Learning to watch the horse working

Watching a horse work is learning to switch between :

• A hard eye, focused, and attached to detail – in other words, the eagle eye, centered on a particular point ;
• And a soft eye, benevolent, taking in a global image, whilst taking into consideration the environment around the horse observed. This eye gives an idea on the general impression and the harmony between horse and rider.

Watching a horse work is :

• Observing and analysing the animal as it moves
• Observing and analysing the overall attitude
• Assessing the quality of the relationship between horse and rider
• Visualising the demands made by accuracy and track to follow

The film director’s eye is attached to the way the moving horse functions. It consists in observing and analysing the dynamics of locomotion, and the components linked to the horse’s work.

Dynamics of locomotion

The dynamics of locomotion are assessed thanks to time and space components.

Time components of locomotion

• The rhythm of the three gaits
  ◦ At a walk : 4 beats with equidistant footfalls – walked gait
  ◦ At a trot : 2 beats and two moments of suspension – diagonal gait
  ◦ At a canter : 3 beats composed of 3 footfalls and a moment of suspension – dysymmetrical gait with a moment of suspension : left and right canter lead.
• The speed= distance covered in a given time
• The tempo of the beat = the number of strides in a given time.

Space components of locomotion

• Amplitude = length of the stride, or the space betwen two footfalls
• Symmetry between left and right (similar way of functioning between left and right limbs, symmetry between the canter at both leads)
• The moment of projection (suspension) at a trot and canter

In time as in space, regularity of the gait is one of the fundamental criteria.

Components linked to the horse’s work 

The way the moving horse functions can be analysed thanks to components linked to the level he is working at, either in elementary or secondary and higher level riding.

Elementary riding level

• Fluidity of movement : relaxed attitude, loose horse, freedom of movement
• The way the back functions : tension in the topline, muscle tone in the lower line
• Maintaining tempo and impulsion
• Balance and ability to alter attitude (on a curve, when approaching a fence...)

In secondary or higher level riding

• Activity, propulsion : the horse’s gestures and amplitude, the way he covers ground
• Bounce, elasticity, flexibility : suppleness of movement
• Energy/horse’s expression : gives an idea on the available potential strength, the capacity to collect

The photographer’s eye focuses on the horse’s general attitude. It consists in observing and analysing.

Statics of the general attitude

Studying the statics of the horse’s general attitude is like a « freeze frame » to enable assessment of 6 basic criteria :

• Straightness
• Engagement of the hind legs
• Freedom of movement of the shoulders, and position of the front legs
• Neck carriage
• Position of the head, poll and forehead
• Elevation and gesture of the limbs

Without forgetting to link all these factors up to form the overall image given by the horse...

Componenets linked to the horse’s work

Spring, braking, propulsion

Is the horse going forwards ? Is he propelling himself from the hind quarters ? Is he holding back ? To answer these questions, one should be looking at the horse as a whole.

General balance or protraction of the shoulders

Is the horse carrying himself, or is he pulling himself from the fore limbs, rather than pushing from behind ? Is his balance upwards, horizontal or downwards ? The goal is to transform natural horizontal energy into a more vertical energy.

The back and how it functions, harmony between the forehand and the hind quarters

Is there a similarity and harmony between the way the forehand and the hind quarters function ? Is movement betwen the limbs coordinated ? How is the topline functioning ? Does it allow transmission of movement from the rear to the forehand ?

Contact on the bit, relationship between the mouth and the rider’s hand

The quality of contact on the bit gives us an idea of the relationship between hand and mouth. Is contact soft, or is the mouth tense and nervous, with a purplish tongue, or a tongue hanging out ? Does the horse appear to be on the bit, behind the bit, or fighting the bit ?

Activity, impulsion, expression

For experienced observers, what is the degree of activity expressed by the horse ? The way his legs work and his general attitude will give an idea of the impulsion. Expression will be added when the horse-rider combination is in harmony.

The psychologist’s eye will examine the quality of the horse-rider partnership. To do this it will focus on the points of contact between horse and rider and on the visual and auditive clues which give an indication on the relationship, from both the horse’s and the rider’s side.

