Point to the sky or ceiling of your arena,

5. Imagine holding a basketball between your hands. Concentrate on keeping it the same size, as you roll it over one hip and back over the other,

6. Arm circles; large and small.

You can also use this exercise of riding with no hands while riding the first exercise in the article – Exercise # 1. The hands can be rested on the hips, extended to the sides, or holding imaginary reins. The important thing to remember though is that the hands are held in one particular position and not allowed to move about.

Exercise 4: Drop Those Irons!

Dropping the irons and riding without stirrups helps the rider to gain more confidence by helping to improve her balance. When a rider is in better balance and has more confidence, then she is apt to rely less on her hands. Well-positioned irons support the rider’s position. It is important, for safety reasons as well as coordination and confidence, to be very comfortable dropping and picking your irons back up at all three gaits.

Riding without irons is a good exercise to:

1. Lengthen and strengthen the leg,

2. Loosen and supple the hips,

3. Improves relaxation and confidence,

4. Helps the rider find independence and separation of the aids,

5. Improves coordination and balance,

6. Helps to remind the rider the importance of maintaining and not compromising a correct position and good posture.

It is best to start by dropping the irons at the walk while riding a safe and reliable horse. Start by dropping your irons and then picking them back up again. Do this by “fishing” for them with your toe. Point your toe in towards your horse’s barrel and “fish” for them. Do this until you can easily drop and pick them back up again. Next practice riding figures and different patterns and concentrate on staying centered in the saddle with even weight on both seat bones, even/level hips, and with the feeling of evenness down both legs. While you’re doing this, imagine that your core, or the trunk of your body, is inside a barrel being held stable and unable to collapse. Keep your legs and feet in proper riding position as if your feet are still in the stirrups with thighs well turned-in and toes pointing straight ahead. (Read my article – Components of a Good Position) Once you are comfortable and confident, try riding the sitting trot staying on the track along the rail. Be sure to maintain a balanced trot with steady rhythm. Do not ask for more trot than you can handle. Ask for a trot only as big as you can maintain your position, balance and confidence. Again, practice dropping your irons and picking them back up again at the trot.

When you are comfortable with this, try riding a few simple patterns while maintaining your position. Take your time and don’t expect too much at once. Take walk breaks to re-establish your position and composure. Eventually, with time and perfect practice, you’ll be able to trot without irons with ease and confidence.

When this all feels comfortable, practice going from the sitting to the rising trot and back again. This will help to strengthen the leg and gain more balance and confidence. Make sure that you’re not gripping with the calves while you do and allow the leg to remain long. Also be sure not to come back too heavily on the horse’s back. Support the transitions between the positions with your thighs and abdominal muscles.

When you feel very comfortable and confident, pick up the canter on the rail and drop your irons while maintaining your correct position and posture. Practice dropping and picking your irons back up again until you feel comfortable doing this. If your horse gets excited, strong, or quick, calmly and smoothly ask for a down transition to walk to regain his confidence. If he is accustomed to you dropping and picking up your irons at the walk and trot, then he should understand what you’re doing at the canter.

Exercise 5: Don’t Spill the Coffee, Please!

This is a good exercise to help remind the rider to keep the hands quiet and in the proper position. By imagining that you’re holding two hot cups of coffee in both hands helps to keep the thumbs on top, the wrists straight, helps maintain that straight line from the elbow to the bit, and the hands quiet. The elbows must have a soft bend in them and stay close to the hips.

Another variation to this exercise is to imagine that you’re holding a tray full of coffee (you can use any beverage you like – hot chocolate, iced tea, champagne) and you’re resting the tray on top of both hands. You don’t want to drop a hand or you’ll tip the tray and spill your drinks. You have to keep your hands quiet and still or you’ll risk toppling the tray full of beverages. You can also rest a whip under both thumbs to emulate a tray. It serves as a visual and you can easily see when you drop a hand as the whip will become crooked. You want to keep the whip level as if it were a tray full of mugs filled to the brim with hot coffee. Don’t spill a single drop!

Exercise 6: A Whip in Both Hands!

Another good exercise to keep the hands quiet is to simply hold a dressage whip in both hands. Make sure that you hold your hands in the correct position - thumbs on top, straight line from the elbow to the bit, soft bend in the elbows with the elbows resting close to the hips. You don’t want to cock the wrists, but imagine that you have splints on your wrists to keep them straight. You want to keep a soft bend in the thumb to keep the wrists soft. If you point the thumb downwards towards the neck of the horse, the ends of the whips will come up and you’ll risk hitting your horse on the croup inviting an undesired reaction. If you allow your hands to flatten – like piano hands – and ride with the back of the hands facing the sky or ceiling, then the whips will point outwards. You want to be sure that your hand position is correct and keep the whips resting on your thigh mid-way. You’ll find that you will have to rely on your seat and less on your hands to guide your horse and to make corrections and transitions. When the elbows are connected to the seat via the hips, the rein-aids become part of and are supported by the seat – which is what you should desire as a dressage rider. The rider can then begin to whisper the rein-aids to the horse as they become smaller and invisible. Crude rein-aids are no longer necessary – no more pulling, holding, jerking, and huge half-halts, as everything is more quiet and the horse can better hear and understand the rider’s requests.

Exercise 7: Holding Mane!

This is another fun and simple technique to keep hands quiet, close together, level, and learn to ride more with fingers and seat. I use this with some of my riders, as it really is revealing to them in how unnecessary crude hand movements are. This exercise is done by simply holding a small piece of mane in each hand along with the reins close to where you would normally carry your hands. Make sure the mane is the same length in both hands as you want to be sure that you’re carrying your hands level and evenly. Also make sure that you’re riding in good position/posture with a rein length that will enable you to guide your accurately. Now try walking and trotting simple patterns like figures of eight, 3-loop serpentines, changes of rein, and big and small circles. You should find that your entire body will fall into better position as you quiet your hands and sit in better balance. You’ll also find that your horse will move with more freedom, as he won’t be constricted with unnecessary and unintentional rein-aids. Your horse should move with more balance and in a better frame because you are now riding in better balance and position and perhaps not interfering with him. Everything evens out when the hands are level and even. Quiet hands tend to quiet the entire body of the rider and enables the horse to become more steady in the bridle. This exercise helps to remind you of the importance of all your aids, the importance of whispering your aids to the horse as opposed to shouting the aids, and it reveals the importance of having the correct rein length. If the reins are too long then it will be very difficult to ride accurate ring figures.

