|
Work in
hand, developing half pass
Work in hand
benefits both you and your horse in a lot of ways.
First you can control your horse’s bend easily with
reins and whip touch. You can see where you horse's feet
are going. Your horse is not encumbered by your weight
and balance. And you are on the ground and ready with
that sugar if things go well. |
|
Today we are working
on half pass with Apollo.
Apollo is a Morgan Friesian cross owned by Joseph
Swartz. Apollo is stiff to the left and Jody has
problems with half pass and haunches-in left. It is our
job today to show Apollo how much more he can bend.
When working from the
ground, your
reins aid in the same manner they would if riding and
your whip becomes your leg and must touch the body where
your leg would be if riding . |
 |
|
Jody
is working Apollo nicely sideways
and over from the ground. Apollo is very stiff on his
left side and this work shows him that it is possible to
bend and walk left at the same time. |
 |
|
This is the problem
encountered
teaching half-pass under saddle.
You can see that
Apollo has pushed his ribs
toward the direction of travel and shifted his rider’s
weight to the outside. Now, without correct bend through
his spine, Jody cannot flex Apollo to the direction of
travel and his horse practices this exercise stiffly. |
 |
|
Very stiff attempt,
is it the rider or is it the horse? |
 |
|
Here I am working
Apollo in haunches-in.
This is a success. Apollo is reaching forward with his
neck and turning his shoulders into the direction of
travel. I am lightly touching him on the shoulder and my
whip end is right where my outside leg would be to teach
him the aid to step forward and over. |
 |
