I
think that it very well may be before the front shoulder comes forward.
The trainer said that you should bump or push the ribcage just as the "hind leg
comes up", but it seems to me that it is easier to tell where the front leg is
than where the hind is (I know, I know there are many of you out there that know
exactly where all four legs are). At the walk, the front leg is back
(right before the front shoulder comes forward) and the hind leg is starting its
arc. At that point, he is moving his ribcage to let the hind foot come up
and you are just encouraging him to move it a little more.
As far
as ignoring the cues, I think the word "bump" might be slightly more than what I
mean. You are not cueing him so much as just pushing the motion that is
already started. Rib cage swing, push, swing, push. If you close your eyes
and ride at the walk you should be able to feel the sideways swing under your
seat, and then you are just reinforcing it and encouraging a little more
swing.
Once
you have that, then the key is to take the motivated times and work to encourage
them to increase it and hold it longer...how many of us pat and praise our
horses for walking?? Just like any training, if you ask them to extend the
walk and they respond, even for just a few strides, pet them and reward them for
it and release the pressure, then next time ask for a few more strides.
When they will get to ignoring you is if you go along pushing, pushing, pushing
and never getting an increase, but you keep at it. They never respond and
never get the reward.
The thing you notice about Dot is that even at a walk, her legs are
active. She consistently bumps them in rythm with the stride
(alternating sides).
*Okay, I am a bit confused here......I have
heard conflicting things about this....one that if you lightly bump the
side of the horse on the side right before the front shoulder comes
forward, it will encourage this.....
second, that if your legs are always moving,
the horse will learn to IGNORE cues....as in it will desensitize
them.....better to give one, understandable cue, and back it up with a
light crop or spur tap if they ignore it.
Well, I'm open minded as I have a slow
walking 5 year old....pretty lazy, but I HAVE seen times where she is
motivated and is quite capable of walking fast.....