Most riders tend to shout their aids at their horse using large hand and arm movements and excessive leg movements. Often, too, the timing of the aid is muddled and the horse doesn't hear it or cannot distinguish between the aid and the excessive movement of the rider. This only dulls the horse to the aids and you end up having to use more extreme aids to get your horse to react as he shuts down and stops listening. So give this exercise and the others above a try. Have fun with them and allow them to reveal to you the weaknesses in your position. Knowing is the first step in being able to fix a problem and progress as a dressage rider.

~This article was written by Maribeth in February 2009 – All Rights Reserved - Used With Permission. ~

Becoming A Thinking Rider

By Maribeth Dunlap

February 2009

Over the many years of riding, training, taking instruction, reading and learning, I have learned and have adopted, in my own style, a systematic way of training and a systematic way of thinking. One step in the training process builds upon another. One exercise leads to the next while listening to the needs of the horse, feeling the horse, unlocking resistances and blockages that prevent a steady flow of communication within the horse. You can think of the horse as having a channel or current of energy that flows through his body. When the horse is moving in balance, with energy, straightness, rhythm, and relaxation, then this current flows effortlessly through his body. The horse’s gaits become freer and there is harmony between the horse and rider. You can feel this. This is when you have those days when it is effortless and you might say to yourself, “wow, my horse feels really good today”. But did you ever give it any thought as to why it felt so great?

When there are kinks in the system, resistances that are often created by a lack of balance, energy, straightness, rhythm, and relaxation, then this current gets kinked and stuck and doesn’t flow efficiently through the horse. It is up to you, the rider, to feel this and to correct this – to become a thinking rider. Most riders are not aware of this flow of energy and communication. Some just chalk it up to having a good or bad day. Begin to think about this, analyze it, read and study, ask questions, and teach yourself to begin to think more like a trainer, or a thinking rider. Learn to listen and feel your horse and analyze what you think he might need for that particular exercise or movement. Maybe he feels like he has no desire to move forward, think about it. Is he tight and resistant in his muscles? Is he not through over his topline? Maybe he needs more suppling and loosening work to unlock the current in his topline to allow him to move more freely forward. Try a few suppling exercises like working figures, changes of direction and bend, and/or leg yields. Then analyze to see if these exercises helped your horse. Does he feel better, the same, or worse? If he feels the same, then try another exercise. It might be as simple as allowing him to stretch forwards and downwards on a 20-meter circle with good energy at the rising trot. Try it, and then analyze it. Ask yourself; does my horse feel better after this exercise? Does my horse feel worse after this exercise? Or is there no change? If there is no change or my horse feels worse, I definitely don’t go back and repeat the same exercise because that is not what my horse needed at that moment. So, try another exercise and ask the same questions. This is how you become tuned-in to your horse and learn how to listen and feel your horse. You begin to understand and learn what he needs to progress. You become a thinking rider as you create and learn from your experiences.

So often, riders repeat the same exercises over and over with no change in the horse. They ride endless circles or stay on the track endlessly without any improvement in the horse. They ride sloppy patterns with no plan or intention. There is no connection or communication and when these things are missing, then there is no harmony between the horse and rider. Riding with intention, a purpose, a plan, and a clear goal is necessary when riding and training towards improvement. Riding arena patterns with precision and accuracy will add to the gymnastic value and discipline of your horse. All of these things are necessary in order to progress and improve your horse.

So give it a try. Learn how to think, and in doing so become a rider that also is a trainer. When you begin to think and to train, consider this: every time you sit on a horse, it then becomes your responsibility to improve that horse. In other words, when you get off a horse, that horse should be a little bit better – more balanced, more relaxed, straighter, more through, etc. – but still a little bit better than when you first got on. When you learn to think in this way, you are a thinking rider.

~This article was written by Maribeth in February 2009 – All Rights Reserved - Used With Permission. ~

Motivation and Maintaining the Momentum

By Maribeth Dunlap

December 2007

This time of year, during the holidays, it can be difficult to maintain our focus on our riding and training. An additional distraction for me is the onset of cold weather. I’m not too fond of the colder months in central Pennsylvania and it can be difficult for me to leave my warm, cozy house for the great wintry outdoors. It is funny though, because once I break through my mental barrier between my warm house and the cold outdoors, trudge to the barn, and begin my routine with my horses, I always end up thoroughly enjoying the time I spend with my horses and end up wondering why I always have such a hard time getting started? I have to push myself out the door but once there, I’m glad I did the pushing.

Getting Motivated – “Start Your Engines”

If you’re like me, getting started is the hard part. So how do we get motivated and get our engines started?

Put the holidays in perspective.

If you’re like the average person, you have too many things on your to-do list and not enough time to do them all. This is where having an accepting attitude and the ability to prioritize comes in handy. I have found that it is just best to accept that I won’t be riding as much as I’d like to. Instead of five days a week, my riding might back off to more like three times a week during the holiday season. I’ve learned to balance the things that I really would like to do for myself with those extra holiday things that need to be done. By simply adjusting my attitude, being a little more accepting of the additional load, and relaxing my focus on my training, greatly relieves the potential for stress and sets the stage for enjoying the holidays and the time I spend with my family and friends. Before long the holidays will be over and life will resume its normal routine.

“Baby, it’s cold outside!”

