The Art of Natural Dressage

Working with the Horse's Initiative
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:02 pm 
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Location: Belgium/Tielt-Winge
somewhere in the sticky's of groundwork there is talked about this. I exercise this with Beau too, but only standing still. Now I was riding today and when trotting he gets a bit tight, I tried to let him lower his head but he does not react to it. What should I do? practice it in walk and trot on the ground and don't trot on his back until he knows this? Or ask Adriaan to use the tiger calmly in front of him to make him lower his neck and make him feel what its like? Or teach him a cue for lowering his neck with my voice that I can then teach while he is tigering and later use it when riding?
Or any other ideas???


Last edited by Barbara on Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:25 pm 
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Barbara wrote:
somewhere in the sticky's of groundwork there is talked about this. I exercise this with Beau too, but only standing still. Now I was riding today and when trotting he gets a bit tight, I tried to let him lower his head but he does not react to it. What should I do? practice it in walk and trot on the ground and don't trot on his back until he knows this? Or ask Adriaan to use the tiger calmly in front of him to make him lower his neck and make him feel what its like? Or teach him a cue for lowering his neck with my voice that I can then teach while he is tigering and later use it when riding?
Or any other ideas???


Linda Parelli gives quite a demonstration of riding with both hands on the point just in front of the whithers and leaning fairly hard on it to calm the horse.

I've not tried it, as I learned long ago to gently vibrate the reins from side to side (NO pulling) and get the same effect. It works at any gait for me once the horse understands the cue.

To get it the first time I simply lower my hands to about half way between my hip and knee over my thigh, and vibrate the reins on a green horse and release at the first sign of even the tiniest drop of the head and neck. Later I don't have to lower my hands much at all.

Of course I don't need to explain how to continue reinforcing this as the horse understands finally what you want and gives it.

It's a very gentle process and I don't have to change my balance, as pressing on the neck does. I don't much care for leaning way far forward on an excited horse with high head.

I'm not criticizing Linda's demonstration or claims for it. I think she's correct.

And I've only seen her do it on DVD for the purpose of slowing, though I think calming was mentioned as part of the intent.

And I think leaning forward is a bit hard to do at a dead run. :)

While I, in fact, can and have vibrated the reins at any speed and had it work nicely for head lowering with calming. And remain upright out of range of the head tossing horse.

Donald Redux

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Love is Trust, trust is All
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So say Don, Altea, and Bonnie the Wonder Filly.


Last edited by Donald Redux on Sun Mar 30, 2008 3:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:20 pm 
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Hi Barbara,

I guess you have already written down the best ideas! ;)

First I would teach it from the ground in walk and trot (and maybe canter if you can run fast enough ;)). I think a voice command is a good idea, although I have to admit that I don´t use any voice commands myself - but that´s not a principle decision but maybe has to do with the fact that we focus so much on body language and mimicry. So I simply forget to use my voice most of the time... But voice commands are just so effective!!

After all that you have written about Beau, it seems like he is a wonderful horse who is very willing to work/play with you and figure things out. So I think when you have practised it on the ground, he will offer it anyway. Titum is running through the forest like a truffle pig, and I wouldn´t be surprised at all if Beau would do the same and then try it when you are riding too. Walking with the head down is just such an easy way for the horse to earn his rewards, so it has become Titum´s default exercise when he doesn´t feel like working hard.
And if you have a voice command, you can even ask him to take the head down, just in case he does not offer it. Then you just have to think of a cue and train him to do it on this one.

But I don´t see such a big balance problem if you put your hand on the withers/upper neck either. What I like about that way is that you have no chance to pressure or ennerve him into the position, because stroking the neck is just such a nice and gentle cue. :D

So you have many, many possibilities to choose from. Or just combine them. ;)


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:06 am 
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If he will do it at a standstill with you on him, then next practice walking. It may take some time. You can ask him for his head down at a standstill, and while the head is down, ask for forward. Stop and reward at ONE step! Let it grow from there. Take all the time you need.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:08 am 
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I don't want to use my reins, I used to to do it this way with other horses I trained, but then I still needed to get the transition from asking it with reins to asking without, I want to be able to ride in a cordeo and when I feel him getting tense, I can just let him relax by rubbing or something. So I will try it in our sessions. It's just a pity because Beau is still very playful because of his age and he doesn't like to concentrate on boring stuff long yet, like more than 2 seconds ;)
but we'll get there :)
thanks for the tips :)


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:52 am 
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Barbara wrote:
It's just a pity because Beau is still very playful because of his age and he doesn't like to concentrate on boring stuff long yet, like more than 2 seconds ;)


Maybe he won´t find it boring at all. In Titum´s case, it doesn´t seem as if he would calm down (meant as being slow and sleepy ;)) by doing it, but instead he is even getting faster, sniffing the ground like a truffle pig as if he was actually looking for something. But still relaxed. Big advantage, because with this forwards energy, we can then try to develop a Dehnungshaltung by asking the hindlegs to step under a little bit more...


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:07 pm 
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Well, I was trying it today, but he became really cranky(see diary). But maybe, I'm just negative when I start, because I put here that I think he does not like it, I go to him every time and have that attitude. Pff difficult!


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