Scale of Training of the Horse notes

BLUE GATE FARM

Collection 

Degree of collection according to training level of horse

Neck and topline arches with the degree of collection

  More manouverable, lighter feeling on the riens

Hindquarters lower (Carries weight on hindquarters)

 Steps are shorter but higher because of impulsion, upward mobility 

    

Impulsion 

The desire to go forwards

Develops power and strength.  Moves slowly with power

Movement appears effortless

Power of the horse.

Back muscles ripple, hindquarters lower 

Riding overbent prevents the horse from having impulsion

Moves forward willingly     In front of the leg

Straightness 

Hindlegs follow the front legs 

Equal on both sides      Ears level         Rider sits straight 

 Must be straight to collect.              Evenly developed on both sides

Contact 

Acceptance of the bit.  

Slight chewing of the bit, with (some) foam 

Horse should be able to stretch down, keeping nose in front of vertical on long rein.  

Reins, legs, set are part of contact.  

Supports the horse. Gives confidence   

“On the bit”

Rhythm 

Regular paces  Horse must be loose to have rhythm.   

Tempo is speed of the rhythm is  

4 beat walk 2 beat trot 3 beat canter

Suppleness 

Loose, relaxed and through      Trusts rider

Horse works through his back (Durchlassigkeit) 

Swinging tail indicates relaxed mentally and physically   

Longitdudinal Lateral

Scale of Training of the Horse

Quality of work changes with the training of the horse.  

Determined by the horse as every horse is different. 

Signs a Horse is working correctly

Two top muscles on the neck are seen to flex.  

Crest flops as turns, changes the rein. 

Muscles join withers without a dip and are wider at withers than at the poll.

Muscle under the neck is small, and loose.

Poll is relaxed.  Ears moving, not pricked or kept back.

Nose is in front of vertical (how much depends on the strength of the horse).  

Quietly mouthing the bit, with some foam

Neck is long and low with an upward arch

Belly muscles toned and lifting the back up.  Loins lifted.  

Hindquarters are round.  Big thighs.

Tail swinging gently.

Hind legs move forward, underneath the horse.  Legs evenly muscled.

 Works up hill

Unbalanced horse will thunder and kick up dust.

All horses should have these qualities.

A right handed rider will be stronger on the right side of their body.  Their horse’s hindquarters will move away from their right leg.

Look to where you are going the same as the horse is looking:  Do not turn your head.

Rider leaning to the inside will cause the horse to turn his head out on turns (bending lines)

Sacral lumbar joint is the point of croup

Rain Scald found!

I found some rain scald on Norman's back yesterday.  I guess with all the rain we have been having.  Lily was ok.  I must check all the other horses.  Thankfully, we have a beautiful sunny day today so the horses will be able to dry out.  I have never come across rain scald here, but then we don't normally have so much rain.  It has been terrible.  The horses are not going into the trees for shelter (or the loafing shed..but then it does face east and they prefer south facing loafing sheds).

I rubbed Norman's lumps and they came off.  He really enjoyed the rub (otherwise I would have left them alone).  He was ok for his lesson (actually he was wonderful in his lesson).  He taught his student to let go…release the reins after asking for a halt, down transition.  He HATES having the rein pressure on for too long.

I decided that Norman deserved a new blanket.  I hope he likes the colour. (black and burgundy from Champion blankets in Richmond, BC)

Conrad Schumacher Clinic for April 2015

"If I can make the rider better, I can make the horse better."
Conrad Schumacher

• 2015 Conrad Schumacher Clinic Series Dates
  

• April 4th to April 9th. 2015
• Cost of auditing is $35/day, including lunch, $60/2 days, and $70 for all 3 days

CONTACT DETAILS

• Email: Merryl Vines  

• Phone: (206) 619-0145

This is in Seattle area.  A nice farm with very nice people.  

Riding in Alignment

Riding in alignment

It really shouldn't be that difficult but if your saddle doesn't put you in the correct position it is an uphill battle.  If your body is crooked then you haven't a hope of sitting and riding straight.  Not all crookedness problems are the horse's.

