How Do You Know Your Horse Is Using His Back?

First off, (from our last post) why even bother?

Let's face it: we see many people riding their horses with sunken backs, disengaged hind ends, and heavy footfalls. If they do it, why shouldn't we? Are we being conceited, ostentatious, pompous or pretentious?

Are we simply just too picky?

No, it's none of the above.

It's because we care.

Enough.

To put in the work.

Because it's a fact: learning to feel the back of the horse, especially in movement, is not for the weak-hearted.

It requires hours of dedicated practice, oodles of lesson dollars, numerous requests for forgiveness from the horse, and perhaps most difficult of all, countless adjustments to our internal neural pathways, both physical and mental.

Is all this worth it?

OF COURSE IT IS!

In the long run, our primary motivation for self-improvement in riding is for the sake of the horse's health. We want horses that live well, staying strong and vigorous long into their old age. And a horse that uses his back is carrying the rider's weight to his best advantage.

Feel it.

The active back feels loose, bouncy, rolling, supple. It feels like the horse is having an easy time carrying your weight. He is less on his front legs and more on the haunches.

He gives you the impression that he can stop on a dime or turn on a thought. He is forward, active and content. The energy from the hind end easily flows through the shoulders and you notice larger, longer strides, and bouncier, more active gaits.

If you have trouble loosening enough to sit the normal trot, (you might be shocked to discover that) with some horses, you might have even MORE trouble riding the trot if he's using his back. This is because the horse's natural gaits become amplified when the back moves freely and it might be more difficult for you to stay with the loftier movement. You'd be better off posting so that you can encourage your horse to keep his soft, active back.

The same is true with the canter - the strides are more exaggerated and you feel more swing in the ride. Be prepared to let your lower back flow with the activity - anything less and you'll be stifling the horse's enthusiastic offering.

Basically, if you feel the gaits getting bigger, rounder, and bouncier, then you know you are on the right track!

The Tight Back...

... feels just that - tight.

... restricts the movement of the legs.

... creates short, choppy strides that lurch and jerk.

... prevents establishment of a good forward-flowing rhythm.

... causes the horse to move on the forehand, taking the brunt of the concussion on the front legs.

... can be the culprit behind sore backs and "mystery" lamenesses.

The irony is that the horse can appear to be more "comfortable" to ride, in that the movement is smaller and shorter and thus easier for most riders to follow. If you think your horse feels smooth and comfortable, consider whether or not the smooth feeling is caused by the horse locking his back and preventing movement. Your first clue will be in the size of the stride - if it is a short stride, particularly in the hind legs, then the horse in NOT using his back.

One last secret: the horse's back is often a reflection of the rider's back. If the rider is tight and short in her movement, the horse can't help it but stay tight and short. Just make sure you don't override the horse and swing too much through your back. The happy medium with tone and swing is where it's at - even for the rider!

It might take many months of finding the "feel" in your back and then learning to maintain the required movement just to allow your horse's back the freedom to swing and let the energy through.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book 2 - Forward And Round To Training Success

Stop printing off the articles! Your favorite training articles are compiled in this beautifully bound paperback book. Have everything at your fingertips - this book can be taken to the barn as a quick refresher or leisurely read at home.

Signed Author Copies available - they are perfect gift for the rider in your life!

From the book:

"Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic

development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals....

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans: they work hard to improve their horse’s way of going.

Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse’s longevity. Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse’s health and well-being.

Or not."

Just as with all the Horse Listening Collection Books, this book is focused on helping the rider improve for the sake of the horse. But this book goes deeper into the best training articles from the blog - horse-centered theory, strategies and ideas you can try with your own horse.

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Available in digital or paperback versions.

Ten Truths of Equestrianism – Reblog from @SnarkyRider

This post resonates so clearly with Horse Listening, that we'd like to reblog it here too. Thanks to Snarky Rider for pointing me to the article. Enjoy!

If you like what you see, go check out the website. P.S. The picture is mine!

Guest Post: Ten Truths of Equestrianism

Today’s guest post comes from our good buddy Quill!

———–

Ten Truths of Equestrianism: Are You Really Fit For Horse Ownership?

1. Upon seeing your first horse, you will acquire a hopeless and obsessive love for them. Be prepared to loose any and all shelf space as horse books, models, and movies fill every square inch of available storage space you have left. You will need every one of these to learn about the vast horse world and the complicated process that is horse-care. Horses are not like dogs and it takes far more than tossing them some food and filling their “water bowl” up to keep them happy and healthy.

