Riding Basics - Suppleness

Suppleness is achieved when the horse is able to flex and bend through the spine laterally (sideways), without tension or resistance, whilst maintaining rhythm.

Suppleness is obtained by teaching the horse to yield to pressure laterally, with its head, neck, ribs, hindquarters, and forequarters. It is first taught from the halt, progressing to also achieving suppleness in all paces, while maintaining rhythm.

An understanding of yielding to pressure both forwards and backwards, is also a prerequisite to teaching the horse to flex laterally. This allows us to correct the horse, in the teaching phase of lateral work. Because the horse might try to resist lateral movement by going forwards or backwards.

When loose responsive flexibility is achieved the horse will also start to become looser, softer and more flexible vertically, through the topline, back, neck, poll and jaw.

Vertical flexion is a by product of lateral flexion. The horse is only able to offer "true" vertical flexion and engagement, when the horse is first loose, flexible and responsive laterally.

Horses are often forced into vertical flexion of the neck before they have been made supple and responsive laterally. This leads to tight back muscles, tension, resistant behavior, and often results in back strain and joint and muscle injury. These horses increasingly develop muscles in the under neck rather than on the top line. They will also be more prone to developing tension and problem behaviors such as bolting, rearing, bucking, shying and leaning into the bridle.
So with such terrible consequences it is a wonder people don't just put a little more time in first to teach their horses to yeild and flex laterally, before asking for any vertical flexion.

So how do we start teaching our horses to be supple?

Neutral - Lateral (Sideways) Flexion of the head and neck.
This should be trained first with a hlater and lead rope, and later with a bridle bit and reins.
Stand beside the horse about in line with where you would sit if you were on the horse.
Pick up a feel on the lead rope or one rein, gradually increase the pressure until the horse turns its head towards you. Click & Release the pressure on the rope as soon as the horse flexes towards you, then give the horse a treat.
Repeat the exercize, gradually asking the horse to bring its head around further and further towards you, until eventually the horses nose is around near its ribs.
Make sure that you only click and release when the horse is holding its own head there, when there is no weight in the rein or lead rope. This is the foundation for teaching self carriage.
If the horse is very heavy on the rein, try jiggling it or vibrating it until the horse moves its head towards you and takes the weight off the rein, immediately release and click/treat.

When the horse is very consistent and will flex laterally from a light pressure cue, while standing still, you can then progress to teaching the horse to yield it's hindquarters.

Yielding the Hindquarters
The power and energy in the horse come from the hindquarters, so our ability to control the hindfeet allows us to control the horses speed, impulsion, and direction of movement.
This is vital for our safetey on the horse, as it gives us control and allows us to either engage the hinlegs, for collection and impulsion, or take the horses power away, by disengaging the hindlegs (causing them to cross).

Disengaging the Hindquarters
When the horse crosses its hindlegs, by putting one hindleg in front of and across the other hindleg, this is call disengaging the hindquarters. The horses weight is distributed more over one front leg, which becomes a pivot point, and the hind quarters, move sideways around that front leg. To move in this way, the horse must cross one hind foot in front of the other one.

When the horse crosses its hind legs, this narrows the horses base of support, and prevents the horse from being able to really sit on the hindlegs , which it would need to do in order to launch it's body in any direction.

The horses hindlegs are like a spring, the spring is loaded when the horse sits on the hindlegs, bending its joints more, and taking more weight over the hindquarters. From this position of sitting over equally bent hindlegs, the horse can propel itself easily in any direction.

If energy in the hindquarters is being pushed sideways, causing the hindquarters to cross, then the hindlegs cannot bend fully into a weight bearing position, in order to load the spring.
Because each time a hind leg is crossed the other hind leg must also reach out sideways to maintain the horses balance.

So the horse is not easily able to spring in any direction if the hindfeet are made to cross.

From a control and safety point of veiw, it is a very important thing for all riders to know how to disengage the hindlegs.

Teaching the horse to yield the Hindquarters
We can teach the horse to yield its hindquarters in response to a light pressure cue of our hand pressing on the horses ribs. If we first teach the horse how to respond to pressure from our hand on its ribs from the ground, then it will be easy to replace this cue with pressure from our leg, once we are in the saddle.

To teach the horse to yield its hindquarters from the ground, stand next to the horse, about in line with where you would sit if you were riding.
First ask the horse for lateral flexion, so that it brings its head all the way around to where its nose is almost touching its ribs.
Keep the horse in this flexion until after the hindquarters have moved and the horse is standing still again.
With the horses head flexed around towards you, place your hand on the horses ribs, a little further back than where your leg would rest if you were riding. Rub the horse in this area.
Then apply light pressure, with your fingertips, pressing straight in towards the horse.
Increase the pressure until the horse moves its hind feet away from you. As soon as the hind feet step sideways, release the pressure on the horses ribs and continue rubbing the horse until it stands still. Wait for the horse to stand quietly in lateral flexion, then release the horses head.
If you are using a clicker, click as the hind foot near you crosses over in front of the other hind foot. Then wait for the horse to stand in light lateral flexion, then give the horse a treat.

To bo Continued....