Training Scale: Straightness

Straightness comes after Impulsion in the Training Scale and refers to Straightness in the body of the horse and not just going on a Straight line.

Straightness is confusing sometimes because it is about geometry and how the horses' geometry matches the shape you are riding. For example, If you are riding an actual straight line, the horse is literally straight from nose to tail. He is not looking left or right, and his shoulders and hips are parallel. This gets tricky when we want the same thing on a curve, circle or corner. Often on curves, horses shoulders or hips will be to the side of the shape you are riding. Try riding some straight lines and circles and see if you can notice this. A lot of riding is first learning how to feel and notice things and the figuring out how to visualize and ride the right thing.

If you have worked well in the Previous Training Scale elements, You should have a substantially straighter moving horse. Not perfect, but better. Remember as we add elements we continually dance back and forth with all of them until we can get them fairly consistent. There are lots of straightening exercises but as always I like to keep them simple and straight forward (no pun intended!). Riding pefectly straight lines is a great way to practice straightness and then graduate to curves which I think is harder. Best to get a feel for it on the straight line first.

Once you've found a spot to practice straight lines, pick a visual point to focus on like a dressage letter, cone, fence post, tree, husband, friend, etc. Start by riding toward it and just notice how straight or wiggly your horse feels. Keep riding the same line and gradually become aware of the your own body becoming straighter. Your shoulders stay parallel, and your hips stay parallel. Notice some more passes on the lines. What are you observing? As you improve your straightness, add some halts as this is a good way to learn square halts and practice stopping and starting straight on the same line. Here is a video of the exercise with a clip. Let me know how it goes in the comment section : ).
See clip at link below:
http://fdhorsetraining.com/Dressage.html
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Training Scale Continued: Relaxation and Suppleness

Working on Suppling in hand...

Sorry I haven't posted in some time, but in case you didn't know I was in St. Vincents doing an amazing Clinic with Stina Herberg. It's on my other Blog if you want to see the highlights.

So I'm sticking to this thought on the Training scale series because I meant to finish it a long time ago so here is the second stage of the Training Scale which varies in interpretation by various schools. It is essentially the same concept though no matter the small differences.

Relaxation and Suppleness are the next step in the scale and some Scales or Pyramids do not include relaxation or it is a foregone assumption that the relaxation is there. I like to include it because it is essential to have relaxation in order to have true Suppleness and Throughness. A horse can be manually suppled by sawing, pulling and kicking but I doubt he will be relaxed! That is forced suppling and we can hardly even call it suppling at that. It is more like jamming the horse into a position.

I like to think about Suppling like a Yoga exercise for a horse. If you go to a Yoga class the instructor does not say to a beginner "ok put your feet behind your ears" on the first day of class. You start with very gentle and basic moves that gradually build strength and flexibility until one day you can do more advanced stretches or poses.

Suppling should be the same with a horse. We have to take into account the age, conformation, fitness level, training level, one sidedness and mind of the horse to gradually improve suppleness. I generally start my Training Scale exercises at Liberty because I want the horse to show me what is comfortable and natural to him without a rider, line, side reins, or head restriction. I can then see how to proceed with specific exercises at Liberty, on line, in hand, and or under saddle. I will choose exercises that will target weaknesses but work within what the horse offers at Liberty.

I can work with all stages of the Training scale (Rhythm, Relaxation, Suppleness, Contact, Straightness, Collection) at Liberty which is a gentle, fun and creative way to learn and work with it and your horse.

Getting back to the mind of the horse being relaxed as well as the body. Say you have a very high strung nervous horse, It would be a priority to relax this horse mentally if you were to have any hope of relaxing and suppling his body. Rhythm and balance exercises are a good place to work on Relaxation and open the door to the horse being able to accept suppling exercises.

I will have some video in the coming weeks showing some examples of me working on the Training Scale and  at Liberty, On line, and under saddle. For this weeks exercise to try, I want you to turn your horse loose in the ring, round pen, or small paddock and work on Rhythm, Relaxation, and Natural Suppleness. Meaning what your horses' baseline is when moving unencumbered or manipulated. It doesn't matter if he goes in a circle or large in the arena. Notice if he prefers one direction or the other, Notice if his natural rhythm is slow, fast or perfect (if he is fresh, wait until he settles in his gaits to evaluate), Once you have established a relaxed, walk, and trot Rhythm, you can try a canter (again don't worry about freshness, just let them play and settle in when they're ready). Notice if your horse travels looking out the circle and how they end up when you are near the end of your session. Does their topline soften? Do they stretch long and low naturally better in one direction once they have relaxed? Do they stay inverted and braced the whole time? Make mental notes and remember them.

As always I'd like to hear your experiences in the comments area. I'll post some patterns and exercises in the coming weeks.

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