2. Finding your perfect horse is going to be a long and difficult process. It will be like trying to decide if a man is the one you want to marry and spend the rest of your life with after only one date. In some cases only by looking at pictures and videos sent to you through email. Do not be in a hurry to find your new partner. Do not fall for flashy colors or fancy breeds. A well broke, older bay Quarter Horse is going to be better for you as a first horse than a big, young, and flashy Warmblood.

3. You will no longer have any money. Between vets, boarding/property maintenance, farriers, food, equipment, medicines, ect, you will be spending a lot of money. Horses are an expensive luxury. If you plan on breeding or rescuing, those prices will shoot even higher. As my instructor once said “If you have a ton of extra money, you’re doing it wrong.”

4. When you begin riding and handling a horse, you are placing your life and trust in the hands of a thousand pound, generally untrustworthy animal. With a well-trained horse and proper handling and riding skills, the danger you face can be kept to a minimum and you can enjoy a safe riding experience. But horses are still prey animals, and when they are scared the last thing they will be thinking about is where your toes are. This is a fact you accept when you begin handling horses.

5. The horse is doing the same with you. They are placing their trust in you to care for them and not to hurt them. They are allowing you on their back – a place that would be a death sentence in the wild. Do not take advantage of that, do not betray that trust and abuse your horse, whether it be by not giving them care or causing them harm. This is how many good horses are ruined and end up on a plate in France.

6. You will never be truly clean again. There will always been that last bit of barn dirt beneath your nails. The smell of hay and sweaty horses will forever linger around you. Your barn clothes will always have horse hairs weaved into the threads.

7. You will fall off. A lot. Falling is part of riding and it’s never a good thing. With the proper riding skills and safety measures, you can minimize your chances of having a fall. However, you will fall eventually and it will not be the only time. Don’t try to keep track of how many times you have fallen, you will eventually loose count.

8. You can’t be afraid to discipline. While you should never abuse your horse by beating it for discipline, giving it a firm smack on the shoulder and either growling or giving a firm ‘No!’ when it bites at you is not going to be considered abuse. Do not punch your horse in the face, do not kick their legs, do not yank violently on their mouths.

9. You must learn to speak ‘horse’. You must learn to read their body language from their ears to their tail to understand what they are trying to tell you and what they are feeling. They can’t understand you, nor can they answer you if you ask “What’s wrong?”. When a horse pins his ears, he’s telling you he’s angry. When he keeps his head low, and acts mopy, he may be feeling ill. You have to understand all of these cues to safely work with your horse and catch when there might be a problem and a vet should be called.

10. After spending years forming an unbreakable bond with your four-legged partner, your soul will be mercilessly crushed when it come time to say that last good-bye. Do not sell your old horse or dump him at an auction so you don’t have to deal with it. Do not say ‘Do it while I’m away.’ Be by his side. He has been your friend, your teammate and your greatest teacher. No matter how painful it is for you, do not send him on his final journey alone.

Frame, Round or Collection?

Palgrave-2 — Round - note the deep stepping hind legs, lightly lifted back, and general forward flow to the movement.

Which shall it be? Do you know the difference, and in a pinch, would you be able to identify it in a moving horse? Better yet, can you feel the difference when you are riding?

We use these words all the time. We "frame" our horse, we get him to "round" and we regularly work on "collection". But often, although we're sure we are working on something, we don't really know what to call it. We throw the words around randomly, seeking to describe the feeling we know exists, but not knowing the nuances between the three.

To be perfectly honest, many of our horses are rarely, if ever, collected.

(Click here to tweet that if you agree.)

These words are not interchangeable.

The three terms are distinct in meaning, appearance and feel. Knowing the difference between them helps you to distinguish between the level of engagement your horse is working at.

The "Frame"

Simply put, a horse is "framed up" when it is travelling in a pre-determined outline.

There may be the high frame, which essentially means that the neck is higher than the withers, and there may be the level frame, where the neck is at the height of the withers. In either case, the frame is usually being held in place by rein action (the hands). In comparison to no frame at all, riding in a frame might feel more comfortable and easier on both the rider and the horse.

