Knowing there in an outline?

[kirstie]

I had a lesson yesterday on amba and it went brilliantly, she was going really well and i could see and feel she was in an outline espically in walk, trotting she was going in it every couple of strides. Because i had to concrentrate on keeping her going forwards, keep my hands in the correct place, hugging her to keep her forwards, trying to get a correct bend whilst getting and maintaing an outline. My RI was pointing out when she was in a good outline, the only time i saw she was in an outline was when her neck was really lovely and arched.

I have this habit of leaning forwards to see if shes in an outline, obviosuly know good because she'll have the correct herself to balance me since i'm not sitting upright.

How can you tell if the horse is even coming slightly down or is down in an outline, i thought amba wasn't in an outline yesterday to begin with but it turned out she was. So is there anyway in which you know they are?

Thanks

 

[frazz_starlight]

You feel the reins give a little

 

[coss]

everything feels softer, you can't see the horse's muzzle anymore , if the horse is in a proper outline the mnovement will feel much softer and easier to sit to (if trotting), everything feels more together.

hope that helps

 

[kirstie]

hummm... i can't seem to feel her going down, usually RI pointed it out to me, i just don't want to keep asking her when she might be down already. I have asked someone to watch me tonight on amba but but i just couldn't feel her going down without them telling me so.

 

[eml]

You need to get the feel, what about your RI lunging you with side reins so you can get the feel of her working correctly

 

[summerguest]

the back lifts up and you feel you are being carried forward..like riding a wave...and you can feel more power and elevation in the pace, and it is more comfy to sit to. Some horses will carry their neck and heads nicely but if you dont get that feeling I would say they are not truely in an outline.

 

[keep the faith]

echo summerguest, everything feels much smoother and you can feel that little bit of spring in the step because they are working through their backs properly.

eml has a valid point, You would get the feel better through lungeing in sidereins. you could concentrate more of the feel than encouraging her forwards.

 

[Bay Mare]

You feel the back lift and it's like you've suddenly acquired power steering

 

[eventerbabe]

You feel the back lift and it's like you've suddenly acquired power steering

that's a fantastic description of what you should be looking out for! don't get obsessed with looking, learn to feel when she's working correctly. I often find after working on spirals, leg yielding and travers, i've got toby's hind quarters engaged and you can feel them working and lifting their backs.