Page 30 - Demo

than to the body of his rider, I gently turnhim into a small circle while staying motionless in the saddle; I wait until he decides to slow and stop. Thisnon-interfering approach allows a horse tobegin learning a body language that’llmake my riding easier and him happier. To go forward, press with firm calvesuntil the horse responds. If necessary, givea gentle thump with your heels. With anolder horse, a tap of the whip behind yourleg reminds the animal to listen to yourlegs. Walk-trot transitions are a good wayto activate prompt responses (as well asimprove engagement). Because mosthorses are very perceptive, they soon learnto respond to whispers. To all appearances, your leg position never moves. Along-legged, lowered heels’ position is notcompromised. To canter on the right lead, bring yourleft leg slightly back and press (heel down)while keeping your right leg directly beneath you. Having your outside leg backautomatically places your inside seat bonedown and forward for an inside center ofgravity. Gently flex the horse’s head to theright. Vice versa for the left lead. Afterawhile, simply putting your body in thecanter position communicates “canter.”As a horse canters on his right lead, heleads with his right shoulder and righthip; your right shoulder, hip and seat boneslightly lead as well. Try not to over-thinkthis. If you are balanced and supple, thehorse’s movement will position you correctly. As long as you’re cantering, keepyour legs and body in canter position.When you wish to trot, bring your outsideleg back to neutral (directly beneath you),which squares your shoulders and seatbones. No pulling! Even an ex-racehorsewho lacked brakes, dropped to a trot themoment I brought my right shoulder backfrom a right lead position – or left from aleft lead. Pulling, even slightly, wouldhave invited him to pull in return. Wewere soon cantering figure eights with afew steps of trot at the center beforechanging leads. After a young horse (or a novice rider)has an understanding of natural aids, artificial aids of whip and spur may be usedjudiciously to accent the leg aids. Be careful. It’s tempting to over-use spurs, especially for novice riders, who may havethem almost permanently imbedded intheir horse’s sides without realizing it.Consequently, their horses tune out the effect of spurs, and riders end up feeling likethey’re incessantly pushing. In my experience, show horses didn’tneed spurs. The atmosphere of the showring was enough to inspire speed or collection. They loved to show off!Brusally’s senior sire, *Orzel++, wonmany English championships and a National Championship without the use ofspurs or whip other than a short bat to signal a left lead when sidesaddle. Relaxed horses feel synchronizing aidsas if transitions and movements were alltheir own idea, not a rider’s. This sounds,and is, easy, but only if you take the timeto practice your position, while stayingtuned to your horse’s ability to remain relaxed and in balance. What becomes easyat the walk becomes easy at the trot, thencanter. If you ride a horse correctly over a period of time, he’ll probably be doing exactly what you want, be it flying changes,half-passes, pirouettes, spins… He’ll bedoing whatever is in his, and your, potential to do. These movements are not tricks;they’re simply the evolution of basic bodyaids. We don’t make horses do things - weprepare and allow. It takes a whole lot ofpractice and patience to try to perfect yourtechnique. But, equally important is thesoul – patience and tact – we bring to riding. Aids are only as good as the heart behind them. o $('&%$#\#ffl'%u0003 fl