Hello Resistance? Meet Resistance.

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One of our more recently cropped up issues is resistance.
Learning to deal with this resistance has been tricky but I think I may have found a strategy that works for us, for now. I'll share...


Background....
From day one I had trained Paloma to be a hunter and to stretch down and through her back and neck.
It was a struggle for some time because Pal found 'giraffe position' to be much easier way to get things done. Granted she didn't have the balance or strength yet.


Fast forward a couple years. Paloma LOOVVEESS stretch, she would dog around on her nose all day long with the best of the HUS hustlers (snicker). This is great! She is able to keep her balance on her own, for the most part, subtle half halts stringing the haunches back into commission now and then.
But now we are getting a bit more serious into dressage and I am asking Pal to stay up more uphill and connected. While she tolerates it, the first, typically, twenty minutes of our ride are like a yo-yo. Accept, resist, accept, resist and so on.


Mostly, I have dealt with this problem with transitions between the gates or within the gate but transitions no longer have the same impact that they once had. Paloma is now not only stronger but smarter than me.
She has the strength to do a proper transition, stemming from the haunches and flowing over the back and carrying me up and through and the smarts to know when she can switch off the supple and start resisting me so I give, unknowingly, and let her stretch. (Damn you soft hands!).


After reading a few Internet articles about resistance and 'listening' to the authors drone on and on about transitions and lateral work, same old recycled information, I almost gave up.....


Now, I am not in any way, shape or form, saying that it isn't good advice but it isn't good advice for us at this point in our training. Which is something I am always reiterating to people when we get on the topic of 'current struggles'. Not everything will work for the same horse or same rider at the same time.
I am sure many find me a little obsessive, a little compulsive or a combination, but finding what works for best for us is important to me and I think it makes our relationship, Pal and mine, a happier one in the end.
Finally, I read an article that was transcribed from a George Morris clinic and I hit pay dirt! And no, I don't agree with every thing he says, but he is after all a wise horsemen.
George noticed a rider having a hard time with her horse. The horse was resisting and would not remain supple. George finally got on the horse, sans stirrups, to 'feel' him. Being met with the same resistance that the rider was having, George remarked to meet resistance with resistance and leg on until he gives. George even stated quote, 'I am showing him that he cannot get higher than my hands, he must yield'. Finally, the horse gave and became supple and obedient.


Yes, this horse was a pretty extreme case of 'resistant' but it was something to mentally chew on for me.


Then, after attending the Selena clinic I discovered that she also taught a method of meeting resistance with resistance by keeping short reins and "pushing your shopping cart".
At first, Pal resisted even more but finally gave in.... Hmmm 'kay....
Later, I got to analyzing the 'Shopping Cart' method, here is what I came up with on how and why it works.


- Short reins keep you with your horse and give both, rider and horse a good connection to each other.
- Closed hands... pretty obvious, maintain the information circuit. (Connection, yes I am getting too deep here.)
- Elbows at a slightly open 90 degree angle, provide strength from your chest/core rather dragging on your back, and it allows the rider to maintain an elastic contact so you cannot 'lock' your arm.
- Legs on, give incentive to move forward into the contact.


In summary, when forward momentum meets soft but solid resistance, the horse will want to give and supple, which is a natural reaction for the horse.


This was pretty enlightening to me so I have been using it each time I ride and notice resistance. While it may take a few patient moments, it works very well and it seems to be working more quickly the more I use it.