This is my biggest issue. I’m more of a warm weather gal and from December to March I’m always cold but I’ve come up with some things that help me get through my winter riding. During the daytime hours I keep a safe heater in my tack room. This warms my boots and gloves, warms my horses bits and tack, and gives me a room to go in and warm up in between rides and chores. I usually keep two pairs of gloves in the tack room. I put one pair in front of the heater and wear the other and then switch when my hands start to get cold. I dress in layers to keep my core warm, always beginning with a turtleneck to keep the cold air from creeping down my neck, and I wear toe-warmers and keep hand-warmers in my pockets. They are the greatest invention and can be purchased at Wal-Mart or most sporting-good stores. Once I’m on a horse working though, I warm my core and usually need to shed a layer so I always wear an outer jacket or shell that I can remove as I warm up.

“I don’t have an indoor arena.”

If you live in an area that has the four seasons like I do, it can be challenging to ride during the winter months. A solution would be to board at a local facility that has an indoor arena during the winter months. This will enable you to be consistent and effective in your riding and training. It may also provide you with a pleasant social environment, one that will be fun as you would meet new people and have opportunities to ride with other riders. So your motivators would be having the opportunity to ride in an indoor arena and making new friends.

Setting Goals.

One of the best ways to get motivated is to set some goals. Goals give you something to work towards and measure yourself with. I tend to be pretty goal-oriented so I use this to my advantage. I have many goals, some short-term and some long-term. Some are fairly specific and some are less so. An example of a short-term goal would be to perfect the symmetry of the patterns that you ride; circles, corners, diagonals, serpentines and so on. It might be improving a particular exercise or the relaxation in your horse or in your own body. Whatever it is, be sure to make it simple and achievable. Long-term goals are those that are a little further down the road. Examples might include having a goal to ride at the FEI levels of dressage someday, or to train to a certain level someday. Whatever they might be for you, make them realistic yet allow yourself to dream a bit, too. You never know what you might achieve by setting a goal and dreaming a little.

Maintaining the Momentum.

Okay, so you got through the holidays, you have solutions to deal with winter weather and you’ve set some goals. So how do you keep things going?

Take some lessons.

This is a great way to maintain your momentum and progress at the same time. Try to schedule your lessons on a regular basis and stick to the schedule. There are many ways you can schedule your lessons. For example, if you’re boarding at a busy lesson stable then you might consider a weekly private lesson, or one weekly private lesson and one weekly group lesson as this will add variety to your lessons. If you have to trailer to your lessons then once a week or a lesson every other week might be enough to keep you motivated and progressing in the right direction. Whatever your situation is, look for the opportunities and arrange your schedule so that you will have the best possible outcome. And most importantly, put it on your schedule and stick to it!

Go to a clinic.

Another way to keep you thinking forward is to participate in a clinic. Search for the opportunities and then go for it. Clinics are great motivators and give you something to work towards. It is also a great way to meet new people, network and open new doors.

Organize a Ride-A-Test Day with friends.

This is always a fun activity and can be organized in several different ways from very simple to a little more involved. The simplest way to organize a Ride A Test day is to just involve friends where you each take turns riding a dressage test and everyone then critiques it. Another way is to ask your more experienced friend(s) to act as the judge and each test is judged and scored. Simple, fun awards can be given out at the end of the day. During the winter months at my farm we would use this Ride A Test format and usually gave it fun names like “Fat and Furry” or “Wild and Wooly” and our awards were often fun and silly and given out during a pot luck dinner. You can also organize a more formal Ride A Test by running it more like an actual clinic, where you would hire a clinician to judge each ride which is then followed by instruction from the clinician which is focused on the test ridden, improving on your weaker points.

Pas de Deux Anyone?

This is another fun activity! Find a friend who is also interested in riding to music and work on a Pas de Deux (musical ride for two) over the winter months. The two of you can help to motivate each other as you plan and schedule your practice sessions together. This activity gives you the opportunity to learn so much! It teaches you many things about riding together, like symmetry, timing and spacing, rhythm and tempo, and allows you to be creative with your choreography and experiment with different music that suits you and your horses. Plan to perform it in the spring at your barn or at a schooling show. You will be amazed at how much fun this is and I am certain that you will look for new ideas and opportunities to ride to music. Use your imagination and let your creativity flow!

Gain some inspiration.

Sometimes during the winter months a little inspiration can go a long way in maintaining our motivation. Reading a good book about riding or watching videos of advanced equestrians and horses can inspire and motivate. Attend an Equine Expo or audit a top-level clinician can also give us reasons to keep thinking forward. I’ve learned just as much auditing good clinics as I have riding in them. And then there is always a Riding Vacation. There are many good quality equestrian schools out there that offer the opportunity to ride schoolmasters under excellent instruction. This could be an excellent opportunity to travel to another country and experience the culture while making progress in your riding. Or you might prefer to stay in this large country and experience another state while taking advantage of the excellent schools that are offered here.

Volunteer.

Sometimes one of the best ways to stop thinking about ourselves is to help someone else. There are countless ways that you can volunteer. Search for riding schools or Therapeutic Riding Centers that are always in need of an extra pair of hands and a broad smile. The Animal Shelters are always in need of help. Get involved with your local USDF-GMO or equestrian club and see what you can do to get something started in your local area to promote your club and your particular discipline. Search for the opportunities and then jump right in. All organizations are always looking for energetic and enthusiastic people to help and it is a wonderful way to maintain your own momentum.

Take a break.

Finally, sometimes what we really need is a break. Just like taking a short catnap in the afternoon, a break from our normal routines can help to refresh and re-motivate. I think, too, that our horses appreciate a break from their normal routines once in a while so it only stands to reason, that we also benefit from a break. So if you’re feeling stressed and your normal routine is beginning to feel more like a burden, allow yourself to take some time off. Do something completely different or do nothing at all. And how do you know if a break is what you needed? Just like our horses, if we feel better, rejuvenated and ready to jump back into our routines, then a break is just what we needed. I sincerely hope that the above suggestions will help those that struggle this time of year. I’ve been a horsewoman living in the northeast for most of my life and I have used these simple things to help keep me motivated and thinking forward.

