ONLINE HORSE SOFTWARE

SPONSORS

HORSE VIDEOS

GLOBAL FEDERATIONS

HORSES FOR SALE at Horseville!

Have a
horse website?
Click here
HORSELOGS.COM - Schooling Advice from Holly MacDonald...
Body Control Basics, December 2005

Further to last month's discussion on Roundness, there are two other important elements that compose the rudiments of an educated horse. When lacking in one of these important aspects of the training triad, we create 'loop holes' in our horsemanship and thereby hinder our horses' best possible performance and his ability to progress.

Those other key elements are Guiding (to be discussed at a later date) and Body Control.

Body Control is the art of developing independent control over each segment of the horse's body - his chin, neck, shoulders, ribs, and haunches are all separate entities that must learn to work in individually or in unison as our riding commands.

By focusing on the displacement and control of these separate entities, we can teach the horse to work them altogether while loping a straight line, or have each part holding it's own individual responsibility; as seen in the spin of a reining horse, for example.

A horse that lacks proper Body Control will be resistant to new maneuvers and may also find the other aspects of the training triad (Roundness and Guiding) complicated. He may be reluctant to move his shoulders in a side pass over an obstacle, or hang his head to one side while jogging a circle in an equitation pattern. He could also demonstrate this lack of control and elasticity in his approach to the barrel, or as you turn back a cow.

Body Control will gain flexibility, strength, suppleness and mobility throughout your horse, and teach him to respond to the slightest of commands when used to your advantage. In addition to being part of a routine warm-up, these exercises may also be used when you face a horse with an especially challenging issue derivative of a specific location in the body. They may also be used exclusive to one side when working with a horse lacking in ambidexterity; a one-sided weakness that shows up in his performance (ie, problems with the left lead), or his resistance in working to either the left or right side in these exercises.

In this article, we will focus on control of the hip and hindquarters with attention paid to other body parts in articles to follow. These exercises will work to improve your performance, regardless of discipline.

Exercise #1: Haunches In

What it helps: Lead departures, simple lead changes, flying lead changes, pivots on the forehand, two tracking, side passing, spins, backing up.

When to Use It: In green horses, on one-sided horses, or horses working on the above.

How it works: By controlling one side at a time, the horse learns to multi-task with his body and will develop strength, balance, suppleness and control throughout his hip.

Your Goal: To maintain forward motion while angling the horse's hip. Walking the horse in a straight line, maintain light contact with your reins. This will encourage him to keep the area from his shoulder to chin straight. To perform Haunches In to the left, allow your right leg to slide back several inches from your normal position. This exaggeration will encourage your horse to understand the premise of moving his hindquarters away from your leg. Apply gentle and steady pressure, increasing in strength if the horse resists. When the horse moves his hip away from your leg toward the left, release your leg and allow him to continue walking straight as reward. Repeat several times, increasing the amount of strides the Haunches In is held as the horse improves. This exercise may also be performed at a jog or lope to increase level of difficulty on a more advanced horse.

Trouble Shooting: What if the horse moves his entire body laterally, and not just his haunches? Ensure that you are maintaining light contact and that your leg is several inches back from typical position, translating to the horse that his hip is the area you would like to displace. You may also introduce a light squeezing leg at the inside girth to encourage the horse to block his inside shoulder.

Trouble Shooting: What if the horse stops forward motion? Relax your reins; remember they are being used only as a tool to help maintain shoulder control while you work the hip area. You may also give a verbal command ('click'), and introduce light squeezing leg at the inside girth to encourage forward motion.

Exercise #2: Backing in Circles

What it helps: Lead departures, simple lead changes, flying lead changes, pivots on the forehand, two tracking, side passing, spins, backing up.

When to Use It: When your horse is comfortable with the Haunches In exercise and understands the concept of backing up. Good for one-sided horses.

How it works: By controlling one side at a time, the horse allows his hind quarters to initiate steering and momentum.

Your Goal: To back your horse on a small circle. Begin by walking your horse in a small, 10 foot circle to the right, keeping his body straight. This will become your guideline of 'foot prints'; a track you will attempt to follow as you back up your horse while maintaining the shape of a circle. Remember that this is not necessarily a focus of the back up maneuver itself, rather an exercise to improve dexterity, suppleness and strength. Speed is not recommended or important. After asking for the halt, allow your reins to initiate the backward momentum of the reverse. It is vital that you allow your seat and weight to be largely responsible for maintaining the reverse, most especially in a green horse. Your left leg is in charge of steering the horse onto the circle on the right rein. A green or resistant horse may require you to slightly exaggerate the cue by stretching your leg back beyond normal position in order to obtain the desired hip swing. Continue holding steady pressure with your calf muscle against the horse's side, lessening your strength as he responds by moving away from your leg and staying on the circle at a reverse. With a horse new to the exercise, your reins may assist in steering the front end of the horse until he has developed the strength and dexterity to allow his hindquarters to take the initiative in this exercise. It is important to remember the goal of allowing the horse's hip to do the work, and not compromise the exercise by continually aligning the horse's outside shoulder with your rein. As a horse becomes more comfortable with this exercise, less and less rein is required. A supple horse with independent body control can easily back a circle on a loose rein, one handed.

Trouble Shooting: What if the horse pushes his hip to the left, into my leg? The horse is deviating from the intended exercise and is allowing his shoulder to provide the basis for the inward rotation of the circle, and not his hip. You may block his left shoulder by drawing your left rein back toward your hip. Make sure you have increased your left leg pressure and are maintaining backward motion. You may wish to return to Haunches In to solidify his understanding of yielding his hip to pressure.

Trouble Shooting: What if the horse backs up, but in a circle different than my initial track of 'foot prints'? Provided the horse is making some attempt to maintain backward motion and effort to move his hip away from your leg, he is gaining benefit from this exercise. With further conditioning, persistence and repetition, he will improve in strength and flexibility and will easily displace his hindquarters while staying on the circle. Practice these 2 exercises to see big improvement in your horse's Body Control with focus on his hips. Stay tuned for drills to help the ribcage and shoulder.

Questions about this article or have another training challenge?
Write Holly at meadow_pond_stables@yahoo.ca.
Who Is
Holly MacDonald? Email Holly
Holly MacDonald is a coach, trainer, clinician and open show judge operating out of Meadow Pond Stables in Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

Understudying with many notable professionals over the years, Holly worked numerous apprentice positions where she gained industry skills and was allotted the opportunity to begin her career showing, coaching and training. With numerous titles behind her, Holly attended the Equine Science Program, Major of Western Training at Olds College, Alberta.

Holly had the opportunity to work beside the legends of reining while riding out of Gainesville, Texas. She has competed at the NRHA Futurity & World Championship Show in Oklahoma City under the guidance of renowned author and trainer, J.P. Forget, President of Reining Canada.

Horses Holly has ridden can be found through out Canada, the United States and now Europe. They are Futurity & Derby Champions as well as competitive Youth & Non-Pro mounts, piloted by her many successful students.

With tailor-made programs for each horse and rider, Holly's commitment to continual learning and excellence in horsemanship provide the basis for success in her horses.