Monday Fluidity I Day Six

So after the excitement of the conference, this morning everyone seemed tired and a little subdued, so straight after Remuda with Jesse, we were into a seat builder and yoga ball simulation to wake us all up! We explored our lower back limits, movement with a change of speed, how it feels when the knees are clenched and how to use seat retardant to stop. It was s goos way to start the day and everyone seemed perkier after this.

Today's lecture was the topic of Ribs. This topic seemed a little narrow to me for a whole day, but proved to be very interesting and insightful. We started by discussing the reasons that a saddle may move, these included:

• downhill horse
• on the forehand
• pushing seat or poor fluidity
• inequality in the body
• bracing in the stirrups
• and of course ribs!

For ease of discussion, the outside curve of a bent horse is named the 'high' side and the inside, the 'low' side. The high side is where sideways and canter leads are easier and circles and lateral flexion harder. The low side is where sideways and canter leads are harder and circles and lateral flexion easier. Backwards movement will also be in the direction of the low side.

If the horse is bent towards the left and the rider is pushed onto the low side (left) then the rider needs to sit on the high side of the saddle (right) to enable the horse to straighten his ribs and thus his direction. Staying on the low side will actually inhibit this straightening.

As an interesting aside we discussed the way the mane lays and what that can tell us. I always thought the mane was a purely aesthetic topic, but boy was I wrong. This was the big new piece of information for me today - my brain is still thinking this through, nearly 12 hours later! So the way the mane lays can tell you where there is brace or pain in your horse's back. How? Well, where ever there is a switch in the mane, by measuring the distance to the highest point of the wither and then from there towards the tail, you will find the area of spine in brace. I know it sounds fantastic, but you can actually see the mane change sides by massaging the braced area - blow your mind or what! Also, the top 2-3" by the poll and bottom 2-3" by the wither should lay flat and not the one side or the other.

I shall leave you with that amazing revelation to absorb - why is this not known in the normal horse world?

Roget and I had a stale mate situation today where I was not given permission to saddle him (he would not stand still) yet he was more than cooperative at getting in position for mounting and did not move at all when I lent on him and flapped my arms against his sides. Confusing - mixed signals! So I did not saddle, nor ride today. I think he is testing my leadership and I was unable to formulate a plan to win this game he was playing. Thinking cap on for tomorrow - I need to outsmart this nag!