11/10/2024
Earlier this week I was teaching a lesson, and I realised in real time, how far away from "normal" this lesson is. Normal in the following sense; I regularly hear from people that they are not yet convinced, that horses can enjoy training, or riding. Thats not normal for everyone. But I guess it might be normal for folks who are searching for a teacher, for coaching. So that's my selection bias. People are deeply concerned that their horse secretly dislikes being worked with, and does it out of some hidden sense of duty, a grudge unexpressed.
So there I was teaching a lesson, that felt far, far, far away from that reality. The fact that the lesson was online through the computer is almost irrelevant. This client and I have worked in person too, have collaborated together on their three horses for about 18 months now, on a minimum three times per month basis. And their horse in the lesson is far, far, far away from the type of horse with whom collaboration with people comes easily to them.
They have a horse who has had a pretty tough life. I will spare the details, but multiple owners, many years spent working under over-loaded pressure. When I met with them, this horse was essentially rejecting almost all training, often recruiting anger to communicate to his human that he didn't want to be touched, handled, ridden, trained and barely interacted with.
So, after some initial groundwork 18 months ago, I recommended to give him a break, and focus on one of their other horses.
3 months later, like a bolt of lightening out of the blue sky, this first horse showed a huge attitudinal shift. He had been watching, ever so carefully, as his human went about their business with the other horses. By watching his human with his friends, and being given space free from even kind invitations to spend time with people, we gave him what he wanted. Breathing room, space. Perspective, too, I think.
And hop, skip and a jump to this past week, I am on a lesson with them, as the floated around their at home arena, in the most beautiful collected trot.
Initially the lesson started with communication of the owners reticence. Because their horse was going from strength to strength so quickly, they were concerned about going too fast, or not being a good enough rider for their horses now rapidly accelerating appetite for ridden work. We could not have predicted this. Conditioned this. Or made the horse do this. The horse was now voluntarily offering to do more and more with his human. The tools of training we had been employing, and the support for the owner before, during and after the session, translated into the horse coming to his own realisations. That people, at least his person, was pretty cool. Definitely safe. And actually a lot of fun to be around. The care and attention he received juxtaposed with the courage to try new things together, seemed to have tickled him in his emotional sweet spot.
Yet everywhere we go, there we are. The reticence in this horse owner we worked on months ago, had now been moved to a new boundary. The boundary was; My Horse Now Really Wants To Work And That Makes Me Worried. It used to be My Horse Really Does Not Want To Work... And That Makes Me Worried.
I chose, as coach, not to feed into these anxious rumination's occurring at the mounting block. I know that getting better is two parts knowledge, eight parts practice. So I listened. Took note of the concerns. And advised that we practice.
In a ba****ck pad, and bitless, this formerly overfaced dressage horse, built like the Berlin Wall, offered zero expression change as their owner mounted. Their face was bright, body square and relaxed. Open and aware eyes watched what was happening and tracked their human carefully as they mounted, making sure they got on well. No uptick in worry or concern, no unbalanced shifting, no signs of rejection or protest. Yup, that checks out.
"Let's warm up." I said.
Off they went at a walk on a loose rein. It was lovely. This is the horse that would intermittently plant his feet, or threaten and scare his rider, even at a walk, not so long ago.
To his owners delight and even surprise, he was soft and easy and careful.
Within about 5 minutes, I noticed the slightest shift of this geldings shoulders. It was like a postural tango; a little to the left, then suddenly to the right, followed by a stretch down of the head, but not to lift, it was a stretch from the withers. Burying himself. He was walking with his weight tipped far over his toes, very nice long strides, like a cat. But he was on borrowed time.
"He now needs from you a shift in his balance". I said.
I explained the difference between force, and weight. If a horse is unbalanced through force, it can be a sign of protest, pain, discomfort or discontent. When they make a choice, a concerted effort to go out of balance, by way of communicating a problem to the rider. In reading Kerbrech, he advised to annihilate all show of force in a horse, to completely dominate and submit the horse to the riders aids through various forms of tactful yet also invisibly violent aids of the leg, hand and spur. That is not my wheelhouse, and I am not preparing this horse for war where shows of force can kill a cavalryman. We are safe here. None the less, this horse was not out of balance from force, but from weight. I explained that weight was a simple balance issue, that the horse wasn't necessarily choosing as a way to communicate a mental or emotional or spiritual conflict. But a simple physical conflict. "Need My Body Placed Differently" the walk was saying.