The dilemma is that regardless of the placement of the head and neck, the back continues to be hollow and the hind end is disengaged. The horse moves on the forehand. The hind legs do not track up to the front footprints, and the front legs stride larger than the hind legs. Often, this body position is held in place by the hands. There is little or no release of the reins and the frame is being protected by a backward pressure that traps the horse's front end and restricts the hind end.

The best giveaway to a frame is that the horse falls out of the frame - either farther forward on the forehand, or the head and neck arches up and the back hollows even more. The claim to fame of the frame is that it does not maintain itself without either constant pressure from the hands, or momentary "jerks" on the mouth to communicate to the horse that it should keep its posture in place.

"Round"

A horse travels "round" if there is a certain level of engagement from the hind end. The hind legs reach further forward underneath the body, and the hind stride length approaches the same distance as the front legs. Due to this reach, the hind end dips down slightly while the front end levels out or rises slightly higher than the withers. A round horse is bearing its weight more on the hind end, freeing up the front end to be more expressive and fluid. The rider's weight is carried more evenly with a mildly lifted back.

A release of the reins allows the horse to stride "forward" toward the contact. There is a better sense of freedom in movement than in the framed up horse. To be round, the horse must be "on the bit" (go here for an excellent description),"on the aids" and moving with better "connection."

"Collection"

Typically, horses in collection move up and down more than forward, so collection is desired especially in events such as reining, western trail and dressage.

In dressage, collection is the highest level of training for the horse. In other words, travelling while collected is difficult and requires a sophisticated level of balance, mental/emotional control, and understanding from the horse. The collected horse has developed the strength to tilt the haunches so the hind legs are far underneath the body, and the front end (head and neck included) are at the highest point. The horse moves in an "uphill" manner.

Collection is achieved primarily by the seat and legs. The hands are the last to act, and ideally, serve to "catch and recycle" the energy produced by the seat and legs. The horse is not kept in place - the collected appearance is the result of the activity of the hind end. Let go of both reins, and the horse should stay in collection for several strides.

"Collection itself, however, is a state attained only after many years of patient, systematic, gymnastic work, which is made evident in a shorter, higher, rounder, more active stride. It is to be attained solely through greater balancing of the horse on the hindquarters, based on forward impulse - and not merely by shortening up the horse from the front. The horse's motion must remain forward, fluid, and energetic, and must always continue to show the correct footfall in all gaits. The hallmark of true collection is a clear lowering of the croup, brought about by the deeply bent, engaged haunches that carry more weight." (Herbermann, 1999, p.67)

To be perfectly honest, many of our horses are rarely, if ever, collected. Much of the time, we are working in a degree of roundness - whether more or less round - rather than in collection.

All this talk begs the question:

Why bother?

That shall be a topic for another day!

Reference:

Herbermann, E., (1999). Dressage Formula, Third Ed., J.A.Allen, London. p.67

Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Available as an eBook or paperback.

If you enjoyed the above post, you might also like:

From A Whisper to A Scream: How Loud Should Your Aids Really Be? Should we be “loud” in our aids, or should we be working as softly as we can in hopes that our horse can respond to lighter and more refined aids?

When Do You Start Riding Your Horse? This question was being posed to me by a very respected and horse-wise mentor.

Do You Make This Timing Mistake When Riding Your Horse? The timing of the aids has to do with everything.

When “Good Enough” Just Isn’t Good Enough In Horseback Riding: Hate to tell you this, but you DO have to get out of your own back yard!

14 Reasons to Love Horseback Riding

First-Trail — Special things you get to experience only when you ride

Many horse riders will tell you about this feeling of "freedom" that you gain from the top of a horse's back.

There must be hundreds of reasons why people enjoy horses and horseback riding. Here are a few experiences you will be privy to once you step into that stirrup for the first time:

14. Really, truly "interact" with the great outdoors. Feel the air, smell the foliage, see nature's beauty, AND get to travel through it all with your favourite four-legged friend.

13. Develop your sense of body awareness. Can you feel your arms/legs/core/SEAT in any other endeavor the way you can when you're on a horse's back? There is no other situation quite like being on a 1000-pound animal progressing through space and time, while you are considering what your various appendages are doing. THEN there is the rider's "seat" to keep in line...!

12. Become fitter and more athletic. It will happen organically and by necessity. There is no way around it - ride regularly, and you will find your body becoming more agile, able and yes, even fitter. Ride several times a week and discover all the glamorous physical by-products!

