CurlyWurlyRach said:
Ive jut been reading this article :-http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/LateralFlexion.htm by clinton anderson and im stuggling to understand it, lateral flexation just seems to be pulling the horses head round and collection seems to be pull until the horse lowers its head, then let go.Am i all wrong here?
I like the idea of poll-softening and getting Curly collected, I can collect her in canter but no other gait.
Do i baisically just have a contact and as soon as she gives i let go? What if she doesnt soften and i end up riding for ages with a tight contact?Help?
"lateral flexion" is exactly what the words say - flexion laterally or in plain language, bending to the side ! As such, if you ask your horse to bend, and it bends - you have achieved lateral flexion.
So ?? what good is lateral flexion ? Well in the article CA suggests that if you horse is bracing to *vertical* flexion, lateral flexion can help..
OK, so now we just have a NEW question - why do we want vertical flexion ?
Vertical flexion in itself is NOT the same thing as collection. But, to collect the horse needs to accept the aids, and needs to shorten their frame. So if you ask the horse to shorten their frame, part of which is going to be flexing at the poll (and hence vertical flexion), and they can't or don't, you're not going to get collection.
By asking, and then rewarding (by stopping asking), you show the horse what you want. Initially you may only ask for a momentary "give" - but over time you are going to want them to accept the aids for longer, so you are going to ask for collection (a shorter frame including flexion at the poll) and then
ride that shorter frame i.e. you may not give all the rein back (as that might be your cue for the longer frame again - for extension).
I've already started answering your second question - by talking about reward. But actually thats what a lot of the article is about - about NOT getting to the point where you take up a contact and the horse braces against you rather than giving - that would be completely the opposite lesson to the one you want to teach
It isn't just about "pulling" the horse's head in any direction. The rider needs to ask, softly and with a quality of feel. if you "end up riding for ages with a tight rein" - you're doing it wrong. because you are asking, but not getting the answer you want. So you normally need to ask a different way, one your horse understand. Just getting stronger is rarely the answer.