For a 5 minute warm up, this walk is fine. Pasa nada, as they say here in Spain. Nothing happened, nothing is wrong. But the little shoulder tango followed by burying of the topline told me as coach, that the horse was asking his rider for more support now, so that he can continue. Almost a gatekeeping of his athletisism. If his human could succeed in showing him that they could feel his balance enough to influence it, then he would be able to trust them with the power that follows.
Without giving micromanaged advise, I simply offered
" Ask his body weight to come back off his toes. It will feel like his shoulder rolls back into your hips. Ask for a shorter walk without losing the impulsion"
I have long ago abandoned the notion to tell a body exactly what body parts to put where. No credible human movement coach does this anymore. Instead it is important to have sufficient rapport with student, they trust and understand how you communicate. And offer them imagery, concepts, feelings to feed into, which the student then translates on their own into their authentic movement purpose.
My client did just that.
"Great. But don't get handsy." I followed up with
Instantly, their horse rolled their shoulders up and back into their riders hips, shortened stride, and lost no impulsion.
No spur. No stick. No bit. No micromanagement.
Also, no tail wring, head shake, or even the subtlest sign of discontent in the horse. Emotionally, he remained utterly smooth throughout the adjustment of his rider.
On a loose rein now, elevated head posture, I felt this horse say; "Let's party".
"Ok, now ask him to just TASTE the trot transition." I suggested.
"Just 4-6 strides and back to walk".
They did so, but as they did, my client stiffened, remembering past instances when this horse "took off" with force, as a way of protest. In this instance, he simply departed with some semi-autonomous self carriage, with some impulsion. I asked them to try it again. Same stiffening in my clients seat, and their voice asked the horse to woah, woah, woah. Which caused his back to brace against her braced seat, and we lost that shoulder placement we had at the walk.
Back at a walk now I offered quickly, but without rushing the following points
1. Trust his power, he is not using force against you. He is using collection FOR you.
2. Trust your seat, relax your seat and go with him. Sit up, and even without stirrups, just follow-follow-follow his back.
3. If you follow his back his spine will trust your seat, his spine will soften against you and his trot will be more comfortable, and safer.
4. Remember to not lose that shoulder roll we got at the walk, but don't be handsy.
Sounds like a lot of info. But this client and I have sufficient rapport and trust, that they were able to immediately download all of the above in about 90 seconds.
Clock ticking, I knew this horse was being patient for his human. He is in a rapid state of improvement and if we cannot make hay while his sun shines, it can demotivate his talent which is now springing forth like a tidal wave of inspiration. The sort of shift his human dreamed of, but now that it is here, we must keep up with it to not sabotage it.
"Ok, let's ask for that trot again"
"Yes, lovely! Now relax-relax-relax your seat. Don't brace against him. Go with him"
I watched this paddock friend transform in a hunk of a horse. Square himself up. Ignore his riders reticence, not take off with her, but take flight FOR her. Even rhythm. Now the head elevated. Now the poll relaxed. He dropped his nose to a perfect 2 inches in front of the vertical, keeping his airways open. Ears up and easy, shoulders rolled back into his riders now relaxed and accommodating seat.
"Should I stop now?" His rider said?
"No! He wants to go! Go with him. This is it."
Then I saw the elevation in his movement. Nothing spastic bombastic FEI kitsche elevation. But supple, light, soft, at home everyday dressage elevation. Bounce. Square. No conflict.
This is the part where I started swearing.
"That. Is. ******* GORGEOUS! Oh my god. Yes. **** yes. Go go go!". I said
She started to giggle. Horse kept going. Totally showing his owner they had nothing to fear, and that he wanted to show off.
A good 45 seconds this went on. Then they went back to walk (at the same time). Paused. She beamed. Scratched his neck and called him all the lovely names your inner child would call him.
"I think I should finish now"
"Working sub-maximally, yes we should!".
The lesson finished early. Nothing more to say. As we sat sort of speechless after the ride. The horse thought about mosing away to the gate, but stopped after three strides, turned and offered his human a long, bright look.
"Look at him looking at you now"
"I cannot believe we are here"
"Believe it." I said.
That is my normal. When I get my work right, for my clients and for my own horses, they line up for sessions. As per the attached photo. They line up for it.
I wish I could give everyone who wanted this, a taste of this nectar, for just 5 seconds. It changes lives.
