32/ AUGUST 2018 THE RIDER


to go and not down at your horse.


Remember, if you have Palm Partnership Training™ Building a Partnership with your Horse Improving The Walk


By Lynn Palm It probably comes as


The video and social community for horse people just like you! Wherever you live and however you ride www.barnmice.com


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no surprise that a good walk is important in a trail horse. However, a horse with a comfortable, ground-cover- ing walk is one that will be appreciated by real working cowboys, dressage riders, endurance and competitive trail riders, as well as week- end trail riders. That is be- cause the walk is one of the hardest gaits to improve in a horse, and yet it is the gait most commonly used by most riders outside of speed events. Although it is difficult


to improve the quality of a horse’s walk, there are some exercises you can practice to teach your horse to walk at a comfortable, controlled speed in a straight line. When your horse is in a con- trolled walk, it is much eas- ier for him to stay balanced when he is going up and down hills. If a horse is bal- anced and moving in a straight line, he can better transfer his weight to his hind end when going down- hill as well as negotiate rough terrain much more easily. Practice the following


exercise in your regular tack in an enclosed area at first before you take it out on the trail. Make sure you are sit- ting balanced in the center of your horse’s back and that your cues are clear so that your horse understands them.


The Basic Walk Many riders create


problems unintentionally when they either kick or grip the horse’s side to get him to walk forward, but these two actions actually make the horse resist. Try pounding your ribs with your fist to get an idea of what your horse feels if you do this. Remember that a horse is sensitive enough to feel a fly land on his skin so he does not need much of a leg aid when you ask him to move forward. Use your calves, and not your heels, in as light a touch as necessary to ask your horse to walk forward. If your horse does not step forward immediately into a walk, slide your calves slightly backward and ask again. If that doesn’t work, use a “clucking” sound with your leg aid or touch his side with your crop or the end of our reins just behind your leg or on his rump to give him even more encour- agement to move away from the touch. As your horse walks,


practice staying balanced and let your hips move back and forth naturally as they follow his motion at the walk. This will synchronize you with the horse, and both you and he will be more comfortable. It also will en- courage him to relax his back and use his hind legs more. You keep the horse moving straight and main- taining speed by using light support with your legs and


reins. You can tell if your


horse is comfortable and re- laxed in the walk if his ears are forward and he is mov- ing along without resist- ance. If your horse is relaxed, clearly understands what you are asking of him, and trusts you, then he will be easier to work with and enjoy the ride too. If you are unbalanced or heavy- handed, however, your horse will be frustrated and anxious for the ride to be over with and may chal- lenge you in some way. There is less momen-


tum at the walk to help your horse stay straight. If he is having trouble staying straight at the walk, practice transitions between the walk and the trot. Walk straight and at a steady pace—with- out slowing or speeding up. Next, practice varying your speed at the walk. After practicing walk-


ing in a straight line, walk in circles at a steady pace. Re- member, that when you cir- cle your horse, he should have a slight bend or curve to his body and not have just his head turned to the inside. Always be aware of


your position in the saddle. Your spine should be cen- tered over your horse and an observer should be able to draw a straight line from your ear to your shoulder to the middle of your hip, to the back of your heel, and down to the ground. Your eyes should always be look- ing ahead to where you want


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trouble controlling your horse’s speed at any gait, bring him into a turn be- cause bending will automat- ically slow him down. At a walk, initiate the turn by using an upward motion with your outside rein only. This will shorten the horse’s stride at the walk. Think of your outside rein as your “brake.” Palm The material is


taken from a series of arti- cles I did for Trail Rider Magazine with writer Cyn- thia McFarland. Many trail- training lessons can be found in my book, Training Outside the Box. Find this, and other helpful training materials, at www.lyn- npalm.com or call 800-503- 2824.


Equestrian Canada


Dressage Awards


Reception Coming to 2018 Royal Horse Show


Ottawa, ON, July 12, 2018 – The Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON will be host to the Equestrian Canada (EC) Dressage Awards Reception on Nov. 6, 2018.


What: EC Dressage Awards Reception Where: Tanbark Club, Royal Horse Show – Exhi- bition Place, Toronto, ON When: Nov. 6, 2018 | 6 – 8 p.m. Who: Open to the Canadian Dressage Community Dress Code: Cocktail/Busi- ness Casual The following awards


will be presented: • Dressage International Athlete of the Year • Dressage International Horse of the Year • Dressage Owner of the Year M.H. Lessard Dressage Vol- unteer of the Year The evening will also


recognize our athletes who represented Canada at the 2018 Longines


FEI/


WBSFH World Breeding Dressage Championships, FEI World Equestrian Games, and Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships. Join us for an evening


of celebration and network- ing as we recognize out- standing individuals and equines in the Canadian dressage community. The excitement will continue after the EC Dressage Awards Reception with live action at The Royal Horse Show’s Dressage Derby and Feature. Mark your calendar!


Postal Code: Date:


Send To: The Rider , P.O. Box 10072, Ancaster, Ontario L9K 1P2 (905) 387-1900 • email: barry@therider.com


Further details will be pub- lished as they become avail- able.


For more information


on the EC Dressage Awards program, visit www.eques- trian.ca/sport/dressage/awar ds. Full details on the Royal Horse Show can be found at www.royalfair.org.


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