Look at your self in a mirror.  With clothes on works.  Check the waist, shoulders, hands where they end, knees, ears.  If you have anything that is off the horizontal you are affecting the horse.

Bowen Therapy, Alexander Technique, Physiotherapist can all help with your imbalances and stiffness.

Pilates yoga is also good for strength building and suppleness.  Just don't cheat..try too hard to get further because that is when you get out of alignment.

You really do have to ride with a straight line from ear, shoulders, hips, heels.  It matters to the horse.

A riding instructor that focuses on the position of the rider will also improve the horse.   Watch George Morris, or read his writings.  He focuses on the rider.  Conrad Schumacher, focuses on the rider.  These two men are very well known for the success of their students.  Do you think rider position is important?

 It is the signals the rider gives that affect the horse.  It isn't a chicken and egg question.

If you are straight, physically, on the ground.  Then you can look at your saddle.  People come in many different body styles.  The saddle you use should be comfortable and put you in the correct position.  It should also be comfortable for the horse.

Signs of saddle discomfort for the horse
head up, back dropped:  all the time, in certain paces or activities, during transitions
head tossing, tail swishing, pinned ears, won't let you mount (it isn't a training issue it is the horse talking to you), sensitive back (grooming or saddling up), doesn't like the girth being done up, laying down when you mount

Signs of saddle discomfort for the rider
pushing back to the canter
leaning forward
 unable to sit the trot or canter (also stiffness in rider's hips)
 wiggling
panty line pain
 bladder infections
sore back (rider's)
tire easily

Signs that the saddle doesn't fit the rider
feet in front of knees (chair seat)
feet swing back too far
feeling enclosed (too small, no room to move)
too much room

Classical riding focuss on the rider, with the welfare of the horse being important.

More reading
Jochen Schleese's website, "Suffering in Silence" (book)
Susanne von Dietz's books, articles, columns
Eckart Meyners' books
Dr. Gerd Heuschmann's books

Eckart Meyners new book arrived yesterday

I got time to read and look at the pictures of Eckart Meyner's latest translated book..Rider + Horse = 1.  I had emailed Eckart Meyner's about a book I was looking for to see if it had been translated..no.  I think this book will do and the other book Book and Mind definately..I hope will have the information I am looking for (riding exercises for students on the lunge).

The good news is that Eckart Meyners says that the student should ride with their leg relaxed, when riding without stirrups.  That is the way I rode (without stirrups) and so much easier than holding the leg position.  (He says that it tenses the rider therefore the leg should just hang…which makes sense when one stops and thinks about it).


I must figure out how to post photographs.  No pictures is so….

thought for the day: training with fear

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Dressage Symposium with Gerd Heuschmann and Ellen Bonje, 2015

Interesting to see two points of view in one lesson.  The riders were great.  At one point I thought they were riding with big errors so we could see the changes.
Gerd comes from a classical…the horse is every thing back ground and Ellen comes from let s compete.

I think that if your horse is correct in the basics then the things the horse will do well will be even better.  I would rather have a horse that is correct in the basics.  Competiton has never been my forte so not surprise there.  I find it gets in the way of my schoolin programme.  I don't need a compettion to motivate me to ride.

So  many horses had tension issues.  Some riders definately were worried about letting their horse go forward (in case the horse really got going?).  Maybe the rider should step back onto a horse that doesn't scare her so she can learn and feel what a truly loose, free horse can do.  It is wonderful and a great feeling.

Gerd solution to overbent and tense was to loosen the reins and let the horse go.  (the doors were closed so where would the horses go?  I think I have used that a few times!)  One rider let her horse go.  What a difference.  So much easier than riding the horse and half an hour later getting the horse loose.  ..but hten the time was up so.. whereas a little long trot and gallop got the horse free and loose in 5 minutes and then there was the rest of the time to school.  Think about it.