All Roads lead to Rome - Or do they?

The hardest part of writing blogs and articles is finding a photo that is relevant and attracts attention! I bet you are wondering why on Earth I decided to post a picture of Rome and how can this have anything to do with what I normally write about – horses!
 
Well, it started with the idea and saying that
 
“All Roads Lead to Rome”
 
referring to the fact that there are so many different training systems around, both for in-hand work and for under saddle. This is actually what the main part of this article is about!
 
However, the more I started to think about this saying, the more I realised that many people vary in their idea of what “Rome”, or the end result actually is. Both in the gross context that people train for different disciplines, but also in each individual’s idea of what a perfect horse should look like and how various movements should be performed.
 
Sadly, more recently I have looked at this picture and see a ruin, no matter how beautiful, and had this fleeting thought that it could represent our beloved sport should we not be more sensible and empathetic with our training and treatment of fellow equestrians and act more strongly on ensuring horse welfare is of highest priority at all times, in the training of all horses throughout the World.
 
What does this picture make you think of in regard to horses?
 
Have you ever thought about all the different ways people train horses? Perhaps you have learnt some or been exposed to some and actually found it somewhat confusing? Imagine what it is like for your horse! In the first session of the Equest Connect In-Hand Course we discuss many of these different systems. They all have their own pros and cons.  It is important to remember they  have been developed with various end purposes in-mind and sometimes for particular types or breeds of horses.

There can be differences in gear, handler position and size relative to the horses, horse head height and contact, horse straightness or bend and also in the way particular movements are executed. One example of a common difference is when moving the horse’s shoulders should the front leg on the outside of the turn move in front or behind the other front leg? There are good reasons for each and it is importance to know what you are trying to achieve at any point in time when doing this work so you get the most benefit out of the exercises.
 
The system I use works for me. I am a small person, often working with very large horses and always by myself! My system develops horses correctly mentally and physically for any of the work they will be doing under saddle.  My end goal for my own horses is always Grand Prix dressage but for many students it may be to learn to correctly prepare their horses for a career under saddle, to cross train or for rehab. I have an extremely strong biomechanical, veterinary and dressage influence! I have taken ideas and techniques from all over the world, mixed them with ideas of my own over the decades and developed my own system that develops horses correctly, both mentally and physically. It is stress-free and rewarding for the horses, very logical and is easy to transfer the aids learnt on the ground to under-saddle without the help of an additional person.
 
I use a simple snaffle bridle when doing in hand work unless it is a younger horse not yet accustomed to a bit or if someone is adamant they don’t want a bit in their horse’s mouth. For me, part of the beauty of in-hand is that the horses really learn to love the contact. They respect it, accept it and become supremely confident with it. I don’t use side-reins or any auxiliary aids. I have not needed them and believe them to be unnecessary for what I do if the correct steps are taken to explain what we want to the horse. Then through particular exercises the horse will naturally come into a beautiful shape as he engages his hind-end and begins to lighten his forehand. This is why I like to use a bridle and I insist every exercise is done correctly so that the horses improve gymnastically from this work. It is more difficult with a halter to be as accurate with the straightness, flexion and bend. A very simple example here is training the leg-yield or shoulder-in. Often when people do this in a rope halter and then try to ride these movements in a bridle both the rider and horse still struggle to control the neck bend. If the in-hand work is done correctly in a bridle riders learn how to control the neck bend with the outside rein, the horse learns to accept moving into it and then everything is much easier under saddle. Remember that as long as there is excessive neck bend in these movements they are not being done correctly and hence the horse will not be getting the most benefit from doing them.
 
Every time I teach people in-hand exercises to do with their horses I explain why the exercise is being done, what parts of the horse's body are being taxed, the correct biomechanics and what to watch out for that can be signs that something needs to be changed such as the angle, outline, tempo, balance etc. This is extremely important when in-hand is being incorporated into a rehab program.
 
When I start with people I always ask what they have done and work out if it is a system that is able to be extended as far as they want to go. Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. Often the rider has not thought how the way they are asking for something now won’t work in the future for higher level movements. If they don’t want to go up higher then that absolutely is not a problem and not worth changing. But if they do (and most people do) then we work together to re-establish the basics.

Tempo control and the ability to move the horse’s shoulders and quarters are a great way to start, as well as being able to flex and bend in each direction. I’ll post more about these steps soon so either sign up for my blogs or follow my Facebook page. Or better still – if you are in WA come for an in-hand lesson either with your own horse or one of mine. For interstate and overseas riders, virtual lessons work well but we need to do a bit of theory work first with you watching some clips of my horses so you understand about the correct hand and rein positioning before we get started. Then it is super easy and fun!