Intermédiaire

As Michel likes to explain, bringing a particular attention to the correct motion of the horse’s back, should be one of the rider’s top priority. We’re conscious about the fact that horses aren’t made to carry the weight of a rider on his back. Some conditioning work is essential if we want to keep them healthy and be able to get the most of their physical and mental ability. This conditioning consists, primarily of strengthening the muscle mass that is situated all along the spinal cord. Michel is using a very effective technique that he experimented during his long career as a high level international rider and horseman. This technique is based on the horse stretching his neck which consequently will stretch the entire top-line from the pole to the tail. This movement promotes also a work out of the abdominal muscles which are antagonistic muscles to the ones of the back.

As it is often the case, the rider’s position and mind-set are the root of the problem: fear of jumping, incorrect or disorganised use of aids, lack of strictness in keeping the horse at the same definite speed…..All these influences will increase the problem when it will come to jump a course during a show.

Charlotte rides a nervous horse who has a tendency to rush while approaching fences and get over them quickly. When a horse rushes the fences, his jumping trajectory is modified which is a factor of faults or even stops for some horses.

Michel offers, here, a very gradual approach to solving this kind of issue in a calmly manner which will enable the horse to enjoy jumping again by breaking down his movements.

The exercise begins with some work over ground poles at a walk, then a trot, and at a canter. Next, the rider will go over few cavalettis and some fences at the 3 gaits. In the end, Titus succeeds in jumping a good size vertical breaking down his movements without rushing the fence when approaching it or upon landing. This is the result of focusing on the fence with calm and serenity.

This grid encourages the horse to flex and stretch his entire body. The double on the way-in encourages the rider to approach the line with a cadenced canter and sets the correct length of striding prior the water jump. Therefore, the horse is ready to cover the length of the water jumper that is next. The distance between the water-jump and the oxer on the way out reinforce the horse stretching motion.

Michel teaches Alice who spends a few days at the yard for a clinic. During this session, Alice rides Undiams, an eight year old gelding who has been trained for the last few weeks by Michel to reach the top level. Alice has, here, an excellent opportunity to discover new sensations with this horse who she rides for the first time.

Michel has set up a line of jumps that includes a water jump, a combination on the way-in and an oxer on the way-out. The horse has to bring together the quickness of his front legs, the stretching of his top-line over a wide obstacle and the pushing power over a high fence on the way-out. The key elements to be successful on this exercise are relaxation, steadiness of the strides, straightness and the rider’s eyes with a wide angle view.
 This set-up is also a good way to practise water jumps which can be feared by horses and are causing many faults during a course. It is therefore very wise to work this type of obstacle at home without the added stress of the competition.

Undiams has usually a tendency to speed up in combinations. After jumping the line a few times, it appears that the exercise is profitable for his training. The horse is focused and attentive to each single fence and deconstructs each element of the line.

Michel is teaching Charlotte and her horse Tito, an 8 year old gelding, through this new exercise. The session starts with some recommendations on how to ride this exercise. The rider has to anticipate each part of the track in order to stay as quiet as possible in her aids. This becomes even more crucial as the fences come one after the other very quickly. The rider has to frame her horse keeping her aids light. When the horse works with fewer constraints, he is more inclined not only to understand the exercise but also to enjoy practising. As we like to say over and over, success is linked to the horse’s understanding what we expect from him and his desire to do it well.

Before starting and as Michel likes to remind quite often, the rider needs to be aware of his goal and to set in advance the track and speed he wants to work that day.

 
Michel starts by explaining a few basic rules allowing to set-up the connexion, using our eyes and energy to influence the horse’s attitude.

Michel explains also how to control Nenuphar Jac with some small exercises. These exercises enable the lunger to test the horse’s ability in maintaining the given speed and track. A simple ground pole set-up is already an excellent preparation to jumping courses. The horse must balance himself without the influence of the rider. Also, by analysing our own reactions and the ones of the horse on these exercises, the rider will be able to find solutions to the difficulties encountered while on course.