Keep on keeping on.

Maribeth

This article was written by Maribeth Dunlap in December 2007 – All Rights Reserved - Used With Permission.

Work on the Longe

By Maribeth Dunlap

October 2007

There are many benefits and reasons for longeing. Longeing is an art itself and it takes many years of good practice to become effective. Longeing is meant to prepare a horse mentally and physically for under-saddle work and should be approached in a step-by-step, systematic fashion, building one step on top of another. With the use of proper and correctly adjusted equipment, longeing can strengthen and help condition muscle, it can teach the horse the commands, and help the horse to carry itself in balance. It is important to understand that longeing should never be used for the horse to blow off steam. He should never be allowed to run and behave badly at the end of the longe line as this is when injuries happen and bad behaviors are learned. Longeing should be viewed and understood as another training tool and should be done with the proper equipment and in the proper setting.

The equipment needed to longe effectively is:

• Longe line

• Cavesson

• Surcingle

• Properly adjusted side-reins

• Longe whip

• Bridle with bit

• Saddle as part of the horses every day riding apparel

• Protective boots or wraps for the horse

• Gloves for the handlers

• Helmets are another safety option for the handlers

The proper setting is one that is calm and controlled. Either the use of the circular pen or an assistant is needed for the young, rehab, or spoiled horse.

Longeing as part of the training of the young horse:

Longeing is part of the systematic training and development of the young horse. When the young horse has reached a certain age and level of physical and mental maturity, he should be started on the longe line. This is, of course, after he has been handled, groomed, led, worn his saddle, bridle, cavesson, surcingle, and boots, etc. and he has become comfortable with this. Everything should be done systematically and in stages. The young horse should never be over-whelmed by introducing too much at one time, but rather by presenting each new piece after he has become used to and comfortable with the previous piece. The same goes with longeing. When beginning the young horse on the longe, the aid of assistants or the use of a circular pen is necessary. Without a circular pen, one person stands at the center holding the longe line while an assistant is at the head of the horse on the outside of the circle to help direct the horse around. Another assistant can walk calmly behind the horse holding and directing the longe whip so that the person in the center can hold the longe line and direct the horse. The side reins are at their longest position and should be introduced one at time, beginning with the inside side rein. The use of a circular pen can alleviate the need for the assistant at the head of the horse. When the horse is comfortable and clearly understands the work on the longe, there is no longe the need for the assistant and longeing can eventually take place outside the circular pen. Everything is to be done in a calm and controlled setting. The horse is not asked to move to trot until he is completely comfortable at the walk. The horse is not asked to canter on the longe line for some time until he is completely comfortable and understands the longe work at the walk and trot. Everything is done in equal amounts in both directions beginning with only a couple minutes in each direction in the early stages, maybe five minutes, and building from there to maybe ten to fifteen minutes. Fifteen to twenty minutes of quality work in each direction five days a week is plenty of work for the young horse on the longe line. Longeing the young horse in a systematic manner with correctly adjusted side-reins can build strength and stamina and help condition the muscles of the horse to prepare him for work under-saddle. It also helps to teach the horse to move in relaxation, balance and with regular steps, and in good rhythm. These are the basic elements of any good training system. It also teaches the horse to focus and listen to the handler and helps to establish the role of the handler as “trainer” and “number one” in the herd of two. It introduces the horse to voice commands, body language and to the whip as a training aid (never as a punishment) which all helps to prepare the horse for future work under-saddle.

Longeing as part of rehab:

Longeing is part of the process for rehabbing a horse. If a horse has suffered an injury and has required rest, longeing in a safe and systematic way can help to build strength and muscle. It is all done as above and in a calm and controlled setting. The horse should never be allowed to play and blow off steam and energy at the end of the longe line as, depending upon the nature of the original injury, can potentially re-injure himself. Longeing is a part of the process. One should begin by exercising the horse in-hand with long walks and hand grazing. As the horse becomes stronger and more calm then short longe sessions can begin at the walk, then later at the trot and eventually adding the canter work. Most likely longe work should start with only a couple minutes in each direction and slowly build from there. Veterinarian advice should always be acquired when putting a horse back into work after an injury or lay-up.

Longeing as part of remaking of the spoiled horse:

Longeing is a vital part of remaking the spoiled horse. Longeing can help to teach the horse to work with you and not against you, it can help to bring the horse onto your page and your way of thinking, and can help to establish your role as trainer and number one in your herd of two. Longeing can help to introduce the horse to the controlled gaits on a circle, to your voice commands, body language and the whip as an aid. With properly adjusted side-reins, longeing can also help to correctly condition the horses muscles and teach him to carry himself in balance. When the horse learns to move in balance this affects his self-confidence. Longeing the spoiled horse is a smart safe step to make before the under-saddle part of his training. Longeing in this circumstance might take place for the first couple weeks of the spoiled horse’s training before any under-saddle work would begin. Again all work should be done lightly at first and build slowly as the horse’s strength, fitness, confidence, willingness and understanding increases.

Longeing as part of introducing the horse to new situations:

When a horse is comfortable with longeing and it is a regular part of his training regime, then longeing can be very useful when introducing the horse to a new environment or situation. You present something that he is familiar with and knows in the new setting. Longeing at a horse’s first few competitions lends familiarity to new situations for the horse. In this case, Iongeing can be done to prepare and calm the horse mentally and is only done until the horse settles in to the new environment. It has been my experience that this has only taken a few minutes in both directions until the horse shows relaxation. Hand-walking and grazing is also helpful in new situations.

