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Writer's pictureKristie Cotton

Can I improve my horses movement?

Updated: Feb 26, 2021



Whether you are on a fancy Warmblood or not, movement is going to come from how the horse uses their back muscles. We hear things like " The horse needs to come through and over the back " this does not mean rush the horse forward to a strong hold on the reins. In order to train your horse to have a nice way of going, you need to have some training strategies in place.

  1. Is the horse in front of the leg? When you communicate with a quiet seat and leg does the horse respond.

  2. In order for the back muscles to work properly and not braced, the horse needs to stretch at all three gaits without losing rhythm or falling on the forehand.

  3. Is the horse supple? Are you able to move your horse laterally with equal response on both sides?

These are just a few prerequisites. Take your time and be sure to have professional eyes on the ground to help you feel what is correct and what is not. If you do not have the means to receive regular lessons, video your ride and train your eye to recognize when your horse looks braced or when the horse is supple.

Remember the wise words of Xenophon: " Anything forced is not beautiful "

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