Lessons in Lightness : The Art of Educating the Horse

by Mark Russell with Andrea W. Steele

• ISBN13: 9781599210711
• ISBN10: 1599210711
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2007-05-01
• Publisher: Lyons Press

Summary

Drawing on the theories of the old masters of dressage, Lessons in Lightness: The Art of Educating the Horse shows how both horse and rider can greatly benefit from traditional dressage techniques and exercises. Written by a veteran horse trainer with more than thirty years of experience, this is the only book that takes the core elements of classical dressage and applies them as the basis for good general horsemanship today.

Author Biography

Veteran horse trainer Mark Russell trains horses and riders from his home base in Mosheim, Tennessee.

Andrea W. Steele is a native of England and a lifelong equestrian. She lives on a small farm in Durham, Connecticut, with her husband and their horses.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. vii
Preface	p. x
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Understanding Lightness	p. 1
Meet the Horses/How to Use This Book	p. 9
Teaching Lightness	p. 13
The Three Phases of Training	p. 21
Working In Hand	p. 27
The TMJ	p. 30
Relaxing the Jaw	p. 33
Lengthening Down	p. 37
The Halt	p. 40
Rein-Back	p. 42
Shoulders-In	p. 45
Counter-Shoulders-In	p. 50
Half-Pass	p. 54
Summary of Work In Hand	p. 57
Longeing	p. 61
Body Mechanics of Horse and Rider	p. 71
Tack and Accessories	p. 81
Phase I: Beginning the Circle	p. 91
Phase II: Building a Working Frame	p. 105
Phase II: Lateral Work Under Saddle	p. 111
Shoulders-In	p. 115
Counter-Shoulders-In	p. 119
Half-Pass	p. 122
Travers	p. 126
Renvers	p. 129
The Half-Halt	p. 133
Rein-Back	p. 139
Yielding the Chest	p. 145
Developing the Canter	p. 147
Cantering the Circle	p. 149
Developing Collection	p. 151
Transitions	p. 155
Phase III: Counter-Canter	p. 159
Phase III: Flying Changes	p. 165
Afterword	p. 171
Key Terms	p. 173
Recommended Reading	p. 175
About the Authors	p. 177
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Excerpt from Chapter 3: Teaching Lightness

 

The principal reason for teaching the horse to be light to the aids is to create the healthy flow of energy through the horse's body. This is achieved through relaxation. In teaching relaxation to the horse, the trainer, in effect, offers the horse an understanding of how to let go and release tension. The horse's thought process is as important as the teacher's; in fact, the more the trainer recognizes the necessity for the horse to understand, the better a teacher she will become.

 

Relaxation of the horse facilitates flexion, which provides the foundation for building the strength needed to achieve an educated, or academic, balance. Every detail of this training program relates to this concept in some form. The exercises that follow progressively increase the horse's degree of relaxation, flexion, and strength. When the horse doesn't perform as expected, he either lacks the understanding or lacks the relaxation, the flexion, or the strength to be correct. This thought should be in the trainer/rider's mind during every schooling session.

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Excerpted from Lessons in Lightness: The Art of Educating the Horse by Mark Russell
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.