Longeing as part of the on-going training of the horse:

Longeing should always be part of the horses on-going training program. There are stages during the on-going training process that longeing can prove beneficial. Performing transitions with correctly adjusted side-reins on the longe line can engage and lighten the horse is just one example. Proper adjustment of the side-reins can help to straighten the horse is another example. Like jumping, longeing can be another aspect of training that can help to keep the horse fresh and enjoy variety in his work. Sometimes beginning with a couple minutes on the longe line before under-saddle work can shorten the warm-up process and prepare the horse mentally to work with the rider. Longeing should never be done for long periods of time as it can stress the legs of the horse. Twenty to thirty minutes in each direction working all 3 gaits with frequent short walk breaks is plenty of work on the longe line for the fit and more advanced horse.

Longeing as part of the training of the rider:

Finally, longeing SHOULD be part of the training of the rider. It is on the longe line on a well-trained longe horse that the beginner rider can learn to ride in balance, control the movements of his body, learn how to relax and feel and follow the movement of the horse. It is most important for the rider to be in complete control of his own balance before he picks up the reins and learns to guide and influence the horse. Riding on the longe line is invaluable to the beginner rider and also important for the more polished rider. Undesired habits can creep into our posture and it is the wise horseman who seeks out an occasional longe line lesson, as our posture is most important in effectively influencing our horses with the most minimal of aids. And it is when we’ve achieved this that we are truly dancing with our horses without the use of crude and loud aids. There are many other aspects of longeing and this article should not be viewed as a complete guide. There are many good books that discuss this topic in detail and I advise you to read as much on the subject as possible but most importantly, take some lessons from a trainer who is accomplished in the art of longeing. These are very valuable lessons and should be highly regarded as such.

This article was written by Maribeth in October 2007 – All Rights Reserved Used With Permission.

Riding Accurate Arena Patterns

By Maribeth Dunlap

September 2007

There are three basis gymnastic tools that a rider can use to train a horse:

1. The seat and aids

2. The movements

3. The arena patterns.

Riding accurate arena patterns is a very important concept to the training of the horse and rider. This is not just a dressage concept either as it is very important to ride corners, turns and straight lines accurately when jumping a course of fences. Riding accurate figures can improve a horse, and conversely, riding willy-nilly, sloppy ring figures can be counter-productive and make the horse worse. Riding a circle accurately, or any figure, for that matter, has great gymnastic value to the horse. It helps to straighten the horse and make him supple and flexible. If you allow the horse to constantly fall out of a circle on a particular spot, you are doing nothing to improve the horse. If you are not able to keep the horse on a particular line, then how are you going to be able to ride a half-pass or shoulder-in? By riding accurate figures you learn to feel what the horse needs and learn to control the shoulders and haunches of the horse. The goal is to be able to ride any transition, any turn, any change of direction anytime and anywhere in the arena that you choose. This way the horse begins to wait and listen more attentively. He expects the unexpected and this actually helps improve his mobility and flexibility.

It is important to discipline yourself to ride accurately. Ride your corners correctly and appropriately for the developmental stage of your horse. Don’t cut your corners as you prepare to change rein across the diagonal. Ride an accurate 20-meter circle and make it round and not oval or pear shaped. Become familiar with the different terminology and different lines and patterns available to you. There really is an endless supply of patterns, which is only limited by your own imagination. Most riders get stuck just using a few and risk getting stuck in the same routine everyday. It is important to keep trying new patterns and even inventing new patterns.

Here is a brief list of some common lines and patterns:

• Half school (E – B line) • Whole school (following the track around the entire arena)

• Center line (from A – C)

• Quarter line • Long diagonal (F-X-H, K-X-M)

• Short diagonals (K0B, H0B, F-E, M-E)

• Circles of various sizes

• Figure 8s

• Reversing into the corner

• Reversing out of the corner

• Changing out of the circle

• Changing through the circle

• Single loops

• Double loops

• Serpentines from long side to long side

• Shallow serpentines

• 3-Stride corner turns

These are just a few examples of the more common lines and arena patterns. Be creative and try combining one pattern into another. Don’t be limited to circle; try riding squares or diamonds. Ride a series alternating different shapes and different sizes and with frequent changes of direction and bend. The important thing is to plan your pattern ahead of time, prepare your horse for the pattern, and most importantly, ride the pattern accurately. The more disciplined you become in riding accurate arena patterns, the more you will improve your horse gymnastically and you will become more aware and better able to feel and to correct the parts of your horse’s body.

This article was written by Maribeth 2007 – All Rights Reserved Used With Permission.

USDF Glossary of Judging Terms

(This is not the complete list; only those terms most related to the horse score in vaulting are listed here.)

Acceptance - Lack of evasion, resistance, or protest; acquiescence. Used in reference to the horse's unresistant willingness to allow the maintenance of a steady contact, the application of aids, and/or the placement of the rider's weight.

Activity Energy, vigor, liveliness - referring especially to that of the hindlegs.

Alignment - The lining up of the horse's body parts from tail to poll.

Balance -  Relative distribution of the weight of horse and rider upon the fore and hind legs (longitudinal balance) and the left and right legs (lateral balance). The horse is in good balance when the weight is distributed evenly left and right, and sufficiently toward the rear legs that it can easily manage the task at hand. Loss of balance means the sudden increase of weight onto the forehand and/or to one side.

Beat -

1. A footfall within a gait. A hoof, or pair of hooves virtually simultanosly striking the ground. By this definition the walk has four beats, the trot has two, and the canter three.

2. The emphasized beat (as in music). By this definition the walk has two beats, the trot has two and the canter has one beat.

Behind the Vertical  - The head position in which the horse's nostril falls behind the imaginary vertical line dropped from the horse's eye (i.e., toward the chest). The horse may or may not be behind the bit.

Bend  - The laterally arced position in which the horse's body appears to form an even curve from poll to tail.  Examples of faulty bend are: bending only in the neck, only at the base of the neck, or bent the wrong direction.

Cadence  - The marked accentuation of the rhythm and (musical) beat that is a result of a steady and suitable tempo harmonizing with a springy impulsion.

