Connecting with
the Endurance Horse
by Trisha Wren
With the Endurance season in full swing, here’s how
Connected Groundwork and Riding can help improve your performance and
efficiency.
It’s common to see Endurance horses travelling at
speed with their head in the air, on a loose rein. Whilst they are obviously functioning and
performing in this outline – otherwise why would we allow them to carry
themselves that way? – the reality is that with a high head the horse’s back
will be hollow, which in turn means that the hind legs won’t actually have as
much strength and push as they could have; rather, the horse will be pulling
forwards from it’s front legs. This
posture also potentially shortens the horse’s useful performance lifespan, as
it causes strain on the back and joints.
If, instead, we can teach our horse how to release its
top line, tail to poll, lifting its belly and back, it will be stronger and
have much more access to its hind quarters for pushing forwards; a softer and more
efficient way of moving. Initially this
will probably mean riding the horse on rein contact – he will need that
support, and to learn how to soften down into contact instead of up and away
from it - but once he has learned how to correctly carry himself the loose rein
won’t be a problem.
Connected Groundwork exercises introduce the horse –
and rider! – to body awareness, teaching them how to
release tension and bracing patterns, and how to rebalance and self-carry. The exercises learned at this stage also come
in handy once you are actually competing, as they can be used both to calm your
horse before the ride, and after the ride at the vet check. The various exercises, for instance,
encourage him to release at the base of the neck and telescope the neck
forwards and down; release through the rib cage and breathe; release in the
poll, jaw, and spine; connect the back end to the front end; and to bring his
focus inwards and to you. (See Trisha’s website, or OE July and August
issues for descriptions of some of these specific exercises.)
Once the horse has learned how to release, rebalance,
and carry himself, pushing forwards from behind with the hind legs, the focus
shifts more to the rider. The most
important piece of the puzzle here is that the rider must be sitting in the
correct position. Sounds obvious,
doesn’t it, but you would be surprised how being off just a fraction inhibits
and adversely affects your horse’s posture, attention, and carriage. So, make sure that your pelvis is level, hips
releasing, inner thigh soft, and your calf’s
connecting to your horse’s sides. On a
long ride, try not to just be a passenger, making your horse do all the work;
you need to be carrying yourself correctly at all times if you expect him
to! Become more aware of your own
habits, and where you tend to hold tension in your body, and keep reminding
yourself to release and soften – then your horse will be able to, also.
Keep Connecting!
©Trisha Wren November
2007
as printed in: The Organic Equine magazine (Dec 2007)