The goal of a relaxed horse with supple muscles and a strong back matters whether you’re a trail rider, ride western, or work with jumping and dressage.
Correct carriage and proper muscle use are the foundation for helping a horse stay sound throughout life. That’s why we’ve put together 8 signs that can indicate your horse isn’t using their body in the best possible way.
1. A Tense Neck or High Head Carriage
If your horse goes with a high, tense neck, there’s a good chance they are also tightening the back muscles. This happens when the horse is not balanced, and sometimes because they are using the rein to balance themselves. For a horse to carry their body correctly, the muscles need to work in a relaxed way, regardless of rein contact.
2. Not Stepping Into Their Own Tracks
When the back is dropped and the hindquarters are trailing out behind, the horse does not step far enough under the body. Then the hind feet won’t reach up into the front feet’s hoofprints. Often the hind end and the stride look a little stiff as well.
3. Not Bending Through the Body
When a horse feels stiff through the body and doesn’t bend during riding, that is often caused by tension rather than truly stiff muscles. The same horse can often scratch behind their ear with a hind foot when they are relaxed.
So when the horse is tense through the body, they are also not moving in the right posture. They won’t softly bend around a circle either. It can feel like the horse is falling in on the circle. The shoulder drifts in, and the head goes out.
We are often told to use inside leg and outside rein. But that can create even more tension. First and foremost, work on getting a relaxed horse, and then add the softest aids possible. A relaxed horse with strong enough muscles can stay balanced and use the back correctly on their own, without needing to be held there by rein and leg.
4. Kicking Sand Forward in Front of the Hoof
If you notice your horse kicking sand forward in front of the hoof on normal footing, it means they are moving a little with the brakes on. In a way, they are slightly skidding when the hoof lands instead of pushing off well.
That means the horse is not lifting the leg well enough, and is putting it down while it is still traveling forward instead of placing the leg downward or slightly back.
As always, it can help to ride the horse well forward. Some horses also improve from actively working over uneven ground or poles for a few months.
5. Asymmetrical Gaits
When the horse is not lifting the back and actively working with the hind legs, the hind legs stay a little behind. Then it can look like the horse lifts the front legs higher than the hind legs. The hind legs seem less active, in a way.
6. Stumbling
Stumbling happens because the horse is not lifting the legs well enough, or because they are slightly braking in the stride. These are signs that the horse is not traveling actively forward. Often it helps to soften the rein a little and ride a little more forward. The horse’s stride becomes more active when they relax through the muscles.
7. A Rocking-Horse Canter
It feels wonderful to canter on a horse that carries their body correctly. If the canter feels a bit like sitting on a rocking horse, it suggests that the horse is somewhat on the forehand. It should feel like you are riding slightly uphill, with round movement and an active push from behind.
8. Abrupt Transitions
When a horse uses the topline correctly, they will be balanced both between the right and left side, and between front and back. That makes transitions feel soft and natural.
There is no bracing in the front end when the horse comes back to a slower gait, and no head-tossing when they move up into a more forward gait. The horse softly rolls up into canter instead of leaping into it, and comes back to trot without a sudden change in speed.
In Closing
We can often eliminate many of the signs above by going back to basic work on relaxation and rhythm in all gaits. The horse should be able to move well forward on their own, on a long rein and in all gaits, before you start working with soft contact.
As you continue, stay alert to when the horse becomes tense. That tells you where the problem begins, and gives you a place to work from.
Keep in mind that many of these signs can also be seen in horses that are in pain while being ridden.
That’s why it’s important to regularly check the horse’s legs and back, as well as saddle fit.
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