Rhythm & Relaxation
Horses are masters of movement, but the unfamiliar weight of the rider can cause an initial disturbance in the horse’s rhythm.
The USDF defines rhythm as the recurring characteristic sequence and timing of footfalls and phases of a gait. As in music, rhythm refers to the temporal sequence of beats - the four beat walk, two beat trot, and three beat canter.
Tempo, on the other hand, is the rate of repetition of the rhythm. Tempo can be measured by a metronome.
The horse can best understand the rider’s aids of communication when they are given at the right moment during the rhythm (more on this in the future). It is important for your horse to move forward from your seat + leg aids and to slow down from your seat + rein aids. As the rider, you should be in complete control of your horse’s tempo.
Inherent in rhythm is the flexion of one set of muscles and the relaxation of the opposite set of muscles, and then, of course, the one set of muscles relax and the opposite ones flex. Hence, when working in rhythm, all the muscles get a moment of relaxation. A truly relaxed horse will have every muscle relaxed from the poll to the tail, moving in regular rhythm and responding easily to all the aids, and the hoofprints are light. The rider can take up the reins or give the reins and the horse will maintain.
➡️ Improve the consistency of your horse’s rhythm and you will positively improve his balance, his comfort, and the way he moves.
✴️ Remember - bending promotes lateral relaxation and stretching promotes longitudinal relaxation.
Want to check that your horse’s rhythm is correct? Take a slow motion video of your horse at each gait, and watch to see if the footfalls are in sequence and pure.
Exercises - beginner, intermediate and advanced - that allow you to work on rhythm, relaxation and tempo control.
Beginner - Increase and decrease the tempo from your seat in walk, trot and canter. Visualize a bag of sand in your center. Does your horse get slower? Now visualize your center being as lite as a cloud. Does your horse move more forward?
Intermediate - Comb the reins while walking, trotting and cantering. Many horses lose their rhythm because they become hollow as soon as weight is added to their back. By teaching them to stretch in to the contact and round their back through combing, their rhythm can be restored.
Advanced - For a horse that has a four-beat canter because of a weak hind leg, utilize shoulder in to haunches in while cantering. By doing this exercise, you will encourage your horse to actively keep that leg under the body at all times.
Business, books and other resources that can help you address rhythm, relaxation and tempo control:
One Horse Life - Calmness Based Training
Art2Ride - Work in hand, to teach the horse how to relax and work over its back prior to wearing a saddle, while wearing a saddle, and while being ridden.
The first tier of the Training Scale:
Rhythm & Relaxation