Carriage - The posture of the horse, most easily evaluated when the horse's profile or outline.

Connection  - State in which there is no blockage, break, or slack in the circuit that joins horse and rider into a single harmonious unit. The unrestricted flow of energy and influence from and through the rider to and throughout the horse, and back to the rider. See throughness.

Constrained  - Forced or compelled against the will, resulting in undue sustained muscular contraction. E.g., the horse may be constrained to bend, or flex, or to move forward at speed.

Constricted - Limited by constraint, restraint, or sustained muscular contraction. Held together, forcefully shortened, or physically tight.

Correctness  - The straightness of the action of the limbs (e.g., faults would be winging, paddling, ringing hocks). Not the same as Purity. Dressage judges deal with Correctness only indirectly; that is, to the degree that it affects the purity or quality of the gait. Breeding class judges address Correctness directly.

Cross-Canter - The horse canters on one lead in front and the other lead behind. Same as Disunited. Disunited Same as Cross-Canter.

Elasticity - The ability or tendency to stretch and contract the musculature smoothly, giving the impression of "stretchiness" or "springiness".

Engagement -  Increased flexion of the joints of the hind legs, during its weight-bearing phase. This causes a relative lowering of the quarters/raising of the forehand, thus shifting more of the task of loading-bearing to the hindquarters. A prerequisite for upward thrust/impulsion. Engagement is not flexion of the hocks or "hock action" in which the joints of the hind legs are markedly flexed while the leg is in the air. Nor is engagement merely the length of the step of the hind leg forward toward the horse's girth - that is reach of the hind leg.

Evasion - Avoidance of the difficulty, correctness, or purpose of the movement, often without active resistance or disobedience (e.g., tilting head, open mouth, broken neckline, etc.). Bit evasions are means of avoiding correct contact with the bit.

Flexion  - Articulation of a joint so that the angle between the bones is decreased. Lateral and longitudinal flexion are commonly referred to as flexion "at the poll".

Impulsion - Thrust. Releasing of the energy stored by engagement. In dressage, impulsion is associated with a phase of suspension such as exists in trot and canter, but does not exist in walk. Therefore, impulsion is not applicable to the walk. [Note: It may be enlightening to compare the original French with the later English translation of the FEI score sheets under "Impulsion." The English translation of the French reads, "the desire to move forward," whereas what the French actually says is, "the desire to carry himself forward" ("Le desire de se porter en avant").]

Obedience - Willingness to perform the movement, transition, or figure asked by the rider. May demonstrate resistance or evasion, yet still be obedient (e.g., the horse may perform a series of flying changes without mistakes and in the right place, but is behind the bit, tilted in the head with mouth open and tail swishing, reluctant to cover enough ground, etc., thus he obediently performs the task, but not necessarily submissively, supplely, etc.).

On the Aids - Well-connected, on the bit, in front of the leg, and responsive.

Pace  -

1. The variation within the gait; e.g., collected, working, lengthened, medium, extended. The variation in meters per minute occurs ideally because of the change in stride length, with no change in tempo. [NOTE: The FEI Rules for Dressage are at this time without any specific term for what in English (per Webster) is correctly called "pace." Further, the FEI translation of the French l'allure was "pace," rather than the more exact English translation of "gait".]

2. A gait in which the lateral pairs of legs move in unison (also called "amble") - not a dressage gait.

Poll - The highest point of the horse's skull (the occipital crest). In common dressage usage, "flexion at the poll" refers to the longitudinal or lateral flexion of the joint immediately behind the poll.

Purity - Correctness of the order and timing of the footfalls of the gaits.

Quality - The quality of a gait refers to its freedom/amplitude, elasticity, fluency, etc. Not the same as Purity or Correctness.

Resistance - Physical opposition by the horse against the rider. Not synonymous with disobedience nor with Evasion. Can be momentary or pervasive.

Rhythm  - The characteristic sequence of footfalls and phases of a given gait. For purposes of dressage, the only correct rhythms are those of the pure walk, pure trot, and pure canter (not those of amble, pace, rack, etc.). [NOTE: Rhythm is sometimes used mistakenly to mean tempo; this usage is not consistent with the correct English definition of "rhythm" (per Webster), nor with its normal usage in the music world.]

Scope - Amplitude (reach and roundness) of movement.

Self-Carriage - State in which the horse carries itself without taking support or balancing on the rider's hand.

Straightness -  

1. Parallelism to required line of travel (e.g. haunches neither left nor right of centerline)

2. Alignment of body parts appropriate to the task at hand (e.g. not a popped shoulder or twisted neck).

3. Directness of line of travel (e.g. not weaving).

Submission  - Compliance. Throughness and Obedience. The yielding of the horse's will to that of the rider, as revealed by a constant attention, willingness, and confidence in the attitude of the horse, as well as by the harmony and ease displayed in the correct execution of the movements, including correct bend, acceptance of and obedience to the rider's aids, and a balance appropriate to the task at hand.

Suppleness  - Pliability; ability to smoothly adjust the carriage (longitudinally) and the position or bend (laterally), without impairment of the flow of movement, or of the balance.

Suspension - The moment or phase of the trot or canter in which the horse has no feet on the ground.

Tempo -  Beats per minute, as would be determined by a metronome. [NOTE: Some Europeans use the term "tempo" to refer to what in English is more correctly called Pace.]

Throughness  - The supple, elastic, unblocked, connected state of the horse's musculature that permits an unrestricted flow of energy from back to front and front to back, which allows the aids/influences to freely go through to all parts of the horse (e.g., the rein aids go through and reach and influence the hind legs). Synonymous with the German term "Durchlaessigkeit," or "throughlettingness." See Connection.

The Mysterious Half-Halt

By Maribeth Dunlap

April 2007

There are as many definitions of how to ride a half-halt as there are definitions of what it actually is. It is no wonder that so much has been written and so many videos have been produced on this single subject and yet it still seems to remain a mystery to some and a controversy to others.

