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Waking up the lethargic horse
A true horseman makes the nervous horse calm, the stiff horse flexible
and wakes up the lethargic horse. A lethargic horse? Of course some horses are less willing than others, but if impulsion is the horse's state of mind - the overbearing desire to carry himself forward…then any horse should be able to go forward… Here are some work paths: 1. Work on the lunge: First free lunging, then with side reins (see: Notes on Side reins), obtain an immediate response to your voice and lunge whip commands, always working in a relaxed and calm manner. Needless to say, praise your horse profusely. 2. Work on foot Same thing: obtain that your horse reacts to your voice and your whip; he has to move easily in general, acquire mobility - especially in the haunches. Your workouts should be short. Be demanding and always quick and light in your actions. 3. Work under saddle: Do not
ever squeeze your legs. Your horse
will remember this lesson. Rather than having to wake your horse up, just don't let him fall asleep! Vary your
workouts with logically sequenced exercises. Work on different exercises
in a different order. Riding is
an abundance of small details… It's not a question of legs! It's your job, with your general posture, your awareness and sensitivity, to never let your horse fall asleep or become bored… You must keep him interested, focused, relaxed, reactive and vibrant. In short, your horse has to be happy to be your partner and cheerfully comply with your orders. |
Posture-position / Walk / Trot / Canter / Shoulder-in / half-pass / Flying change of lead / Pirouette /