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[FONT=Times New Roman,Times][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"How should the legs be positioned?" [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] "Should we ride with a lot of leg actions?"[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] "How should the legs be used?"[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] We received many emails after we posted the Note on "Waking up the lethargic horse", so this brings me define the role of the legs. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]What is the purpose of the rider's legs: hold the horse, put him forward, give different signals…?
How do the legs exercise their influence…? [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]The legs balance the rider, they frame, make requests or reassure the horse. So there are multiple ways to act with your legs at different moments[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]The first rule to be efficient is to have your legs positioned perfectly: [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]Your legs should be loose, hanging vertically and naturally, never sticking to the horse's sides or constantly squeezing.
Your thighs should be aligned with your upper body (the angle between your upper body and your thighs should be as open as possible).
Your knees should not be squeezed and be slightly open, and the back of your knee should be in gentle contact with your horse. Your legs (calves) are loose and soft.
Your ankles are supple, your heals are never stuck up or down, but free.
Your feet are parallel to the horse's body, simply resting, at the first third of the foot and by their own weight, on the stirrups.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] Improve your whole posture… Shoulders / Seat bones / heals on the same line.
Your legs will be in the right place.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] Should we keep our legs squeezed? NO! Stability on horseback does not depend on strength, but on the general equilibrium of a rider and on the balancing action of the counterweight created by lowered, relaxed and never legs; legs that stay in soft contact with the horse but never stay squeezed.
To squeeze the legs continuously, or to use strong legs constantly only gets the rider discouraged or tired, and does not create forwardness. It only wears the horse out, turns him off.
Timely, quick and relaxed actions, where the leg tactfully touches the horse and moves back to it's place right away, are efficient, thrifty and discreet.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] 1) Leg actions to create impulsion [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]If you want to put your horse to sleep and exhaust yourself, squeeze your legs. If you want a brilliant, active and relaxed horse, let go of your legs, forget your muscles and stay active, attentive and relaxed.
Your legs alone do not really make your horse go. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]Impulsion is a state of mind of the horse.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] The legs indicate what you want, and stay relaxed. Don't ever press your legs against the horse, act sporadically: touch… let go… touch… Have limp legs, with no muscles. "More legs! More legs! Give more legs!"… NO!…! Limp, attentive and reactive legs legs… YES!…[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] 2) Leg actions to lead the horse [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]The inside leg indicates the bend by touching at the girth. The outside leg controls the haunches, it can stop the haunches from escaping or chase them away from the leg by touching behind the girth (I.e. Half-pass) [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]3. Leg actions to ask for a specific exercise I.e., to ask for a canter depart, to piaffe, to back up… etc… The principle is always the same. Establish a code with your horse and respect it: that's how you'll teach your horse to canter fro[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times]m and inside or outside leg cue.
The purpose of a leg action is to solicit the haunches, one side or both sides…[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] 4) Leg actions to frame and reassure the horse[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] The legs form a barrier on each side of the horse that might not be breached, a sort of frame. Beware, the leg is not rigid and stays relaxed!
When a horse hesitates about where to go, the legs reassure by framing him. This is particularly true for a young horse. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]When should legs take action? Effectiveness depends widely on timeliness of action. Used too early, legs bother the horse, and too late, they are useless…. Above all, legs must stop all action when the horse complies.
Touch your horse with your calf, heel or spur with electric, light and fast touches, like the way a guitar is strum, and then immediately move the leg "away".
Once the result is obtained, a "descente de jambes" (leg lowering, "descent") is done. The legs cease all actions and neither posture, impulsion, gait or movement are altered. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]The legs will do something again when there is a risk of change in gait, or a new movement to request. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] "Should we ride with a lot of leg actions?"[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] "How should the legs be used?"[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] We received many emails after we posted the Note on "Waking up the lethargic horse", so this brings me define the role of the legs. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]What is the purpose of the rider's legs: hold the horse, put him forward, give different signals…?
How do the legs exercise their influence…? [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]The legs balance the rider, they frame, make requests or reassure the horse. So there are multiple ways to act with your legs at different moments[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]The first rule to be efficient is to have your legs positioned perfectly: [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]Your legs should be loose, hanging vertically and naturally, never sticking to the horse's sides or constantly squeezing.
Your thighs should be aligned with your upper body (the angle between your upper body and your thighs should be as open as possible).
Your knees should not be squeezed and be slightly open, and the back of your knee should be in gentle contact with your horse. Your legs (calves) are loose and soft.
Your ankles are supple, your heals are never stuck up or down, but free.
Your feet are parallel to the horse's body, simply resting, at the first third of the foot and by their own weight, on the stirrups.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] Improve your whole posture… Shoulders / Seat bones / heals on the same line.
Your legs will be in the right place.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] Should we keep our legs squeezed? NO! Stability on horseback does not depend on strength, but on the general equilibrium of a rider and on the balancing action of the counterweight created by lowered, relaxed and never legs; legs that stay in soft contact with the horse but never stay squeezed.
To squeeze the legs continuously, or to use strong legs constantly only gets the rider discouraged or tired, and does not create forwardness. It only wears the horse out, turns him off.
Timely, quick and relaxed actions, where the leg tactfully touches the horse and moves back to it's place right away, are efficient, thrifty and discreet.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] 1) Leg actions to create impulsion [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]If you want to put your horse to sleep and exhaust yourself, squeeze your legs. If you want a brilliant, active and relaxed horse, let go of your legs, forget your muscles and stay active, attentive and relaxed.
Your legs alone do not really make your horse go. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]Impulsion is a state of mind of the horse.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] The legs indicate what you want, and stay relaxed. Don't ever press your legs against the horse, act sporadically: touch… let go… touch… Have limp legs, with no muscles. "More legs! More legs! Give more legs!"… NO!…! Limp, attentive and reactive legs legs… YES!…[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] 2) Leg actions to lead the horse [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]The inside leg indicates the bend by touching at the girth. The outside leg controls the haunches, it can stop the haunches from escaping or chase them away from the leg by touching behind the girth (I.e. Half-pass) [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]3. Leg actions to ask for a specific exercise I.e., to ask for a canter depart, to piaffe, to back up… etc… The principle is always the same. Establish a code with your horse and respect it: that's how you'll teach your horse to canter fro[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times]m and inside or outside leg cue.
The purpose of a leg action is to solicit the haunches, one side or both sides…[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] 4) Leg actions to frame and reassure the horse[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] The legs form a barrier on each side of the horse that might not be breached, a sort of frame. Beware, the leg is not rigid and stays relaxed!
When a horse hesitates about where to go, the legs reassure by framing him. This is particularly true for a young horse. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]When should legs take action? Effectiveness depends widely on timeliness of action. Used too early, legs bother the horse, and too late, they are useless…. Above all, legs must stop all action when the horse complies.
Touch your horse with your calf, heel or spur with electric, light and fast touches, like the way a guitar is strum, and then immediately move the leg "away".
Once the result is obtained, a "descente de jambes" (leg lowering, "descent") is done. The legs cease all actions and neither posture, impulsion, gait or movement are altered. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]The legs will do something again when there is a risk of change in gait, or a new movement to request. [/FONT]
