Howdy Friends! HELP YOUR HORSE FIND HER FEET and BALANCE and CORRECT MOBILITY:
When we are reintroducing a horse to correct body carriage, or simply working to reinforce it, this is a great little tool to have in your tool box.
A Dog Named Saturday
Horses can easily loose connection
Horses can easily loose connection with their feet, limbs and movement. It becomes just motion, with little to no awareness of connection. This little exercise greatly helps change that.
Bring your horse to the row of poles on the ground. Ask them to pause. Then allow them to release, relax and breath. AND very important, lightly touch the chest asking her to “Rock Back” onto her hind end. (Not a step back, but a weight shift back, where it belongs)
Be sure to remember the “Rock Back”
Next have her take one step, one foot at a time, over the first pole. Then STOP. Ask her to pause. Then allow her to release, relax and breath. And “Rock Back.”
Now proceed – One foot step at a time – over 4 or 5 poles. STOPPING each and every step along the way to allow them to release, relax and breath. And “Rock Back.”
At every step, WAIT for the “Rock Back,” and release and breath. This is a slow, purposeful exercise that changes SO much in your horse’s body carriage.
Do BOTH sides
Important to note: Do this from both sides, you standing on left and right. This matters! And stay soft. Remember to breath.
It is a highly valuable tool. I hope you’ll use it, often. Help your horse find her feet! Find More tools in my book, It’s For The Horses. ~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
This pic is from one of my clinics a few years back in TX.
