Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: How do you ask for shape and connection through the bridle from a horse that tends to move behind the leg?
Here are their answers:
“Horses must be in front of the rider’s leg to achieve shape and connection. Some are naturally lazy, while others become dull and sour over time, usually when the rider clashes the aids, or overdoes the cluck, kick, spur, or crop. The horse protects itself by resistance. I start with a fairly mild bit to encourage the horse to go forward. Ask with leg, and make sure you know when to use a driving leg and a supporting leg. If you need to add an artificial aid, do so immediately, keeping it brief but firm. Spurs and a crop are meant to reinforce the leg, not act as a substitute. As your horse responds, soften your hand a bit and open the door, applying more leg to fill the gap.
To encourage shape and connection, use a variety of figures and patterns, instead of just staying on the rail. This will also help horses that tend to move behind your leg. Incorporate transitions, add circles, and practice broken and bending lines. Lengthen and collect at each gait. Change direction across the diagonal frequently, and use the centerline and quarter lines more. Lateral work (bending, counter-bending, shoulder-in, haunches-in, leg yields) helps the horse become lighter in front, strengthens the back, and builds muscle and balance–all essential for a horse to be forward and supple in the bridle.” –Patricia Jellerson
“I start by reminding the horse that forward is the first step toward connection. If they’re behind the leg, I focus on energizing the hind end with transitions or poles until they’re honestly taking me forward. Then I shape that energy through a soft, steady contact—never the other way around.” -Tiffani Donahue
Read more Trainer Tuesday responses from Tiffani here.
“Before attempting to create the shape or frame desired, a rider must first make sure that their horse has a constant want and desire to continue moving forward. I like to use lots of “skip a pace” transitions, such as halt to trot and walk to canter, to help establish a more forward-thinking horse. Only once the horse is able to keep consistent energy and forwardness independent of the rider can the rider begin to determine a shape or frame, using rein length and a steady or flowing hand.” –Allie Zorn
“Always make sure the horse has forward momentum before asking for contact, even if that means warming up on a lose rein and having a big, open stride to get the impulsion necessary to collect and shorten.” -Nicole Roach
Read more from Nicole here.