11. Discover "balance" in more ways than one. Of course your sense of balance will develop while you struggle with the power of gravity five feet above the ground. However, you will also discover the other balance truths - such as balance in feeding versus not (!), rest versus activity, shelter versus the great outdoors, and following versus resisting.

10. Develop new "nerve endings". Regular riding will begin to point out to you areas in your body that you might not have been particularly aware of before. Feel your fingers develop an alertness that will allow you to distinguish between "give" and "release" - even while you keep your fists closed.

Discover the nuances between lower legs that "wrap" around the horse versus the legs that grip and clench. Most incredibly, wait for the day that your seat can essentially communicate your very thoughts - with minimal use of the hands and legs - to your majestic beauty as he glides over the ground beneath you.

9. Be a witness to physical "power" like never before. The movement of a horse can at times be exhilarating, or at times downright nerve-wrecking, but the power cannot be contested!

8. Enjoy graceful connection with a horse. There is simply no other feeling like it. A horse is not the same as a dog, cat, or other domesticated animal. Try it one day - you'll understand what I mean.

7. Have something to talk about that most people don't relate to! Unfortunately, you will notice that most people in your life will "turn off" within the first five minutes of your description of that fantastic new feeling you discovered the other day while riding. Accept this as a normal side-effect and enjoy the few who relate to your descriptions even if they have never experienced it themselves.

6. Find parts of your character that needed to be improved. Invariably, you will discover characteristic traits in yourself that you never knew existed. Then, you will realize all the reasons why you must develop these qualities and continue your self-development toward becoming a better human being.

5. Opportunities to go places you wouldn't go otherwise, and meet people you would never have met. These days, horses and horseback riding can lead you far and wide and connect you to people from all over. Make new friends, travel to distant locations, and enjoy the most beautiful spaces on earth simply because you follow horses to new and unknown places.

4. Make new friends who share your passion. The love for horses spans across countries, personalities and cultures. Other people who are passionate about horses can be found almost anywhere you go - and the bond that connects is universal.

3. Move your body in a way that promotes health and well-being. From grooming and tacking, to walking around in the fields, to the physical movements your body "receives" while riding - these are all specific to the sport and otherwise not always accessible.

2. Learn important life "truths" for your equine friend. Listen to horses to find out all about relationships, leadership, social skills, communication. This list is endless and if you can "hear" clearly enough, you will find many facts that transcend from the equine to the human.

1. Borrow a sense of freedom otherwise not available to mere humans. Many horse riders will tell you about this feeling of "freedom" that you gain from the top of a horse's back. Challenges, whether physical, mental, emotional or social are almost literally dropped to the ground the moment your seat is placed into the saddle that graces that horse's back. There is nothing else like it in this world.

Why do you love horseback riding?

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Personally signed books available! Give the best gift for the horse lover in your life (or for yourself!

). Send me a message for more information.

From the first book in the Horse Listening Collection: Horse Listening, The Book

"There are many reasons why we enjoy riding horses. Maybe one of the most appealing facets of riding is the sense of freedom: freedom from our own limitations, freedom from gravity, freedom to (literally) roam the Earth. Time stands still while we have the privilege of feeling movement from the back of our four-legged friend.

Riding gives us the place to just be.

Of course, there are other purposes too. Some of us revel in the challenge of learning the skills required to becoming a good team member of this unlikely duo. Riding is like no other sport or recreational pursuit simply because of the equine partner that must not only carry us, but also do so effortlessly and gracefully. As we develop our specific skill sets, we also grow as human beings in character, emotional maturity and mental acuity.

But there is one other motivation that drives some of us to persevere in the never-ending learning process that is horseback riding: improving the horse. As your own skills develop, you begin to realize that not only can you meet your own needs through riding, but also that you can even become an instrument of benefit for the horse."

And so begins the book that reflects the most important learning I have had in all of my riding years: that I want to be the best rider I can be for the sake of my horses.

This book is geared toward the rider:

- the rider's motivations

- the essential skills for the rider

- some specific strategies

- solutions to common problems

- and the results: the great horsey moments we get to experience

Along the way, you will find chapters that discuss everything from the seat to the leg aids to the reins, discussions on half-halts, imbalance, halts, straightness and more!

