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The collecting process
is applying finger pressure to the reins, in a round
circular motion, which will round the horse's neck and
lift the horse's shoulder, while at the same time using
your legs and seat to lift the horse's back and lower
the horse's hip. This mental and physical change in
design takes years of development and should never be
rushed.
The
first stage of collection is to lower your hands and
create downward pressure to the bit while using your
legs to lift the horse's belly. This lifts the back of
the horse and lowers the head and neck into a position
of power like a swimmer keeping his head in the water to
engage his shoulder and back muscles, creating a more
powerful swim stroke. This can be seen in a plow-horse
or carriage horse pulling against the yoke; and in
Dressage, this is called moving long and low. If this
position is overused the gaited horse will become
unanimated and shuffle keeping his leg movement very
close to the ground.
The
second stage of collection is to draw the rider's hands
softly back a few inches toward his belly creating
pressure between the horse's mouth and the fork or
crotch of the rider's seat while applying supportive leg
pressure. This will create compression which will rotate
the horse's head inward drawing his chin more toward his
chest which will arch his neck and also further round
his back which will rotate his hip downward into a
position of balanced supportive power. This is a driving
seat but does not require the rider to lean backward
which would create an unbalanced position. This engages
the horse's hip into a position of power and balance
like a baseball player standing in the outfield in a
squatted position so he can be ready to immediately move
quickly in any direction. The rider's legs are
supporting this movement holding the horse's belly in
the lifted position found in stage one of collection but
the drive creating the roundness is coming from the
rider's seat. The pressure applied to the bit should be
felt equally in the rider's seat and directly cause a
rotating feeling in the hip of the horse. In an extreme
example this can be seen in the movement called the
levade. If the horse is held forcefully in this position
while moving in gait he will become choppy and stiff and
he will become hard in the mouth. The horse will
eventually hesitate in the front leg action in a
marching step and completely loose all flow of motion.
The
third stage of collection is to slightly lift the rein
to draw the horse's chest up and create animation while
supporting the horse's back and hip placement with
gentle pressure from the rider's seat and legs. Think of
a military recruit learning to stand at attention, the
chest is lifted to create a position of readiness but
the recruit's legs are slightly flexed to create
balance. The horse's nose is still drawn inward as in
the second stage of collection but has now been slightly
lifted to draw the horse's neck and chest upward. The
upward lifting action of the horse's chest opens the
angles of the shoulder and elbow to allow more
animation. A small increase of leg and seat pressure may
help the horse to not loose his hip position that was
developed during the first two stages of collection. Use
enough pressure to create balance without binding the
horse up with too much force. If this position is held
too long the horse will become foldy and lose his hip
engagement, and he will eventually drop his back
creating a very hollow inverted racky look.
The
forth and last stage of collection is to release the
rein slightly forward to create reach and stride. Think
of a person speed walking, they are relaxed and balanced
but they are taking very long strides. Their speed has
slightly increased but only because of the stride, not
the tempo of their leg movement. As the horse reaches
for the bit his front and rear legs will follow into a
longer movement. The leg and seat pressure is released
to a soft resting pressure yet still having slight
contact to maintain the horse's form and balance. All of
this release in pressure should be a reward for holding
this much more physically difficult position that has
been developed through the four stages of collection.
You have developed power, balance and animation and you
are releasing it to go forward. The horse should not go
faster because he is balanced, but instead the horse has
become more athletic in his new position and will stride
and reach farther while keeping the same tempo of leg
movement. At some point the horse will become lazy in
this position and he will get heavy on the bit and loose
his form which creates the need for the half-halt.
The
Half-halt is a small and light reminder using the
second, third and forth stage of collection's cues. As a
reminder, draw the horse's nose inward while feeling the
pressure in your seat, lift the head and chest while
supporting the back and hip roundness with your leg cues
and re-release to a soft rewarding pressure after the
horse has re-submitted to his correct form. All of the
hand and finger movements are slight. There is no need
for large motion and over dramatic movement. There is
only an inch or two of movement necessary during any of
the stages of collection. Be subtle yet insistent and
the horse will comply much faster.
Think
of the four stages of collection as a frame or boundary.
The horse is being shaped to fit in this boundary. Stage
one is to lower the horse into a working position to
push, so if your horse's head is too high use the stage
one cues to lower his head back into the frame of
balance. Stage two is to compress the horse, so if your
horse is strung out use the cues in stage one and then
stage two and bring him back into the frame of
collection. Stage three is to animate the horse while
maintaining the power found in the first two stages. To
animate, it is still necessary to apply the first two
stages in order before moving forward to the third stage
and fitting the horse into this new boundary. Lastly,
stage four is a release to create reach and stride but
the horse must remain within the frame or shape of
collection.
The
half-halt is a resistance to loosing this design, it is
not a jerk, it is the application of soft reminding
pressure to re-adjust to the correct boundary of proper
collection. This pressure will be applied as necessary
to the offending part of the horse by using rein, seat
and leg pressure. You push with your legs and seat and
you resist with your fingers and hands. The hands stop
forward movement as your legs lifts the horse's back by
raising his belly and your seat presses the horse's hip
down to support his movement and create balance. Only
then will your hands slightly lift the shoulder and
slowly release the pressure as a reward. Feel for the
horse's adjustment in your seat, it is a tipping
backward of the whole horse and then release the
pressure to allow the horse to move forward and relax
his tension.
When
applying all the stages of collection or using the
half-halt it is necessary to relax and be calm. The
horse is learning without speaking our language so be
patient. There are months and years of learning involved
in developing collection. Most horses are ruined because
this process is rushed. The shortest time it should take
to develop all four stages of collection properly is
three years but if you take the time to develop proper
muscling and mental skills you will have a fun light
animated powerful horse. This is the type of horse that
people admire and this is the horse that will succeed.
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