Let’s first consider the FEI definition of a half halt taken from the USEF rulebook:

The half-halt is a hardly visible, almost simultaneous, coordinated action of the seat, the legs and the hand of the rider, with the object of increasing the attention and balance of the horse before the execution of several movements or transitions between gaits or paces. In shifting slightly more weight onto the horse’s quarters, the engagement of the hind legs and the balance on the haunches are facilitated for the benefit of the lightness of the forehand and the horse’s balance as a whole.

And now let’s look at the definition taken from The Principles of Riding, The Official Instruction Handbook of the German National Equestrian Federation:

Half-halts are used:

• When riding a transition from one gait to another

• To shorten or adjust the strides within a gait

• To alert the horse prior to a new exercise or movement

• To improve or maintain the horse’s collection, carriage and balance within a movement.

To perform a half-halt, the rider places more weight on his seat bones by tightening his back muscles, pushes the horse forward with his legs, and uses a carefully measured asking or non-yielding rein aid followed with a minimum delay by a yielding rein.

To sum up, it could be said that half-halts consist of a combination of all the aids and are essential for controlled, accurate riding. A half-halt consists in briefly ‘enclosing’ the horse a little more between the weight, leg and rein aids, and then yielding with the reins again.

At the first signs of success, the rider should become lighter in his hands again. If necessary, the half-halt can be repeated several times. The half-halt is not a ‘one off’ action: it should be repeated as often as necessary, i.e. until is has fulfilled its purpose.

I tend to follow more of the Classical definition of the half-halt:

• To rebalance

• A call to attention or to give notice

• A preparation

• To increase the collection thus changing the weight distribution from the front legs to the hindquarters in which to prepare for a transition

• To engage the hindquarters or, to be more specific, engage a particular hind leg.

As you can see, most definitions of what is a halt-halt and what is the purpose or goal are similar. There are more differences though in how to execute or ride a half-halt. Perhaps one of the reasons for the many definitions of the half-halt is that people have different perceptions of what they actually do to execute an effective half-halt. And perhaps another reason is that horses vary in sensitivity from one individual to the next. Some horses are so sensitive that just a simple inhale from the rider can produce an effective half-halt. And then there are others who are less sensitive and need stronger leg and seat aids. And then there are those who choose to ignore the seat aid altogether and run into an unyielding hand. I refer to this as a Half Nelson and usually not very pleasant.

One thing that is not too often talked about is the criteria that are necessary to perform an effective halt-halt. First of all, the horse needs to be working in relaxation. This means that there should be no blockages or bracing throughout the horse’s body. He should move forward with good energy, impulsion and swing. He should have a softness and relaxation in his jaw and should yield his jaw and poll to the riders soft closing of the fingers. The horse should have some stability at the base of his neck and there should be an open channel through the entire horse from his hind hoof to the hand of the rider allowing the energy or engagement to flow through the horse and be received in the hand. You can think of this as a flow of electricity or energy and if there is a kink in the line then the flow is interrupted. If the horse is truly soft and there are no blockages, you can actually feel the hind leg in the hand on the same side as a little pulse or ebb and flow.

The other important thing that is also not too often discussed is the timing of the half-halt. If the timing is not correct, then this often leads to more bracing and a loss of relaxation. Usually the poorly timed aid is applied again and usually stronger which leads to more bracing and more tension. The rider usually then blames the horse for a lack of responsiveness and thus begins the downward spiral of stronger aids and a duller horse.

In order to understand the timing of the half-halt, it is first important to learn to feel the footfalls of the horse and when each hind leg is coming forward and when it is on the ground.

There are three phases of the hind leg:

• Engaging Phase – moving off the ground and reaching forwards under the belly

• Carrying Phase – on the ground under the belly (in front of the vertical)

• Thrusting Phase – on the ground behind the horse (behind the vertical) and pushing the horse forward.

It is important to learn to feel and recognize this through your seat and to then execute the correct timing of the aid. When the timing is correct, there is harmony and ease between the horse and rider and a wonderful feeling that you will crave during every ride. The correct timing for the half-halt is during the carrying phase, when the hind leg first touches the ground in front of the vertical and is carrying weight and the hindquarters are flexing. The half-halt can only last as long as the hind leg is in the carrying phase, which is only a fraction of a second. If the aid lasts longer then the horse will brace, come against the hand or above the bit, and shorten his stride. The result would be a loss of relaxation, balance and collection, all of which is opposite of the goal of the half-halt. So it is very important to remember that it is not a prolonged tightening of the back, closing of the fingers, crunch of the abdominals or death grip of the legs. And it is most definitely not a dead pull or backwards action of the hands. It is better to think of it as engaging the hindquarters with a soft touch of the calves, a brief tightening of the core, and then receive this energy for a moment in your fingers, followed immediately with a softening of the fingers or a release. So it is a series of brief *send*receive*release*send*receive*release* aids until the horse yields, engages, flexing his hindquarters and becoming more elevated in his shoulders or simply put – more collected.

So as you can see riding an effective half-halt is a bit more technical than simply pulling back on the reins. But don’t give up. Begin by learning to recognize the footfalls of the horse and then go from there. If you take the time right from the start, you will eventually experience harmony, ease of movement and lightness like you’ve never felt before. Only then will you truly dance in harmony with your horse.

This article was written by Maribeth 2007 – All Rights Reserved Used With Permission.

Flexion and Bend/Lateral and Longitudinal

By Maribeth Dunlap

February 2007

I often run into folks who seem to not fully understand the differences and meanings of flexion and bend. Flexion refers only to the joint at the poll. Bend refers to the entire horse from the poll to the tail.

There are two types of flexion and bend, lateral and longitudinal. Lateral has to do with the right and left sides of the horse. Longitudinal has to do with the topline of the horse.

