Inviting My Horse To Be ON THE BIT (1) ‘The Circle Of Aids’ & Riding In ‘Shoulder-To-Shoulder Mode’

This is the first part of my new ‘On The Bit’ video series. Spidey and I will demonstrate how you can invite your horses to be on the bit willingly, comfortably, and without holding them down artificially, without pulling or restraining them with draw reins, tie-downs and/or other unnecessary ‘training equipment.’ We will go over the different components you will need to have in place in order to be able to ride your horses on the bit in a kind, effective and bio-mechanically fair manner.
Watch this week’s training video and find answers to the following questions:
1. What is the ‘circle of aids’ and how does it apply to riding my horse on the bit?
2. What is the ‘shoulder-to-shoulder mode’ of riding and how will it help me ride my horse on the bit?
3. Why is it important to follow my horse’s motion process before inviting her/him to be on the bit?
Also, get your free Arena Pattern Guide at www.katjaelk.c....
Happy riding! :)
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Horse: Spidey (Asgard’s Impact), 6 year-old gelding, Westphalian; Background: Imported from Germany, inconsistent training, some due to health issues. Current training: Dressage and ground training; Temperament (0 being extremely calm/laid-back, 10 being highly excitable/hot): 6. Personality: Kind, sensitive, dominant, intelligent, good-natured.
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Note: Viewers should consult a professional before adopting any of the training techniques shown in this video. Any activity you do with your horse is at your own risk and may produce varied results.
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California-based Dressage trainer, instructor, clinician and life coach, Katja Elk, provides gentle training solutions for riders and horses of all backgrounds.
“Being a kind rider and trainer, to me, means learning how to ride with reasonable expectations according to where we find ourselves and our horses on our developmental journey. It also means that we need to continue to refine our technical riding skills so we can support our horses with more finely tuned aids as we are moving more joyfully and more in sync with one another.”
“Over the course of my life, I have been fortunate enough to learn from many amazing human and equine teachers. In my videos, I share tips and pointers with people interested in expanding their knowledge about foundational Dressage and different types of groundwork. You will see me work with my clients’ horses of various breeds, levels and backgrounds, highlighting parts of the journey we call work/play-in-progress with our equine partners. None of the shown clips are flawless. In fact, they all show the many imperfections an active, aging rider faces who entered the professional field as an instructor/trainer later in life and who keeps on striving to show that Dressage can be an activity we all can enjoy with our horses at most stages of our lives and at varying levels of expertise. The videos are honest, heartfelt attempts to show you ways to nurture a kind, joyful and productive relationship with your horses as you are exploring and expanding on the many facets of Dressage and groundwork.”
Katja applies the concept of a friendly, trust-based, two-way communication system to riding Dressage, work-in-hand as well as groundwork such as halter-work, longeing/lungeing and longlining.
Additionally, Katja, a Martha Beck certified master life coach, works with people who are looking for relief from anxiety, depression and/or other challenges in their lives.
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Music by lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

[@helenboys1280]

I really enjoy how you explain things. Thank you, I’m looking forward to seeing more of the on the bit series.

[@katjaelk]

Awesome, thank you! So glad you're finding my videos helpful. :)

[@amandadonaghey7540]

I am very much enjoying your calm explanations. Could you clarify for me - When you continue to “use your legs” are you talking about applying pressure or keeping your legs in rhythmic motion?
🙏

[@katjaelk]

Thank you so much for your kind comment, Amanda, and the great question! When I say that I'm 'using me legs' I mean that they need to apply gentle, brief, rhythmic impulses to my horse's sides so that I can communicate what kind of walk/trot/canter I'd like us to perform together. If you keep any type of ongoing pressure with your leg against your horse's ribcage she/he will either push against that pressure and become slower, or she/he will tune out that pressure like wearing a tight belt that you can't feel anymore after a while. You may also find inspiration in one of my other videos. Have a look: th-cam.com/video/Kma6y6A3OnE/w-d-xo.html :)