"My View From the Manure Pile" Training Tips & Thoughts

In my last “Pearl” I discussed the importance of FORWARD MOTION.  In this article I wish to elaborate a bit more on it’s importance and application.

Let us take a 1000 lb horse as an example. This horse will carry approximately 400 lbs on the hind legs and 600 lbs on front legs plus the rider and saddle. This is very hard on the horse. It causes more stress on the front legs and over time can lead to soundness issues.  One of the main goals of good horsemanship is to transfer some of the weight from the front legs to the hind legs, making the horse more balanced. To do this the horse must engage meaning bringing his hind legs deeper towards his center of gravity.  The deeper the horse steps with his hind legs towards his center of gravity (see diagram#1) the more his weight is equally distributed. In order to be engaged the horse must round his back, lower his croup and raise his withers.  A raised front end does not mean a higher headset. The headset is a reflection of the hind end. If the hind end is engaged, as it should be the height of the head and neck of the horse will be where it is supposed to be.  The headset actually comes from the correct placement of the hindquarters, not from the bit. You can often see a horse with his head set and not engaged at all. He will be hollow backed and traveling way behind with his rear legs. This is called a false headset and an undesirable movement. This is a common fault in today’s western pleasure horses most often in the more up headed breeds. It is hard on the horse and a fault of the rider.

So why am I discussing engagement and balance when I wanted to discuss forward motion? Because you cannot have forward motion unless you have engagement. It is the engagement that gives you the “torque” needed for the forward motion that we discussed in my last “Pearl.”

This engagement must be alive in all three gaits, the walk, jog/trot and the lope/canter. There is a totally different feel to the rider when a horse is engaged. It is a feeling that the horse transmits back to the rider’s seat, legs and hands. As an example the reins will be much softer in the rider’s hands. This is because the horse is able to carry himself in better balance.  This is the beginning of self-carriage and collection. When you feel the ride of a horse in balance and carriage you will not forget it. As a rider you become part of the partnership, not just a passenger.

Another important thing to remember is that you cannot make a proper turn with out forward motion.  When executing a turn you have put a momentary block on the horse’s forward movement. To complete the turn the rider must ride every step of the horse through the direction of the turn to over come the initial block. The rider’s hands give the horse direction but it is their seat and legs that create the forward motion.

To slide stop you must have forward motion, to back properly you must have forward motion. Both these maneuvers must have deep engagement of the rear end. You cannot get a good slide stop or a good back with out it.

Any maneuver created by horse and rider must have forward motion to be executed properly.

So we now know that to have forward motion we must have torque created by engagement of the hind legs. How do we school for that engagement? Here is an easy way to tell if your horse is engaged or not to and an exercises that will help you and your horse.

When watching a horse move look to see where the hind feet fall. The hind foot should land close to the track of the front foot. The closer the hind foot track is the front foot track the more engaged the horse is.  You can also look at the disengaging steps of the hind leg. As the hock moves back does it pass behind the fall of the tail. To be engaged the hock should reach back just to the fall of the tail.  If it passes behind this mark, the horse is disengaged.  The extra distance behind the tail is wasted energy.  It cannot or does not support the horse in any way.  This means more stress is being put on the front legs with a hollow weak back as well.