flat work

It is important for less experienced riders to know what having a horse “on the bit” means…

As we have seen, when faced with situations in which the horse feels
constrained, it will try to escape. The first time you tie up a horse using a halter and a rope, its initial reaction will be to pull back to try to escape. Likewise, a horse will try to spit out the bit you put in its mouth.

When it feels your hands at the end of the reins, it will try to free itself by shaking its head. All the rider’s work will consist in persuading the horse to accept these constraints, with kindness, with relaxed arms and fingers and a light contact.

The last stage will be having the horse “on the bit”, hence a trusting horse, which will have relaxed its cervical vertebrae, gently accepting ‘contact’ with the rider’s hands.
This can only happen with patience and understanding, initially often with low hands kept quite widely apart, so that the rider maintains elasticity in his arms.

It is true that at times I ride with my hands practically on my knees. This open attitude, although it may appear an exaggeration, allows one to have young horses on the bit more easily. I do not of course advise you to always ride like this. However, used for a few minutes, this position may allow one to unblock the situation, in particular with riders who have not yet understood the repercussions their position has on the horse’s attitude. It is pointless to try to have a horse on the bit if the rider cannot keep his hands still. To understand the influence your position has on the horse, do not hesitate to ask a very good rider to ride it. You will see to what extent your horse can be transformed. Starting from there, establish for yourself the aim of achieving the same results.
As far as having the horse on the bit is concerned, the final aim of the rider is to establish a contact, weighing only a few grams, with the horse’s mouth, whatever the position of his hands: high, low, separate or close together. This contact must be permanent in all situations: when turning, bending to the right, to the left, slowing down, stopping… the horse’s mouth trustingly follows the rider’s hands and vice-versa.

 

A strong back is not a priority for wild horses. However, when horses have to carry the weight of a rider and perform specific movements such as jumping or dressage figures, it becomes vital to shape their body in order to adapt it to the physical strains implied by being ridden.

The sport horse’s back is the most engaged area of his body and the most fragile, We have to pay a particular attention to the area from the withers to the base of the tail. Most pathology, including lameness, takes root in the malfunction of the top line. It’s pretty obvious that a horse with back pain will not be able to perform any athletic activity.

Even though a good osteopath can bring some relief to the horse, it will always be wiser eliminate the origin of the pain: rider’s improper position, a non suited fitness program… Saddles with trees that are too flexible or too stiff or with bad flocking can also be the root of important pathology.

Pay also attention to girths. If too narrow, they can lead to pain on the sternum and as a result to the withers area.

Ground work is recommended to strengthen the muscles of the horse top line. For that, his joints must move in their natural axis, as we would not be able to reach a strong muscle structure if the horse works in the wrong way. I must insist on this point. The position of the horse under saddle favourable to strengthen his muscle structure, is the one where the horse rounds his back up in order to promote the vertebrae opening and the correct movement of every joints. The idea is to stretch the entire top line in order to improve the pushing strength and allow the energy to flow as free as possible from the hind legs to the mouth with no blocking zone. It’s only under that condition that we can speak about the useful muscle building strength.

Usually start training sessions with my pupils with preparatory work on a circle. I find it difficult to get horses to evolve on a straight line. The circle “helps the horse” because it facilitates work without imposing excessive constraints. To slow down a horse that rushes its paces, it is for example pointless to interfere with its mouth; it will be sufficient to simply shorten the circle. Generally speaking, working on a small circle allows one to “collect” the horse and regain control in good conditions. This of course does not exclude varying one’s work. The aim is to improve the engagement of its hindquarters, to obtain a lowering of the haunches, a bending of the spine, supple shoulders and abdominal and upper line muscles.

JI usually start by drawing on the ground a first circle with a diameter of 15 metres and a second slightly larger one forming a circular corridor (1 metre wide) within which the rider is allowed to ride. You can also create this corridor placing poles on the ground.
The rider must at all times have a clear idea of where he is going.

If there isn’t a real circle on the ground, you must decide with precision the track on which you will ride. In your mind, this could be a plate or any other circular object. The horse must bend to follow the circle’s curve. The horse’s spine duly bends without exaggeration. You will be able to see part of the horse’s inside eye.
Be concentrated, ride “as if” there were walls forming a corridor within which you must remain; above all, think about maintaining your basic position, the one previously mentioned: “the centred position”.
If the horse goes towards the exterior of the corridor, this is no doubt caused by the weight of your body. In this case, look outwards to re-establish your balance in the centre, on all four the horse’s legs.
Be uncompromising if the horse does not stay on the track.
Naturally, this exercise is carried out at all three gaits, including transitions, and following the planned route. The aim for the rider, when riding on a circle, is to be ready “for anything”. This means leaving no doors open that would allow the horse to avoid the exercise. The only thing that it is allowed is to move at the pace and in the direction requested.

Extract of the book "Secrets and method of a great champion"