From the moment we first sit on a horse and each day forward, we have a primary responsibility to re-establish the natural elongation of his topline, advance it where it is deficient naturally, and finally enhance it for the physical purposes of our chose sport. Dressage is the means to achieving this process. As a discipline in itself, dressage perfects this to its highest degree, but all horses benefit from and NEED to go through this process to some degree in order to remain sound and perform their sport as a "happy athlete."
Horses all come with a capacity to lengthen the topline to the degree that they can stand, drop their head and reach for grass to eat. However, you can watch horses who are contracted and tight enough through the loin that each attempt at grazing causes them to have to lean or tip forward to the extent they even step forward to catch themselves while other horses can easily reach down for grass and still remain squarely over all four legs even having a body awareness or aptitude for leaning back over their hocks should they desire a tuft of grass somewhat behind their nose. Our dressage stable consists of acres of pasture surveyable from the arenas and barns. Since all of our horses spend at least a few hours of the day out in their respective pastures, I am able to watch them and their habits as well as those of horses in training. There is a distinct corelation between what I see them do in the field and the ease at which they can elongate their toplines in the dressage court without falling on the forehand.
Riders are fairly well aware of the need to have their horses stretch long and low. While other philosophies exist on stretching the topline, there is no doubt that its an agreed upon necessity. Dropping the head alone does not constitute a stretch and is detrimental to establishing balance (an aim of our riding training on par in value with elongation of the topline) if it also encourages the horse to weight his forehand more heavily. The whole spine from the tail to the poll must stretch. Therefore, the haunches must be "anchored" in some way as to provide a point of reference for the poll to advance forward from.
Since the horse is in motion, the haunches cannot be literally anchored to the ground. (Francios Baucher tried this and some value in some situations exists for beginning here and further clarifying here, but we must set the horse in motion at some point and there is the limitation - for more info on Baucher run a search at right) The anchoring is relative. It means that that we produce a state of continued placement of the haunches into a predetermined position. That position is towards the center of gravity of the horse, under the horse, in a FORWARD direction= also known as engagement.
The haunches engage or step under the horse by a response to the aids of the rider.
* the horse activates his legs in response to a leg aid from the rider
* the rider keeps this energy controlled by establishing the correct tempo and rides with rythmic aids so that the horse does not become irregular in his strides.
* the rider by establishing the correct tempo can continue to drive the horse one without simply running the horse around = forward as a word describes a direction not a velocity.
* the rider by sitting evenly and in good alignment directs this energy forward without sideward deviation
* the rider can over time train the horse to respond to the aids to straighten the shoulders over the haunches and thereby refine the engagement.
Once the haunches are anchored THEN the rider can begin the process of advancing the poll forward. Only when the poll advances in relation to the engagement of the haunches can we be certain that in fact it advance. Most often the rider sends the horse to the hand but allows the haunches to slip off their anchor and fly away behind the horse. At that point, no stretch is occuring.
In reference to the Classical Training Scale of Dressage, Rythm and Suppleness as the first elements, the rythm and its tempo are the basis of anchoring the haunches. Subsequently, the suppling/relaxation or releasing of the topline in order to anchor the haunches in motion while not falling onto the forehand is established and sets the stage for the development of the contact to the rein which is the advancement of the poll so that the horse seeks, or reaches to the bit at all times.
Understanding this fundamental biomechanic makes it clearly obvious that no correct training can occur without a point at which to stretch the horse to and that this stretching can't occur without first riding the horse from the haunches forward.... directionally forward that is! Groundwork is essential to this process. Correct lunging in properly adjusted side-reins allows a horse to establish these first and most important life lessons without the burden of the rider's weight and imperfect balance (even the best riders!). On the lunge, the horse can gain strength, coordination, confidence in consistency, and be ready to make a low stress transition to under saddle work.
Horses who do not learn this lesson first and foremost in life are at a serious disadvantage. Not only do they have to overcome sometimes significant tensions of having become physically fit with their contractions, but mentally they are under tremendous stress having never learned to let go and lift a rider's burden gracefully with a long and relaxed back. The mental stress for some horses is so great that any heart they once had to try for the rider is gone completely. In some cases, the horses having been allowed to move in tension and therefore brace against the rider or "hold back" some of themselves become so independent and spoiled as to resist staunchly any efforts by the rider to have them turn loose. These "disobedient" horses are not willfully so, only in a bad habit, but a bad habit that must be reformed..... reforming bad habits is always far harder than having developed a good habit from the start!
To all riders of all horses regardless of discipline take this to heart. Make it a top priority every day to establish a long relaxed topline in your horse, develop the correct engagement so that you can send your horse's poll forward and into the contact allowing him be a joyful partner working with harmony and ease as he bears your burden in the saddle each day.
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