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POINT OF VIEW Flexions and Flexibility


Flexions develop the suppleness of the horse’s body so he can harmonize with the rider’s aids: follow the hand without leaning on it and yield to the legs without lean- ing on them. Another reason to work on flexions is to remove the “kinks” in the spine (points of tension that prevent its harmonious curvatures, as much lateral as longitudinal). When suppled by adequate work with flexions, the horse can do his job without any jarring of his muscular-skeletal machine or inverting his topline in any phase of his gait. All of this work “dissolves” the dif- ferent points of resistance and translates to the horse becoming lighter to the aids.


W


hile all this sounds wonderful in theory, the challenge is that it takes observation, dedica- tion and correct application of the techniques


to get our horses ultimately to this harmo- nious place. So let’s take a closer look at the “hows and whys” of using flexions to develop your horse’s suppleness and self-carriage.


environment they grow in and its challenges. This behav- ior translates into a greater tendency to stiffen against contact and perceived threats from others. When horses reach the age of three or four, physical and sexual ma- turities are fully developed. Natural asymmetry, due to the uneven placement of the internal organs during the embryonic development, becomes more evident. Muscle memory, either genetic or acquired (I’ll call it “muscle software”), now defines the form and energy of movement and, as “form follows function,” shapes and strengthens the fascia. This white shiny skin that any- body who has ever cut a chicken leg could observe (I’ll call it “muscle hardware”) encases all the muscles. It gives them their shape and also influences the form and range of their motion: “form guides function.” The neuro-mus- cular system is interactive between brain “commands,” transmission through nerves, fascia structural tension and muscle activity. The tendency of the musculature is to


Balance and Symmetries of Young Horses When horses are born, they are extremely flexible. As their weight and height increas- es, they become progressively stronger and stiffer to deal with the challenges of grav- ity. Balance is the fundamental issue the horse has to deal with because a fall brings the risk of becoming victim to a predator, or could result in a fracture that would com- promise his future ability to escape. Balance, maintained and developed by “proprioception” (the awareness of the body position in space), is a necessity for wellbeing and survival and has a surprising relationship to cognition. No human or animal can function mentally when out of balance. Conversely, all motion ad- justments that improve balance are “intrinsic rewards” that are automatically remembered and appreciated by the horse. In Scott McCred- ie’s book Balance, he writes: “It has been argued that balance may prove to be the most primor- dial, life-sustaining, essential—of all the senses.’’ As they age, horses become more protec-


tive of themselves and resistant to external influence, responding in part to the social


“It is noticeable that untrained horses lose flexibility and range of motion over time, while well-trained horses move better and better with age.”


always respond to problems of balance by restricting itself through more or less per- manent contractions that are designed to prevent potential harm to the skeleton. This progressive biomechanical restriction de- fines body posture and locomotion. Bal- ancing reflexes by the horse restricts his movement and forces him to resist our demands for more movement. Therefore, barring exceptional horses, the better the


balance, the more difficult it is for the rider to create impulsion. Unless the body is freed from those self-im- posed mechanical limitations, its ability to move freely will greatly diminish over time. It is noticeable that un- trained horses lose flexibility and range of motion over time, while well-trained horses move better and better with age.


The author on his horse JP Orion in an expressive transition from piaffe to passage, demonstrating an uphill balance, complete flex- ion of the hind end, roundness of the entire topline, horse attentive, front end in the classical position. This “flexion of the whole” dis- plays arched neck, poll and jaw flexed; haunches lowered; elbows and knees, stifles, hocks and pas- terns all flexed. This is the result of a systematic gymnastic approach.


Warmbloods Today 71


By JP Giacomini


Shelley Giacomini


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