Subtle signs your training might be off
Knowing if your training strategy is working can sometimes be tricky, which is why it is important to be able to read the subtle changes. Here are some signs that you might need to re-think some aspects of your training.
Subtle changes in attitude are important red flags.
Training horses is as much a science as it is an art. There are many different opinions, many different approaches and often, it's hard to know if what you're doing is on the right track or not. Obviously, there is no one-size-fits-all recipe when it comes to training horses, so we need to adjust our training to the individual horse. What separates good riders from not so good ones is their ability to see immediately if the horse is responding well to a certain style of training or not. Here are some clues that there might be something wrong with our training regime. (A caveat is in order here – some of these can also be symptoms of stuff like poor saddle fit, fascial restrictions and the like, but let's assume these things are looked after).
1. Changes in attitude
We have to keep in mind that training horses is something they should be enjoying too. Regular training that makes them stronger, faster and more balanced is something that should permeate to the horse's general attitude. Often, horses that are well trained will become more confident, calmer and eager. If you notice any negative changes in your horse's attitude, this is a red flag. Avoiding being caught, becoming more irritable or picking fights with other horses can all be signs that something in his training is off. While some horses react to inappropriate training by becoming more volatile, others can shut down. This can be tricky, because inexperienced riders might mistake the horse shutting down for the horse calming down. Horses should be alert and actively interacting with their environment. If they are uninterested and slow to react to any stimulus or change, it should be cause for concern.
2. Issues while tacking up
This one is usually not subtle at all. According to research done by Dr. Sue Dyson, A LOT of horses show signs of discomfort while being tacked up, but a lot of riders don't even notice these as problematic behaviours. Many riders will have their saddles checked when they see unwanted behaviours during tacking up, but often the behaviour persists even after the saddle has been properly fitted. At this point many people brush off things like ear pinning, tail swishing or even biting as a quirk or a bad habit. But often these go away when we make positive changes in training. Some horses might be quite subtle when displaying discomfort during tacking up. They might become immobile, with a fixed gaze, or they might brace through their muscles. They might just look towards the person fastening the girth, not actually try to bite them. These small changes are not normal. Even though they are not obvious screams of discomfort, they are still signs that something is off.
3. Unbalanced movement on the lunge
The aim of training horses is to make them stronger and more balanced. This isn't something that will stay confined to riding - the horse in good training will display better movement in general. This means that when you put a well-trained horse on the lunge (without gadgets!), he should be able to display balanced movement. If the horse is unable to find good posture on the lunge, it most likely can't do so under the rider either. If we have a horse that is doing high level dressage or advanced jumping, but can't keep a balanced posture on the lunge, it might be time to rethink your training strategy. In those cases, it is probably necessary to return to the basics.
4. Poor posture in the field
In the same vein, the horse's posture in his everyday life should improve with good training. We should see the horse stand more relaxed, with a more even distribution of weight over his four legs. His cannon bones should become more and more perpendicular to the ground (as opposed to a goat on a rock stance) and his topline should appear nice and smooth. If you notice that your horse starts to keep one of his hind legs constantly under his body, or that he pushes hid front legs far underneath himself, this is a red flag. Now obviously, if you see your horse standing in an awkward posture once in a while, that's nothing to panic about. But, if you consistently notice negative changes in his posture, it might be time to investigate.