How To Dressage

Main Menu

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Article Categories
    • The Scales of Training
    • Dressage Theory
    • For The Rider
    • The Horse’s Paces
    • Dressage Movements
    • Dressage Competition
    • Horse Care
    • Dressage Troubleshooting
    • Interviews with GP Riders
  • Training Forum
    • Recent Posts
    • Register
    • Login
  • Our Book Range
  • Our Podcast
  • FREE STUFF!

logo

Header Banner

How To Dressage

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Article Categories
    • The Scales of Training
    • Dressage Theory
    • For The Rider
    • The Horse’s Paces
    • Dressage Movements
    • Dressage Competition
    • Horse Care
    • Dressage Troubleshooting
    • Interviews with GP Riders
  • Training Forum
    • Recent Posts
    • Register
    • Login
  • Our Book Range
  • Our Podcast
  • FREE STUFF!
Dressage Theory
Home›Dressage Theory›What is a Backward Thinking Horse?

What is a Backward Thinking Horse?

By How To Dressage
February 17, 2018
3410
0
What is a Backward Thinking Horse how to dressage


Some people complain that their horses are ‘backward thinking’. This term is usually used to describe a horse that does not work willingly forward from the rider’s leg.

It is difficult to progress such horses in their dressage training as they lack the activity of the hind legs and the lively impulsion that is required to achieve genuine suppleness through the back, acceptance of the contact, engagement, and an uphill balance.

A horse that is behind the rider’s leg will never gain high marks in a dressage test.

So, is your horse really backward thinking, or is your training to blame?

Is your horse backward thinking?

Arguably, no horse is born ‘backward thinking’. More often than not this is the result of a horse/rider chemistry that has gone wrong!

Horses are naturally curious, but also remarkably adaptable, trusting and tolerant to living relatively domesticated lives with us.

Like other species, and despite their size, they are very receptive to human behavioral traits and are very tolerant of them.

However, they do not share the human rationale and are not able to reason ‘why’ and ‘how’, rather they see every aspect of life as if it were a still photo.

If their adaptable natures are abused, naturally the instincts of fright, flight, and fight take over.

Some reminders to us when training horses include:

  • learning requires adaptation to new environments
  • appreciate how adaptable and generous by nature they are
  • a thoughtful training approach involves using stimuli or aids to which the horse learns the appropriate responses, i.e. forwards, slower, turn, or stop
  • repetition is the key to overcoming the flight, fright and fight responses
  • conditioning to a stimulus or aid requires reinforcement until the positive, desired response appears
  • horses are receptive to negative stimuli, that is, release the pressure of an aid when the horse responds as desired
  • consistency and timing is crucial when giving reward and if necessary, reprimand

If a horse is ‘backward’ thinking, this usually means that when ridden, the horse does not go forwards from the riders’ ‘go’ aids, or subsequently allow the rider to exert any positive influence in order to improve the way of going.

This is most apparent to the rider if they have plans to take part in a competition where the horse is expected to receive the aids of the rider in a positive, harmonious and submissive manner, enabling frequent and seamless changes of pace, and tempo within the pace.

Correcting a backward thinking horse

To correct such a conflict, the rider should always look to themselves to find a solution.

Very often the character and temperament have been misinterpreted, causing the aids to be administered in the wrong moments, such as, before the horse has found an appropriate rhythm or degree of balance.

Sometimes, riders misinterpret how confident their horse is in certain movements and increase the level of difficulty far too soon, usually resulting in the horse being unconditioned physically and mentally to learning a new movement.

Once a horse has learned to avoid compliance, a cycle of antagonism starts, and both horse and rider show tension together that prevent a harmonious working partnership.

Very often the ways to correct this working partnership include:

  • changing the environment and exercises – working in a field instead of an arena; using poles and/or hills to work other muscle groups
  • using easier and more familiar exercises
  • changing the rider; a new rider will use different sensitivities of aids and may build a more workable relationship
  • checking that equipment fits properly
  • making a physical assessment to check the absence of foot soreness, back soreness and sharp outer edges of teeth

A combination of all these tactics can help to encourage a backward thinking horse to work with more enthusiasm.

If that doesn’t work…

Some horses are naturally less enthusiastic about certain types of work than others.

If you have a horse that is inclined to be backward thinking, it can present a real handicap to the progression of your dressage training.

If all your efforts to galvanize your horse into action fail, it could simply be that your horse does not enjoy his job. It may be worth avoiding schooling him for a while, and perhaps take him jumping or for some exciting hacks instead. After a busy season, a total holiday might be in order.

Related Reads:

  • How to Sharpen up a Lazy Horse
  • How to Encourage Your Horse to Listen More
  • What is the Point of Dressage?
  • How to Encourage Your Horse to be More Forward, But Not Faster

 

Previous Article

How to Ride a 10-Meter Circle

Next Article

How to Ride a Give and Retake ...