Special in this book are the "In The Ring" sections that give specific suggestions based on the preceding chapters. Take these to the barn to try with your own horse!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Top 10 Annoying Riding Habits

* Disclaimer: It is possible that this post may offend some readers. Please be advised that this list reflects solely my opinions and may not match yours! Read at your own discretion (peril?).

heading-out — These riders are being respectful of each other on the trail.

Looks like based on the last post, we're in a "Top Ten" roll. This time, we will consider actual riding skills rather than character traits and maturity (although those also play a factor in every pet peeve below). Enjoy this tongue-in-cheek list coming from the opposite perspective - things NOT to do while riding!

10. Smack the horse as a reward. Your horse's skin is sensitive enough to feel a fly. There is no need to smack a horse to communicate your approval - instead, give it a soft, long rub with flat fingers. The message is much more comfortably conveyed and as effectively understood by the horse.

9. Loud vocalizations - either in reprimand or reward. First off, the horse can hear voice cues given in a normal tone level - or even calm and low, almost under your breath. Secondly, riders that must announce their appreciation/disapproval appear to be doing it for the sake of others around them rather than the horse. Why else speak so loudly?

8. Ignore the hollow back. It truly is difficult to identify when you are riding a horse with a hollow back, but seeing the hollow back is not brain surgery. Riders must spend time watching other horses as they move. With an educated mentor, notice when a horse is hollow. Then, take the (sometimes difficult) steps to change the riding in order to correct the horse's movement.

7. Create excuses for stumbling horses. Although correct trimming and shoeing is important, and some tripping can be caused by lamenesses/uneven footing, please do look at the balance of the horse while being ridden. Is he on the forehand and if so, what is the rider doing to help prevent any further damage to the horse's body and joints?

6. Blame the saddle/bridle/pads/farrier for the problem. Absolutely check out the equipment, but please don't stop there! Next, check out the rider - the horse is always only a mirror of the rider!

5. Avoid correcting obvious rider faults. Be one of those riders that rides THE SAME WAY for twenty years! Better than that, because of their many years in the saddle, they are confident enough to criticize others while turning a blind eye to themselves, even if their horses are sending them loud and clear messages.

4. Am I a magnet? Some riders cut off/trail behind/run into other horses on a regular basis. In fact, the harder you try to steer clear, the more determined they seem to be to interfere with your riding space. They don't seem to know the dimensions of their own horse, nor have an outside rein to discourage fading to the outside to prevent near-misses.

3. Stopped riders. When riding in the ring, please keep moving. A halt is different from a stop in that it is a movement. However, if you are going to stop your horse, even in the middle of the ring, please dismount and leave! Let the other riders keep a flow in their riding and not have to dodge you. To take it one step further, move with the flow of the other riders rather than against it.

2. Trail riders who take off in front of you. That is clearly a safety no-no but so many people still do it without thought to the poor soul behind who has the herd-bound or not so trained horse that feels left behind. ALWAYS check with your riding partners before heading into a faster pace.

1. Don't bother listening to the horse. Of course, this one always tops my list!

What are some of your rider pet peeves?

******

Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email

Horseback Riders Do Nothing Anyway!

Well, at least, that's what "they" say.

But we know differently, don't we?

We know how much time it takes to develop the balance and timing to move as a unit with the horse.

We know about the frustration and tears we expend when we work so hard to achieve something and still it does not arrive.

We know the pain we must go through - literally and figuratively - to develop enough "saddle time" to feel even the beginnings of unity and harmony with the horse.

It's like a picture.

Every time you watch a horse and rider, you are seeing where they are in their development as a partnership at that moment in time. Their strengths as well as their weaknesses are but a snapshot of their progress, a simple moment in time after where they have been and before where they are going.

The trick is to know that the picture they currently present is malleable and ever moving onward, like a flowing river. The challenges they have right now are going to drift away with practice and new ones will take their places.

The unlimited potential for learning and self-development is the never-ending call of horseback riding.

To those of you who insist that the rider does nothing

When you see the rider that looks like she is "doing nothing", please be aware that:

her timing is so well-developed that she is riding "in" the movement of the horse, intimately intertwined within his gait so as to dance into his rhythm.
she is incredibly fit and strong through her core muscles, as well as self-aware of the balance and positioning of every cell of her body from tip of the head to the toes, so that the horse's movements do not lurch her out of the saddle.
she knows when and how to allow the expression of the horse to come through and then capably rides along with him.
she has developed a level of communication with her horse so sophisticated that it rivals the best, most successful social media platform known in existence to humankind!
she has more dedication and self-discipline than many who are watching her

In fact, us horseback riders are always in the hunt for looking like we are doing nothing at all! Because we know that an effortless, free-flowing, lighter-than-air ride truly is what we're aiming for...

