Tips on asking for inside flexion

[ISH]

I had a great lesson today where I got my horse working over his back and forwards into a nice outline. It wasn't consistent, but he was tracking up, over tracking at some points, which is the main thing. I will work on my contact consistency!

We also did a bit of inside flexion in the trot, has anyone got any tips/advice on this?

 

[ISH]

How do I ask for it and keep it?

 

[Bling]

I used to practice the "squeezing the sponge" technique. You take contact with both reins, and the side that hollows, you keep that contact, then "squeeze" the reins with the stiff side, until the horse nods slightly, as if saying "yes, I understand." Honestly, I've always had a hard time with that, though I practiced it for years. I especially had trouble when it came to flexing and yielding with the side that was already soft: she'd flex her head but not her body. Now that I'm studying NH, I do a lot of the preliminaries on the ground. Yielding is the start. You teach your horse to bring his head around, all the way to saddle. Then ask him at the walk etc. Naturally, not so far around as when you're standing still! The problem will come later, I think: NH tends to favor complete releases, but when my horse learns to really accept the bit, I'm going to expect her to take a contact, and keep it. Is this compatible with NH? I hope so! (And I hope I'm not confusing you, but I know what you're attempting, and I think you're on the right track.) P.S. "Keeping it" will mean asking over and over; but he'll eventually get more consistent.