Impulsion and outline

A

*Anna*

New Member
Apr 26, 2000
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Kent, England
I have just started having lessons again after 5 years of hacking and trail riding so when it comes to the school saying I am rusty is an understatement. I am going to start training for bhs exams in september and I'm slowly getting to grips with it again but I have a few questions: I understand that you create impulsion with the lower leg to get the horse to engage his back legs underneath him (correct me if any of this is wrong btw) I'm just getting my lower leg position sorted out and am finding it easier to keep it at the horses side but what I want to know is when you use it do you 'brush' his coat or do you squeeze with the calves? The horse I ride is very sweet but apparantly he is very lazy and its hard to keep him going unless there is a jump involved (he loves his jumping) - I have a crop but I try not to use it and I don't want to kick him do you think squeezing him will help to keep him moving? When I am going round a circle do you just use the lower leg to create the impulsion and leave the outside leg just slightly squeezing at his other side? Thing is I am a poor student at the moment and can only afford 1/2 hour a week so don't have that much time to experiment. The other thing is he and all the other horses are ridden in a snaffle and I don't and am not likely to have access to a pelham - how do you create a good outline in a snaffle in walk, trot and canter? Sorry if these questions seem basic but any tips would be appreciated so I can try them out in my lesson on thursday... Thanks!
 
I don't know if this is 100% correct, but I find position does a lot for the horse's outline. Lots of people neglect their position and the horse (and the rider!) suffers. I found out that a good position can allow horses to have more impulsion. It's like, today I moved between the 'sack of potatoes' posture and the proper one and the horse did actually show some response. It was like he wouldn't go a step in the first position, but the instant I changed, he perked up and went forward without my even asking him!
 
Hi Anna

I'm in a similar position to you in that I've just started lessons again after 7 years (and only a few hours in the saddle during that time). I'm also planning to study for the BHS exams at some time. The instructor I had last time would only let me walk and trot, but I was amazed at how much I learned and how much better everything felt by the end of my half hour lesson.

The bit I didn't remember from previous lessons was that you should squeeze with alternate legs to increase the "power" of the walk in time with the horses steps and in trot you squeeze with both legs together when one leg comes forward and release when the other does. The difference between this and the sort of random squeezing I was doing before was very marked.

I think that the experts amoung us are probably better qualified to explain impusion/outlines as I'll only get myself into a tangle with the terms.

Not sure if this helps, I think with the brushing/squeezing question I would try brushing and if this did not meet with a response I would increase the pressure to a squeeze (and if this has no effect consult the instructor).

Best wishes

Fiona.
 
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