Case Study Briony & Reo
“I’m very proud of my client Briony. She consistently puts in the hours to train her PRE 'Reo' with regular lessons and her efforts are producing great results.”
When I first met Briony in 2016, she had been competing at BD, but was struggling to progress Reo further in the competitive system. The competition system had taught Briony that it was correct to ride with low, backward acting, restrictive hands held between driving legs. Unfortunately, this method of training is akin to driving a car on full throttle with the handbrake on! It wouldn’t end well for the car and it doesn’t end well for the horses. The effect of this way of riding caused Reo to overflex, drop his poll, come behind the vertical, break at C2/3, produced a lateral walk, a trot with short, contracted strides and a fear of any canter work. This type of movement produces a horse that balances on their forehand / on their shoulders, the opposite of what it is trying to achieve. A horse in this type of position is incapable of lightening their shoulders and flexing their haunches and developing collection possibilities. Aside from the biomechanics being wrong and damaging, the mental toll on the horse is also not without mention, most of the time these horses are in a subservient position, staring at the floor, travelling blind. Certainly not a relationship built on trust and harmony and certainly not Briony’s fault. The competition system she and many others believe is correct was at fault. Briony knew it felt wrong but didn’t know where to turn to, so she contacted me and I started training them. The first photo shows a BEFORE working with Kat image. If you look closely, you can see all the aforementioned issues.
Before Kat’s training
After 3 years of training with Kat, following French Classical Training and the principles of the School of Légèreté, Reo progressed a lot. Briony learnt how to ride Reo with educated hands acting on the corners of Reo's mouth NOT his tongue and lower jaw. Briony’s hands were taught to be carried and to never act downwards or backwards. Over time this new method enabled Reo to have a confidence in Briony's hand, enabling gymnastic exercises to be effective in balancing, straightening and relaxing Reo's body which combined with appropriate activity brought Reo into a posture that enabled a raising of his shoulders and a lowering of the quarters, producing the possibility of collection. This total transformation in Reos balance can be seen in the AFTER training with Kat photos, where Reo is now capable of piaffe in shoulder in position and can lighten his shoulders beautifully in a flowing Spanish walk as he learns to develop his passage abilities. These positions would NEVER have been possible without a complete overhaul in the method of his training and a movement away from competition training and into the world of French classical principles.
After training with Kat
It is clear to see from the AFTER photos the positive change Légèreté training has already had on Reo and the possibilities it has enabled regarding high school training and biomechanically appropriate training. Additionally, the expression on Reo's face between the BEFORE and AFTER photos is palpable. Reo is now free to see the world during his training sessions and engage in all that brings. Happy horse, happy rider, happy trainer
If you would like to learn how to transform your horse from one stuck on the forehand, not progressing, to one that is capable of collection contact Kat – thinkingequitation@gmail.com