International rider and coach Asia Thayer works with a rider to bring her resistant horse into alignment and balance. Using the circle as a tool, Asia coaches the rider to use gentle rein aids as much as necessary to be able to move the horse's nose, but never to hold the aid. The horse relaxes as they continue to work on the bend. Asia shares her method of reaching down to pat the neck with the inside hand, and making sure the horse is willing to maintain the circle without the inside rein.
Up Next in Dressage
-
Alignment & Balance - Part 1
Asia works with a rider whose horse gets her neck so short that it's very hard to get her to use her back and hind end. She explains that though the mare has good energy, the rider now we needs to get relaxation. If a horse is tense and tight, then likely they're not in balance and or very atten...
-
Alignment & Balance - Part 2
As they move to working at the trot, Asia points out that when a horse gets supple, they have to get supple in their rib cage. The rider works to get her horse to bend by bringing her shoulders around the inside leg. In order to do this, she has to achieve control of the mare's shoulders, neck an...
-
Alignment & Balance - Part 3
As they progress to canter, the mare has issues being relaxed and reverts back to tossing her head. Asia coaches the rider to stay relax and continue to apply counter flexion when the horse is in attentive. She discusses the importance of not holding an aid and respecting the release for reward. ...