...and we do not really mind if those onlookers think we are just being passengers on a magnificent animal who is willing to share his talents with us!

Buy the book!

Horse Listening – Book 4: 20-Minute Exercises To Add Variety To Your Riding Routine

Stop wandering round and round aimlessly!

Horse Listening Book 4 is a compilation of the best patterns that have been shared on the Horse Listening Blog. The book is divided into five sections: Warm-Ups, Left and Right, Straightness, Suppleness and Collection. Each section has specific exercises and theory based on its topic.

But there's more!

There is a Special Center Section dedicated to only Transitions - something that we can all work on throughout our riding careers. And finally, scattered throughout the book are chapters that clearly explain theory, technique and skills that can help improve the featured exercises of teach Section.

Use these 20-minute exercises!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

When Do You Start Riding Your Horse?

Looking — How you "talk" to the horse makes all the difference

"When do you start riding your horse?"

This question was being posed to me by a very respected and horse-wise mentor one day long ago, early in my riding development.

I thought about it for some time, and responded, "When I lead the horse to the riding ring." During the time I'm leading the horse to the ring, I usually start mentally running through my goals for the day. I quickly review my last ride and think of the small "next steps" I'm going to address.

She stopped me in my tracks.

"That's already too late," she said.

*****

These words have stayed with me to this very day. She emphasized that "riding" is not limited to just being on the horse's back. Whether you are leading a horse from or to the paddock, grooming, or just playing in the round pen, you are "riding". Riding a horse is about EVERYTHING!

The truth about horses is that they do not differentiate between riding and handling and just plain socializing. In their world, every contact you have with them is first about herd dynamics.

Whether you like it or not, or know it or not, your horse is in vigorous conversation with you from moment you start interacting with him. And the dominant question in his mind is, "Are you a leader?"

Your physical responses then point him to his answer.

*****

How to be a leader

1. Attitude matters. Be sure in your step. Know where you are going, and kindly but firmly expect the horse to come along with you.

2. Establish your "personal space." In the herd, horses regularly test each other's boundaries by pushing into personal space. While you lead your horse, feed him or groom him, be aware of the slight tests your horse puts you through.

3. Ask questions of your horse. Will you put a foot here? Will you get out of my space? Will you let me give your head a long and squishy hug?

4. Always follow through with your requests. If you happen to get a "no" for an answer (it does happen all the time!), you have to be ready to continue that particular conversation until you get the "yes". If you accept the first "no", then the next and the next, you will be sabotaging your relationship with your horse. And he will know it before you do.

******

My mentor looked at me squarely. I realized then that she had KNOWN what my answer was going to be all along. She wanted to make sure that I understood clearly about the horse-human relationship.

I hesitantly asked her, "When do you start riding your horse?"

Her answer: "When I pull into the driveway."

So, when do you start riding your horse?

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening Book 2 - Forward And Round To Training Success

Signed Author Copies available - perfect personalized gifts!

From the book:

"Regardless of discipline, what would be the most significant effect a rider would want to have on her horse?

We all want our horses to improve in their athletic

development, skill acquisition and connectedness. Much of our rider development and training efforts go into working toward our show or personal goals....

But the best riders aspire to do one essential thing each and every day, regardless of goals and lesson plans: they work hard to improve their horse’s way of going.

Because proper balance and weight carriage is essential to a horse’s longevity. Each and every minute of each and every ride has the potential to contribute to your horse’s health and well-being.

Or not."

The book begins with the horse's hind end (!), considers the horse's back, moves on to rider development, and fills it all in with the fundamentals of horse riding so your horse can be:

happier in his body

happier in his "work"

better balanced all-around

Available as an eBook or paperback.

6 Ways to Unleash the Power of Your Riding Seat

Horse Listening - Horses riding life — Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography

First, there are hands and legs. When we learn to ride, we tend to guide the horse primarily through the use of our hands, then through our legs. Rein aids and leg aids reign supreme (pun intended!): left rein here, right rein there, inside leg, outside leg... you know the routine.

