| Horses are athletes and so just like athletes there are | | | | his hindquarters away from it. |
| certain things they do to be good at their sport. A | | | | It's important at this stage that you keep urging him |
| common factor with all athletes is suppleness of the | | | | forward with your outside leg and keep him coming |
| body. This suppleness is also essential to horses if | | | | around with his front end so he doesn't just do a leg |
| they are to perform at any level. | | | | yield. What you are aiming for is, as your horse walks |
| A horse will have great difficulty performing without | | | | a circle, and is moving forward his hind end sweeps a |
| suppleness, in fact if you can't get the horse to bend, | | | | larger circle than his front end. |
| you will have trouble riding him, he must be supple, as | | | | Now your horse will not be bale to do this immediately, |
| this creates a response to your cues. Suppling of a | | | | he must build up to this and so there are some things |
| horse is essential to riders whether in competition or | | | | you need to do to help him get to this point. Firstly you |
| merely trial riding. | | | | must ensure that your horse will move forward when |
| To develop suppleness in your horse you must | | | | asked, and respond correctly to your leg aids. That is if |
| perform the necessary exercises to develop and | | | | you move your inside leg back and put a little pressure |
| improve his natural suppleness. While riding your horse, | | | | on his hind end, then he should move off that leg aid, |
| walk him in a circle, and draw your inside leg back | | | | not run but simply move off he aid. |
| enough to signal him to get off your leg and thus move | | | | |