RC: Hollowing Question

[Wendy Milner <wmilner@verinet.com>]

>I read the post about sliding side reins, and it prompted me to ask this 
>question. Is a horse who "hollows" having a high-head and low-back 
>combination?  Is this what "hollow" refers to?My horse has a slight 
>problem with this, he likes to carry his head medium to high.  Should I 
>invest in some of these reins to longe him with, and if so, how do they 
>work?  Any advice and/or help would be appreciated.  His high head 
>sometimes relaxes when worked, but as he gets excited it raises again, 
>in faster speeds also.  Thanks!

>Devony

Don't invest in any more equipment until you know how to feel whether
the horse is hollow or round. You'll do more damage to the horse if you
use equipment incorrectly.

While the angle of the neck and the height of the head have something to
do with whether or not the horse is correctly rounded, it is not the chief
indicator.  For example, if you look at a high level dressage horse, they
generally have a higher head than most folks would want on their working
horse, but the horse's back is well rounded. 

At a beginning level for the horse, it is much easier to round the back
with his head low than for him to carry the head high and round the back.

Try this - Get down on your hands and knees. Do a cat stretch, with your
back rounded upwards like a hissing Halloween cat. Notice where you put
your head.  You probably put your head down.  Now try raising your head
up, and then rounding your back up.  This is much harder, and you'll feel
the muscles much more.

So, for beginning horses, we ask them to lower their heads. And lowering
the heads does not mean just the head. The entire neck needs to lower from
the shoulders outward, and then sort of stretch outwards. Think of some one
leading the horse with a carrot in their pocket. The horse stretches the neck
down and out to get that carrot.

Now, down on all fours again, round your back. Notice what happens with
your tummy. You have to tuck your tummy up.  This is what happens with the
horses too. They learn to lift themselves as they round their backs.

As the horse rounds his back, and lifts his tummy, the back legs can come
forward under him more.  Since the back legs are the propulsion of the
horse, the further under they can reach, the more power they have. 
The additional "side effect" of a well rounded horse is that they become
very smooth. Instead of having to push themselves upwards at the trot,
they push themselves forward. Less up and down means a very smooth trot.

The best way to get a horse to round his back is to start with walking
on the circle. You can also use ground poles placed so that the horse
can trot over them easily.  With ground poles, the horse tends to look
down, and round at least while going over the poles. Going up and down 
hills slowly and carefully helps build the right muscles as well.

Now - check out my new web page. I've got my Basic Circle article up.
http://www.verinet.com/~wmilner

-- 
Wendy
Dragon Crest Ranch
Some where near Masonville, Colorado

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