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| PALM PARTNERSHIP TRAININGTM
Building a Partnership
with Your Horse |
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Developing Natural Balance in Your Horse, Part 9 |
by Lynn Palm |
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In the last article, we covered the Turn on the Haunches on the ground. It is now time to put the lessons learned In Hand to use under saddle. |
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Turn on the Haunches - Part 3, Under Saddle |
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The Turn on the Haunches is a movement that introduces and improves bend in the horse while moving laterally. It also is an excellent exercise to help transfer more weight onto his hind end. For the rider, it is an excellent exercise to improve aids coordination between the legs and hands, and it refines the timing in using those aids to control the horse's body. This movement requires that the rider stay centered and in balance with the horse at all times. |
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We are now ready to put to work under saddle the In Hand preparations that we discussed in the previous article. As always, the horse should be equipped with leg protection, and he should be warmed up so that he is supple and focused. |
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To do a Turn on the Haunches to the right, the supporting right leg is at the |
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girth to bend the body of the horse to the right. The supporting right hand uses an open rein to position the horse's head slightly to the right. The active/turning left leg is used behind the girth to move the horse's hips to the right, and the active/turning left hand uses the neck/indirect rein to move the horse's shoulders to the right. |
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In a Turn on the Haunches to the left, the supporting left leg is at the girth to bend the horse's body to the left. The supporting left hand uses an open rein to position the horse's head slightly to the left. The active/turning right leg is back behind the girth to move the hips to the left, and the active/turning right hand uses the neck/indirect rein to move the shoulder to the left. |
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To achieve a successful turn on the haunches, you need to combine the active leg aid to start the turn and then use the neck/indirect rein to get control of the horse's forehand. The leg aid is essential to keep the turn correct and keep the horse from backing up, and it is the most active aid used during the turn. It is essential that you do not pull back with the reins! |
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Keynotes for the Rider:
1. Never look down,
2. Stay centered in the saddle,
3. Never lean to either side,
4. Maintain proper form and balance throughout the turn,
5. Keep your hands in front of the pommel or horn at all times,
6. Do not pull back with the inside rein or cross over the neck with the outside rein,
7. Combine both reins to control the forehand, and
8.
Do not raise your heels when using your legs. |
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Keynotes for the Horse:
1. Make sure you only see the corner of his eye,
2. Do not over bend the neck,
3. Make sure your horse bends from your inside leg,
4. Always keep the nose pointed inward,
5. Do not let the horse back up or walk out of the turn,
6. Keep the hips from swinging outward with your outside leg back and active,
7. Do not let the horse turn fast - it is not a spin or pivot, and
8. Follow your turn by walking forward straight. |
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Turn on the Haunches - Part 4, Trouble - Shooting the Lesson
I now want to go over some common problems encountered when teaching this maneuver and how to correct them. When reading these problems and their solutions, remember that the inside leg and rein are on the same side to which the horse is flexing or bending and the outside leg and rein are on the opposite side.
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Common Problems and the Corrections for Them: |
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1. Too much flexion of the horse's head and neck. To correct:
a.
Look up and make sure you are not leaning forward,
b.
Make sure you are not pulling with the inside rein,
c. Loosen up the inside rein, but maintain his nose slightly inwards,
d. Tighten up the outside rein to help straighten the neck.
If that does not correct the problem, stop the movement and walk straight for two or three steps and then start over. |
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2. Too much hand aid and the horse not keeping the forward motion through the
Turn. To correct:
a.
Make sure you are not pulling back with the reins,
b.
Keep your hands in front of the pommel while executing the movement,
c.
Keep your inside leg active to encourage the horse to stay forward and not back up in the turn,
d.
Relax your body and make sure you are not looking down. |
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3. Horse does not keep the bend and correctly balanced position. To correct, if the horse turns with his head turned to the outside:
a.
Make sure you are not pulling with the outside rein,
b.
Loosen up slightly on your outside rein,
c.
Bring the horse's head inwards with an open rein,
d.
Keep your inside leg active to reinforce the horse's bend. |
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Remember, it is not easy for a horse to execute a Turn on the Haunches correctly. Do only a 90-degree turn at a time, and do your turn in the same area of the arena so that the horse will understand what you are asking him to do. If you are not getting good results, go back to ground training the turn and then back to training it under saddle. |
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The Turn on the Haunches requires suppleness, flexibility, understanding and willingness. For the rider, it requires mostly coordination of aids. When done well, it is an excellent lateral movement to improve the horse's balance, gain lightness, and improve responsiveness. |
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Also remember not to work your movements in the ring all the time. Take your horse outside on a regular basis to practice your lateral work. It will refresh the both of you and make the training more fun for your horse! Be patient and try not to hurry. |
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If you want to enhance these lessons on Turn on the Haunches, for In Hand work, check out the video Longevity Training Video 3 - Working In Hand, and for Under Saddle work, Dressage Principles Vol. 2, Part 2 (also available in DVD). You can find these items and other Palm Partnership Training TM resources by visiting www.lynnpalm.com or calling 1-800-503-2824. |
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Read comments or post your own comments to this article at the bottom of
this page. |
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One of the foremost equestrians in the world, Lynn Palm has championed the partnership of horse and rider for more than thirty years. She brings her unique perspective to hundreds of thousands of horse enthusiasts through her Palm Partnership Training TM educational schools and clinics held each year throughout the United States and Europe and through her training materials.
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She is a regular commentator on Horse TV and RFD-TV, and is a regular contributor to many equine publications, such as Horse & Rider, Dressage Today, Western Horseman, Horse Illustrated, the Paint Horse Journal, Appaloosa Horse Journal, and the American Quarter Horse Journal. |
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The only female four-time World Championship Quarter Horse Show Super Horse rider, Palm also has many top American and European championships to her credit. She was named the 2000 AQHA Female Equestrian of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation, and was honored with the 2003 Equine Affaire Exceptional Equestrian Educator Award. |
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Other accomplishments include over 34 World and Reserve World Champions, 14 European Championships, and over 50 Bridleless Dressage Exhibitions to Music throughout the country with 2-time AQHA Superhorse "Rugged Lark," including the 1996 Atlantic Olympic Games, and now with her stallion, "Rugged Painted Lark." Palm served as a Judge in the 1990, 2000, and 2006 World Championship Shows. |
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Lynn's most recent endeavors include the launching of Alliance Saddlery and the upcoming Women Luv Horses TM Event. The Alliance saddle line boasts three models designed specifically for stock horse breeds. Women Luv Horses will be an educational event for women by women, including demonstrations, lectures, round table discussions, fashion shows and shopping. |
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Palm owns and operates Royal Palm Ranch, Ltd. in Bessemer, MI and Fox Grove Farm in Ocala, FL. |
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PALM PARTNERSHIP TRAINING
Fox Grove Farm
9445 NW 60th Avenue
Ocala, FL 34482
352-629-3310 (office)
352-629-3470 (fax)
www.lynnpalm.com
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Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved. The above article is the property of the Author and may not be duplicated or redistributed in any way without permission. |
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