When I was a teenager, I had no problem getting on any horse, any time, anywhere. Riding a horse was a little bit like riding a bike. Simply get on and go. Over the years, this changed considerably. More and more, I realised that I had to be in the right frame of mind, and the horse had to be in the right frame of mind in order to be able to do productive work. Otherwise, I would rather not ride the horse.
This frame of mind is not so easy to describe. It’s something that evolved slowly over many years for me. I need to feel grounded, at peace, with a sense of inner calm, so that I can focus on the horse without being distracted by thoughts about other things. If I am upset or angry, it’s not a good time to ride.
I also need a certain energy level and intensity that is neither too high nor too low. The right energy level is different for each horse, depending on their personality and current frame of mind.
The horse needs to be calm, present, grounded, and peaceful as well. If you try to ride a horse that is nervous, tense, or distracted, it’s almost impossible to have a productive ride - and the risk of an accident increases dramatically. This is one of the reasons why I like to longe or do work in hand for a few minutes with most horses before riding them. It helps to create a certain mental and physical balance and to tune in to each other before getting on so that the experience in the saddle is more pleasant for both of us. Longeing or work in hand can become a kind of ritual that helps both horse and rider to connect and to get into the right frame of mind together.
The workspace, i.e. the barn and the arena needs to have a quiet, peaceful atmosphere as well. When the energy in the barn and arena is stressful and toxic, it’s very difficult to do good work, because it compromises the sense of mental and emotional well-being of both the horse and the rider.
Riding is really an exercise in mindfulness. Try to be completely present with the horse and tune in to him with all your senses, including your sixth sense of intuition.
Observe the parameters of the gait: the line of travel and the alignment of the horse’s body. The rhythm and tempo of the footfall. Is it regular or uneven? Is the tempo too fast or too slow, or just right? Listen to the sound of the footfall. Are all four feet touching down with the same intensity, or is one foot louder than the others? Pay attention to the energy level. Is it suitable for what you are trying to do, or do you need to raise it or lower it?
Observe the horse’s muscle tone. The feel of his back and hind legs. The mobility of his hips, shoulders, rib cage, and spine. Can you feel the hind legs in your reins? Can your weight flow through each of the four legs into the ground?
Can you reach all areas of the horse’s body with your aids, or are there areas that you can’t feel or influence?
Connect with the horse’s heart and mind. Find out what he is thinking and feeling. Is he paying attention to you and the work, or is he distracted? Is he calm and relaxed, or nervous and tense? Can you anticipate what he is going to do in the next minute or two?
Observe which training issues come up. Observe your inner responses to these issues. Is there an unhelpful inner commentary inside your head whenever a mistake happens? Are you getting upset or frustrated? Or can you notice mistakes or training problems without an emotional reaction, and focus on a practical solution, rather than swimming in negative emotion?
Watch for signs of fatigue in the horse.
Is your horse responding and behaving the way you expect? Is he responding the way the theory predicts? Or is reality different from your mental image or the theory in the books today?
Are you riding the actual horse that you are sitting on? Or are you trying to ride the horse you would like to have?
Zoom in to observe a certain part of the body without losing sight of the whole. Zoom out to observe how all the different areas of the body interact with each other and influence each other. Does any specific joint, limb, or muscle group stand out because it is moving oddly? Can you see or feel where this anomaly is coming from?
When a problem arises, can you take a step back and look at the situation from all angles to find a different, better approach? Be careful not to fall into the trap of digging in, working harder, and applying stronger, more forceful aids, when something isn’t working. Try to find a smarter solution by explaining things better or differently to the horse.
Always remember what you did with the horse during the last few training sessions because each session leaves traces, like footprints in the snow. Changes don’t usually happen overnight, even if it sometimes appears that way. They are usually longer-term developments that start very small, almost imperceptible, and gain momentum over time.
Take a step back regularly to reflect on how far you have come during the time you have been working with the horse because we often take success and progress for granted and become unhappy about all the things that are still missing from the training, even if we have progressed quite far during the time we have had with the horse.
Groundwork is an incredible way of working with your horse. Not only is it effective in building your horse’s topline but also their balance and confidence. It also is a hugely valuable way of deepening your relationship with one another.
If you are interested in developing your horse and your own skills in longeing, work-in-hand, Feldenhorse (Feldenkrais inspired movement lessons with your horse), long reining and double-longing, the next round of our 30-week Topline Makeover Course begins on June 6, 2022.
Find out more here https://courses.artisticdressage.com/the-topline-makeover-course-2022
