From: Debe
My name is Debe. Please forgive me if I am long winded here, I have a question or two, and I think I need to give some background as I have not written before.
I have a seven yr old reg. Quarter Horse mare. I have always loved the principles of Dressage, but have only really started to get into the practice of it since last summer. I'm a rather low budget back yard type, and am presently riding bareback ( I'm sick of trying to find a saddle that fits so I'm saying to myself that this is my chance to develop a deep seat)
Being a Quarter Horse, her neck is set a little low out her wither, and she is also rather lazy. She also has a slightly high shoulder angle. I realize that I need to work slowly and methodically on long and low in order to develop the necessary muscle for progression. Horse needs to be on the bit, relaxed, with forward impulsion before use of half halts are utilized in helping horse shift weight, etc... But... and this is probably really stupid,.... How do I communicate to her that my leg and seat are telling her to elongate rather than change gait? I know that sounds real simple minded, but when I use leg and seat to drive the rear into the hand she moves to the next gait. I halt and start again. After a few reps of this, she is visibly agitated. I then try using less leg/seat but the result then, is her lazy, short gait. This goes around and around... She is not green, but needs re-educating. My books do not seem to address this subject or I'm not understanding if they are. Some of the authors I have are DeKunffy, Jane Savoie, Sally Swift, Margret Cabell Self, and well illustrated book on the balance and movement of horses in all their gaits by Susan E Harris.
I admit the situation is blind leading the blind. I can not afford real lessons yet. We actually seem to be regressing. In the fall, when I started this endeavor, she seemed to be on the bit ( she never had a bit in her mouth before )and I could see some muscle development along her neck and shoulder. Lately, however, her head and neck are shooting up, her back is hollowing, and gaits are stilted. The bit I use is a full cheek snaffle with the copper jingle bobs. Farrier says feet are fine. Must be something I'm doing...
I'm really sorry this is so long and rambled. I feel very silly that the basic things are throwing me so.
Thanks for letting me express this,
Debe White
I sympathize with the saddle problem, but you're going to have to find SOMETHING that fits your mare if you want to go on riding, and especially if you want to do dressage.
For you: you can't achieve a correct position while riding bareback, and you can't use your legs and seat effectively when you're in a good bareback position -- thighs vertical and legs in front of your seat! So YOU need a saddle.
For your mare: she can't learn from signals you can't give because you're not in a position to give them. And it's hard on her to be ridden bareback -- it doesn't matter whether you are heavy or light, ALL of your weight gets concentrated into the area of your seatbones, and digs into the mare's back. It's like dancing on the gym floor in high heels instead of socks -- you weigh the same, but you'll make dents in the floor because your weight is concentrated into a small area, and that makes the PSI much greater.
The things you've noticed changing in your mare -- high head and neck, shortened gait, and lack of muscle in the topline -- are all characteristic reactions to a sore back. So is the tendency to want to rush on to the next gait instead of lengthening the stride at the current gait -- it's easier for the horse, and can be done with less movement of the back and less reach with the legs. A horse with a sore back can't go on the bit properly, because it needs to be comfortable, relaxed, and attentive, and it CAN'T be those things when its back hurts (imagine yourself going down a hallway, trying to walk gracefully and smile nicely when your shoes are too small and hurting your feet at every step).
Competitive dressage isn't for every rider or every horse, but the beauty of classical dressage is that it's entirely accessible to everyone who wants to take the time to learn. You don't need to be rich, and you don't need to be a brilliant rider, and you don't need any special kind of horse. ANY horse can benefit from dressage training. You CAN do what you want to do with your mare, and her conformation won't be a problem for you (I have yet to meet a horse with perfect conformation!). That's the good news. The bad news -- and really, you knew this -- is that you do, absolutely, need a good, properly- fitting saddle.
It may take a while to find one, and your mare will appreciate the time off while you're looking -- it will give her back a chance to heal. If you can turn her out for a month or two while you go saddle- searching, so much the better.
Don't be put off by the retail prices. Saddles are getting horribly expensive, it's true -- but there are used saddles advertised on Equine- L and rec.equestrian from time to time, and a good used saddle will be much less expensive, and much better for your horse, than a medium- quality NEW saddle! We won't even MENTION poor-quality saddles, new or used -- they're worthless.
Your local tack shop probably has a few used saddles that they took as trade-ins or are selling on consignment, and there's always a saddle or two for sale at every boarding and training barn. Make a flyer that says what you're looking for, including type and size and tree width (dressage, 17.5- 18" unless you're terribly tiny, medium-wide -- 30.5- 21 cm tree), make copies, and post them at every tack store, feed store, and barn in your area. Post the same ad in Equine-L's weekly Fleamarket, and on rec-eq.
Somebody out there has a saddle to sell you. I've bought several used saddles and bridles through contacts on the Net, and been very happy with everything. It isn't always perfectly convenient, but it's much better than ordering something expensive and new from a tack shop and finding out that you can't ride in it to try it out, because if you ride in it, you can't return it!
I'll be glad to send you information about saddles and saddle-fitting if you want it.
Once you're in a saddle that fits the mare well, you'll be able to get your legs down underneath you -- and THEN you'll be in a position to use your legs and seat to ask your mare to move out and lengthen her stride.
When you're at that point, there are literally hundreds of exercises you can do that will help your mare learn what you want, and help her become stronger and more able to do those exercises and move on to others. Don't put yourself, or your mare, on a schedule with deadlines -- you need that saddle, and she probably needs time off and some massage and stretching to make her back feel better.
Don't worry, you ARE headed in the right direction. You're reading the right books, and thinking the right things, now you just need some basic equipment so that you can start to put these things into practice with your mare.
Keep in touch, let me know how it's going. You can e-mail me directly if you like.
- Jessica
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