Progressions for Collection Without Tack, Part 1

Bridge techniques to bend and release the poll  

by Paul Dufresne  

Most people find it a considerable challenge to collect their horse, where they have control of the poll and the horse is put in a position to use its ring of muscles in the most powerful and efficient way possible. However, I am seeing more people on the right track with collection using a bit or even a halter and lead line. What is even more exciting is the fact that more leaders are ready to try preparing their horses to collect with non-traditional tack or no tack at all. This article will illustrate how you can get started.  

It is important that all horses have a foundation in the understanding of bending on a circle with lateral flexion and releasing the poll, obtaining vertical flexion. This includes young horses as well. (Note: These topics have been covered in previous articles; please see the NWHS Trainer's Corner archives online or contact the author if you don’t have them on hand.) 

Building a Bridge

This article is written under the pretext that people attempting this already have some d

ecent control of their horse’s poll with the lead line and halter or bit. To start with, I would bridge some more common techniques for controlling the poll with less traditional methods of doing so. Tools that can be used to assist in teaching this are cordeos (a leather or boat rope strap fitting the horse almost like a breast collar; in fact, old breast collars work well), whips, plastic bats, and even your hand. What we will do here is bridge between collecting on a lead line and connecting with a whip or cordeo, as an example.  (Photo at right: Friesian Stallion Ljibbe rounding with cordeo)

This type of training often works best in a series of micro training sessions.  Short three- to seven-minute sessions a few times a day work really well. You can use clicker training or not, but you should always shape the behavior with a conditioned response and reward any try in the right direction. This being said, when I use treats to reward the tries, they are minute, which allows more tries per session. I make sure I only give treats when I offer with an open hand; otherwise I close the hand.  I gently nudge horses away from trying to grab a treat when it hasn't been offered yet. When done correctly, horses learn to wait for the treat. This is not recommended for horses that are disrespectful and demanding—you must have a horse’s respect first!

Using cues

A verbal cue ( I use the word “round”) and/or looking at the horse's chest/neck area is the finishing cue that I want, so that is what I start with. Then I ask my horse to round with slight pressure on a cordeo. When I raise it slightly, it pushes up on the base of the neck. If using a whip, bat, or hand, I would touch the base of the neck 

with a light upward touch. I would bridge the technique by putting gentle pressure on the lead line and halter to achieve release

 of the poll. (Photo below: Yearling colt Easy setting poll with whip and halter line bridge)

As soon as the horse makes an attempt to release the poll or round, I would say "Good!" (or click if using a clicker) and reward with a treat. This would be repeated a few times, inviting the horse to round more, bringing his muzzle closer to his chest, rounding his neck and topline. I might also touch the muzzle gently and entice the horse to bring it toward his chest with my hand, which has a treat in it ready to reward a guess in the right direction.

The really cool thing in doing this is that when the horse actually rounds, he rewards himself by releasing his poll and starts to feel better about the whole exercise because it releases endorphins in his body. I would only repeat the above steps three to five times on the spot, and then have the horse move his feet to another spot. Not only is circulation increased, but so is the attentiveness. We will want the horse to round while moving as soon as possible. 

As my horses start to offer on the verbal cue, or even just a look, they get nice and round. I go as far as teaching the horse that “Good” means you are on the right track and only treat when I say "Good boy (or girl)." I allow them to stop all activity and give them the small treat while they are still in the rounded position. I would repeat this until the horse understands to keep rounding on the cue or in hope of getting rewarded with a treat. The more horses stay in a relaxed poll position, the better they feel and the more they are inclined to want to stay there. (Photo at right: Ljibbe taking things into his own mouth and rounding, as well as Easy offering at the suggestion in inpromtu play)

This exercise can be practiced while tacking up or while visiting a group of horses in pasture or paddock. I do this with horses of any age—including weanlings—solo or in groups. I find that some of the younger horses are great at building the desire to round in older horses that may have less food drive or have lost some of their zeal for such a simple game. It doesn’t take long before most horses will get very responsive. 

In part two we will discuss how to progress with this to moving in-hand, and then later to riding a collected horse without any tack. Have fun and watch your horses enjoy themselves! 

Learn more about collection without tack in the Training for Courage 2009 exhibitions.