snailspace
8th Nov 2002, 02:34 PM
Before my former instructor moved away, she introduced this new technique to all of her students. she's also using it with her 4 year old. Being an amateur, I'm interested in other's opinions of this (especially all you trainers/instructors out there). It works well, but I'd like to know more about WHY it works. I hope I can explain it adequately.
I had been taught the "suppling" technique, with the use of your legs, to get the horse "on the bit". Supple inside, supple outside, etc., use lots of leg. Horse will then begin to carry himself and come on the bit, and then you supple softly (and use a little leg) any time you feel him come off a little to remind him to stay round.
By "supple", I mean the successive little tugs (sorry, can't think of a better word) on the bit. I think this is a very commom technique, at least in the U.S.
Now, here's the new way we've been doing it (as best as I can explain it):
Instead of suppling, you take contact, then pull back gently and evenly on the reins, at the same time moving your hands outward. when the horse responds by accepting the contact and coming round a little, you reward by softening. Then ask for a little more, soften, etc., until the horse is carrying himself in a nice outline with soft contact. Then, after the horse understands the aids, all you have to do to ask him to be round or keep him round is move your hands apart just a little. You use your legs, too, just as you would with any other method, to get the self-carriage and bend.
Even Blackjack, who is a 20 yo schoolmaster, has responded well to this technique. It took a little bit for him to understand what we were asking, but after just a few lessons, he gets it now (he doesn't always agree he needs to do it, but he gets it:) ). We still aren't to the point where all I have to do is move my hands apart, but we're getting there.
Here's something I don't understand, though. Blackjack can be a bit lazy, and will try any means possible to avoid carrying himself (he'd much rather just let his rider do it!). but with this technique, it's much harder for him to "fake" being round. I don't know why. he will try to throw his outside shoulder out, but all it takes is a nudge from my outside leg to correct it. In general, using this technique, he's much more responsive to my leg and seat, and something that used to be a struggle for the whole lesson (keeping him on the bit), has now almost become a non-issue for us. It's almost like he's happy that I've found a way to take control of the situation, even though he doesn't like the idea of actually having to work!
The others here who ride/show/train dressage are having good luck with it too. It seems to work just as well for a young, "still in training" horse as it does for the "done dressage for ages" schoolmaster.
I'd like to get opinions on this. Has anyone else done this or heard of it? Is there a book or specific trainer that this technique originated from? My instructor would go to a place in the Chicago area with her horse for training, and then come back and teach us what she learned, so I know she got it from a higher level instructor (not just from a book or something). Does this totally clash with all of the EE and Natural Horsemanship ideals? I'm well aware that, just because it came from a well-known trainer, doesn't mean it's right.
I hope I've explained it well enough. Please let me know if I've just managed to confuse everyone!
I had been taught the "suppling" technique, with the use of your legs, to get the horse "on the bit". Supple inside, supple outside, etc., use lots of leg. Horse will then begin to carry himself and come on the bit, and then you supple softly (and use a little leg) any time you feel him come off a little to remind him to stay round.
By "supple", I mean the successive little tugs (sorry, can't think of a better word) on the bit. I think this is a very commom technique, at least in the U.S.
Now, here's the new way we've been doing it (as best as I can explain it):
Instead of suppling, you take contact, then pull back gently and evenly on the reins, at the same time moving your hands outward. when the horse responds by accepting the contact and coming round a little, you reward by softening. Then ask for a little more, soften, etc., until the horse is carrying himself in a nice outline with soft contact. Then, after the horse understands the aids, all you have to do to ask him to be round or keep him round is move your hands apart just a little. You use your legs, too, just as you would with any other method, to get the self-carriage and bend.
Even Blackjack, who is a 20 yo schoolmaster, has responded well to this technique. It took a little bit for him to understand what we were asking, but after just a few lessons, he gets it now (he doesn't always agree he needs to do it, but he gets it:) ). We still aren't to the point where all I have to do is move my hands apart, but we're getting there.
Here's something I don't understand, though. Blackjack can be a bit lazy, and will try any means possible to avoid carrying himself (he'd much rather just let his rider do it!). but with this technique, it's much harder for him to "fake" being round. I don't know why. he will try to throw his outside shoulder out, but all it takes is a nudge from my outside leg to correct it. In general, using this technique, he's much more responsive to my leg and seat, and something that used to be a struggle for the whole lesson (keeping him on the bit), has now almost become a non-issue for us. It's almost like he's happy that I've found a way to take control of the situation, even though he doesn't like the idea of actually having to work!
The others here who ride/show/train dressage are having good luck with it too. It seems to work just as well for a young, "still in training" horse as it does for the "done dressage for ages" schoolmaster.
I'd like to get opinions on this. Has anyone else done this or heard of it? Is there a book or specific trainer that this technique originated from? My instructor would go to a place in the Chicago area with her horse for training, and then come back and teach us what she learned, so I know she got it from a higher level instructor (not just from a book or something). Does this totally clash with all of the EE and Natural Horsemanship ideals? I'm well aware that, just because it came from a well-known trainer, doesn't mean it's right.
I hope I've explained it well enough. Please let me know if I've just managed to confuse everyone!