Not too long ago, I helped an incredibly sweet girl with her horse (and they're not alone). The first time I saw them, a few things about this horse caught my attention. Thick neck, little muscle on the neck, no muscles on the back. So, a very thick neck, but the muscles elsewhere on his neck were simply gone. Not every horse has a nice "fat neck," but you can see when the balance is off in the horse's body. Additionally, sensitive all over the back. Barely able to walk "normally" (and I'm not even thinking about a trot). This horse was in agony!

This was within the first five minutes of seeing them. So, it wasn't as though we had been working on this for an hour already. And it's not like these were subtle issues that weren't immediately obvious.

As owners/trainers, we have responsibilities!

We as owners/trainers must simply learn to recognize what is right and what is not. This is our duty as owners, but certainly also as professionals! A horse that you're about to ride to ask something of shouldn't show any signs of compensation beforehand! Unless, as a trainer, you know exactly what you're doing and have the time (and courage) to take and are willing to listen to your horse's boundaries!

This owner mentioned that the horse had been in training at a dressage stable for a while because she had broken her collarbone. He was ridden quite intensely there and was as stubborn as a mule. She picked him up again with the advice to sell him to a man......

Okay, that's obviously a possibility. But when I see this horse for the first time, I mainly see a horse adopting a posture because he's in agony! Plus, what happens to this horse when he's sold (whether to a man or not)? Will all his physical issues suddenly disappear? Will he no longer have any problems in his body? Why this advice? I've had several horses here that were labeled as "dangerous." All I noticed about them was that they were oversensitive and the easiest to ride!!!!

A horse shouldn't have to resist

This horse has no idea how to walk! Everything she asks immediately meets resistance from him because he's walking in pain. So, first make sure he doesn't HAVE to resist... right?

And this is where - What are we doing - comes into play... Because, I see so much around me that the horse just has to, that there's no attention paid to the horse and its limitations! That there's no patience to see what the horse needs to actually be able to perform its exercises! Or that the horse is allowed to participate in the whole thing. This horse sticks his head way up in the air to relieve his neck/jaw/teeth. He's in pain. Imagine (through all his pain) forcing him to walk with his head in a position where he's dying of pain. Then, it might look better to the eye, and your horse may slowly (or quickly) deteriorate.

Sometimes I'm really shocked by how little the horse is allowed to show, and even more by how little we're willing to truly!!! resolve it. Everything has to be fast, everything has to be in order by the nth year of life. But not every person follows the same path, nor does every horse. A happy horse in its body will naturally bend. You don't have to do anything! It looks truly magnificent and powerful! Then you let the horse 'Shine.' The horse does this - if all goes well - without much pressure. It's about you being able to balance the horse so that it naturally seeks the most flexible movement in its body.

Why do you ride horses?

Do you still remember why you started riding horses in the first place? Isn't it to bond with your horse? Or maybe because you thought it would be fun... What's fun about knowing that the horse part is no longer allowed to participate in horse riding....

There really isn't just one way, but there is a right way for you and your horse, and that may (sometimes) be difficult to find. But the way is there!

The lady in question was quite at her wit's end. Crazy about her horse (he's really adorable). Not really knowing what to do next and that it couldn't go on like this anymore. The advice was to sell him, but already knowing that this is not a solution for the horse. So, you're really up against the figurative wall with your back, because what do you do then with your beloved horse?

Step by step!

Even during the first lesson together, we saw progress because as soon as the horse realized he wasn't going to get any resistance in his already oh so sore neck and jaws, he (at first a bit doubtful) became softer in his entire body. Focusing on the pace of his walk was already difficult enough for him.

This horse had already lost all his 'compensation skills'! No buffer left.

They were given homework after the first lesson. Under saddle, only changes of pace in the walk, no trot (his back and pelvis had nothing left to make the transition to trot without sagging in the bow. Because sagging in the chest/bow and not getting strength from the hindquarters is compensation by definition).

On the line, also trotting, short pieces to prevent compensation. So, behave in the trot and back to walk before the horse could shift to the forehand.

Trust and above all patience!

This requires real trust and above all patience from the owner/rider! But this sweet lady wanted to do everything for him, so she dutifully got to work with her homework.

After three weeks, I was back with them, and I had to blink to see if it was really the same horse. Yes, the same little head and looked quite like a version of the earlier horse, but now with back muscles, with a - something resembling neck muscles- neck. I was really surprised! I hadn't expected it to happen so quickly!

But then, she gets on, and we first look at what she had been given as homework. It was so incredibly cool to see how it just happened so naturally! No resistance, no fuss, just walking nicely!!!! So, adding a small step. Try the transition to trot without compensating!

Super satisfied, going home again and four weeks later I see them again. Unbelievable what happened here! Horse walks around with confidence. Comes across as a bit "cheeky" already and obviously feels much better in his skin!

Could touch his neck without him turning his head away and the transitions to trot are there!

Within two months! Without fuss, a happier, healthier, kinder, and happier horse!

Come on! That's horse riding, right???

Why isn't a horse allowed to participate?

It's not about complaining about people or criticizing others. But I'm sometimes really shocked by how little the horse is allowed to participate in horse riding.

At competitions, I'm also surprised, "put him in a gallop first, then he'll be better"..... why??? Why is your horse better after galloping? And, what are you pushing him through? What happened to properly warming up for ten minutes? Do you put your horse in a gallop after ten minutes of warming up? Go ahead, but galloping right off the trailer....