Page 26 - Demo

Mostly heart, less hand. Muchof modern day show training, be it reining, Westernpleasure, Arabian English pleasure ordressage, appears to be synonymous withstruggle. Any period of relative calm istenuous and subject to further struggle formore position or action. Even if the animal appears compliant – noble and generous creatures that they are – there istension in his body that may lead to a sudden eruption or joint damage. Fortunately, there are pockets of naturalhorsemanship that are friendly to horses. Busy hands and spurs cause harm. Ithink we should keep in mind the medicaladage: “First do no harm.” If we lack theskill, knowledge and heart to work withthe animal, rather than against him, Ithink we should re-examine our relationship with horses. Like most trainers, I’vehad my moments of confrontation, butthey are few and invariably leave me looking deeper into the incident. I’ve learnedthat you can never have a completely relaxed horse when habits of tension exist,and that until the animal is completely relaxed, training is limited. We use our hands to do most things inlife, but on horseback hands should bemerely a link in the cycle of energy betweenhorse and rider. In a subtle and quitemiraculous way, our bodies may do the realcommunicating. I’ll describe my personalpractice of aids, essentially a body language, which has evolved over decades.It’s said that the natural aids are hands,seat and legs, but delving a bit deeper,consider your weight, head, shouldersand torso as aids. If you are sitting in a relaxed, balanced position, you are well-situated to follow a horse’s movement andto communicate by subtly using yourbody to position the horse’s body in a waythat makes him feel like doing whatyou’re asking. Having to endure randomcues by hand or spur might leave a horseconfused and tense with a head too highor over-bent. It’s the difference betweenconveying and connecting. You can convey a stop or turn by pulling on the reins.With connection, there’s no pulling. Onemind-body does the same thing instantly.In human relations, a person can conveyanything to anyone – good, bad or indifferent. But if a person connects withsomeone, that’s altogether different. Itmay be looking into eyes or taking a holdof a hand. Words aren’t even necessary orthey support deeper understanding. I believe riding should aim to connect ratherthan merely convey. Connection impliesunity. Conveying suggests duality. Howcan we connect with our horses? Sitting squarely in the saddle, yourshoulders and hips should be parallel toyour horse’s shoulders and hips. Relaxedlegs sink directly beneath you. Loweredheels give you firm calves that can“breathe” with the horse’s movement. Atoes-down and heels-up leg position issoft and ineffective, leaving little alternative but coercion by whip or spur. Legsthat gently hug the horse’s sides mayrhythmically follow the swing of motion.At the walk, as a horse’s belly swings tothe right, allow your left leg to follow. Atthe trot or jog, when a horse has his rightforeleg and left hind leg airborne, a pressof your left calf is the only moment thatAIDS OF HAND AND HEARTby Shelley (Chaille) Trevor continued on page 2826 Arizona Horse Connection May, 2026