How do YOU ask for 'shape' from your horse

L

Luckylocalian

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 April 2007
Messages
624
Location
London
Visit site
How do different people ask for their horses to work in an outline. I find it so confusing. You see so many horses being yanked in the mouth over and over to get them to work in an outline.... but what are the options and what is the best way? Hope this makes sense! Thanks
 
I was always taught to get good impulsion then to "play" with the reins almost giving small vibrations down the rein but not pulling. My dressage instructor would kill anyone that saws on the reins.

A certain dressage judge who came to the last show at my yard judged the compititon then decided to "show us how it should be done" so he gripped with his knees and constantly yanked his 5 year old into an "outline" was appauling to watch and lets just say he is now unwelcome at the yard!
 
With a horse that has never been asked to go into an outline and sits head above bridle I would first use lots of flexion with inside rein to get it to soften.

But the main principle that I stick by is leg to hand. There is little point in forcing a horse's head down with your hands or gadgets as the chances are you are blocking the forward energy from the back legs, over the horses back. In dressage at a lower level, it is far better to have the horse going forward and even a little above the bridle than tucked in behind the vertical.

Leg to hand all the way, with no 'backward' pressure on the reins unless you really need it for transitions.

Even if it takes a while to get results, in the end CORRECT training rather than 'covering up' will pay dividens.
 
I find lots of walk-hault transitions gets my horse light. She comes down at hault mostly volentarily (sp?) If not a little tweak (not tug!) and she takes nicely. The trasitions also get her going with a lot of impulsion too!
 
I have been told to encourage them to stretch their head so they are using their backend and stretching their back muscles and once they are doing that bring them back up with your legs. not sure if its correct :S
 
Puch fowards with the leg, sit with a deap seat and do lots of circle work. If needed to start with giving and taking either the outside or inside rein by tensing and untensing my fingers.
 
I ask for impulsion and lift from behind, I find it easiest to get this in circles and spirals, until the front end goes light - in very basic terms. I am not concerned with the angle of the nose or necessarily looking pretty, just concerned that the horse should carry itself.

As schooling progresses we arrive more quickly at lightness and can then finesse the paces and the overall impression
 
I stare down at their head in a fixated fashion, making myself round shouldered in the process, and tipping my weight onto their forehand (I'm sure the horse appreciates a challenge).
Then, I pull one rein then the other (sawing) until I feel the horse tuck his chin in...I like to think of this as 'lightening in my hand'.
If the horse should slow down as a result of this sawing, I like to get behind the movement slightly, especially in rising trot, and kick every time I sit down...to 'drive him/her forward'.
If all of these tried and tested techniques don't work, I put him/her in a more severe bit, and wear spurs...as s/he is obviously resisting my aids.
S
grin.gif
 
Inside leg to outside rein is what I've been taught. Sometimes "play" gently with the inside rein if the horse is tight in his jaw but mostly just use it to guide the horse through circles and turns.

Lots of transitions and circles helps as does getting the horse to go forwards in a relaxed rhythm. With my very sharp horse I try to encourage her to stretch down rather than into an outline as she tends to throw her head up and run off a lot!
 
loads of transitions and circles.
some shoulder fore,leg yeilds and walk squares and rein backs also help.i will do more lateral work with a more advanced horse.
inside bend,light hands and plenty of leg.
 
I have been taught that you do not ask for a "shape" from the horse but that if correctly ridden from behind i.e. leg to hand with the rider concentrating on the hind leg, then the horse will offer a rounded outline when in self carriage. Far more pleasant for all concerned IMO.
 
I push on with my legs and 'play' very gently with the reins, just a little niggle and she relaxes and rounds off. it is now a saw at all, just a vibration from me
 
loads of lateral work!! i swear by it!! just do 20 mins of lateral work in walk, shoulder in, shoulder out, leg yeilding, this just loosens the horse up making it easier for him and you to work together, you will find after doing some serious lateral work, that when you trot he will automatically bring his back end under him, pushing himself into an outline and will feel more fluid. when trotting after doing this, keep a good contact but keep your hands still, keep them even so your not pulling on one rein more than the other and also use your leg, you dont want him to drop behind your leg as he will drop his behind. hope this makes sense
smile.gif
 
get them moving forwards and upwards from behind, slowly taking up a contact so that they're encouraged to take it up and soften into it.

All aided by transitions, lateral work, spiralling into circles and leg yielding out etc
 
I think it's important for a horse to be given a 'constant' that it can sit into. So therefore I keep an even contact with my outside rein and use my inside leg so that he is pushed into the contact and then I press my inside rein slightly until he gives a little and then give with it and a rub with my finger on his wither as I do so that he understands that was what I was hoping to achieve. Lots of lateral work and moving him around the school, lots of inside flexion on circles and making sure he is completely straight on straight lines. Every now and then I find just 'moving the bit rings' a little just keeps his mouth fresh and keeps him listening. Also small half halts before I ask for something new just keeps him listening, prepares him and helps to sit him back on his hindlegs a bit more.
 
I do lateral work on the ground first to make sure entire horses body is soft, supple & flexable with no braces (esp shoulders wich are often jammed on horses who are used to too much contract by rider), then hop on, do the same in saddle.

When all this is perfect, and you've got both soft ribs & lateral flexion (slight soft bend in neck), then I ask for vertical flexion (on the bit etc) by just putting very light pressure on inside rein, along with inside leg on to ask horse to wrap his ribs around my inside leg, and when head drops down slightly, I release rein contact.

Its probably the opposite to all the pull on the reins hard, saw mouth, ways.

heres it in more detail, it is a nice way to do it though
smile.gif



http://irishnhsociety.proboards41.com/in...read=1189155540
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top