Natural outline?

[jenren!!]

I heard a girl once who said her horse had a 'natural outline', therefore she basically didnt have to put much effort in, but i often think whether they really mean 'natural head carriage'.

Is it possible to have natural head carriage/outline? IMO i dont think so, no horse is born accepting the contact.

What are your opinions?

[Pink's lady]

Yes, some horse have a naturally good head carriage (nice neck set, not pokey nosed etc) and naturally push from behind so yes, they have a 'natural outline' although I too would call it a natural head carraige.

You sometimes see horse that, even when just running about the field normally, would do well in dressage tests - thats the type of horse I mean.

[summerguest]

I mentioned in one of my posts that my old anglo arab carried himself in a natural outline.....

by that I meant ...you could see him in the field, suddenly look up and trot off, and as he did it, his hind legs stepped right under his back came up, and he dropped his head just infront of the vertical....obviously there is no contact to speak of, but he worked himself from behind...he naturally had his engine in the back....(while some pull themselves along with their shoulders and you have to spend time schooling them to carry themselves properly.)



You could see the power from behind, putting spring and elevation into each step, its was amazing to watch he looked fantastic. He would do this when riding aswell, if you took up a contact and put your leg on he naturally pushed himself into it, you just had to sit still and contain it. It was just easy.
As he was my first horse....I didn't realise it wasn't always that easy. I baught him when I was 17, I'm 40 now and had many others....never found one as naturally talanted as him, and he only cost me £500 ! Everyone who saw him, commented on his movement, and would say he was made for dressage.

I had him put down at 28 and even on his last day riddled with arthritis, a heart problem, and enlarge thyroid, the wind got up his tail and he did some beautiful extensions loose round the menage which I have on video somewhere.


He had what I believe to be 'self carriage' ...Some horse will go on the bit but find self carriage beyond them. I think a lot has to do with their natural conformation and movement.

Some horses will drop their head into a pretty shape and have there hind legs trailing ( lots of show horses are like that). That isn't what I was talking about I don't call that a natural outline.....that sort of outline has usually been forced through incorrect riding and gadgets.

[Keket]

I've definitely seen horses that just naturally pick up an outline. It's just the way that it's comfortable for them to carry themselves.

Coquette rounded in a lovely way for me the other day. I wasn't riding any differently then normal, I didn't even have a bit to work with (riding her in the halter). I was doing rising trot, and then RI said, "She is stepping so far under herself right now. Her back is so round." If I had a bit at the time I could have set her head and she would have been going perfectly. And it definitely felt like collection to me (very upwards). ;) And she did all of this without me telling her to. She just did it.

[galadriel]

I knew a horse who moved just beautifully loose in turnout; under saddle he had a good novicey outline with no effort, but he was also a higher level dressage horse, so they asked him for a lot more than that.

It was *fun* to watch him play. He'd kick out both front legs without having to shift his weight. He was a seriously uphill horse! His movement was just to die for.

Sure, there's a difference between head carriage and actually working well; no horse is born accepting contact, but then no horse is born with a bit in his mouth or understanding leg aids, either. Still, there are some horses who are balanced so nicely that they require minimal effort to work "on the bit," because they're already carrying their weight well and working through from behind.

[galadriel]

RI said, "She is stepping so far under herself right now. Her back is so round." If I had a bit at the time I could have set her head and she would have been going perfectly.

If she was round and stepping under herself, she didn't *need* to "set her head." And you don't need a bit for that, either :)

[bellazebra]

Yes, some horse have a naturally good head carriage (nice neck set, not pokey nosed etc) and naturally push from behind so yes, they have a 'natural outline' although I too would call it a natural head carraige.

You sometimes see horse that, even when just running about the field normally, would do well in dressage tests - thats the type of horse I mean.

I agree - and you'll all be shocked here - with Pink's lady for once! Self carriage is definatley something some horses have, and it all helps depending on how well the head and neck are set onto each other, and the body. Luke has good self carriage (or natural outline, whatever you want to call it!) and if you watch horses playing out in the field on a frosty morning, you'll see most of them prancing about with their heads tucked in and working beautifully from behind!!

[lor]

One of my horses had a 'natural outline' She was full thoroughbred, who had raced, she was just built the right way to carry herself in a correct outline. An instructor once said to me that, if all thouroubreds were built this way, people wouldnt use warmbloods for dressage:confused: I just smiled sheepishly

[Herbie's mummy]

Yes they do i have seen alot of horses who have.

[LMS]

Ditto everyone else. If the horse is well put together, it happens.

In all the horses I've owned (11 so far I think), 3 of them were very well put together and they were grades.

Heidi is one of them. Sire is a plain looking registered Appaloosa & dam, again a plain looking registered Standardbred. But yet, Heidi looks nothing like them.

I don't think I've ever seen her trotting or cantering around with her nose poked out. She always uses her hind under her & goes about in a natural outline.

Meanwhile Ariel, who does have a dreamy trot, has to think about it & usually pokes the nose out in the air.

[Skyhuntress]

Yup.
Storm had a naturally good outline. You watched him carry himself in the field and it was EXTREMELY easy to get him to frame up and use his hind.

Arion also has a natural outline. His topline is nicely elevated, his hind is muscular enough to carry himself and he's built uphill.
You can really tell in this photo what he'll end up like (keep in mind that he's only 2 ;))
http://www.hidden-identity.net/arion/SnapShot.jpg

Limerick on the other hand, is built downhill, and does NOT have a natural outline. It's that much harder to get him active from the hind and not behind the bit. Not impossible, but definately harder ;)

[LMS]

Gaaaahhhh... drool time...
Oh gee thanks StormArion... you had to put up that picture!;) I drooled again!

[Skyhuntress]

Gaaaahhhh... drool time...
Oh gee thanks StormArion... you had to put up that picture!;) I drooled again!

Haha. Does it help to know that as a yearling he was one of the ugliest foals I've ever seen?! I mean people say that foals are awkward, but Arion was actually just plain pitiful. NOTHING fit. So you can imagine my surprise (and total relief) to know that he's slowly coming into himself and may actually turn into a good looking horse! :p

[Zer0]

Yes, I'd say so. I think a lot of horses are 'naturally' made for something. For example, TWHs and other gaited horses are naturally made for saddleseat showing....and my own horse sometimes trots around like a park horse, but most of the time she's trotting like a hunter :)

[Susara]

I had him put down at 28 and even on his last day riddled with arthritis, a heart problem, and enlarge thyroid, the wind got up his tail and he did some beautiful extensions loose round the menage which I have on video somewhere.

Aw this has me a bit tearful. Putting him down at 28... sounds like you had him for many of those years. It's amasing how they can try and enjoy life and give you something in spite of their bodies that just really can't cope any more.

Beautiful post. Sad but beautiful.

[Peanut]

I'm not sure whether I could say my mare is naturally in an outline, but since I got her age 3 years she has always moved long and low when out in her field. Perhaps because of this, now schooling at 4, she has works in an outline with the greatest of ease.