Dressage Today: February 2007 Issue
Separating Hand and Leg Aids - An Effective Balancing Tool
I wish I’d known then that the concept of using hand and leg aids simultaneously—applied by a portion of dressage riders around the world when half halting or riding transitions—can have its downsides.
If your horse is lazy, it’ll make him dead to your legs or heavy in your hands. If your horse is hot and full of temperament like many Thoroughbreds are, he’ll become tense or runny. In the course of time I’ve come to realize that using ones hands and legs separately as opposed to simultaneously has a much more positive effect on horses. Giving the rider a tool to literally balance the horse between the legs and hands, this principle has added lightness and refinement to my dressage, in addition to making horses very sharp to the aids. The concept of hands without legs, legs without hands is also a concept that’s much easier understood by horses.
I use hands without legs, legs without hands when I ride transitions, ride a half halt, or when I want to better balance my horse. Let me give you two examples of how I apply this principle:
When riding a canter-trot transition, I’d first use my hands by closing them while at the same time holding my body for a moment. Then, as soon as I’m at the trot, I re-introduce my driving aids—my legs--if I need to, perhaps to refresh my horse’s forwardness, for instance.
When I prepare for a half halt, I first send my horse forward with my legs. When the horse is forward, I bring him back only with my restraining aids—hands and holding my body. Once the horse comes back, I give with the reins a little bit to check if he maintains his degree of self-carriage. If he does, I’m happy. If he loses impulsion, which happens easily with horses that have little training, I re-activate the principle of hands without legs, legs without hands, again trying to balance the horse between those aids, until the half halt went through.
In principle, I use this tool whenever I wish to increase my horse’s balance. Going back and forth between hands and legs as necessary, I balance my horse in between them until I find what I call “the zone.” When my horse is in “the zone”, he is well-balanced and carries himself with active hindquarters—the desired state that gives you the feeling that you can do whatever you want with your horse: You can instantly and easily change from a working trot to an extended trot to a halt, for example. It’s much more difficult to reach “the zone” if I use hands and legs simultaneously.
Using hands and legs separately is also a fantastic tool for working with younger, inexperienced horses. Because you never accelerate and break at the same time, the horse will not be confused by your aids and understand your aids very quickly. The younger the horse, the bigger will I make the time interval between the aids. The more advanced the horse, the closer together will the aids be applied until they are no longer noticeable.
Hands without legs, legs without hands is one of the most brilliant principles ever developed in equestrian history. It’s a fantastic tool to add ease and elegance to your dressage.
If your horse is lazy, it’ll make him dead to your legs or heavy in your hands. If your horse is hot and full of temperament like many Thoroughbreds are, he’ll become tense or runny. In the course of time I’ve come to realize that using ones hands and legs separately as opposed to simultaneously has a much more positive effect on horses. Giving the rider a tool to literally balance the horse between the legs and hands, this principle has added lightness and refinement to my dressage, in addition to making horses very sharp to the aids. The concept of hands without legs, legs without hands is also a concept that’s much easier understood by horses.
I use hands without legs, legs without hands when I ride transitions, ride a half halt, or when I want to better balance my horse. Let me give you two examples of how I apply this principle:
When riding a canter-trot transition, I’d first use my hands by closing them while at the same time holding my body for a moment. Then, as soon as I’m at the trot, I re-introduce my driving aids—my legs--if I need to, perhaps to refresh my horse’s forwardness, for instance.
When I prepare for a half halt, I first send my horse forward with my legs. When the horse is forward, I bring him back only with my restraining aids—hands and holding my body. Once the horse comes back, I give with the reins a little bit to check if he maintains his degree of self-carriage. If he does, I’m happy. If he loses impulsion, which happens easily with horses that have little training, I re-activate the principle of hands without legs, legs without hands, again trying to balance the horse between those aids, until the half halt went through.
In principle, I use this tool whenever I wish to increase my horse’s balance. Going back and forth between hands and legs as necessary, I balance my horse in between them until I find what I call “the zone.” When my horse is in “the zone”, he is well-balanced and carries himself with active hindquarters—the desired state that gives you the feeling that you can do whatever you want with your horse: You can instantly and easily change from a working trot to an extended trot to a halt, for example. It’s much more difficult to reach “the zone” if I use hands and legs simultaneously.
Using hands and legs separately is also a fantastic tool for working with younger, inexperienced horses. Because you never accelerate and break at the same time, the horse will not be confused by your aids and understand your aids very quickly. The younger the horse, the bigger will I make the time interval between the aids. The more advanced the horse, the closer together will the aids be applied until they are no longer noticeable.
Hands without legs, legs without hands is one of the most brilliant principles ever developed in equestrian history. It’s a fantastic tool to add ease and elegance to your dressage.
