Submission is a natural and instinctive response from the horse from the moment he is born. If you take time to observe a herd of horses, you will see the young foals cautiously approach an older herd member demonstrating a submissive stance in their body language. These observations can show us that submission is a code of behaviour, totally acceptable within the structure of a herd.

There is much we can learn from our observations of a horse whilst moving in his natural freedom. Loose schooling can give a trainer an opportunity to observe and listen to horse. The gifted horseman will understand that he should regard each horse as an individual and assess the path of training accordingly, building a relationship of trust and love. The time spent training from the ground helps to forge a partnership between horse and trainer, which will be invaluable when ridden work is commenced. As riders if we can achieve friendship, respect and herd leadership during loose work from the ground using our body language, breathing and voice communications, it will become easier to gain his attention, during the ridden work.

Submission can be misunderstood as it is not about total dominance or disrespect but about learning to become the respected herd leader for the horse within the framework of training.

SUBMISSION IS FROM THE MIND

In work under saddle, submission will never be achieved by just a contact with the rein or a desired frame or outline within training. Submission can only be gained from the willing mind of the horse. Our goal is to promote confidence between horse and handler in order to establish more harmony within the work. The horse will learn to relax and be more capable of working with loose and rhythmic gaits. We can either help him to grow in confidence or, through a lack of understanding, allow the horse to become a fearful and anxious pupil. It is therefore our responsibility to learn to communicate in a language the horse understands.

Loose work is a good foundation on which to construct the equine athlete’s training. It enables us to communicate using body language, voice tone and breathing. Young horses can demonstrate their natural gaits at liberty which will continue to be of value throughout training. The horse is totally unrestricted by any tack or rider; hence all communication is mind to mind. If we can understand the nature of the individual horse, it will be easier to progress the work under saddle. When we see the horse loose, demonstrating his true nature, this can give us some idea how we might gain his co-operation and submission in the ridden work.

SUBMISSION CANNOT BE FORCED

I believe, true submission is a result of the horse feeling confident , content and willing to listen to his respected herd leader. We cannot force a submissive response. We may imitate a similar frame or outline but this will not produce fluidity of gaits or any harmony with the rider.

BUILDING THE CONTACT

This part of training requires time and patience in order to build up a horse’s necessary confidence. If a horse trots about with his head in the air, looking all around him, there is no positive connection emotionally or physically with the rider. When two people are talking, if one is trying to maintain a conversation, whilst the other is distracted by children playing or noises coming from another room, there is no communication. Communication takes two: one to talk and one to listen and both should be prepared to change the sequence, allowing the other person to contribute to the conversation.

Contact is the way a rider converses with a horse; a good contact, therefore, is when the rider is having a conversation with the horse during which neither becomes dominant. A horse has to be willing to take up an elastic contact with his rider’s hands without forging ahead and pulling. When a rider rebalances himself and takes a deeper inward breath, the horse should steady his gait to absorb the altered balance of the rider and thus lighten the contact. The rider then uses the lightened contact to allow the horse to work in self-carriage.

It is important to remember that contact is established, not only with the head and mouth of the horse, but also with his mind.

Thoughts on contact:
A conversation or connection between two living beings requires:
• a time to listen
• a time to express thoughts or requests
• the creation of a rapport or dialogue: information being both offered and received
• a mutual desire to understand the feelings of the other party.

The head connection
When a horse is moving freely, the first part of his body to make a move forward is his head. If, however, a rider restricts this forward movement with heavy hands, this restriction will act like a brake, physically and mentally, and will only serve to discourage the horse from enjoying the forward movement. Confusion will ensue if a rider uses his seat and legs to ask for forward movement and then creates a barrier against it with the hands; the result will be an anxious and frustrated horse.

NO ATHLETE CAN MOVE WITH FLUIDITY WITH A RESTRICTION OF HEAD AND NECK

It is essential that our hands allow the unrestricted motion of the horse’s head and neck and do not impede the movement. The topline of the neck should arch and lengthen and not become ‘compressed’ and tight, which causes the back to become hollow. The focus of the rider in this early training should be on:

• balance, breathing and lightness of communications together with building up the horse’s trust and security
• encouragement together with discipline.

A trusting, calm horse, working with good energy, will submit more effectively to a contact whereas an anxious horse’s natural fear instinct will cause stiffness and tension, the enemy of harmony in training. A more relaxed and attentive horse should feel willing to cooperate with a contact from a ‘listening’ hand

It will be impossible to achieve correct contact without sufficient energy. Contact is a way of containing the energy given by the horse in the ‘sensitive’ hands of the rider. If there is no energy or desire to move forwards, there will be nothing to contain, only an artificial flexion of the neck. So many riders focus on ‘contact’, using their hands to pull a horse into an outline but a horse can never progress in training without energy.

Many problems with head and neck carriage stem from a lack of engagement of the hind limbs, which prevents a horse from working with sufficient energy to propel his weight forward, thus making it difficult to maintain balance and cadence. When the powerful hindquarters create a flow of energy throughout the spine the horse can then become efficient in his movement. A horse may lose the desire to work forwards if held in a fixed, uncomfortable position. How many human athletes are restricted by someone tying down and compressing their head and neck? Movement is important and horses must be allowed to move.

The ability to ride from the heart and to enjoy the horse and his personality is the essence of horsemanship. The horse has an amazing power to understand our emotions and can respond equally to either our joy or stress. To become self-aware and control our negative thought patterns will always help to increase confidence for both the rider and the horse. Training is not only about correct aids and position but very much about communicating with joy and feeling. A horse who is both confident and calm, and who trusts his rider for direction and leadership will be our rewards in training.

Our power of thought can either become our greatest ally or our worst enemy. Being aware of our state of mind and the immediate effect it can have on the horse is the key to greater understanding and the keystone of strong training foundations.

USE POWER OF THOUGHT TO INSTIL CONFIDENCE AND CALMNESS
A horse will quickly perceive how relaxed or stressed a person is and the lightness or strength of his aids; a horse’s great sensitivity enables him to tune into mood, body language and voice tone and he will receive and transmit all a rider is feeling. A deeper awareness from the rider of his own state of mind and breathing can enhance greatly the empathy between horse and rider. The horse will readily ‘melt’ into lightness of aids, where he might only resist the strong leg and hand.

The more we understand of the ways of our horse, the more subtle will be our communications. This is our responsibility as his trainer and herd leader to demonstrate friendship and patience. Our rewards will be a relationship built on trust between man and horse. Harmony will be our quest. Once you understand the power of your influence, you can readily communicate with a horse and he will become the mirror of your mind.