riding on the bit

[coverblown]

Just had a semi private at my (next!) new riding school today. Had to get the horse to go "on the bit". Now I have heard about this and have at times tried to wiggle the bit about in the mouths of the ponies I ride at our usual school - which tends to be jumping and eventing, but I have never been taught to get a horse "on the bit".

So the instructor - she notices everything - tells me to keep my hands dow, keep them down, get her to lower her head, get her on the bit, and although I know what it looks like when I see others do it, I havent got a clue how to do it myself, or what it feels or looks like from on top of the lovely beastie.

Any help?

Anne

[galadriel]

When a horse is "on the bit," the bit is in fact the *last* element to
be concerned about :)

A horse "on the bit" is a horse who has shifted much of his weight to
the hind legs. As a result, he is working harder in his haunches and
through his back. His hind legs will have more movement to them; they
will be flexing more and moving further forward under the body.

His back rounds a bit as he uses it properly, and you can really feel
those hind legs; it's a beautiful feeling but hard to describe. Sort of
elastic.

Since he has taken more weight on his hind legs, he now has less weight
on his forelegs. His front end feels light. Again, beautiful feeling
:)

As a result of all of the above, the horse's neck will curve in harmony
with his back; typically his poll will be the highest point and his face
will come back to vertical. This is as a result of, not a way to
achieve, coming onto the bit.

Specific aids to bring a horse onto the bit will indeed vary from horse
to horse, depending on training, body type, etc. But the basics are the
same: you ask the horse for more energy, without letting him expend that
energy by moving faster. Use your legs, ask for energy, "listen" with
your body for more movement, use soft aids of seat and hand to keep the
horse from simply speeding up.

[coverblown]

Thanks for that it really helps.

Is the elastic feeling the same sort of feeling like when they give you canter voluntarily - just a nice loose canter, not as long as they possibly can, or all collected and bouncy? That is a lovely feeling and I can understand that.

The instructor said that even though I was getting her head down she was still hollow.... it felt like normal. Could it be the case that all the horses I have ever ridden have always been hollow. Thats a worrying thought...

[galadriel]

Hmm, the canter you describe (not collected/jerky nor really stretched out) sounds about right. In my experience, it can be really easy for some horses to get onto the bit in canter, even when they find it hard in trot. Most of the time, though, a horse who isn't balanced in trot won't be balanced in canter.

Could it be the case that all the horses I have ever ridden have always been hollow. Thats a worrying thought...

Unless you know how to ask for it, OR the horse has already been thoroughly taught to balance himself, then horses usually go hollow. Hollow isn't ideal, but it's not terrible--not if you're learning, and you're not asking for too much at once. If you don't know how to get a horse on the bit, then you're probably not doing too much that requires it.

Overall it is better for the horse, and carrying himself hollow in the long term will be bad for him. But your short rides are not really contributing to long-term hollowness. That's the responsibility of the instructor: the be sure that her horses are well-tuned up and regularly ridden by someone who can encourage them to work properly.

[coverblown]

Thanks Galadriel, this has been really helpful. This new school's instructor is a dressage specialist, and I think I am going to learn lots from her, as she does ensure that her horses are tuned up as you describe.

Not so my other school, I think. But there we just jump and have fun, so I think I could probably get the best of both worlds here. I am looking forward to being able to work a horse properly and then try it with the jumping ones. Many thanks again, A.