Relaxation is key to productive training

By Barbara Putnam
Morgan Dressage Association Board Member

It seems that many people have difficulties with relaxation of their horses. This is not an uncommon problem, particularly in Morgans who are known for their energy and spark. It takes plenty of time, willpower and patience to change a tense horse to a calm, relaxed horse with a swinging back, flexible jowl and even, cadenced strides.

The key is patience. I hope to give you some ideas about how to help your Morgan to be more relaxed and happy in his work. These are just ideas -- it is important to be flexible in your training process and to gather all the ideas you can so that you can influence your horse in the best way for him. Each time you ride, have a goal or strive for an improvement. Remember, training occurs in increments and should never be rushed. Find the best instruction you can and attend or audit clinics to broaden your knowledge. The American Horse Shows Association states that the object of dressage is the harmonious development of the physique and ability of the horse. As a result, it makes the horse calm, supple, loose and flexible, but also confident, attentive and keen -- achieving perfect understanding with his rider.

Caduceus Herod The rider can have a huge influence on the way a horse travels in the walk, trot and canter. The trot is the gait that can be improved the most through training. Try to establish a calm feeling right from the beginning of your training session. Keep a calm voice, quiet movements and a relaxed mind, leave all your internal noise (worries about business, work, kids, etc.) outside the barn. Being able to eliminate tension in yourself, especially at the worst moments, is paramount to good riding. Tension is inflections. Use your voice to calm your horse. If you feel tense in the saddle, try singing or humming a tune, sort of an internal metronome. You will be amazed at what it can do.

If your horse tends to be quick or uneven in tempo, pick a tune and choose the tempo that you would like your horse to trot to, then make yourself part of that tempo. Keep balanced in your body, use constant half-halts and be patient. You must use your half-halts to rebalance the horse and establish a pace that is comfortable for the horse. Forward is not faster. Your half-halts are a split-second effect that must be repeated again and again. A balanced, supple, relaxed rider enables the horse to move comfortably and freely.

Some horses need to be lunged prior to riding so that they can expel some excess energy. Perhaps they are confined to a stall, or are just feeling energetic. Take the time to do the lunging if it makes your training sessions more productive. When lunging your horse, use a soft voice and quiet movements with your body. Never use the lunge whip against the horse as a punishment -- it should only act as a tool to keep the horse's attention on the work at hand. Always give praise to the horse for any accomplishment at any time.

When you mount the horse to ride, walk him on a loose rein until he is calm and ready to work. Use this time to relax and think about what your training session will entail that day. One exercise for the walk that horses seem to enjoy is to ride down the long side of the arena making 10-meter circles, riding ahead between each one. Be sure to repeat the exercise in the opposite direction.

Trotting poles are good tools and can really help the horse stretch through the back. Just use three to start with and put them on a 20-meter circle. You can fan the poles out radiating from the center, placing them apart at a distance that is comfortable for the horse. Keep your body balanced and upright at the posting trot. Stretching down exercises are also good for relaxation of the back, provided that you have someone who is knowledgeable helping you. You don't want the horse stretching down only to be falling on the forehand because then the exercise is a detriment and not an improvement. Your horse must stay active behind and stepping under himself. Transitions are extremely important to effective training, helping to create balance and suppleness in the horse and thus aiding in relaxation.

Transitions are going from one gait to another, or changing the pace within the gait. An example would be to go from a walk to a trot then back tot he walk with several strides in between. You can never do too many transitions. You can never improve the canter by cantering for long periods, but only through frequent transitions. If you feel that things are falling apart, do a transition. Work on the circle and be ready to spend time on this -- you will reap the rewards many times over. If your horse is heavy in the hand or running through the bit -- do transitions. Trot to canter to trot on a 20-meter circle for 10 minutes each way will do wonders. Through transitions, your horse will improve his balance, his strength and his ability to respond to cues, and you will have much more harmony between yourself and your horse.

It takes time and patience along with commitment to create harmony. One other point I feel is worth touching on is the way the horse is fed. Some horses -- particularly our thrifty Morgans -- do not need a lot of grain. I am not advocating starving your horse, but if you have excellent hay you may be able to get by with little or no grain. The horse with too much grain in his diet may have too much energy with no where to go with it except to make training difficult for both of you. You can always experiment with grain quantity Ð gradually lowering it until you find an acceptable amount. Stay open-minded about what your horse really needs. His dietary requirements may be much different than some other horses in his barn. Some times this simple adjustment can really take the edge off an otherwise tense horse.

Remember -- keep your Morgan happy, ride with relaxation, have a plan but be flexible, get good help and gather ideas, do your transitions and be patient. Praise your Morgan for his work and reap the benefits of your training for a responsive, relaxed partner.

o o o o o

The author, a member of the Morgan Dressage Association board of directors, trains and competes her 16.2 blue roan Morgan gelding, Caduceus Herod in dressage at competitions throughout the Midwest. Herod and Barb have won numerous championships, including the 1999 United States Dressage Federation All-Breeds Championship at Prix St. Georges.

Relaxation is key to productive training

By Barbara Putnam Morgan Dressage Association Board Member

By Barbara Putnam
Morgan Dressage Association Board Member