POINT OF VIEW R
esistance is a natural mechanism of the horse to sur- vive the pressure of the herd environment: when colts “play,” some push, some resist and others yield.
This is how the social order is established, creating the pri- ority of the dominant animals (males or females) that guar- antees the future of their genes. As a result, the horse in training will also resist the balance, speed and direction im- posed on him by the rider until his/her leadership is estab- lished and the “suppling” of his body is fully achieved. Resisting pressure, whether social or physical, is the tool the horse uses to maintain his social position, his usual posture and the idiosyncrasies of his locomotion. A horse’s biomechanics and behavior are inseparable and form con- sistent habits: resisting impulsion on one side, losing his balance on the other, generally turning the same way in his stall to go from water to hay wherever it is placed, kicking out with the same hind leg (usually), etc. Resistances are based on contrac-
By JP Giacomini Why Horses Resist and What We Can Do About It
rewards of the highest value. This is why I call my approach “endo training,” or training from the inside of the horse.
THE MANIFESTATION OF RESISTANCE A resistance to training is a physical effort (passive or active) from the horse directed against an aid of the rider, such as leaning down or pushing against the bit/cavesson, block- ing the seat by stiffening the back, bracing against the leg, kicking against the whip, delaying any response or limiting its amplitude, stiffening any part of the body, etc. All resis- tances against the rider start with the bracing of the horse’s feet on the ground as the basis of his leverage. The horse’s resistance patterns are identifiable since
tions that follow neuro-muscular pat- terns reflecting the asymmetry of the horse’s internal organ disposition. They are increased over time by continual, re- petitive movements and the accidents of life (falls, etc.). Here’s a typical example: a horse loses his balance to the right when lunged (and so runs faster), which makes him anxious (fear of falling in that direction), which is associated with a constant contraction of the neck and shoulder muscles on the right side. Relax- ing those muscles will reestablish balance (reduce the ex- cessive loading on that side and lengthening that “short leg”), effectively diminishing one of the causes of anxiety. Because the horse is now more upright (the tension in the muscles of both shoulders is now evened out), the withers are centered and unjammed, the topline is relaxed and the gait can become more symmetrical and elastic. Calm and goodwill ensue. The alignment of the body with gravity is a natural ne-
A horse who is confused will answer a certain demand many different ways, including the right one.
birth and remain consistent to some measure through life. If the horse is not educated out of them, they are more than likely going to increase in frequency and intensity. Posture asymmetry and lack of uprightness are the primary sources of resistance. Improved posture and move- ment symmetry demonstrate their pro- gressive elimination by effective training. A mental resistance is not a lack of
performance from a horse who has not yet learned a certain task. Incomprehen- sion and confusion are not resistances. A
horse who is confused will answer a certain demand many different ways, including the right one. A horse who resists mentally by avoiding the particular exercise or position will always offer all kinds of responses as a distraction, ex- cept the right one. He has understood the demand, just not complying to it, so it will have to be presented to him in a better way, insisting on achieving smaller elements. A horse who defends himself will always respond the same, incor- rect way in anticipation of the demand and eventually up the ante, becoming progressively more threatening. For instance, a horse learning Spanish walk (“jambette,” a
cessity for the horse; if the horse is out of balance, he has to perpetually contract himself to stay upright. In other words, he has to resist gravity’s constant pull. The relaxation of ten- sion of specific muscles brings balance, symmetry and gen- eral relaxation. This corresponds to the parasympathetic mode of “rest and digest” constantly craved by all horses. Through this physiologically beneficial training, the horse finds a way to avoid social conflict by quietly presenting his submissive behavior to a benevolent leader—all intrinsic
forward elevation of a front leg), will always start by resist- ing the tapping of the stick behind his front leg, then will habituate to that tapping, relax on it and eventually pro- duce some sort of forward movement of the leg. This move- ment may take many different forms before the horse ex- tends his leg horizontally and walks energetically and sym- metrically in diagonal steps on a simple indication (whip or hand). This progression is not a series of resistances but rather a progression in the mental and physical under- standing of the horse (the adequate play of agonist-antag- onist pairs).
Warmbloods Today 59
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