Anne Wilson

When Judy first came to me for lessons, with her horse Jasper, she was very enthusiastic about learning more of the classical school. Jasper is a 16.00hh chestnut gelding, about 7/8ths thoroughbred. She had been having lessons with a competition trainer and, although they had been doing quite well in some Preliminary dressage tests, she was not completely happy about some of the training methods.
Firstly, she had been told repeatedly to take more of a hold on the reins, in order to make a better outline. They had been having hourly lessons, which ended with both her and Jasper dripping with sweat. Evidently they had been trotting at a spanking pace for most of the time, with Judy being told to take a stronger and stronger hold on the reins. Her arms were aching badly by the end of each session, and she asked me whether I thought she should join a gym to build up the muscles in her arms. When she asked this I knew we had a lot of work to do! This was before I even saw her ride. I, of course, told her not to worry, she didnt need the muscles of Atlas to be a good rider. To Judys credit, although very much a novice rider, she had a gut feeling that all this hauling on the reins was not kind and was seeking a better way.
After her initial warm up I managed to convince her that Jasper needed more freedom in his head and neck; that he would move much better if allowed to poke his nose a little at this early stage of training. Also that a much slower trot would be beneficial, so that Jasper could have time to track-up and bring his hind legs further under his body. Both Judy and Jasper were thrilled with this; which was like a release from the previous torture they had both endured.
With this new, more relaxed way of going Judy was very keen to show me their newly acquired shoulder-in.
I was a little dismayed when she trotted down the long side, turned down the centre line and proceeded forwards and slightly sideways back towards the track in a rushed leg-yield, with too much bend in the neck.
Not wishing to deflate her enthusiasm, I pointed out that this was in fact a leg-yield, (explaining the difference) and a very good start towards shoulder-in. We tried the leg-yield again, but much slower and with less neck bend and it was actually very good. Im always glad when I can genuinely praise good work when someone is so keen, so this was a relief.
I then explained that although shoulder-in can be ridden anywhere in the arena, it is much better when first practiced to ride it down the long side. In fact Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere, is famous for his insight into the benefits of using this exercise on the track, since the arena wall is of such a help in stopping the quarters from swinging outwards, thus requiring the horse to take more weight on the haunches and freeing the shoulders in a way hitherto rarely achieved with the shoulder-in on the circle, as first practised by its innovator, The Duke of Newcastle.
Judy was fascinated by this insight into the finer points and we set forth a plan for her to ride a few strides of good shoulder-in on the left rein (which was Jaspers easier, softer side) down the long side, but only in walk to begin with.
I asked Judy to make a small circle in the corner before commencing the exercise, explaining that the second time she reached the track she should go deep into the corner. She should almost pretend she was going to ride another circle, but then resist (not pull) and support with the outside (right rein in this case) rein, gently nudging the horse sideways up the track with her left leg. The outside rein is the one which deters the horse from walking forwards on a diagonal line and the inside (left in this case) rein should merely invite the forehand in from the track, without creating too much bend in the neck. The riders hands should be taken to the inside, in line with the shoulders, so long as the outside (right) hand does not cross over the withers.
Judy followed all these instructions carefully but failed to turn her shoulders enough to the shoulder-in position, and used too much inside rein. Also she continued to keep her eyes and head fixed in a straight line up the track. Therefore again there was far too much bend in the head and neck and the horses shoulders remained firmly fixed on the track.
I then demonstrated shoulder-in myself on foot, showing how my inside hip needed to advance in order to cross my left leg over my right, and I turned my shoulders in towards the arena, looking across to the other side, so that I could at any time, if I stopped moving sideways, move diagonally across the school. At this point I asked Judy to dismount and walk the exercise on foot with her hands on hips so she could feel the movement of her hips. This is what the horse needed to be doing underneath her; therefore she needed to help him by putting her own body into the shoulder-in position.
When she remounted, things were better, there was a little displacement of Jaspers shoulder in from the track, but not enough to have been described even as shoulder-fore; and it was very quickly lost when he returned to the track and moved again in a head and neck-in position.
After a few more attempts, I realised that something was still quite wrong with Judys position. Jasper was a very sweet natured horse, keen to please, and I could see he was becoming quite confused. I then mounted Jasper and found it relatively easy to encourage him to walk three or four good, correct shoulder-in strides in walk. These steps were a little stilted and faltering as he carefully sorted out his footfalls, but that is to be expected, even encouraged, when first teaching this exercise.
When Judy remounted I realised what was wrong she looked very stiff and awkward and although she was turning her shoulders inwards, she was not actually turning from the waist. No wonder she was feeling awkward; she was trying to turn just her shoulders, and failing to take her outside thigh back. When all this was put right, there was a light bulb moment. Judy and Jasper performed a few excellent strides of walk shoulder-in on both reins.
Judy went home quite elated with her new found way of riding with so much less strain and sweat for her and Jasper. She gave up her idea of joining a gym but she did promise to practice at home and at work, the gentle strengthening of her abdominal and lower back muscles, by sitting upright, pushing her tummy forward, expanding her chest and letting her shoulders fall naturally back and down. With this kind of toned body posture, she understood that she could influence Jasper in a much kinder way, without the need for strong arm muscles.
Since then the pair have come on in leaps and bounds, everything has been slowed down, but is much more athletic and stronger in a gentler way.
Anne Wilson, who is based in Bedfordshire, is a Classical Riding Trainer. She is an author and co-publisher of Tracking-up, a quarterly independent equestrian magazine, obtainable by subscription (see adjacent advert). Also author of Riding Revelations-Classical Training from the Beginning www.black-tent.co.uk Anne can be contacted on Tel: 01234 772401 website: www.classicalridingannewilson.com


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