Perfect_Pirouette
Well-Known Member
This is a really interesting thread.
I have always been taught if the horse is forward, straight, in a natural rythym, working over its back into a consistent contact, theoretically it SHOULD naturally fall into an 'outline.'
However the above on a lot of horses is easier said than done and each of the above steps can be a battle. BUT, in my experience, once each one of those steps is executed, the result IS that of a horse sitting on its hocks, the front end being light and it swinging down into the contact and feeling lovely and 'light'
The horse I currently have on loan is a prime example. He is 12 and to be honest I am unaware of how much schooling he has had. I have only had him 10 weeks but it has been a battle to get him to work correctly. When he first came he was stiff and unyielding, not at all forward and completely unbalanced in all gaits. I had him checked by physio etc who said there was nothing physical. So I got down to business.
It's only in the last few weeks that he has really started to produce some good work. This is only after me recognising though that he was doing ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to avoid going straight. I literally had to lengthen my stirupps a couple of holes (and I ride quite long anyway) and litterally wrap my legs around the little git, use every single atom of my core strength and lower leg to keep him straight and going forward into the contact. FINALLY then he started to use his back end, his back came up (I was praying he wasn't pooing lol but he wasn't and isn't ) he felt completely straight and dropped into the lovliest, softest outline, allowing me to dictate the roundness and also the pace totally. THIS is this horses best I'm sure. Also, before I don't think I was keeping a consistent enough contact with him and felt like I had to 'give' if you like every couple of strides for him. Whereas these last few weeks it's been a consistent and firm but gentle contact I've been asking him to work into, no with no lenience or leway on my behalf. I just need to get it more consistent and get the canter more balanced and sorted.
But at 12 I wonder has he ever really been made to go completely forward and STRAIGHT?! As my god, he really has all the evasions going. I have to be COMPLETELY on the ball at all times as the second I switch off he pushes/falls out somewhere and we lose the niceness almost instantly. He finds it hard and it's almost alien to him? And at 12 I wonder how much better he can get.
But yes, point of the long winded post was that forward, straight, consistent contact etc DOES achieve a lovely 'outline' and I agree with posters who have said that it is a lot more complex with an older horse, because it really is.
I have always been taught if the horse is forward, straight, in a natural rythym, working over its back into a consistent contact, theoretically it SHOULD naturally fall into an 'outline.'
However the above on a lot of horses is easier said than done and each of the above steps can be a battle. BUT, in my experience, once each one of those steps is executed, the result IS that of a horse sitting on its hocks, the front end being light and it swinging down into the contact and feeling lovely and 'light'
The horse I currently have on loan is a prime example. He is 12 and to be honest I am unaware of how much schooling he has had. I have only had him 10 weeks but it has been a battle to get him to work correctly. When he first came he was stiff and unyielding, not at all forward and completely unbalanced in all gaits. I had him checked by physio etc who said there was nothing physical. So I got down to business.
It's only in the last few weeks that he has really started to produce some good work. This is only after me recognising though that he was doing ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to avoid going straight. I literally had to lengthen my stirupps a couple of holes (and I ride quite long anyway) and litterally wrap my legs around the little git, use every single atom of my core strength and lower leg to keep him straight and going forward into the contact. FINALLY then he started to use his back end, his back came up (I was praying he wasn't pooing lol but he wasn't and isn't ) he felt completely straight and dropped into the lovliest, softest outline, allowing me to dictate the roundness and also the pace totally. THIS is this horses best I'm sure. Also, before I don't think I was keeping a consistent enough contact with him and felt like I had to 'give' if you like every couple of strides for him. Whereas these last few weeks it's been a consistent and firm but gentle contact I've been asking him to work into, no with no lenience or leway on my behalf. I just need to get it more consistent and get the canter more balanced and sorted.
But at 12 I wonder has he ever really been made to go completely forward and STRAIGHT?! As my god, he really has all the evasions going. I have to be COMPLETELY on the ball at all times as the second I switch off he pushes/falls out somewhere and we lose the niceness almost instantly. He finds it hard and it's almost alien to him? And at 12 I wonder how much better he can get.
But yes, point of the long winded post was that forward, straight, consistent contact etc DOES achieve a lovely 'outline' and I agree with posters who have said that it is a lot more complex with an older horse, because it really is.