Getting Started with In-Hand Work
In-hand work is a missing piece for many horses that will help to unlock the keys to relaxation, engagement, and acceptance of the rider's aids. This mini course will set you up for success with the fundamentals of in-hand work, preparing you for even more collection, mindfulness, relaxation, and SUCCESS with your horse in times to come.
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Getting Started
This module includes an introductory lecture gives you insight into the goals, principles, tools, and exercises you'll be incorporating into your work in hand.
The Fundamentals
These are the building blocks. This module will give you a solid working understanding of the fundamental steps and focused exercises for your in-hand work.
Moving to the Next Steps
Carrying your fundamentals forward, this module prepares you for more specific work in-hand, relatable to working with more collection and engagement.
A few small steps...
BIG RESULTS!
This mini course is broken down into a few "primary" steps. While these can be many layers deep in their own right, these steps are the "basics" of all of our in-hand work, from the most fundamental work up through the advanced airs above the ground.
We will start with "opening the door" to the horse's topline and nervous system. Accessing the poll and topline will help us to find places of tension in our horse's body (physical and emotional), allowing us to release this tension and build both rapport and relaxation.
From here, we'll work on developing mindful movement from our horses. This is going to be a big key to their body awareness and to the engagement of their balancing muscles.
Once we have mindfulness of movement and a better understanding of a few basic aids, it's time to encourage suppleness and engagement within movement. BUT this is also a place where we have a tremendous focus on the horse's BALANCE (again, both physically and mentally). If you only ever get as far as this step, I promise that you will have made some significant changes in your horse's body and mind.
Moving beyond the basic suppleness and engagement, we come to the next stage in our "elementary" in-hand work, where we focus on more coiling of the haunches and accessing the thoracic sling... which basically helps us to move into more collection later on.
These steps, altogether, will have given us a more relaxed, responsive, aware, supple, and engaged partner in our horse. And they will have helped us to become the fantastic point of reference for balance and position that our horse's are seeking in a leader/partner.
Moving forward from here
Once you have finished with this mini course, you will have a solid understanding of the "basic" classical in-hand work. I say that in quotations, because you will quickly see that it is an education that sets you and your horse up to be ready for, and receptive to, far more advanced work in-hand and under saddle.
Get Started Today
Click the button below to get started with your in-hand journey today!
Access the Mini Course