After a good warm-up, the lunger can be more demanding and can request from his horse some movements that will make him aware of his hind-legs in order to improve his pushing strength. These difficult movements must be practiced only during short periods of time in order to not overload  the horse’s mind and body power. Michel reminds us, one more time that a work session must always ends in a joyous and relaxed atmosphere.

Before starting and as Michel likes to remind quite often, the rider needs to be aware of his goal and to set in advance the track and speed he wants to work that day.

 
Michel starts by explaining a few basic rules allowing to set-up the connexion, using our eyes and energy to influence the horse’s attitude.

Michel explains also how to control Nenuphar Jac with some small exercises. These exercises enable the lunger to test the horse’s ability in maintaining the given speed and track. A simple ground pole set-up is already an excellent preparation to jumping courses. The horse must balance himself without the influence of the rider. Also, by analysing our own reactions and the ones of the horse on these exercises, the rider will be able to find solutions to the difficulties encountered while on course.

After a good warm-up, the lunger can be more demanding and can request from his horse some movements that will make him aware of his hind-legs in order to improve his pushing strength. These difficult movements must be practiced only during short periods of time in order to not overload  the horse’s mind and body power. Michel reminds us, one more time that a work session must always ends in a joyous and relaxed atmosphere.

Before starting and as Michel likes to remind quite often, the rider needs to be aware of his goal and to set in advance the track and speed he wants to work that day.

 
Michel starts by explaining a few basic rules allowing to set-up the connexion, using our eyes and energy to influence the horse’s attitude.

Michel explains also how to control Nenuphar Jac with some small exercises. These exercises enable the lunger to test the horse’s ability in maintaining the given speed and track. A simple ground pole set-up is already an excellent preparation to jumping courses. The horse must balance himself without the influence of the rider. Also, by analysing our own reactions and the ones of the horse on these exercises, the rider will be able to find solutions to the difficulties encountered while on course.

After a good warm-up, the lunger can be more demanding and can request from his horse some movements that will make him aware of his hind-legs in order to improve his pushing strength. These difficult movements must be practiced only during short periods of time in order to not overload  the horse’s mind and body power. Michel reminds us, one more time that a work session must always ends in a joyous and relaxed atmosphere.

Before starting and as Michel likes to remind quite often, the rider needs to be aware of his goal and to set in advance the track and speed he wants to work that day.

 
Michel starts by explaining a few basic rules allowing to set-up the connexion, using our eyes and energy to influence the horse’s attitude.

Michel explains also how to control Nenuphar Jac with some small exercises. These exercises enable the lunger to test the horse’s ability in maintaining the given speed and track. A simple ground pole set-up is already an excellent preparation to jumping courses. The horse must balance himself without the influence of the rider. Also, by analysing our own reactions and the ones of the horse on these exercises, the rider will be able to find solutions to the difficulties encountered while on course.

After a good warm-up, the lunger can be more demanding and can request from his horse some movements that will make him aware of his hind-legs in order to improve his pushing strength. These difficult movements must be practiced only during short periods of time in order to not overload  the horse’s mind and body power. Michel reminds us, one more time that a work session must always ends in a joyous and relaxed atmosphere.

The favourable position for a work-out under saddle consists of rounding the horse’s back up to favour the opening of the vertebras and the correct joint motion.  

Only in this condition, it becomes possible to talk about engagement and self-carriage. In this regard, Michel has to work with a seat as light as possible to allow Day Dreamer to move his body with freedom. Michel maintains this position the entire session, especially when he works on getting the horse to lift his back up under the saddle particularly during the rein-backs and transitions.

The favourable position for a work-out under saddle consists of rounding the horse’s back up to favour the opening of the vertebras and the correct joint motion.  

Only in this condition, it becomes possible to talk about engagement and self-carriage. In this regard, Michel has to work with a seat as light as possible to allow Day Dreamer to move his body with freedom. Michel maintains this position the entire session, especially when he works on getting the horse to lift his back up under the saddle particularly during the rein-backs and transitions.