Part 2 – Relaxation with Elasticity & Suppleness

In part 1, I described rhythm as the first step in the Training Pyramid of Dressage. I explained the hoof fall in the different gaits and how important rhythm is as the basis of the training of your horse.

The next building block is Suppleness & Relaxation. The same rule applies here; Practice Makes Perfect and a good coach on the ground will help you hind your shortcomings and work through them.

It is important to continually and gradually put a horse through a series of gymnastic exercises in his flatwork. This will not only quietly and gently supple the horse, but will increasingly engage the hind quarters as they build muscle, strength, and energy. This will result in bringing the horse more and more on the bit and ultimately result in collection.

This is not done overnight. A horse is an athlete. Just like you, when you start a sport or an exercise regime, you start slow. You jog 1 mile at first and work it up till you can run the marathon.  You stretch, a little at first, and become more limber when you keep it up. That is the same for the horse.

There are two types or suppleness for the horse: longitudinal and lateral.

Longitudinal suppleness is the looseness of the horse’s haunches, back, neck, poll, and jaw. The suppler a horse is longitudinal, the more adjustable he becomes in his length of stride while maintaining rhythm. We accomplish this through repeated changes in length of stride, forward and back while maintaining forward motion and rhythm.
Lateral suppleness is the degree to which a horse can ‘bend’ his body and neck around the circle. It really has more to do with balance than actual bend. A balanced horse learns to stay on a 20m circle without leaning his shoulder to the inside of the circle or swinging his haunches out. It is accomplished by lateral exercises including leg yields and shoulder-in. These types of exercises increase the flexibility and movement of the hocks, stifle, shoulder, back and neck.

There are many other exercises you can do to accomplish basic suppleness and balance. When done right, a rider can through repeated, appropriate work–accompanied by reward, never harshness and force–turn a stiff and uncooperative horse into a supple and obedient horse.

These exercises are simple, based on circles, turns, up- and down transitions, and lateral work. The more up- and down transitions you do, the more responsive your horse becomes, making him softer, more balanced on the hind quarters, obedient and energetic.

Ultimately we are looking for the horse to start using the big muscles that go over his back and through his neck so he can start engaging his hind legs more and carry the energy from his hind legs over his back and into your hands.

Most of the work and training in this stage is still done in the trot. The better the trot work – (1.) rhythm, (2.) suppleness & relaxation with balance-the better the canter will be. The trot can help you lay the foundation for the next levels in the Training Pyramid of Dressage.

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