One of the necessary elements in achieving success with horses at this level is how much ‘try’ we have. To come this far in the programme proves just how much you have, which is to your credit. Be very aware however, that sometimes when we try, it’s very easy to almost try too hard. When we try too hard, we tend to start to make.
Make can be a very small thing, as we discussed in a previous article. It might just mean we forgot to offer, maybe we went straight to phase 2 and forgot phase 1. Maybe we pushed a little too hard when we could have emphasised the offer instead.
In contact riding, this predisposition to make or push rather than offer can cause a couple of things to happen.
One; a loss of rapport. We know that when we act in a predatory way we cause our horses to go into opposition reflex. In Level 3 this probably won’t be anything dramatic like your horse rearing or pulling back, it’ll probably just be a little resistance, or heaviness by them automatically leaning against our applied pressure.
Two; loss of flexion. For example, let’s say you want to ask your horse for a transition to canter. Your horse is soft and flexed in the direction you are going. Now, you forget to offer an open door and instead put your leg on to push your horse up into the canter. Your horse feels the pressure of your leg and changes flex to the outside, you get the lead but you have lost your pattern and softness as well as the lateral and vertical flex!
When riding sideways or laterally, remember to turn your toe out. As discussed in Level 2, this will enable you to use your whole leg more effectively and lightly as your muscles contract through your phases. Instead of pushing harder with your leg - putting you out of position - you can use all of your muscles to communicate more subtly and clearly to your horse.
Remember the offer, keep your focus up and out, make sure you offer an open door, be soft and obvious and reward the slightest try.
Read More Road To Horsemanship articles.
- By Meredith Ransley, Quantum Savvy.