Rearing,
bucking, a tongue sticking out of the mouth, a tail
rotating like a propellor; these are all indications
of heavy or light resistance. Each dressage rider occasionally
deals with one of these features during a training session.
The harmonic image becomes disturbed as the horse misinterpreted
a certain aid. With flattened ears, sharpened nostrils
and the white of the eye shown, the expression of discontentment
appears on the equine's face.
Mouth problems are mostly externalized by showing an
opened mouth, by grinding teeth or by sticking out the
tongue. A rotating tail is often seen in the tempi changes,
while grinding teeth mostly occur during the collected
walk and the preparation to a pirouette or piaffe. The
walk-piaffe transition demands great impulse and power
and when the rider's leg pushes too hard the tail starts
to swing, or the horse kicks to the rider's leg or spur.
Horses which are not ready for a certain exercise try
to seek escape routes. They become tensed, buck, throw
their head's up or "worst case scenario": they rear.
Not only is rearing dangerous because of the chance
of flipping over, but in a rear the rider also looses
all control.
Heavy resistance is seldom seen during dressage tests
at competitions, but "fear for the unknown" is often
an important stimulus for horses taking off or rearing.
Even at Grand Prix level a horse remains an animal and
can refuse to run. Pictured is an image by Dirk Caremans
of Gere going on strike.
Image copyrighted Dirk
Caremans - no reproduction without permission
Rearing,
bucking, a tongue sticking out of the mouth, a tail
rotating like a propellor; these are all indications
of heavy or light resistance. Each dressage rider occasionally
deals with one of these features during a training session.
The harmonic image becomes disturbed as the horse misinterpreted
a certain aid. With flattened ears, sharpened nostrils
and the white of the eye shown, the expression of discontentment
appears on the equine's face.
