Does Your Horse Need a Lot of Leg?

in rhythm for several strides.
The riders leg is our focus in this article but we cant discount the other sides of the box. A lazy horse tends to zigzag particularly when moving away from the barn or cut to the inside of the ring. With lateral control the sides of the box you have the tools to keep your horse on a straight path. Moreover if your horse is crooked through his body its like having a kink in the hose energy slows to a trickle. Keep his body parts aligned for the best energy flow.
That energy flow is captured at the front of the box so that your leg doesnt send your horse scrambling out the front door with a quicker stride but rather with a loftier more energetic one. Impulsion is having more bounce to the ounce an ingredient lacking in the lazy horse.
Selfcarriage is an essential component of a successful ride over fences. Hunter coaches stress the importance of having your horse in front of your leg when coming out of a corner to ride down a line. With selfcarriage if the rider has to adjust the horses stride on approach to the jump so the horse wont fall out the back door she will earn a major breakofgait penalty on the judges score card.
For equitation and Western horsemanship competitors riding a horse with selfcarriage can appear effortless. The rider can demonstrate subtle communication poise and elegance. Manufacturing energy by goading your horse through a pattern or course never looks elegant.
Its crucial that the horse consistently finds a sweet spot within the box. Negative reinforcement is taking away negative pressure to reward reinforce the response we want. What kind of boundaries are you drawing around your horse? Do they waver? We owe it to our horses to
clearly define our expectations.  Unsteady legs are tricky for your horse to read. Constant pressure or prodding with every post like white noise is easy to tune out.
Your lazy horse will lean on the boundaries without sufficient motivation not to. As he habituates to his riders aids the nonchalant horses impulsion fizzles and behaviour problems may emerge. Balking and sullen behaviour goes beyond laidback to pushback. In my experience horses are likely to push back against a riders assertive squeeze particularly when moving off from a halt. It makes sense doesnt it? Open any conversation with an opinionated assertion and the hearer is inclined to brace against your viewpoint.
Escalate On a scale of one to ten aim to start each request for more energy at the low end and step it up until you get a reaction without an overreaction. After youve given a reasonable light signal dial up the volume on the megaphone. How fast you go up the scale will depend on your horses temperament. Although a sensitive horse requires a careful crescendo you may have to surprise the dull horse a bit to motivate him. Try a chasing action by lifting up your heel for a couple of sharp little kicks with a cluck for good measure. Turn up the volume until he surges forward from your leg and reward him the instant he does. Done correctly after several repetitions of ask and escalate youll be able to refine the process until your signals become more discreet.