QUICK READS
Successful schooling comes from using variety but try not to get stuck into a set routine
Is Your Horse Listening ?
Here event rider and trainer , Harriet Morris-Baumber offers advice on why your horse might not be listening to you and how to ensure you are asking the right questions to get a positive response .
To really understand if your horse is listening to you , it is important to ask yourself two questions – are you asking correctly and is your horse responding correctly ?
“ Remember your horse can feel a fly land on his skin so even the smallest aid from your hand or leg should produce a response if your horse is switched on and ready to respond .” said Harriet .
HOW CAN I TELL IF MY HORSE IS NOT LISTENING ?
There is nothing more frustrating than an unproductive schooling session . There are many different ways in which your horse will demonstrate that he is not listening .
“ He will either switch off , shut down or carry on regardless ,” added Harriet .
However your horse displays his lack of concentration , there are two main options to regain his attention – adjust the volume of your aid or surprise him with a transition he isn ’ t expecting .
ADJUSTING THE VOLUME
Adjusting the volume means making your aids clearer and more obvious or making a quieter more subtle signal .
“ If they don ’ t respond the first time of asking , you might need to ‘ turn up the volume ’ of your aids , this could be by using a stronger and more obvious aid or even using a touch of the whip .”
Riders that get into the habit of using their hand or leg with every stride are in danger of becoming ‘ background noise ’ which is also a common reason why a horse doesn ’ t listen to its rider , as it is unable to distinguish between the accidental aids and the actual aids .
If you have used your leg five times by accident and then the sixth time you actually meant it - how is your horse supposed to tell the difference ? On the other hand , if you continue to let your real aids go unnoticed , your horse may think this is what you want as you have failed to correct him .
“ Lazy horses tend to under react to aids and sharp horses tend to overreact , so the key is to adjust the volume of your aid depending upon how lazy or sharp your horse is ,” explained Harriet .
“ With a lazy horse use a normal volume aid first and then use a quicker , louder or more obvious aid if you do not get the desired response . Sharp horses need a slower , smaller or quieter aid first , and then the aid can get gradually louder if the desired response isn ’ t achieved . The volume of the response should match the volume of the request .”
SURPRISE TRANSITIONS
A surprise transition is where you abruptly change the pace with little or no warning . This can be an ‘ emergency stop ’ type feeling , or it can be a sudden sprint . Surprise transitions are really good for horses that zone out or switch off , but should be used with caution on sharp or sensitive horses .
Transitions within the pace are great for judging responsiveness and for adding variety ; the transitions can be obvious or subtle .
“ Using transitions within the pace are a key component to my training and schooling . The more adjustable the horse is , the more control I have . Whether this is for dressage , show jumping or cross country .”
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE
Successful schooling comes from using variety , so try not to get stuck into a set routine .
Harriet recommends variety , but all still within your own training system to keep your horse focused and to make the most of your session . Try to add in some different exercises such as riding a square , serpentine , and half circles of various sizes . Mix in some lateral work too as this is really good to check the response side to side , as well as forwards and backwards .
If you tend to just go round and round the edge with only the odd circle or change of rein , changing direction every ten strides will be a shock and your horse who will not know where you are going next !
Ask yourself - how many strides was it since I did something different ?
Change is the key to unlocking your horse ’ s attention , if he is not listening , ask a different question or change the way in which you request his response .
Harriet is available for dressage , show-jumping and cross-country lessons at her base near York .
To find out more call Harriet on ( 07795 ) 562745 or visit www . harriet-morris-baumber . co . uk
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EVERYTHING HORSE MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018 • ISSUE 36