Longitudinal Development in the Horse These two photos show quite clearly the development of longitudinal straightness in the horse, and how that is reflected in and from the rider. In the first one, you can see how I am not able to maintain the alignment in my posture, the pelvis and torso are showing a kink, as if my waist were not sitting evenly above my pelvis, but traveling over to my left. This reflects Zouzous longitudinal crookedness which is coming from his natural bend, and the fact that it had not been addressed and strengthened in previous training. All horses must be strengthened in this alignment, so they can carry a rider without risk to their health. His crookedness means that when he pushes off from his inside hind-leg, his leg doesnt travel straight forward and under, but it pushes out and his body moves sideways. His whole torso is tilting/rotating rather than staying straight upright. This crookedness is an expression of the whole horses body, and must be addressed as a whole, purely from influence from the ability of the rider to resist the crooked dynamic, and impose a straight one. In the next pic there is already a big improvement, it is rising trot in both photos (of course :) ) and in the rise I am keeping my alignment intact, and you can see that Zouzou has much more abdominal strength. We talk about how their belly looks flatter and more like a wall when they strengthen up in this way. It does this as opposed to bulging out to the side as the whole ribcage rotates. It is also interesting to note that my leg in the second photo is following his side, which is more upright, so my leg is straighter, but ultimately I want to be able to develop a deeper leg position when his diaphragm and musculature in his sides yields and opens up more. Each step of the process has to happen in order: I was achieving a deeper leg in the first photo, but his ribcage was easier to access when it was crooked. When it straightened I lost so much connection with it in a physical sense, because it had become a different shape. The ideal will be when I can bring my leg deep because his sides are open and yielding within his straightness. It is worth noting that the pelvic tuck must be prioritised above the leg position - it is easy to get your leg back when your pelvis is tilted forward out of the tuck - but then your seat is acting backward against the horses movement. Basically the perfect posture can only come in tandem with the perfect posture in the horse *when you are working in engagement*. Just as the shape of two cogs working together must be the same or they wont turn together. It is the responsibility of the rider to initiate the improvement of course, and to do it in line with the horses capacity to change and grow. You cant always impose your own postural straightness forcibly on a horse who is not ready. Even postural strength can be used in a forceful way. Of course there is no question of forcing hind-leg activity from artificial aiding (spurs) or forcing an artificial head carriage from bit leverage (double bridle/pelham etc.) because force never stimulates growth, it only destroys it. Zouzou was rarely working more than three times a week, the rest of the time he was out with the herd, and he made a lot of progress in six weeks, because it is the correct resonance of the work that matters. When you can introduce that into your work, the horses system will incorporate it in a surprisingly efficient way.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 15:33:57 +0000
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