Contact points between horse and rider

Analysing this relationship is watching the contact points between the rider and his horse, this gives an indication as to the harmony existing in the partnership…

Contact legs - flanks

Flanks which are marked (even injured) by the rubbing of the legs or the spurs, legs which repeatedly kick the horse on, spurs sticking to the coat… are all things to ban, as they are the signs of a poor relationship between horse and rider. The actions of the rider’s leg should be discrete, and the horse should be reactive to the rider’s demands.

Contact between the back and the seat

Contact between the horse’s back and the rider’s seat shows both horse and rider’s degree of comfort or discomfort. Is the topline supple and toned up, with movement being transferred from the rear towards the forehand ? Or does the horse hollow his back and neck ? Is the rider stable and connected to his horse, allowing him to absorb any jolting and follow the horse’s movements ? Or is he unstable, lacking seat and straightness on the horse’s back ? Comfort can be relative or absolute, depending on the rider’s level and the way the horse functions.

Contact between the hand and the mouth

Is contact between the hand and the mouth harmonious and confident, with a stable horse on the bit ? Or is it restless, tense, resistant or non-existant ? Does it stem from the horse’s level of experience, or the rider’s ?

The relationship seen from both sides 

Some signs fed back from the horse and rider give information about the quality of the relationship. These signs should not be neglected.

The horse’s features

It is not a question of going into detail, but one should always watch out for the following :

• Breathing : is the horse breathing correctly ? Is he bothered in any way ?
• Sweating : this is a normal trait, but it should not become excessive
• The horse’s expression :
  ◦ Eyes and look
  ◦ Position of the ears and the way he listens
  ◦ Nostrils and chin
  ◦ The state of his mouth (open/closed), the tongue, salivation…

Horses are great mediums, very sensitive to their environment. They understand far more than we  imagine. We will gain better understanding of them if we remain attentive to their body and sensory langage.

Ease of the rider

It is also important to attach some importance to the rider’s ease, which will also give a lot of information depending on :

• His comfort, which cannot be dissociated from his position :
  ◦ Position suited to movement
  ◦ Relaxed legs, pelvis, back, shoulders and arms
  ◦ Toned up torso
  ◦ Connection to the horse
  ◦ Loose at the knees
  ◦ Straight back
  ◦ Supple fingers, wrists, elbows
  ◦ Soft contact with the horse’s mouth
  ◦ Looking forwards
• On independance of the aids

The policeman’s eye focuses on accuracy and the demands of the route/ track to be followed.

Accuracy and geometry of the route

Different markers allow us to judge the accuracy and geometry of the route followed :

• Lines followed in a dressage test (center line, quarter line, diagonal, circle, serpentine) or the course to be followed when show jumping or going cross-country
• Respecting the letters in the dressage arena, or the flags on obstacles
• Performing the correct count of exercises in dressage (length of a halt, number of strides or beats, number of flying changes in canter)
• Distances and correct stride count in show jumping or cross country.

These demands should of course be adapted to the required level.

Objectivity of the observable factors

If some of the observable factors can vary depending on one’s skills and perception, some observable factors connected to accuracy demands, route or attitudes allow us to remain objective :

• Tracks of the footfalls which give information regarding correctness of rhythm (symmetry), amplitude of the stride (covering his tracks) and on straightness (in a straight line but also on a curve)
• The idea of a faultless dressage test, a clear round over a show-jumping track or a cross country course (absolute value with regard to the contract to be fulfilled, relative value with regard to the quality of the work presented)
• Examples of attitudes listed in the FEI rules as being acceptable by the stewards in the collecting arena in a dressage competition….

There are different ways to learn to watch a horse :

• Watching with a critical eye either with a mentor, or as an unregistered student ;
• Following a training session next to a trainer, or judging next to a judge ;
• Riding with a mirror or having someone film you….

Practice is essential to improve, but reading also plays a part as does learning to feel what is going on beneath the saddle. Knowing how to better watch, means better feeling, therefore better riding, better teaching, better training…..

Learning to watch also enables to harmonize judging, with better objectivity, with attention to relativity depending on the level, and consistency in the criteria to be assessed.