“Here should be inserted a word especially for equestrians, because the above truth, which is perfectly obvious to all other animal trainers and utilizers, most often seems to escape riders. At least, they generally behave as if they were unaware of it. Since they are in direct physical contact with the horse and communicate tactile sensations to it through the use of their muscles, they are easily taken in by the utterly false illusion (which is all the more convincing to them because it seems to be verified by certain superficial effects), that they act directly on the horse’s body through force, and thereby obtain a sort of mechanical response.”
This post couldn’t have come at a better time – I’ve recently taken on a very green and out-of-shape 7 year old and I’ve been searching for a guide that will help me monitor the development of muscle tone and ensure that we’re heading in the right direction. This is really great advice and I’ll definitely be using these ‘tests’ to measure how we’re getting on and which areas need more focus.
Wonderful to hear Zoe! I’ve really enjoyed watching Manolo ride and all of his horses have beautiful gymnastic development all around so this article in particular I think is very useful. 🙂
Good luck with your new horse, send over an update on your progress if you like!
Cheers