Posted 2015-12-17 3:13 PM Subject: Getting more flex and bend
Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
I need some ideas on how to teach a 2 y/o more bend and flex. Anywhere I can go to watch videos, or certain people on YouTube that are good? Or if u have any suggestions please share.
Posted 2015-12-17 6:23 PM Subject: RE: Getting more flex and bend
Location: South Dakota
I love Ian Leighton's methods...he is Australian and down to earth...his simple groundwork exercises are great and effective, and easier to do than Clinton's imo. On his website he has blog which has a 3 part series on the importance of forward motion...it is great! Check out his videos on Youtube as well.
Posted 2015-12-18 9:09 AM Subject: RE: Getting more flex and bend
Elite Veteran
Posts: 851 Location: West Texas
Every horse should be able to give vertically, both in the face and rounding up with the body. Getting lateral bend is done by lateral flexion with the addition of rib cage pressure. We share a good deal of training methods with Clinton Anderson, however, he has some type of obsession with flexion and takes it way to far. Katie has ridden a few horses coming straight from him and they are way to focused on flexion and need some of that taken out.
If you have all the basic parts of the horse worked out, here is what you want to do. Start the horse moving in a circle. Tip their nose to the inside. Then, apply inside leg pressure to round the rib cage. If the horse want to dive the shoulder in, pick up on the inside rein and apply leg pressure to the girth/shoulder area. Your goal is to remove pressure when the horse gives to it and look for just a little at first and build on that.
P.S. You will still need to use your outside leg for impulsion and your outside rein for direction stability.
Getting more flex and bend
