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Fixing Rounded Shoulders
Rounded shoulders in riders is a common equitation fault,
and like many equitation faults, the root cause is not found
in the shoulders, but somewhere else. Through the years, many
instructors have addressed this problem by asking the rider
to put her shoulders back; now there is even a device you
can buy to force the shoulders back. This is not a solution
because it does not address the root cause of the problem
and it causes stiffness in the back. The cause of rounded
shoulders is when the person collapses in the ribcage, allowing
the bottom of the ribs to sink down onto the spine. The solution
is to lift the ribcage and sternum and inflate the lungs,
so that the ribs are separated from the spine. Incidentally,
this will also allow the rider to have quiet independent hands
since the spine is separated from the shoulders and ribs,
allowing a full range of movement in the lower body while
the shoulders and arms remain still. Rounded shoulders are
a posture problem that the person will also have on the ground.
Step one in fixing this equitation problem is to have the
person work on correcting his posture on the ground.
Julie Goodnight
CHA Clinician
Salida, CO
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Rope Saver
When tying a quick-release knot to secure horses to the hitching
rail, be sure to wrap the lead rope twice around the post
and make sure the rope crosses itself. Then tie a quick-release
knot and tighten. If the horse pulls back, the rope will bind
up on the cross of the rope instead of the knot and you can
still release the knot.
Steve Horsman
CHA Standard and Trail Clinician
Chilanko Forks, British Columbia
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Out of the Kitchen
Pam Cooking Spray is a useful item for your grooming box.
Spray Pam on "burdocks" (burrs) in mane and tail
and they will easily comb out.
Lee Rembish, CHA Clinician and
Board of Directors
Caledon Teen Ranch
Caledon, Ontario
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Leg Yielding and Two Tracking
Two terms that more or less mean the same thing. Two Tracking
and Leg Yielding are terms used almost interchangeably; the
former by Western riders, the latter English. Both terms refer
to exercises that teach the horse to move away from, or yield
to, the leg of the rider. The most common exercise is a forward
diagonal movement of the horse. The term two-track means a
movement in which the horse moves forward with his front feet
and hind feet on two different tracks. Leg Yielding is an
exercise where the rider asks the horse to move forward on
a 45 degree angle, bent away from the direction of travel,
in which the fore and hind legs move diagonally forward on
two different tracks. The rider must be able to use the seat,
leg and hand aids in a coordinated and rhythmic fashion to
execute this movement. Highly trained horses can leg yield
or two track at all gaits (walk, jog/trot, canter/lope), in
the normal rhythm (footfall) of the gait.
Julie Goodnight
CHA Clinician
Salida, CO
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