So You'll Never Take a Dressage Test?" Part 3

by Alice Trindle

As I review the past two articles in this series, I have to admit that they are a bit on the academic side. I apologize for that, at least a little...and yet the premise of these articles is all about dressage, or the mindful training of both horse and rider. I guess there is no escaping the fact that if we truly want to develop a willing partnership with our horses, we have to commit to stretching the boundaries of our understanding--to read, listen, compare, and observe.

This month, let’s look at applying the rudiments of the training scale to some very specific training scenarios. In each case, it is important to keep in mind that these steps, or notes of the scale, combine and build one upon another, and that the human has a responsibility associated with each step. It never is just the horse’s fault! Somewhere, the human has missed a critical step, preventing us from accomplishing the maneuver in a willing partnership. By going back to the training scales, we can usually discover a better way to set up for success.

Example One – Out of Balance Ground Work
We have discussed many times in previous articles the necessity and benefits of proper ground work, work-in-hand, and liberty work. Hopefully, everyone is applying some ground work exercises to your equine routine, whether you are working with a young horse or training at the Grand Prix level.

With the more recent "natural horsemanship" movement, it has been great to see so many people enjoying the fun and benefits of ground work with their horses. However, as I have traveled these past few years, I have seen many horses moving on non-geometric circles at inconsistent gaits and balancing with shoulders popped-out, heads up, and with stiff backs. The involvement of the human – the leader – is often non-existent in truly influencing the overall picture of the movement in this poor ground work. To experience this feeling, try trotting a circle on your two-legged horse. As your toes try to stay on the imaginary circle beneath your feet, look to the outside of the circle and lift your outside shoulder.

Notice how it became difficult to keep your toes on the arc of the circle? And you probably lost the rhythm of the two-beat trot. Can you imagine a similar situation with a horse you are trying to trot on a circle at end of a longe line?

Okay...so what is creating this unpleasant picture, and how might we provide leadership from the ground to make the situation more pleasing? Go to the training scale for answers! First, we must be missing some very basic notes in the scale. The horse has poor rhythm which is being influenced by a lack of suppleness in his back, causing a lack of balance. What do you need to do to help? Look at the human training triangle and make sure you are accomplishing each note of the scale:

Step 1 - Provide clear leadership with a positive and present attitude
Do you have a clear picture of the direction and rhythm you want to achieve? Have you internalized the rhythm of the gait you are asking the horse to accomplish?

Step 2 - Suppleness & Relaxation
Are you balanced in your stance and engaged in picturing/watching for the movement? Are you breathing...with a smile on your face?

Step 3 - Contact & Feel
Are you feeling of, for, and with the horse through the line? In your mind's eye, are you riding the horse with contact through your entire body, including all aids--seat, leg, and (last) hands?

Step 4 - Straightness & Balance
Rather than continuing to send the horse on a circle out of balance, have you thought of other methods or exercises that might help him to understand self-carriage? Perhaps accomplishing some work-in-hand or lateral maneuvers will help, then come back to the exercise on a circle.

Step 5 - Impulsion, Schwung, & Collection
Depending on the age and development of the horse, even these elements can be accomplished with proper ground work for the exercise of a balanced trot on a circle. You may want to consider tools such as driving on the long lines, use of the surcingle with light side reins, or the cowgirl side rein system (i.e., run your reins up through the gullet of a western saddle and hook over the saddle horn, with very light contact on the snaffle bit.)

Example Two – Excessive Bending in the Shoulder-In
As a quick review, the shoulder-in exercise is a three-track maneuver that strengthens, supples, and balances the horse. It is a critical exercise in the development of all horses and all disciplines. If we are riding on the track to the left, a proper shoulder-in posture would find the left front foot slightly off the track toward the center of the arena. The right front foot would be on the same line as the left hind, and the right hind foot would be on the outer track. The rider can see the horse’s left eyelash, with a slight bend to the left.

Now, what if we see the entire left eye of the horse, and his neck was definitely bent to the left? Let’s use the training scale to examine what is happening. Clearly, the horse is over-bending, which is most likely causing him to be out of balance, certainly not straight, and probably rigid or braced in various portions of his body. He may also be a little mentally bothered, as his eyes are not in a very natural position. On top of that, the most basic of the notes—rhythm--is probably non-existent! HELP!!

Step 1 – Leadership & A Balanced Seat
Are you present, with a clear picture in your mind’s eye of what a shoulder-in looks like? Is the rhythm of the gait clearly beating with your internal clock? Have you checked that your aids are correct for the shoulder-in posture, with your seat bone and shoulder weight balanced in the direction of travel, your inside leg active at the girth, your outside leg relaxed, and your hands accepting the energy as it moves from the inside hip to the outside rein?

Step 2 – Relaxed, Supple, and Active Hips
Did you remember to do your suppling and stretching exercises for both you and the horse?

Step 3 – Contact & Feel
Are you using all your aids efficiently, without bracing?

Step No. 4 – Straightness & Balance
How is your posture? Are your shoulders parallel to the ground? Are your pressure and balance aids working in unison? (Review NWHS "Beyond the Basics" articles July – August, 2007, available online at http://www.nwhorsesource.com/.)

Step 5 – Impulsion, Schwung, & Finesse of Aids
Are you feeling for the energy starting with the push of the horse’s inside hind foot and carrying that energy toward the outside shoulder and rein, with rhythm? Is the timing of your aids enhancing the rhythm and flow? Are your hands there to accept the energy, not inhibit or brace? Can you feel the freedom of the back muscles, and does the tail swing with rhythm, not annoyance?

Step 6 – Collection & Lightness
Can you now ride the shoulder-in with imperceptible aids, with the poll as the highest point and energy pushing from behind, in a balanced, rhythmic, pleasing dance? Yeah! You have reached the pinnacle of the Training Scale!

For more information on the classical dressage training scale
www.artofriding.com/articles/trainingscale.html
http://www.horsemagazine.com/CLINIC/W/weis/rider www.woodsdressage.com/training_scale.asp