Ep. 41 The 3 thirds of the horse
The biomechanics term ‘hydraulic amplification’ describes how the muscles get ‘pumped up’ in collection. WE want a half-halt to ‘go through’, but In effect, there can be disconnects between the horse’s back third, middle third and front third. The front third, for instance can (in effect) run away from the middle third. Or the back third might not connect to the middle third. The disconnects can happen in the top part of the horse, and/or in the bottom part of the horse (his abs). These issues are all ‘feelable’ and fixable in time - but the rider has to be able to sense and influence her whole body and her horse’s whole body. The learning process to get to this stage is significant - and the rider progressively learns to influence the horse’s back underneath her (his middle third), then his front third, and finally his back third behind her, which of course she can’t see.