FOCUS ON engagement with Cooper Oborn

Engaging your horse when riding y.ressage means encouraging the horse to work from behind and engage its hindquarters, which helps to improve balance, impulsion, and collection. Here are some simple tips for engaging your horse effectively.

Before you can engage your horse, you need to establish a good working gait. Your horse should be moving forward energetically and maintaining a steady rhythm.

USE YOUR LEGS:

Your legs are your primary aid for engaging your horse. Use your legs to ask the horse to move forward and activate its hindquarters. Use a series of light squeezes rather than one hard kick.

USE YOUR SEAT:

Your seat is also essential for engaging your horse. Sit deep in the saddle and use your hips to encourage the horse to engage its hindquarters. As you ride, focus on maintaining steady, elastic contact with the horse’s mouth through the reins.

Half-halts are brief pauses in the rhythm of the gait that allow you to rebalance your horse and shift its weight back onto its hindquarters. Use your seat and your reins to give a subtle half-halt, and then release the aid to allow the horse to move forward again.

Lateral movements such as leg-yield, shoulder-in, and haunches-in can also help to engage your horse. These movements encourage the horse to shift its weight back onto its hindquarters and to work through its body in a more collected and balanced way.

Engaging your horse can take time and patience. Be consistent with your aids and expectations, and be patient and positive with your horse. Encourage the horse to try its best and reward it for its efforts.

Remember that engaging your horse is an ongoing process that requires consistent training and practice. Work with a qualified dressage trainer to develop a training plan appropriate for your horse’s level of experience and ability.

IMAGE - Denise Flay Photography