Riding from ‘back to front’ is a good thing!

One of the most common problems I meet in my day-to-day lessons, is riders who are fixated on pulling the horse in at the front, often complaining that the horse is very strong.

We have always got to remember that the energy in the horse starts in the hind legs, moving over the back and then being received by the riders’ hands. But the receiving part must not be too strong or in fact too giving either. This is how we complete the connection; it is a bit like an electrical circuit with the hind end being the ‘switch on’ button, and the hands becoming the ‘switch off’ button if they are too strong. If the contact is non existing, then the circuit is broken, and any power will be lost!

Transitions can be used to check this out. If, in the upward transitions you are having to kick with every single stride to keep the horse moving, you will find they then lift their neck and brace away from your hand, driving downwards onto the forehand, and this is a sure sign that they are using their front end first.

In downward transitions, it is so important to feel the hind legs willingly step under, allowing the energy to go over the back and into the contact. This will then give you a consistent elastic feel on the reins. The moment you lose that forwards feeling from the hindlegs, then your horse will have changed the balance onto the front. If you feel you are pulling on the reins, then your hand has become stronger and the hind quarters have been shut off, just like in the electric circuit discussed earlier. When I see this happening, I often think it looks like someone has slammed on the brakes to avoid a crash!!!

Always remember to ask the hind legs to move first. You will then direct the energy the correct way and receive it in an elastic contact (not a pulling one) in your hand.