Phoenix Equi-Sport

With correct training. Period.

Taken from a page on Facebook, but oh so true! This is not just for those big movers, but for all horses. BALANCE!! TAKE YOUR TIME It’s tempting to get a little greedy when the young yet powerful horse presents big moving gaits. When he or she offers those powerful gaits check / resist the temptation to do more:... a) In doing so you can inadvertently make them go out of balance. b) Riding a youngster with more power than he / she can manage puts them at risk mentally and physically. This obviously begs the question of: How much is too much power? Too much power can simply be seen where your horse starts to lose their natural rhythm and cadence especially in corners or curved lines. These are sure symptoms of going too far with the young and/or any horse for that matter. It is a must to take your time and develop your youngster’s balance, rhythm and maneuverability with appropriate balance, suppleness, rhythm exercises along with transitions. In other words good rideability first, then we can ask for a little more in a step-by-step process, not rush into the upper gaits as we see many trainers do. Finally, the uphill balance may be the holy grail of dressage, but the muscles have to be developed first. Balanced / Symmetrical training of both horse and rider is the secret to success, so get these right by taking your time. Remember the principle "a few little steps first" for you and your horse.

Round vs. Frame Understanding the difference and training the eye. Many riders go around with their horses in a false frame, meaning the head and neck have bee...n set via the hands, bit, tie down, draw-reins, etc. They also mistake this as being round, correct and dressage. Being round is in the back, and when a horse is round in the back and truly collected, only then will the frame naturally come. Much like a lever, when the hind end lowers and the horse moves from heavy to light on the forehand, with abdominal muscles engaged and back soft, ONLY THEN can the poll become the highest point and the head hang from the last cervical vertebrae. Any force or tension whatsoever completely negates the collection and softness required. A horse who is in frame is not held there by the rider or other gadgets. For horses who are held in frame/false frame, the tension in the neck muscles also transfer to the back, the hind legs, the pelvis, the forelegs, the hyoid, etc. Tension is not localized in its affects to the muscle that is holding it, the negative effects can be seen across the body. Tension in the lower jaw will translate to the hind legs of the horse. The body is connected and we as riders, trainers, vets, body workers MUST stop seeing the various regions and muscles as separate from each other! Damage to the multifidus does not only affect the multifidus! A stiff back will not only affect the back. The body is a system, and like any system, when one part fails or cannot perform the way it's meant to, there will be a domino effect. When any sort of assessment or evaluation takes place, we must respect the connections within the body and understand the system as a whole to be able to protect it properly. ~SG

A great illustration of how a horse is knocked off balance by using the inside rein to turn/bend. The right is correct, as the horse is turning with both should...ers, the left horse has been knocked over his outside shoulder, and will fight for his balance beneath the rider by allowing his haunches to fall in. This is why "inside leg to outside rein" is so important. When in doubt add more inside leg CARING FOR YOUR HORSE...NATURALLY [email protected] #HealthEquineTherapies