CONTACT AND IMPULSION

Whether training a dressage horse or a show jumper, a horse must learn to take contact, to "go on the bit". A dressage horse must learn to go in a round outline and be "on the bit" for a dressage test. A show jumper should also have a similar education on the flat. Even though a show jumper can be ridden between jumps with a natural head carriage, he should be worked on the flat in a round outline in order to build up his topline and create more pushing power from the hindquarters. This will only benefit his performance in the jumping.

By riding with contact and therefore producing "schwung" or impulsion, the ability of the horse is developed. Impulsion in the trot means that the horse should "track up", meaning that the hind feet step at least into the prints left by the horse's forefeet. The trot should be "working" trot.

In canter, each stride should jump off the ground with a clear moment of suspension, the inside hind leg of the horse should reach to a line under or almost under the rider's inside leg. The canter should be "working" canter.

Sally and Skybreaker

All the rider's aids are used to develop the contact with the horse's mouth. It does not only depend on the rider's hands and reins, but the seat and leg aids. Firstly the horse has to be taught to go forwards correctly with the forward driving aids of the seat and legs. The rider rides the horse forwards, "feels" the horse's mouth, evenly, with both hands until the horse bends at the poll, relaxes his jaw and "gives" to the hand. The rider must then instantly ease the pressure, but not so much as to lose what he has just achieved. When the horse is ridden forwards to the contact and is in a round outline, he develops more muscle and strength. He can therefore perform better.

It is important always to remember that this work starts from the hindquarters. The rider should not become obsessed with the horse's neck being round. There should be no pulling back on the reins or fixing the horse's neck. The horse is ridden forwards to a light but continuously positive contact. It is normal that there will be more contact on one rein than the other, but steady hands and straightening exercises will help to improve this. The hands must follow the movement of the horse's head. Whatever evasion the horse takes, the hands must maintain contact, even if the horse tries to shorten his neck or open his mouth. The horse needs to learn that he cannot avoid the contact, and that it is comfortable. Good steady contact gives a horse confidence. Much patience is needed in achieving this steady, constant and comfortable contact with the horse's mouth.

Loose sloppy contact achieves nothing. The horse will lose confidence due to chasing a contact that is never there and he will lose balance and rhythm. The contact should not be hard but a consistent, elastic and easy tension on the reins. This results from a forward tendency starting in the hindquarters passing through a relaxed and swinging back, the neck and the mouth, where it is accepted on both sides. If the contact gets too light, the rider should use forward driving aids in order to push the horse up to the bit again, without an increase in speed.

A contact which never varies is also unacceptable as it is a "dead" feel with no "conversation" with the horse's mouth. A contact which is too light is also not good because the rein contact has to keep being "taken up" by the rider and usually results in a jerk in the mouth. The ideal contact is firm but gentle with no slack in the reins. A variation in the contact is achieved by lightly closing or easing the fingers on the reins, and much of lightness of hand depends on soft elbows and wrists.

Evasions to Contact

If a horse pulls trying to go faster, the rider should use many downward transitions, with a repeatedly giving and taking action on the reins. The rider should make the horse slow down, encouraging him to take more weight on the hind legs, therefore making him more balanced and in a correct tempo, with a lighter contact.

If a horse is "above the bit" (head held high and back hollow), he needs exercises to develop a stronger and more rounded back. He should be ridden forwards in rising trot on a circle to a steady contact and asked to engage his hindquarters, which will encourage him to round his back and lower his head and neck. The rider should ride positively to the outside rein asking intermittently with an open inside rein for bend. As soon as there is submission to the bend the rider should soften the contact on the outside rein. The horse's head should never be pulled into a position. This will only cause resistance and block the engagement of the hindquarters. Occasionally it is helpful to use an auxiliary aid if the horse is exceedingly stiff or hollow in the back with his head held too high.

If a horse tries to go "behind the bit" (his head low and "behind the vertical"), he should be ridden forwards to a positive but allowing contact. Being behind the bit can be caused by hands which are too strong and a seat which is too weak. When the horse accepts the bit the contact should always be lightened.