| So many riders are confused by how a dressage | | | | feels like a beach ball bouncing along.o His back (behind |
| horse should look and feel when he's honestly on the | | | | the saddle) is up and swinging rather than dropped and |
| bit. So what follows are specific ways for you to tell if | | | | tense.o The energy is self-perpetuating. The power |
| he's on the bit by what you see and what you feel. | | | | comes from behind, over the back and gets recycled |
| When a dressage horse is on the bit, this is what he'll | | | | back to the hind legs. If the horse is truly connected |
| look like:o His entire outline from back to front looks | | | | and isn't crooked with the shoulder falling out and the |
| round.o His hind legs step actively underneath his body, | | | | haunches falling in, the energy is self-perpetuating. If the |
| his back is up and swinging, his neck is long and low | | | | horse, let's say, is popping out one shoulder and the |
| enough to be in line with the "power train" of his | | | | energy is going diagonally across his body, then you |
| hindquarters, his poll is the highest point, and his nose is | | | | have to come with your driving aids and recreate the |
| about 5 degrees in front of the verticalo From the | | | | energy because it's not self-perpetuating.o Anything is |
| saddle his neck is widest at the base (just in front of | | | | possible within the next step. For example, he can |
| the withers) and becomes progressively narrower as | | | | immediately go from trot to canter. Or he can |
| you get closer to his ears.o From the side, his neck | | | | immediately go from working canter into a canter |
| looks longish and relatively low rather than up in the air | | | | lengthening. Or he can do a canter depart in the next |
| and short. | | | | step. |
| When your dressage horse is on the bit, here's what | | | | If you're not sure if your dressage horse is truly on the |
| he'll feel like:o He's one unit rather than a jumble of | | | | bit, ask for a transition. If it's easy to do within the next |
| "disconnected parts".o He's more comfortable to sit on | | | | step, then you know that your horse is on the bit. |
| because his back is relaxed.o In trot and canter, he | | | | |