How to encourage a horse to stretch down
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chescar
04 Jun 2010 14:32
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We are doing quite well at prelim dressage but my last few comments say need to stretch more in trot? Any exercises or ideas? He tends to hold his head in a 'showy' position if you know what I mean rather than stretching longer and lower.
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Maxineruth
06 Jun 2010 17:56
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Have you tried giving him a little rein (not dropping him by throwing the reins away) and then asking him for some lateral bend to get him to relax and stretch a little more.
A horse will sometimes adopt a fixed position from tension or overtraining in one position so it is a good habit to start varying the outline of the horse.
For some strange reason I have also found that if you collect them up for a few circles and then give a little rein they will more readily take it. Gradually you can build up the length of rein until he will take more of it.
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Horse Hero Guru
06 Jun 2010 22:02
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Hi Chescar
Maxineruth has given you some good advice.
One technique that I have found useful to get a horse to lower their head and to stretch down is to ‘comb’ the reins through your hands. This is difficult to describe, so please forgive the explanation. Lightly hold the reins between the open fingers of one hand then slide your hand back four or five inches putting the other hand in the same way on the reins in front of the first, and keep repeating the motion. Many horses like the rhythm and gentleness of this and will drop their heads while you are doing it. I hope this makes sense – try it and see whether your horse will respond to this too.
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chescar
07 Jun 2010 07:39
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Thankyou - I will try both of these and let you know
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milsky
09 Jun 2010 20:40
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I find widening and slightly lowering the hands puts the bit in a slightly lower posistion in the mouth, ask for some bend then when you feel the horse soften, invite him to take the contact down and forward by offering a soft and following hand. Timing is everything, you have to feel for when the horse is seeking the contact, then follow it! I work my horses a lot like this, then when I want them to come more 'up' I lift and bring the hands more together and ride up towards them.
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