My latest discovery is contact, a many layered concept. Everyone has heard about having even contact, some contact, soft hands, forgiving hands and so on. My hands have definitely improved and that has come through many lessons, discovery and survival. I can tell you that an OTTB doesn’t like to be held; they have been trained to take off when you take hold. Yet, when they are squirrely, the instinct of holding activates.
Last month I watched and listened to Jimmy Woffard teach several jumping clinics at the Equine Affaire. He said something that intrigued me so I decided to play with it. He likened contact to that of a string instrument. Paraphrasing, he said that one can’t play a string instrument if the strings are all loose and floppy. The pressure/contact should remain fairly consistent, utilizing half halts when necessary, but still keeping some contact even over the jumps. In other words, there always needs to be some tension, elastic though it may be. With Sean, I had to learn to give a lot with the contact because he came to me wanting to curl behind the bit and he needed to stretch out more, (mind you with some leg of course). Because Sean was so excitable, giving with the reins so much was a hard thing to do. Sue has mentioned for years that I should follow the head, up, down, where ever it goes with even contact. Now I realize she was essentially saying the same thing. Why did it take to long to finally sink in? It must be that I balanced another building block.
You have heard me talk about building blocks in previous articles. Building blocks…uh…no…maybe more like interlocking puzzle pieces numbering in the thousands! Yikes! Yes, I know we have all heard about the importance of building blocks and how they must carefully stack up, one on top of the other to achieve harmony and so on. But, did anyone tell you that each block would contain millions of tiny puzzle pieces? I’m guessing not!
There is nothing wrong with getting on a horse and fully enjoying the ride without a care in the world. However, I am one of those “lifelong learners” and slowly but surely, albeit, very slowly, I’m fitting those pieces together. What amazes me is that even though I may have heard the same thing from my trainer, Sue, countless times, I just can’t seem to achieve the particular skill until the skill before it locks into place. Well, lock may be a hopeful term but at least it makes an appearance.
As I said earlier, one puzzle piece has to fit before the next one becomes available. In general, I’m starting to ride with less “bad” tension and I am really starting to feel myself following the mouth and feel the mouth, not just arbitrarily following, but feeling the same amount of pressure. I think I was moving my arms forward and back but not really FEELING. I mean I was, but not enough. I think it makes me ride steadier into the contact and Sean seems to like it too. Imagine that! Now if I can just do it more consistently.
This not so new concept, but newer to my application, provides more softness and relaxation in my ride. However, I can only get it when all things are going well at the moment and I really need to concentrate when Sean gets “enthusiastic” about things. I’m also trying to learn to do it over jumps. I’m moving Sean to Sue’s today for the winter and hopefully, I will cement this concept over the winter; just one of the many things I’ll be working on to be show ready in the spring. Hopefully, the next time one of you sees us at a show, you will be impressed with our harmonious riding. One can only hope.