| Some dressage horses don't understand accepting | | | | his chin toward his chest, you'll have to be a bit more |
| contact with the bit and your hand. They are quick to | | | | proactive as far as explaining correct contact to him. |
| go from coming above the bit to curling behind the bit. | | | | If he's curled behind the bit really badly, in addition to |
| If that sounds like your horse, you need to be able to | | | | sending him forward through his body, you might have |
| quickly and smoothly change your aids to help your | | | | to raise your hands to place the bit out in front of him |
| dressage horse understand and accept contact. | | | | so he can step toward it. |
| When your horse comes above the bit, use | | | | The feeling is like putting a sheet on your bed. You lift |
| connecting aids as follows. | | | | the sheet up, and then let if softly drift onto the bed. |
| 1. Close both legs to send him forward toward a | | | | You can also think of it like doing "the wave" at a |
| lengthening. | | | | football game. |
| 2. When you feel the "surge" of power coming from | | | | If you do have to raise your hands because your |
| behind, close your outside hand in a fist to capture, | | | | horse has dropped behind the bit, keep the following |
| contain, and recycle that power back to the hind legs. | | | | things in mind: |
| 3. If your horse starts to bend his neck to the outside, | | | | 1. Always use your legs BEFORE you raise your |
| vibrate the inside rein to keep his neck straight. | | | | hands. |
| As soon as he ducks behind the bit, send him "forward | | | | 2. Raise both hands evenly. |
| through his body". | | | | 3. To the degree that you raise your hands, ALSO put |
| Here's what I mean by that. Go on a circle in rising trot, | | | | them forward toward his mouth without losing contact. |
| close both legs and ask for a trot lengthening for 6 or | | | | That is, if you lift your hands 2 inches, they must go |
| 7 strides. Do this several times until it becomes a knee | | | | forward 2 inches. If you lift them 4 inches, they must |
| jerk reaction for him to go "forward over the ground" | | | | go forward 4 inches. |
| when you close your calves. | | | | 4. As soon as you've placed the bit out in front of your |
| Then close your legs as if you're going to do a trot | | | | horse, put your hands back down. If you keep them up, |
| lengthening, but don't lengthen. This time you want your | | | | he'll curl behind the bit even more. |
| horse to go " through his body" rather than "forward | | | | 5. Keep a smooth, steady contact with his mouth |
| over the ground". As you feel him go forward though | | | | throughout this whole process. Don't let the reins get |
| his body and start to take a contact with your hand | | | | loose, drop contact with his mouth, and then snatch him |
| rather than curling behind the bit, praise him. | | | | up. That will discourage him from stepping toward the |
| You might have to alternate a trot lengthening with | | | | bit. |
| asking him to take a contact with your hand several | | | | To sum up, for the dressage horse that alternates |
| times. But once he understands, you'll have a tool to | | | | between coming above the bit and dropping contact |
| use any time he comes too low in front. | | | | to come behind the bit, smoothly switch from |
| This system works well for the horse that likes to go | | | | connecting aids to sending him forward through his |
| with his poll too low and his face behind the vertical, but | | | | body as needed until you've clearly explained the right |
| if he's curling so badly behind the bit that he's ducking | | | | connection to him. |