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Getting the outline you've always wanted |
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Written by Elisa Banks
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I've had a lot of questions over the past year on how to get and MAINTAIN a proper western outline.Since moving to the UK from the good 'ol US of A and picking up where I left off with horses over there, I've heard a lot of comments from clients and clinic spectators about the ever elusive western outline. You can read any Western Horseman book you like, but if you haven't got a Quarter Horse, you may be left in the dark. Here's a layman's guide of what you should try to aim for and some dos and don'ts for you pleasure horse.
First of all, pleasure is not boring. Perfecting your horse's frame under saddle can be a challenging and rewarding task . . . and you'll find muscles both you and your horse never thought you had!
Let's look at your horse's build, first. How does your horse hold himself naturally in the field? Does he saunter along with his neck sticking out of his shoulder, or does he get strangely fixated on the clouds (we call 'em stargazers backhome). If your horse is an Arab, you should never really want to have the ruler-straight neck carriage of a quarter horse. However your horse carries himself naturally decides where you need to start.
Secondly, you need to remember that going slow is one thing, but it needs to be done without the loss of impulsion. Therefore, before you get your horse going slow in frame, you need to get him into that frame at a working trot and then collect and shift his gears down until you've got the go-slows. I see lots of people try to achieve the jog by just asking their horse to slow down.
All western horses, no matter where they hold their neck and head, should adopt a 'rainbow' shape from nose to tail. They should be raising their back and flexing at the loin and poll, working from the hip and hock. This may sound really technical, but it's really not. It's just how the horse moves when he's using his body correctly.
My biggest bit of advice for all you aspiring pleasure class addicts . . . longe, longe, longe. Get your horse into frame before you ride him. Watch his movement. Perfect what you can see before you start to feel it.
Lastly, to the western rider, dressage should not be a dirty word. Pick up any dressage ringside-manual and, with a little tweaking, you will soon realize they're speaking our language.
As a final thought, I picked up the RIDING A HORSE: Practical Handbook at a book shop the other day. In it's teency weency western section it said " The Western horse is not ridden in an outline. He carries himself in a relaxed but light and balanced manner with his rider keeping the reins slack." They then continued to call it "a 'Wild West' skill."
Just food for thought. |
