Balance, Cooperation & the Four Corners of the Horse

When I think about poor balance I think about 4 things...ill-health, blockage of energy flow, misalignment and misunderstanding. Horses do the best they know how in order to maintain good balance in their circumstances. They want to eat but not fall down so they figure out how to contort themselves so they can do both! Similarly, they are willing to carry us but don't want to be in pain or to fall down so--again--they figure out how to contort themselves to manage it all. Dealing with ill-health and injury is a subject in itself. So assuming we have a healthy horse that is not lame, it is useful to consider how the four corners of the horse can work together harmoniously to achieve a common goal---improved balance.
Without our interference horses do a very good job of managing their whole body to deal with all aspects of life without falling down or getting left behind. Enter a hander and/or rider and now things start changing...and very often from our being overly controlling.
One of my students recently mentioned hearing dressage rider Steffen Peters talk about his thoughts on how the FEI might do better by changing the word "submission" in its guidelines to "cooperation". What a brilliant idea! Think about it. Just changing that one word could, if we are willing and inclined, change the way we think about training horses. The word "submission" is so harsh and final whereas the word "cooperation" is so liberating and forgiving. The latter allows us to give the horse the opportunity to decide to go along with what we have in mind.
I would like here to briefly describe how I envision improved balance to come about. It is through helping the horse to become increasingly aware of the four corners of his body when we are working with him---first on the ground and then in the saddle. We stop and touch him with our hands, our stick or whip and help him locate the spaces around his body and how they relate to our space. We move him forward, backward and sideways, touching legs(and various parts of the body) to enliven them and help give sense of where to direct the power generated in each limb.
Under saddle, the first thing we do is find calm. We try not to snatch up the reins and confine the horse. Of course, under no circumstances would we invite danger to ourselves by not using prudence. But what I dislike seeing is how the first thing riders so often do is tighten up the reins and close in on the horse with the legs. This latter way is the direct route toward blockages. And then poor balance and then an uncooperative horse.
Start with calm and just as you did in the ground work, touch with one leg or one rein and see the reaction, reward and either re-establish a quiet halt or quietly move on to the next moment of calm, preferably into a halt or slow walk. Make the horse aware of himself---aware of his four corners---taking possession of himself. We should not hold the horse up or fight with him. Gently speaking with one leg or rein or just the stick(stiff whip) to bring this awareness to him gives the horse an amazing feeling of freedom---it reminds him he is a whole horse! And, most importantly, without force it brings the horse into progressively greater cooperation.
A touch on the side------step over
A release-------step into
A touch behind----step forward
A touch in front-----step back or refrain
When we think of the whip only in terms of punishment...even if we only carry this thought in our mind...that it is there to threaten the horse if he doesn't comply, we have missed the point and communicate all the makings of a blockage. (Even harsh commanding legs or a rigid rein against the butter soft tissues of the mouth can shut a horse down.) But if we think of the whip as an extension of a finger or an arm.....reaching out to touch the horse and show him where his body is in space as he carries us, helping him adjust himself(his posture) better.....caressing him and guiding him....then we build trust, cooperation and set ourselves solidly on the road of ever improving balance.
Think like this: the whip, leg and hand are FIRSTLY our tools of finesse and LASTLY our tools of tact.

Tact and Finesse

Throughout these articles you are learning the tools of mechanical messaging but with the introduction of the invitational or drawing aids you are learning the means of transfer from the mechanical to the energetic.
At this time I wish to begin the study of tact and finesse. Finesse is one of the most interesting concepts in riding. It is the place where delicate precision begins with even the most novice rider who learns that a few extra wiggles on the rein produces something more pleasant in the hand. I really cannot malign this style. It is sensitive and searching. It seeks a calm, undisturbed horse. And although some riders seem to capitalize(albeit disproportionately so)on their skill with finesse, even if their horses are not lively, buoyant or athletic moving, there is something to be said for the tranquility they present.
Enter tact. This is another very interesting concept and one I'll admit the horse has had to teach me because I do not possess it naturally! Tact is about choosing the right thing for the right moment so that you get your point across without ruffling feathers. It involves timing and a bit of savoir faire(or social sureness!).
Webster's dictionary describes finesse as refinement, delicacy and skillful handling(without force). It also describes finesse as it applies to the game of cards. It is "the withholding of one's highest card or trump in the hope that a lower card will take the trick because the only opposing higher card is in the hand of an opponent who has already played." HOW INTERESTING! It also describes 'to finesse' as to evade or trick. Well, we all know we cannot really trick horses(even though we might use finesse to try to trick people). But what we can learn from these definitions is how important it may be to delicately handle the horse through the reins or legs as he is quite noble and really holds the higher card because of his sheer size and power. So finesse, or delicacy, is useful not only for changing the mind, mood and will of the horse to bring him into good standing with you, it is useful for calming rough waters so the horse can feel the direction your intent is taking his energy AND feel good about going with your intent.
Now let us look at what Webster's dictionary says about 'tact'. It is a "keen sense of what to do or say in order to maintain good relations...or avoid offense." It says that "poise may imply...tact...but stresses self-possession and ease in meeting difficult situations." In addition it is "sensitive mental or aesthetic perception."
So tact is about holding back. It is about self-control but at the same time super sensitivity with regard to the individual horse you are riding or training so that you can make your way with him go right yet still be friends.

Leg Aids

Just as with the reins, the legs can give sending or drawing messages. A touch close to the horse's body gives a 'send' message whereas a loosening and slight removal of the leg to the side can lead(or draw) the barrel and hindquarters into that direction.
A sending aid is pretty straightforward while a drawing aid is more complex and very often will need to be taught to the horse or sensitized in him as he will need to detect whether your intent is that he move into this open leg or if the open leg is just trying not to incite him in any way.
Young horses are well aware of how to come into your space. They usually need to be shown how to move away from you. Many trainers only want the horse to understand this 'moving away'. I much prefer that the horse be well versed in the messaging of how to move away AND move toward the leg upon my request. This makes training considerably much easier later on. When, for example, you want the horse to step to the right, you might ask with the left leg but you will need to check some of the forward motion with the reins and seat. Add the concept of a drawing leg on the opposite side and you clarify what it is you want--step over--step toward my open leg.

Rein Aids: The Open Rein

The open rein is done by taking the hand or arm away from the horse's neck sideways. How the fingers are used on this rein determines the effect created. Squeezing the fingers(backward toward the rider) while opening the rein creates a direct effect on the hindquarter on the side of the squeeze, deflecting the hindquarter's energy backward or away to the opposite side. If, however, the fingers open and loosen together with a loose wrist, the effect is quite different. Now, instead, the shoulders are invited into the direction of the open rein. I sometimes call this an 'invitational' rein or a 'drawing' rein---drawing the energy of the horse.
The concepts of sending and drawing can be done with the reins and with the legs.