ITS IS IMPORTANT HOW WE GIVE OUR HORSES REST AND A BREAK. We spend a lot of time asking the horse to be even in the shoulders when we ride, it is critical that when we take a break on a long rein that the rules remain the same. This means that the horse should follow the leg, just like when we have the horse adjusted. I often see riders riding at what I call, “half-mast”. This means the horse is not adjusted but not on the buckle either. This does not give the horse responsibility of responding to the leg but rather, relies on the rein simply because they are there.
This does not mean that we don’t adjust the horse when resting on the buckle, it means that we might adjust the reins to help the horse be straight (accompanied with the leg) but then resume riding on the buckle so the horse learns to follow the leg FIRST! Not therein.
Here is an example:
We will now look at 4 different horses walking on a long rein:
This is a short-backed Andalusian that tends to swing his neck in response to the leg instead of moving his body.
This horse is a short-coupled Lusitano, he tends to rush when the leg is applied. Halting interrupts this and allows us to create a different idea of the leg on the long rein. This very much applies to all of the riding work but is important that the rules remain the same where adjusted or on a long rein.
This horse is an Andalusian that is longer in his back, he tends to drift from one side to the other rather than react with forwarding energy. In his training he is working on engaging the left hind under and lifting the inside shoulder, it is important that we maintain this idea when resting on the buckle. The rules must always remain the same or the horse does not create the habit.
This is an Appendix, he is short coupled, tends to lean on the forehand and fall from shoulder to shoulder.
