Engaging the hind - what I am feeling exactly?

[Scarlett 001]

Recently we've been working on contact in lessons. Skeeter is accepting true contact. Every so often I'll notice that it feels like Skeeter is "changing gears" like on a standard car (car with a clutch - not sure what you call it in the UK). He does not speed up or anything, but something changes in his back and hind and he moves different and I can feel a very sudden switch in the motion. At these exact times I've noticed my RI often says a word of praise like "very good" etc. I asked her about this, and it is when Skeeter is starting to relax and move properly - presumably moving better through the hind.

When I feel the horse "change gear" what is going on? What am I actually feeling at that point - I can't describe it really, but there is a change no doubt. Can someone tell me what is going on - what his back and hind are doing to make me feel that gear change (for lack of better term)?

[Bay Mare]

I've found it much easier to feel in my SBS (treeless) saddle. The thing that I'm most aware of is that Saff lifts up through her back as she starts bringing her back end under her and using her tummy muscles. Although she's got quite a rhythmical trot anyway the cadence changes and feels a lot smoother and rhythmical ... if that makes any sense at all!

[Yann]

I think of it as a more springy or floaty feeling to the pace, you get it when they're using their back ends properly and stepping under with the hindlegs :)

[teabiscuit]

when finn is going properly, he relaxes his head and neck forward into the contact, at the same time i feel his back come up underneath me, it swings in a rhythmical way like tick tock tick tock, and he feels fantastically soft. you can feel the swing come from behind as his hind legs move underneath you.

and if he's going really well, in walk only at the moment i am able to feel the inside hind leg as it lifts up and comes forward with my seat.

[Scarlett 001]

Ok, so really it is just the back end coming up under me that I am feeling at that moment. I've always known the back end is supposed to come up beneath you, but I guess that you can really feel that change happening underneath you and that is what I was was feeling. The trot does feel somewhat smoother. I think it is probably Skeet's first attempts to start moving from behind. Still a ways to go, but it is coming.

[teabiscuit]

not sure if this is a misunderstanding and if it is it's on my part, so apologies.

but i feel finns back as in spine come up underneath me and at the same time a great softening (sorry i'm finding this hard to describe)

i can't distinguish which hind leg is coming underneath to create the upwards and sideways tick tock feeling, except in walk

i know it is the hind legs creating this tick tock and i can feel the energy come up through the hind leg, along his loose swinging back and down through the riens, but i haven't developed enough feel to distinguish which hind leg it is when if you know what i mean.

if i think about it i can distinguish, by knowing which diagonal or leg i'm on in trot or canter

but in walk i can actually feel his back just behind the saddle lifting up as he lifts that leg.
would you be kind enough to try and describe what Skeeter is doing?
the more ways to think about it the better.
thanks

[Scarlett 001]

would you be kind enough to try and describe what Skeeter is doing?

Oh, I'll have to pay better attention next time. But when it happens I feel something change in his back during trot, he starts to move better (I'll have to analyze in what ways), this usually coincides with a "very good" from my instructor, and he relaxes his head even more making the contact feel better. I think this is what happened, but I'll pay better attention next time. Whether he is trying to engage the hind I am unsure, but at least I think he is relaxing his back more for certain and is moving "better". All positive steps it seems. This is a horse who has likey never moved from behind properly, so it won't come overnight... But I was intrigued by that "gear change" I felt and curious about it! :)

My RI is a dressage coach/competitior so I can ask her what is going on with his hind these days when riding!

[teabiscuit]

it sounds like Skeeter is starting to come through from his hind quarters.
i have this recognising difficulty too as i haven't had lessons to any great extent until now.

finn is starting just now to reliably give me this feeling, until the last fortnight i just had fleeting moments.

very exciting moments though.

[drookitsheep]

The best way I can think to describe the feeling, is when you're riding the horse, and it feels like they're doing a dropping but they're not - it feels much more as if they're powering "through" from behind and working properly over their back. It feels a bit like the old speedboat feeling, not so much of the front lifting up, but that there's just a lot more contained power coming through and over the back.

It's a great feeling when you start getting glimpses of that - it's the horse's muscles starting to really work correctly and when they build up from continual correct work, they'll become stronger and you'll be able to sustain the feeling for longer periods.