'Equitation Problems and Solutions' by Julie Goodnight

Horseback riding is a true balance sport and has been compared to both ballet dancing and downhill skiing as activities that require an extreme amount of balance.   The balanced position requires that your ear, shoulder, hip and heel form a straight line.  If you are riding in a balanced seat (upright or vertical), like for Dressage or reining, this ear-shoulder-hip-heel line should be perpendicular to the ground .  If you are riding in a forward seat, like jumping, the ear-shoulder-hip-heel line may be slanted forward, but the lower portion of the line moves slightly back, still forming a straight line between your ear-shoulder-hip-heel.        

Here are some common position problems, ways you can test yourself for these problems and solutions to improve your position.   

Problem:  Lower leg too far forward.   
Test:  Try riding in the standing (2-point) position without holding on.  If you feel like you are sucked back into the saddle, your lower leg is too far forward.   
Solution:  Move your leg back from your hip joint, rotate your thighs slightly inward and scoot your seat forward in the saddle.   
Problem:  Arched lower back, losing hip position.   
Test:  At the walk, see if you can feel lateral or side-to-side motion in your seat.  If not, your pelvis is closed.   
Solution:  Open your pelvis joint and flatten you lower back by dropping your tail bone down toward the saddle; sucking in your belly button and taking weight off your crotch; or "sitting on your pockets."  Your back will be more relaxed and your seat will move much more freely with the horse.   
Problem:  Rounded shoulders, collapsed rib cage.   
Test:  Inhale deeply and see if your shoulders and chest lift up.  If so, your upper body was collapsed.   
Solution:  Keep your lungs fully inflated, breathing just off the top of your lungs; lift your rib cage off your spine by lifting your sternum (breast bone) toward the sky. 
Problem:  Cro-magnum look (chin jutted forward losing ear alignment).   
Test:  Tense neck and shoulders; neck and/or shoulders stiff and sore after riding.    Solution:  Bring your ear back into alignment with your shoulder; keep your nose behind your belt buckle; touch your neck to your collar.   

Article Two: 'Understanding Pressure'

We have a responsibility to the horse, to ensure that he is understood and handled in an effective and humane manner.  Although we frequently talk about pressure and release, are we sure that the rider actually understands this concept, why and how it works and what the rider is actually doing to the horse when she applies pressure?  From observing any given riding session, on any given day, one is sure to see a rider leaning relentlessly on a horse's mouth, thumping a horse's sides or asking too much, too often from their loyal mounts.  Perhaps this is an area to which we should devote more of our attention.       

With the recent popularity of Monty Roberts, "The Man Who Listens to Horses," there has come to be a certain amount of confusion on the issue of how horses respond to pressure.  In his book, Monty says that horses are "into pressure animals."  While most horse trainers will tell you that horses move away from pressure.  What exactly does all this mean and which concept is right:  Hopefully, this article will clarify these issues for you.        

As prey animals, horses respond to different stimuli (pressure) in different ways.  As a handler of horses, it is important to understand the types of pressure we apply, the effective ways to apply it and how we may expect the horse to respond to pressure.    Horses will respond to both mental and physical pressure.  For example, direct eye contact can be a form of mental pressure for the horse, which indicates aggression and causes him to move away.  When you are approaching a horse, it is important to keep your eyes down-cast to convey to the horse that your approach is in no way a threat or act of aggression.  On the other hand, if you are driving your horse away from you in the round pen or on the long line, a direct look to his eyes will cue him to move off and away from you.  This is a natural response for a horse, in keeping with the non-verbal language that all horses understand.        

Never underestimate the effect of mental pressure on your horse, whether it is from eye contact or from asking too much, too often from your horse.  Be sure to give him frequent releases from mental pressure by varying his work routine and giving him breaks in his training sessions to allow him to just be a horse.  The horse needs both a physical reward, with a rub on the neck and a kind word, as well as a mental reward, by giving him a break and not asking him to repeat a task over and over again when he has already given his best.        

A squeeze of the rider's leg is a form of physical pressure and causes the trained horse to move away from the pressure.  A pull on the reins is another form of physical pressure that cues the horse to stop.  Theses are learned responses of a horse, not natural or instinctive responses.  An untrained horse does not automatically know these cues, he must be systematically taught to respond appropriately.         Horses may respond to pressure offensively or defensively.  Flight is an example of an offensive response, while biting, kicking and striking are examples of defensive responses to pressure.  An offensive response will cause a horse to move away from pressure, while a defensive response will make a horse move into pressure.  Clearly, we want the horse to respond to us in a controlled offensive, not defensive a manner.        

Horses are most responsive to light, dynamic (always changing) pressure.  A great demonstration of this characteristic is to lightly touch a hair on the horse's flank to see how he can shake his skin to remove a fly.  Then place your whole hand on the horse's hip and apply a slow, steady, leaning pressure and feel the horse to lean into you.  A horse can feel a fly land on it's skin and shake that area of his body; this is how light the pressure can be for a horse to respond.  If, instead, you apply a heavy, static (unchanging) pressure, the horse will respond by leaning into the pressure (defensive response).        

This type of defensive response is commonly seen when the rider pulls relentlessly on the reins, leaning his weight on the horse's mouth instead of on the rider's seat, until the horse begins to "run through the bridle," or lean into the pressure.  This relentless pressure will cause some horses (particularly Thoroughbreds) to actually run away with the rider.  Typically, this same horse, when you ride on a loose rein, with no contact at all, will slow down, drop his head and relax.    Riders should be taught understand that there must be an immediate release of pressure when the horse responds.  In the process of training a horse, when pressure is applied, either mental or physical, the horse begins to experiment to see what he can do to make the pressure go away.  As soon as he guesses right and gives the desired response, the trainer immediately gives the release of pressure as a reward for doing the right thing.  Through this process the horse develops a learned response to pressure; he learns that if he does what you want, he will get what he wants (a release of pressure).     

Through training, we teach the horse to respond offensively to our cues.  For example, to ask the horse to walk, we squeeze gently with our legs in a pulsating manner, until the horse moves off.  As soon as he does, the pressure goes away.  The release of pressure is his reward for doing what we asked.  If the rider breaks the contract the  trainer and horse have established, by not giving the release at the appropriate time, then the horse will try something else to get a release.  Typically, the alternative response the horse gives is not a desirable one.        

It is important for students to understand that they must reward the slightest attempt on the part of the horse.  For instance, as soon as the rider feels the horse slow down, the rider should offer the release, and reward the horse for attempting the right thing.  She may have to re-apply the aid if the horse doesn't come to a complete stop, but more likely than not, the horse will actually stop on the release.        

Never underestimate the power of the release.  The rider has a 3 second window of opportunity to reward or reprimand the horse, by releasing mental or physical pressure, once the horse has responded correctly.  After that, the opportunity is lost, the horse's mind has moved on and the reward or reprimand will have no meaning.  

If you are interested in this topic, you might like to purchase this Goodnight educational product: "Principles of Riding Part 1 "