From: Michelle
I have an ex-racer who I'm reschooling for dressage. He's been on the lunge in sidereins for about 3-4 months and we've just started him under saddle. My question is: How do you "show" a horse it's "okay" to stretch out his back forward, down and out while on the lunge??? I haven't even attempted this under saddle yet? But I feel if I can't get it on the lunge then I won't be able to get it under saddle. I've flexed and released to the inside with a driving aid, tried the trotting poles, checked saddle and other things to see if he's in pain and everything checked out. The most I ever get is wither height or a little lower. I always hear about how the horse should "automatically" stretch out when he's relaxed and working through from books and other horse people. I'm still waiting for this "automatic" response!!! The thing is his tail has that relaxed swinging look and it's not clamped and his gaits are "okay" they could be better. He looks as if he wants to but he's nervous about it?
He'll stick his head down to stretch but then in an instant pop it back up. I feel the key to progressing is his total relaxation and learning forward, down and out. How do you go about "showing" or "letting" a horse know that it's okay to do this?? I'm at my wits end and I'm going to be missing some hair soon!@# PLEASE help!!
Hi Michelle! Stop worrying, it sounds as though everything is going just the way you want it to. You're in too much of a hurry, that's all. ;-)
I'd suggest taking a deep breath, getting rid of some equipment, and continuing to do what you're doing.
Your ex-racehorse has been on the longe for 3-4 months, and you're just starting him under saddle. If his tail is relaxed and swinging, his gaits are good, and he's reaching forward at wither height or lower, you can't really ask for much more at this point.
Instead of shortening or readjusting the sidereins to pull the horse's head in and down, and instead of trying to pull and release the inside rein, take the sidereins off and push them to the very bottom of the tack trunk. ;-) Then use very simple equipment: a long longe whip, a 30- or 35-foot longeline, and a longeing cavesson (correctly designed, with a jowl strap and hinged metal nosepiece). Send the horse out on the largest possible circle, and concentrate on his balance and the quality and purity of his gaits, NOT on where he is putting his head. When he is working energetically forward, reaching with his hind legs, in balance, in rhythm, at a suitable tempo, and with a relaxed and lifted back, he'll have his head in the best place he can manage to carry it AT THIS TIME.
You'll know when his back is relaxed, lifted, and swinging, because his feet won't make as much noise or kick up as much arena dust. ;-) You'll also notice that his tail is swinging gently and carried a little away from his body -- just as you described it in your letter.
When you've achieved this, you can do lots of transitions within and between gaits, and you can spiral the horse in and out of the 20-meter circle (from about a 15-meter circle -- certainly no smaller -- to a 25-meter circle. If your longeline isn't long enough to allow the larger circle, you can still ask for it and get it: just walk a 5-meter circle while the horse circles YOU at 20 meters distance.
As your horse becomes more balanced and more at ease, and as his muscles build and his reactions become more refined, he'll "use himself" better, and you'll see him reach farther down with his neck and head. But give him time!
It takes time to stretch the muscles that allow him to reach, and it takes more time to build the muscles that will allow him to continue reaching all the way around the circle, and all the way around many circles. Don't worry if he reaches for a second and then pops back up -- as time goes by, and as his abilities and body develop, he'll stay down longer because he'll be more comfortable carrying his head and neck that way.
Use your voice -- a great reinforcer -- to help him know what you want from him. When he's doing what you want, praise him, but be sure that you are praising WHILE he's doing it, not after. If he drops his head, then raises it, and then you praise him, you may think that you're praising him for dropping it, but he will understand that you're praising him for raising it.
;-) Timing is all-important: if you say "Good boy" while the head is dropping or while he's carrying it low, he'll learn that this is something you like.
It's possible to force a lot of things with horses. Head position CAN be forced -- but you don't want to do that. The things you want, relaxation and muscular development, CANNOT be forced. They have to be set up, encouraged, and allowed -- and that takes time. You've been willing to allow the horse some time already -- now let him have some more time, and use it to help him develop the body that will be able to do the things that you want him to do.
If you're absolutely certain that the horse understands and is comfortable with all of this, but simply doesn't know that he CAN put his head down, you might try using a losely-adjusted chambon, under the supervision of someone with a great deal of experience using such gadgets. One or two short sessions can serve to show the horse that he CAN drop his head and stay comfortable, but don't go on using it day after day after day. If the horse's problem is one of comprehension, one or two five- or ten-minute sesssions on the largest possible circle should be enough to get the message ("Look, you CAN do this, and it's comfortable!") across. If the problem is a lack of balance and/or physical development, go back to simple longeing with transitions, etc., as described above.
Remember, you're working with a horse, and that means that there aren't any shortcuts, and the only way to hurry up is to take your time. ;-) If you're willing to take months and months and even years to get what you want, you'll get it much more quickly. If you want something to happen quickly, you may never get it at all.
And please don't pull your hair out. You may need it for warmth when winter comes. ;-)
Jessica
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