And without a doubt, it is essential to learn the use of hands and legs to achieve a basic sense of control of the horse - it is not always a pleasant experience to have a spirited equine expressing his enthusiasm while you hang on for dear life!

As you become more subtle in the aiding process, you will begin to discover just how powerful the seat can be.

As time goes on, however, you begin to develop a sense for the horse's balance, for the energy that moves through the body, and for the 'release' that the horse can achieve given the opportunity. You begin to develop 'feel' through your seat.

When is the horse lifting/dropping his back? When are the hind legs underneath the body? How much energy is needed to allow just enough 'forward' for the horse to reach but not so much that he will fall to the forehand? As you become more subtle in the aiding process, you will begin to discover just how powerful the seat can be in guiding the horse without disturbing and interfering in his movement.

1. Find Your Seat.

Get yourself a good instructor that knows how to teach the finer points of using the seat during riding. There are a lot of people who use their seat effectively but for one reason or another, cannot seem to be able to explain well enough to break it down into achievable skills. You must learn how to activate your seat bones, and differentiate between using the seat versus weight aids.

Getting control of the "inner" components of the seat will take time and perseverance as this is likely not a typical movement that you're used to. Look at it as a 2-year goal - one that takes thousands of repetitions to master. Lunging on a reliable, rhythmical school horse might be on the menu in order to allow you to free your lower back, hips and thighs enough to begin to feel the physical requirements of using your seat.

Know that it is extremely worthwhile to put that much effort into the skill acquisition, as everything, including your balance, revolves around an effective use of the seat.

2. Develop Effective Half-halts.

The seat is a key component to a half-halt. Without the seat, your half-halt is about as effective as a pull from your hand, or a kick from the leg. Neither aids really help the horse in rebalancing, which is the ideal result desired from the half-halt. Use your seat to keep your horse "with" you - brace your lower back to rebalance the horse's momentum and weight to the hind end.

Use your seat bones laterally to allow half-halts to effect one side only (horse leaning on one side, or drifting through a shoulder) and alternately, use diagonal half-halts (inside seat bone to outside supporting rein) to encourage better use of the hind end by the horse.

3. Free Your Seat to Free the Horse's Back.

Encourage your horse to move 'forward' - rather than use your legs to kick a horse onward, use your seat to encourage the more balanced sense of being 'forward'. In the trot, you can follow along with the horse in a more giving way through your entire seat, opening on the "up" phase of the posting trot (without actually posting). Your seat has the power to encourage the horse to "step through" with his hind legs and develop a lovely rhythmical swinging of the back that will allow for a willing and supple response to your aids.

4. Transition From the Seat.

Rather than using your hands for a downward transition, or your legs for an upward transition, use your seat as the "root" to the transition - either upward or downward. Move your seat into the next gait (even if it is a downward transition) and expect the horse to respond almost entirely off your seat aid. Use hands/legs only if absolutely necessary, after you applied the seat aid.

5. Change Directions.

Did you know that you can allow a horse to turn smoothly and in balance simply from a seat aid? Your hands work on keeping the horse straight through the turn, and your seat works to turn the horse from his middle. Soon you will be free from "steering" the horse with your hands. Eventually, the horse will appear to read your mind because the aids will become incredibly subtle and shared only between you and your horse. The only visible result will be the lack of fuss and a total unison in movement.

6. Stop! (No Hands Needed!)

After a series of half-halts, it will only take your seat to stop the horse's legs. Simply stop moving and "halt" with your seat. Remember to keep your legs on as the horse still needs to complete the halt by bringing his legs underneath him. Your thought process could go like this: "bring your (hind) legs under, bring your legs under, bring your legs under, halt." It will work every time, guaranteed!

The above ideas are just the beginning. Use your seat to do lateral work, half-passes, flying changes and even pirouettes. The more you learn about and activate your seat, the more you will discover about the incredible power of the seat.

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

Would you like to be the rider that all horses dream of?

By following simple, useful exercises, you will be able to develop a better understanding about many topics including:

- the rider’s aids

- the use of the seat

- the half-halt

- accurate turns and circles

- transitions

- horse ownership and horse care

- goal setting for the rider

- rein lameness

… and much more!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Horses. Riding. Life.

Tag: horseback riding

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