Lateral Flexion is when the horse looks slightly right or left (side to side) and is flexed only in the poll area while the rest of the body is straight. Lateral Bend refers to a continuous bend through the whole horse, either bending right or left, from his poll to his tail.

Longitudinal Flexion refers to the “yes” movement of the horse’s head at the poll area. When a horse flexes longitudinally, his head (or face) comes closer to the vertical line. Longitudinal Bend refers to the “roundness” of the topline through the whole horse from the horse’s poll to his tail. The horse stretches towards the bit while engaging and lowering his haunches creating a rounded topline.

Note: there can be flexion without bend, but there can be no bend without flexion.

Positioning is another term for Lateral Flexion.

This article was written by Maribeth 2007 – All Rights Reserved Used With Permission.

The Aids

By Maribeth Dunlap

January 2007

Aids are what we use to communicate with and influence the horse. An aid should be applied lightly and briefly. The stronger the aids, the duller the horse will become. It is important to teach the horse to respond to the lightest of aids. The lighter the aid, the more subtle and invisible the rider can become, and gives the impression of being in unison and harmony. An aid shouldn’t any longer than a fraction of a second. If it lasts longer, then is works against the sequence of the footfalls and can produce the opposite result, which is bracing and resisting, and a loss of forward energy as the horse sucks back. So it is important that the timing of the aid is correct. (More on the timing of the aids in another article)

The Primary aids are:

• The seat

• The legs

• The hands

The Auxiliary aids are:

• The voice

• The whip

• The spurs

The Primary Aids

The seat aid refers to the parts of the rider’s body from the thighs to the core and abdominal muscles. The seat is the main control center for all the aids and is the most important aid. If the rider does not have an educated seat, one that is effective and independent, then the other aids become less effective. Often when the rider lacks a good seat, then he must rely on stronger hands and legs, which often leads to resistances in the horse and a less than effective communication system. An educated seat transmits and coordinates the aids just as in an orchestra where the conductor coordinates all the musical parts and can perform a beautiful symphony.  The seat coordinates and supports the other aids so that the legs and hands can become more subtle. The best way to achieve an educated seat is to spend time on the lunge line on a safe lunge horse under the eye of an educated instructor.

The legs primary role is to send the horse forward by touching the sides of the horse gently with the calves. The heels do not pull up but stay pressed down. It is really the calves that touch and press and release to indicate the aid. The legs can also indicate to the horse to bend either left or right or to yield as in a leg yield or lateral movement.

The hands indicate direction and bend. The hands can yield to allow the forward energy created by the legs to go forward, receive forward energy, or redirect the forward energy. The hands should never block the forward energy created by the legs and, most definitely, should never pull backwards. The hands should remain close together and in front of the rider’s core with soft bending elbows, which rest close to the rider’s sides. The fingers should be softly closed around the reins as if he were gently holding tiny birds; closed enough to not allow them to fly away, yet soft enough so as not to crush them. It is important to keep the wrists relaxed and not stiff. Stiff wrists will prevent the rider from having an elastic contact with the horse’s mouth. It is also important to not cross the rein over the horse’s neck as it creates an incorrect action on the horse’s mouth. The hands should only be used in conjunction with the seat and legs and never alone and unsupported by the seat and legs.

The Auxiliary Aids

The rider’s voice, the whip and the spurs are used to make the rider’s intentions clearer to the horse and to reinforce the Primary aids; the seat, legs and hands.

The voice is used especially in the early training of young horses. It can also give the horse confidence. The tone is the most important faction the use of the voice. A calm, low-pitched voice has a calming effect, whereas a short, sharp word can indicate a need for a change or to indicate disapproval. A quick cluck can encourage and a reassuring voice is helpful when introducing the horse to a new exercise or to new surroundings or stimuli.

The whip is used to make the horse more alert and responsive. It can improve the activity of the hind legs and bring the horse “to the leg” or help to put the horse “in front of the leg”. The whip helps to support the forward driving aids. It is important to remember that the whip is an aid and should be used in such a manner. It should be used, like all aids, briefly and beginning with a light touch. Remember that you want to train the horse to react to light aids, not ones that are strong and severe. If the horse does not respond to the light touch, then press and then quickly vibrate the whip. Save the strong whip aid as the last resort. Always give the horse the opportunity to respond to the lightest of aids.

The spurs are used to enable the rider to apply his leg aids with more finesse and to reinforce the leg. The spur is mainly used for the lateral movements and for collection. The correct use of the spur helps to engage the hind legs of the horse. As with all the aids, the use of spurs should be kept brief and to the point. Constant nagging or using strong aids will only dull the horse and make him less responsive. Also, it is very important that the rider has an educated seat and independent aids before wearing spurs. The rider should have complete control over his body so as to prevent unnecessary jabbing with the spurs.

I’m going to add feel or equestrian tact as I think this deserves to be noted. The rider needs to learn to feel the horse move underneath him. It is important to learn to feel the footfall sequence of the horse in all three gaits and to feel when the horse is moving straight or when he is crooked.

Feel is important to be able to apply the aids:

• in the correct manner • with the correct timing

• with the correct intensity

• with the correct ratios of seat, leg and rein

Developing feel is essential to refine the aids and make them more subtle and helps to develop a harmonious, confident and effective relationship between the horse and the rider.

Co-ordination of the Aids

The aids serve as signals, communicate and influence the horse, that it should move in a certain direction, carry it’s body in a certain way, and so perform exercises. The rider achieves this by using a combination of all the aids. Any one of the aids used alone cannot be effective. Only when the aids are coordinated can they be effective. Think of the orchestra again, the aids should be used like an orchestra, coordinated and working together to produce beautiful music. The correct coordination of the aids is only possible if the rider has an educated seat. The rider must be in complete control over his body to be able to apply the aids independently of the horse’s movement. To be successful, the rider must become skillful, coordinated and learn tact and finesse and be able to feel and understand how the horse is moving underneath him.

This article was written by Maribeth January 2007 – All Rights Reserved Used With Permission.