Isebell Werth , the great German dressage rider and trainer, kept asking her student ,” more neck , more neck”.

Why was she asking for more neck? What did she mean? When a horse takes the bit and stretches out its neck, the energy from behind is transmitted to the topline and will travel all the way to your hands.  This power can be felt in your hands when the horse is working the bit. Not pulling, but a partnership between the horse and the rider. You can feel it if your contact is correct. You are not pulling and your horse is not pulling. There is a slight tension of the reins between your hands and the horse’s mouth.  Your horse is still soft and round, with no resistance, but he is working the bit.

One of the first steps in training is to lengthen the frame.  If you collect too soon, without lengthening, your horse will be short strided.  He also can go under the bit and avoid the work and contact.The horse will break the connection. If he takes the bit and stretches out his neck, his point of balance changes more forward and he must step up under himself more. Thus increasing his stride.

You cannot ask for true collection until your horse’s stride is maximized to it’s fullest potential. That’s why Isebell was asking for more neck. She wanted to see a better connection between horse and rider, but also a lengthening of stride.

More on this next time, Happy Gaiting