Heavy Horse Behavior Help

 It is all connected

[Photo Credit: The Equine Documentalist]

This is a great visual example of the "strings" I often talk about throughout the horse's body. The trickle-down effect of how one body part influences another, even if literally at the other end of the horse's body.

I've used the analogy of the string on a dog food bag; you start pulling one end, and the whole thing unravels.

When people tell me about a horse that is heavy on the bit, resistant in the backing, difficult to hold a canter or lope lead, etc., there are usually multiple other factors contributing to the unwanted physical behaviors.

When there is a heaviness in the horse pushing on the halter or bridle, and noticing and addressing unlocking the physical brace- or locked up feeling- that begins in the horse's hocks (green line on picture), despite the heavy feel of the horse leaning on the rider's hands.

By learning how each body part influences another -and refining its responsiveness and adaptability- the quality of the overall movement and softness of the horse can be changed without chaotic riding or containing equipment. It also changes how humans perceive what, and where "the problem" starts.

Just yesterday, I was teaching a lesson, and we were talking about the quality of the halt. Even though the horse may have stopped their feet, if they were leaning and unbalanced with their neck, chest, shoulders, or head, we would have to unlock the brace that was occurring. To do this, we would have to assess if the horse was pushing more on the left or right side with their front end. Then use an indirect rein with the hand on the side the lean is occurring, to unlock the hock to step to the opposite side. This would then shift the horse's weight from being pushed down and forward to being balanced on the rear. Then we would balance the shoulders with a direct rein (the horse stepping toward the rein.) Now that the horse is rebalanced at the halt, we check that he could look, and then move forward, without the heaviness or surging that often follows when there's heaviness.

By learning how these pieces are connected when you feel unwanted responses from the horse you are able to address the root source rather than trying to contain the symptoms.