#4
If you are one of my regular riders you will have, at some point, heard me reference the ‘Scales of Training’. Some of you I have quizzed on this concept, some of you had never heard of it. So I thought it was high time I delved into the scales and talked about why I use them when I coach.
The idea of the scales of training (which I will now refer to as SoT) is that a rider cannot realistically expect a higher scale without having already mastered all of the lower scales. Propping up all other training aspects is rhythm - but what do we mean when we say rhythm? We are looking for a natural tempo in all paces (not being rushed or restrained by the rider); a consistent tempo; a good level of energy (the horse wanting to travel forward), and the freedom for the horse to use his whole body.
I frequently come across problems with rhythm. I see riders rushing their horses out of their natural tempo, either due to the horse’s unwillingness to go forward, or the rider is riding in a ‘holding’ position (more on the holding position another day). Lack of rhythm can cause a multitude of problems, such as unhappy horses, back pain, tight muscles, increased strain on limbs, poll tension & misalignment, the build up of an ‘upside down neck’… The list goes on.
Once you have a good grasp of rhythm and can maintain a ‘good’ rhythm in all four paces (halt, walk, trot, canter - yes, you can have rhythm in halt!), then your next focus is suppleness, or relaxation. Of course when the horse is working their muscles won’t be ‘relaxed’ in a very literal sense, but you don’t want tension to creep in. Riding a tense horse is not a pleasant feeling, as I’m sure a lot of my audience will have experienced. Establishing a good rhythm is a very good stepping stone to keeping tension at bay, but only if we as riders are not tense - and we are pretty tense animals! As long as you occasionally check in on yourself and your position & own relaxation, you can make little adjustments as you ride, allowing the horse to relax more underneath you.
Suppleness also refers to the horse being able to flex through his body - all of his body, not just his neck - without interrupting his rhythm. Try it next time you ride. Are you able to encourage your horse to step away from your inside leg, whilst maintaining a softness to the inside bend AND his natural rhythm? It’s not as easy as it sounds, but it is certainly achievable.
The third SoT is contact - a word I personally tend not to use, as it carries certain connotations and images which I prefer to avoid. However, we all understand what is meant by contact - the horse’s willingness to accept the bit, carry the bridle forward and work into the contact whilst being light and willing through the reins. Only now can the horse be expected to work in a rounder frame, being asked to lift over his back to effectively carry his rider, whilst also travelling forward and seeking the contact. Easy, right!?
Working on rhythm with a rider, whose horse has a tendency to drop off the leg and get ‘stuffy’ through the shoulder.
As the majority of my riders are focusing on the three lower SoT, I will just briefly go over the top three. Impulsion - we all know of this one! - but you’ll be flogging a dead horse (har har) if you try to ask for impulsion before you have established rhythm, suppleness and contact, as the horse will not be carrying his rider efficiently and, instead of increasing the power behind, is likely to drop onto the forehand and rush through the shoulder.
Straightness eludes to true and correct straightness, implying that we, as riders, have more say in how our horse uses his body under us, and that we are able to direct each part of the horse. Whilst riding a straight line away from the track is tricky, keeping the lower SoT in check whilst executing a half pass is much trickier if you don’t already have a horse that is well balanced over all of his four corners. If you find your horse throws his shoulder out on a circle, or doesn’t maintain three tracks in the leg yield, you are yet to master true straightness. But keep trying!
And finally, the cherry on this wonderful cake, collection. Collection does not appear in UK (BD) dressage tests until you reach Elementary level, by which point I would expect horses and riders to have a very solid understanding and practise of the SoT. It is important to continue to practise all six SoT in all paces and variations of the paces, and never be afraid to take a step back if your horse suddenly doesn't understand something new.