By MARLEY LIEN-GONZALEZ
Juniors tackling the daunting task of preparing for equitation finals come up with some creative methods to make sure they’re in peak physical and mental condition. Casey Arriaga is no different–he’s done no stirrups, tying his stirrups to his girth, and all the tricks in between. The secret to his success in equitation flats this year was unexpected. Instead of adding a step to his preparation routine, he removed part of his regular routine and took off his spurs.
Arriaga won the flat at IEA Nationals and Jumping Seat Medal Finals this year, and was most recently second in his Age Equitation flat at the National Horse Show. This past summer, as he was gearing up for these shows, Arriaga’s trainer had him remove his spurs while flatting so he could be more effective and connected with his equine partner, without relying on artificial aids like a crutch.
Often, instead of riding the horses as they are, we look to add a spur if they’re too slow, put in a stronger bit if they get too fast, etc. There’s a place for tools and artificial aids, as long as we remember to be riders too.
The goal of taking away Arriaga’s spurs was to make him more conscious of his own leg, and force him to communicate with the horse directly, without going to a tool first. He admits it was not as simple an adjustment as it sounds.
“I definitely struggled to ride without spurs at first,” Arriaga says, “I found myself trying to dig my heel in like I had one, but that wasn’t effective, so I quickly learned that a squeeze and then release gets a far better reaction than constant digging from my heel.”
After a few lessons, the pieces started to click. “After I got over the initial adjustment, riding without my spurs made my impulsion more real because I had to power the horse from the engine, and get him going enough so that I could take my leg off,” Arriaga says.
Not only did this practice make him a stronger and more aware rider, it also fixed some of his position issues. He says, “The biggest struggles I’ve had with my equitation on the flat is that I don’t keep my hands even and my heel tends to come up. Riding without the reliance of spurs has taught me to be lighter in my seat, to stop pinching with my heels, has helped my heels go down instead of up and in, and given me much more awareness of what my hands are doing. It’s helped my understanding of how hand and leg pressure work together.”
Any judge will tell you, especially in the equitation, that a rider can have good position and a horse can be beautiful, but it’s the harmony between the pair that is most important. If you’re prepping for a final phase or just flatting at home and struggling to find the missing link, consider taking off your spurs and see what that tells you about you, your horse, and how you work together.
