|
Why is contact so misunderstood, yet so important in the training of a horse?
Coaches,
Do you realize that CONTACT Is one of the more difficult skills for a young rider to achieve, especially if they are impatient, or are told to “Make him come on the bit!”
How often do you see horses that are shortened in the neck, hovering behind the vertical, moving with shortened strides in their rider’s attempt to get them in the outline they believe is necessary?
“Forward” is the most important word in training, but to produce good work the energy created by the rider’s legs has to be contained and directed by the lightest possible aids, which create the CONTACT. Then the well-trained horse can confidently and cheerfully submit to the rider’s wishes and produce great work.
Many riders are stronger down one side of their bodies than the other.
Often right handed riders will be sensitive and light with that hand, but the left hand will act more strongly, as the major muscle groups in that arm are often more developed.
Ideally the rider needs to have core body strength, which allows them to be stable, balanced in the saddle and able to use their riding muscles effectively.
Working on this, possibly through Pilates or Yoga exercises, helps them to be aware of their own balance and coordination, and so be in control of all their individual limbs.
(CONNECTION CO-ORDINATION CO-OPERATION)
There are 3 areas of Contact – not only
- to the mouth through the reins and rider’s hands, but
- through the seat, the rider’s bottom, to the horse’s back, and
- the rider’s legs on the horse’s sides.
Notice how effective, not strong, are a polished rider’s aids.
Contact is influenced by and follows on from the first stages on the– RHYTHM and RELAXATION, followed by Scale of Training SUPPPLENESS.
Meanwhile, the horse’s Balance will be always improving, given correct work
- It should never be produced by a backwards pull, however tempting, which will restrict the horse’s forwardness, but
- Is the result of an elastic connection to the horse’s mouth, which
involves a cycle of energy:
- From the horse’s hind legs, comes energy, activity, or impulsion, generated by the rider’s legs, and under a supple seat it passes along the back, up the neck, and down into the horse’s mouth.
- Then the energy travels by the rider’s hands and arms to his/her body, down to the soft seat and through to the legs, to continue the cycle.
- Eventually when all the signals are perfectly understood by the horse, he offers no resistance and the rider aids are answered by a trusting Contact, a cheerful submission, coming from a relaxed poll and lower jaw.
The energy produced will become IMPULSION, SWING, and leads on to STRAIGHTNESS, and at the top of the Scale: COLLECTION.
Lightness should only be the result of Impulsion through Contact with the rider’s asking legs and supple seat, not from the horse getting ‘behind the bit’.
- Correct Contact will be more difficult to produce with horses of poor conformation, badly set on necks, weak backs or hocks.
- The horse’s temperament will have considerable bearing on the situation.
- The choice of the bit is crucial, that it is comfortable and fits the mouth correctly.
- A horse on the forehand may be easier to learn on, but its balance will need
to be improved with well ridden halt-halts and many transitions.
- An idle horse may happily lean on the rider’s hands, until activated to provide its own self-carriage.
To maintain the Contact, not keep breaking or dropping it, is an on-going process, with the rider hopefully trying to keep the elastic Contact for longer periods, with the Contact becoming lighter and more ‘friendly’ to the horse.
It requires much practice, and will ‘ebb and flow’. The rider will require much patience and gentle perseverance.
It is crucial for jumping riders when past the beginner stages that the horse is not “dropped” into the bottom of his fences.
Suggestions for Coaches
If a rider seems to “hang on” too much to the horse’s mouth, try asking them to hold the reins reversed, as for driving, to make sure they can’t pull back into or over a fence.
To experience how supple and balanced and elastic a rider’s SEAT should be: Do the following Exercise:
Turn to your neighbour, and place your hand over the top of theirs, palm down, fingers and thumb towards the other’s wrist: Try and stay balanced and supple and in contact while the lower hand starts to swing and bounce - no gripping or forcing down.
- First of all Contact should be practiced in walk, where the horse is allowed to nod his head up and down, while on a light allowing Contact.
- How much is enough Contact? That is for you to judge, we have no way of giving an accurate answer yet, until you apply the TeleRein. You must look at the grip on the reins, the expression on the rider’s face, and the horse’s jaw – is it fixed or relaxed?
- The arms - hands - horse’s mouth - smooth line is important, with elbows relaxed but close to the sides. Fingers should be closed, thumbs on top and looking across the withers to the opposite ear..
- The horse should be responsive to a light, effective leg aid, not a nagging, boring one
- A rider who has learnt to maintain a contact should be able to allow the horse to stretch and lower the head and neck, still on a light contact, and pick it up again to come into a rounded shape, accepting and being finally On the Bit. This is a successful proof of training, not where riding begins.
Problems can be created by confused riders, who believe they must hang on to the reins……….it takes two ends to pull at each other. If the rider does not pull backwards, the horse need not lean or pull forwards.
The Result of correct work should be a harmonious partnership, between an educated rider and a happy horse with a well-rounded outline, nose always slightly in front of the vertical, always forward bound, willing to go on the bit when required to do so, and accepting all the rider’s aids.
|
