Why training in the halter might cause front end heaviness

Clarissa · Why training in the halter might cause front end heaviness

This morning I had an A Ha! moment.

A question has been percolating around in my head for years.

For several years I have heard people say that halters (& including NH in general) are not good for training a horse that will be used to do high end movements eventually. They blame the halter for causing front end heaviness & there is no doubt that can & regulalry does happen.

I have always asked myself WHY should it be that way. Why can't you use a halter to train the horse in it's early stages?

Well I was watching a lesson given by this lady I just found out is a dressage trainer from Germany. She was giving a lesson to a lady who has ridden english for many years. They were starting a youngish WB using NH/variable PNH techniques. I couldn't hear the instructor but that was ok as I could tell what they were doing anyway.

But what I saw put into words what I have been thinking about for years re the halter.

Picking up a direct rein affects the nose only so the rest of the body is dragged along following the nose. That causes the front end to get heavy.

What we really want is for the horse to drive from behind sending the nose in the desired direction. We still want our horse to be on the train tracks so to speak. The train tracks are the reins, our feet, knees, hands, but we want the diesel engine at the back of the train to push the horse, not at the front to pull the horse.

So the first step of any movement must come from behind as an engaged step. If that is adhered to, it wouldn't matter what you used on the horse, the biomechanics would be correct.

That would also include not yielding the HQ as that lengthens the back & sends the weight forward.

The horse's head would need to be lifted a little from the position we would usually allow it to be carried, although there is a very good agrument for including the long & low rein position for emotion control.

After the lesson I spoke about my aha moment & we had a really nice discussion about various methods from Germany where this lady used to ride andalusionX stallions in one of the dressage schools there. I don't know the proper name for the school but I read it a bit on this forum!

She said one of the first things they do with a young horse is things like travers & shoulder in's along long walls or fences to establish proper biomechanics. She said it wouldn't matter what the horse was wearing so long as the rider gave the correct aids & understood the aids needed.

She has been very quietly mixing PNH with her previous learning & coming up with something very nice & positive.

Finally I have found a person who I can speak to & get lessons from, who understands the level at which I am needing to learn now.

Leah

But the same thing would happen with a bit if you are not riding the hind end.

The direct rein would pull the horse around by the mouth.

Rik

The rider allows the horse to be heavy, nothing else, it’s the same in a bridle as a halter.

It’s not about the halter it’s about the way the horse is ridden or perhaps more accurately the way the rider allows the horse to go

Julie

So the first step of any movement must come from behind as an engaged step.

Exactly. that is what I have been saying to you, the first few steps are the important ones if correct to build the muscle. It does not matter if there is a bit or not, so long as they horse can understand to engage the back end, and not lean on the front end in some way. Parellis vertical fexion can help, but if its correct, the idea is the vertical flexion keeps the front end light whilst the back end engages, unfortunately parelli tended to miss out some of the engage the back end at the same time part. The shoulders also lift.[/quote]

DaisyMae

This is the single most important step that Buck Brannaman teaches in his Groundwork DVD (and book): never allow the horse to push against the halter; drive the quarters round instead.
Everything else he does builds on that first lesson.