HD Equestrian

𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗗𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬: 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 🐴 Understanding rein contact is crucial for ensuring our horses' well-being. Rein contact refers to the pressure applied to the reins by the rider to maintain steady communication with the horse. It is essential for higher-level dressage and jumping, offering the rider a fine degree of control and serving as one of the first steps toward collection.

Contact should be light and elastic, moving with the horse and applying just enough pressure to prevent the reins from sagging.

At Pony Club, we emphasise pressure-release training, teaching our members why heavy contact or unrelenting pressure is detrimental to both the horse's welfare and training.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲
Heavy rein contact can be a sign that the horse is in a state of flight response, indicating that if you were to release the reins, the horse might try to run away. Constant heavy contact will make the horse less responsive to the stopping aids, and is bad for his welfare. Consequences include:

▪️ 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻: Prolonged pressure on the sensitive areas of the horse’s mouth can lead to bruising, sores, and chronic pain. Over time, this can cause the horse to become resistant or fearful of the bit, creating a negative association with being ridden.

▪️ 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀: Unrelenting pressure can lead to a range of behavioural problems, including head tossing, bit evasion, and bucking. These are often signs that the horse is trying to escape the discomfort and communicate its distress.

▪️ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: If the horse cannot find relief from the pressure, it may eventually give up trying to respond to the reins altogether, entering a state of learned helplessness. This condition results in a horse that appears unresponsive, but in reality, it has simply become disengaged due to consistent discomfort.

▪️ 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Heavy rein contact restricts the natural movement of the horse’s head and neck, which are crucial for balance. This can lead to stiff, unnatural gaits, increased tension throughout the horse's body, and even long-term musculoskeletal issues.

Ultimately, these issues compromise the welfare of the horse, highlighting the importance of maintaining light, clear, and consistent rein aids to promote a positive, stress-free riding experience. By understanding the principles of rein contact and the consequences of unrelenting pressure, we can ensure our horses remain happy, healthy, and responsive partners.

Operant conditioning, along with classical conditioning is part of the broad category of learning known as associative learning.

In horse training, associative learning is the major learning category that enables us to train horses to do anything that aligns with their behavioural repertoire and their biomechanics.

Operant conditioning is the most significant aspect of associative learning.

Operant conditioning relies on certain evolved tendencies of the horse's brain (telos) such as motivation and reinforcement and includes two forms of reinforcement and two forms of punishment.

These four elements are commonly known as quadrants, which are illustrated in the image below.

B.F. Skinner was very influential in the development of operant conditioning and wrote hundreds of papers on the characteristics of operant conditioning with regard to animal learning and the education of children.

He argued that internal needs and drives of individuals can be ignored because animals (and people) are more controlled by the
consequences of their behaviour.

This school of thought has been termed behaviourism, although nowadays this view is seen as radical behaviourism' because it is now recognised that many other elements such as arousal, affective state and attachment are highly influential in the outcomes of operant conditioning.

**Note: whilst negative and positive punishment are not uncommon practices in the horse industry, equestrians should consider the ethicality of such practices and learn about more effective and ethical approaches to training.

This excerpt is from the book Modern Horse Training: Equitation Science Principles & Practice, Volume 1 by Andrew Mclean which is available for purchase on our website.

The wonderful team! Is this really July! ☔️☔️☔️☔️

When Facebook/Instagram pop up with memories

And now look how well you are doing Avah!! 🤩 (Nicky Heath)

A few intensive blocks of lessons.... the improvement in confidence, reaction times and position is amazing.
That proud feeling when you receive the excited phone call from such a determined little rider, telling me how well she got on xc schooling today for the first time with her new pony.
Watching people achieve their goals And dreams, just one of the many reasons I love my job!
Well done Avah! 👏

Regular Wednesday evening sessions coming soon….

As 2023 is drawing to a close & the new year is fast approaching, what better time to start planning 2024, here are a few dates for the diary that I will be coaching from Pengethley Equestrian

Open to all, please book in, in advance

A very interesting read ….

To develop the horse symmetrically in body and limbs you can use gymnastic exercises.

*** CORNERSTONES ***

The core of the gymnastic exercises consists of the circle, shoulder-in and haunches-in. All the other exercises are derived from these cornerstones.

🐴 The circle is used to develop the Lateral bending of the body and spine, the Forward down tendency of the head and neck and the Stepping under the center of mass of the inside hind leg (LFS).

🐴 Once the inside hind leg can step under, this hind leg can also start to take weight. To do so we use the shoulder-in and counter-shoulder-in. These exercises are designed to school the hind leg in function of the inside hind leg. As a result of taking the weight, the horse will bend the inside hind leg more and free the outside shoulder.

🐴 Once the horse can bend the hind leg as an inside hind leg, we can also start to school the hind leg as an outside hind leg. To do so we use first the haunches-in (travers) and later on the renvers. In the renvers the horse can lean less against the wall/fence with his shoulder, so it's a bit more difficult than the travers, but as a result he really supports himself with his hind legs.

*** ALL EXERCISES ARE RELATED ***

All exercises relate to one another and differ slightly:

🐎 The only difference between shoulder-in and counter-shoulder in is the position of the fence/wall. The same applies to the haunches-in (travers) and the renvers, also there the only difference is the position of the wall.

🐎 The difference between shoulder-in and renvers is the bending in the spine, which is the opposite. In these exercises the same hind leg has the opposite function ('inside' in shoulder-in, 'outside' in renvers). The same applies to counter shoulder-in and the haunches in.

🐎 The half pass is 'just' a haunches-in over the diagonal, and the pirouette is 'just' a haunches-in on a small circle. Both half-pass and pirouette require support of both the inside as the outside hind leg. Therefore in both exercises the shoulders must lead to be able to keep the center of mass in front of the direction of the hind legs, only then both hind legs can support the weight. So both the half pass and pirouette also relate to the shoulder-in.

*** NUMBER OF TRACKS AND DEGREE OF BENDING ***

Now all exercises can be done on 3 or 4 tracks, or 2,5 tracks or 3,75 or 3,99 ;) and your horse can have more or less bend in his spine. Now there is no 'perfect' number and the exact degree doesn't matter. What matters in ST is that you choose the number of tracks and degree of bending where your horse can support his body and center of mass best with both hind legs. And that depends on the conformation of your horse: if he has a long back or a shorter one, if he has long legs, or shorter ones, if he has a long neck or a short one. So choose the degree of bending and number of tracks where your horse can move in optimal balance and with most quality.

*** HOW TO DEVELOP THESE EXERCISES? ***

First start the circle, then after a few training sessions add the shoulder-in, and the moment the the horse can do this exercise for 66,6% of quality, add the haunches-in. From there you can start practising the variations.

**** HOW TO DEVELOP THE HORSE EQUALLY? ***

To develop a horse equally in body and limbs all exercises need to be done to the right and to the left (or as they say in English: on the right rein and on the left rein).

When doing these exercises there will always be an 'easy' side and a difficult side. To develop the horse equally, do the 'difficult' side a bit more often and it's also an idea to start with the 'difficult' side and to end with the 'difficult side'.

The moment the horse starts to feel more equal, switch to train the exercises 50-50.

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Click here for more information:

Circle:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/circle

Shoulder-in:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/shoulder-in

Haunches-in:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/haunches-in

Renvers:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/renvers

Half pass:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/half-pass

Pirouette:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/pirouette

Lateral movements:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/lateral-movements

Ladder of exercises:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/a-logical-system-of-ever-increasing-exercises

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