How To Dressage

We are an information blog breaking down the How To's of dressage. All of our articles are put together by British Dressage judges to help you train your horse correctly, get higher scores and win your next dressage competition.

Related articles More from author

  • How to Select a Suitable Dressage Horse How to Dressage
    Dressage Theory

    How to Select a Suitable Dressage Horse

    March 1, 2018
    By How To Dressage
  • How to Improve Your Transitions Dressage
    Dressage Theory

    How to Improve Your Transitions

    June 16, 2020
    By How To Dressage
  • What is the Difference Between Bend and Flexion dressage
    Dressage Theory

    What is the Difference Between Bend and Flexion?

    June 25, 2018
    By How To Dressage
  • How to Use a Double Bridle How To Dressage
    Dressage Theory

    How to Use a Double Bridle

    February 26, 2018
    By How To Dressage
  • How to get your horse to bend dressage
    Dressage Theory

    How to Get Your Horse to Bend

    March 15, 2018
    By How To Dressage
  • What Does 'Between Hand and Leg' Actually Mean dressage
    Dressage Theory

    What Does ‘Between Hand and Leg’ Actually Mean?

    March 16, 2018
    By How To Dressage

Leave a reply Cancel reply

0

WANT MORE?

  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • How to Have Patience With Your Dressage Training

    How to Have Patience With Your Dressage Training

    By How To Dressage
    January 19, 2021
  • How to Keep Your Horse up Through the Corners Dressage

    How to Keep Your Horse “up” Through the Corners

    By How To Dressage
    January 12, 2021
  • How to Understand a British Dressage Test Sheet

    How to Understand a British Dressage Test Sheet

    By How To Dressage
    January 5, 2021
  • How to Stop Your Horse From Coming Too Short in the Neck Dressage

    How to Stop Your Horse From Coming Too Short in the Neck

    By How To Dressage
    December 29, 2020
  • how to piaffe dressage

    How to Piaffe

    By How To Dressage
    December 22, 2020
  • How to Passage Dressage

    How to Passage

    By How To Dressage
    December 15, 2020
  • how to sit up straight dressage

    How to Sit Up Straight

    By How To Dressage
    December 8, 2020
  • Dressage Training Plan

    How to Structure a Dressage Training Plan for Your Horse

    By How To Dressage
    February 13, 2019
  • how to create the ideal arena surface footing for dressage

    How to Create the Ideal Arena Surface Footing for Dressage

    By How To Dressage
    October 31, 2019
  • How to Import a Dressage Horse

    How to Import a Dressage Horse (from Europe to the U.S.)

    By How To Dressage
    October 19, 2019
  • How to Fit Horse's Noseband

    How to Fit Your Horse’s Noseband

    By How To Dressage
    October 5, 2019
  • How to Safely Ride and Lead horses

    How to Safely Ride and Lead

    By How To Dressage
    March 13, 2019
  • How to use Poles to Improve Your Horse's Way of Going how to dressage

    How to use Poles to Improve Your Horse’s Way of Going

    By How To Dressage
    September 5, 2018
  • What is the Difference Between Bend and Flexion dressage

    What is the Difference Between Bend and Flexion?

    By How To Dressage
    June 25, 2018
  • How To Dressage
    on
    January 25, 2021

    How to Get an Independent Seat

    Hello Sandi, Thank you ...
  • Sandi walters
    on
    January 23, 2021

    How to Get an Independent Seat

    Please explain 'open your ...
  • How To Dressage
    on
    January 20, 2021

    How to Stop Your Horse From Jogging When They Should be Walking

    Hi Claire, Thank you ...
  • Claire
    on
    January 20, 2021

    How to Stop Your Horse From Jogging When They Should be Walking

    I ride a VERY ...
  • How To Dressage
    on
    January 20, 2021

    How to Stop Your Horse’s Poll From Getting Too Low

    Hello Marion, Thank you ...
  • Marion Boyle
    on
    January 20, 2021

    How to Stop Your Horse’s Poll From Getting Too Low

    A topic that might ...
  • How To Dressage
    on
    January 7, 2021

    How to Safely Ride and Lead

    Hi from the UK! ...

Article Categories

  • Dressage Competition (28)
  • Dressage Movements (44)
  • Dressage Theory (45)
  • Dressage Troubleshooting (45)
  • For The Rider (30)
  • Horse Care (39)
  • Interviews with Grand Prix Riders (8)
  • The Horse's Paces (22)
  • The Scales of Training (8)

Free Email Courses

how to dressage paypal dressage newbie email course

how to dressage competition email course

WANT MORE?

Useful Pages

Home
About us
View Our Book Range
Join Our Facebook Group
Forum
FREE STUFF!
Contact Us

See our social side

Our Podcast

how to dressage podcast
Copyright © 2018-2020 How To Dressage
Privacy Policy
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links that are included on this website are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. If you would like to support this website in some way, using these links will help you do exactly that. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.