Being at one with your horse

Riding a well-trained, laterally supple and willing horse is a pleasure. Riding turns, loops, circles, figures nof eight and serpentines, which can all be combined to produce an infinite number of bending exercise, will improve the skills of both horse and rider. In order to enjoy a flexible, well balanced horse able to bend equally to both sides, it is important that the rider’s hands reflect the movement of the neck muscles, the outside rein lenghtens and the rider looks in the direction of the bend.

Sitting tall and still, keeping the rider’s centre of gravity above that of the horse and applying the aids in conjunction with the horse’s rib movement will contribute to the feeling of the horse bending round the inside leg and will give the rider the pleasure and experience of the feeling of being at one with the horse.

In order to train a horse in a right way, with awareness, progression and taking care of his health, we must know the horse’s anatomy. Anatomy is a study of the structure and relationship between all the parts of the body. Knowledge of anatomy is essential for every rider, trainer and equine professional. It allows us to understand the dynamics of movement and encourage the horse to move freely without putting undue stress on joints, tendons, ligaments or muscles. It’s fundamental for achieving good performance and for understanding the limitations of our horses.