Does Your Horse Need a Lot of Leg?

Who doesnt love a horse with a laidback disposition the unflappable sort unfazed by snow skidding off the arena roof?  The downside of that laidback horse is that hes liable to be laidback about his riders aids too. 
Riding a light horse in tune with his rider is like playing a musical instrument distinct notes administered with a light touch. 
Its no fun when riding becomes an aerobic workout. If you stop working so hard pumping pushing clucking will your horse quit? If so whos doing most of the work?  

Determine not to babysit your horse with nagging aids. After all if a horse can feel a fly on his side he can feel your leg. Our goal for the dull horse is for him to learn to listen to our whispers.  
Shaping
The shaping process is gradually taking a basic skill and refining it. I coach riders through the following simple progression to resensitize a dull horse to their leg cues
The horse is taught the basic goforward response to accelerate or lengthen his stride.
The horse responds from one light distinct goforward aid.
The horse carries himself forward for multiple strides from a single light aid.
Picture your horse within an imaginary box. If your leg represents the back of the box your laidback horse has likely become quite content to rest on it as he would on the butt bar of a trailer. When your horse stays inside the box without you having to hold him there thats selfcarriage kind of like cruise control. Hes discovered the boxs boundaries by trial and error meeting your aids when he makes an unauthorized change. If he loses rhythm hell feel your leg pressure sending him forward again. When a horse is in selfcarriage you dont have to manufacture the energy the horse cruises along