Not only is a downhill horse less attractive both in and out of the show ring, but he will also lack the strength to perform advancement movements in disciplines like reining, jumping and dressage. The more a horse moves downhill, the more power it takes to execute these advanced movements.
There are several reasons why a horse will travel downhill:
- Lack of topline muscles
- Pain in the shoulders, back or hind legs
- Improper rider position/cues
- Poor terrain or dirt
- Downhill confirmation
Downhill Conformation
The last reason is more of an excuse than anything else because, although downhill conformation does exist, any horse can overcome it. Downhill conformation simply means that the horse is built heavier in the front end than the hind end. He might have high hocks, overbent pasterns or extremely high withers, but a horse moves uphill when he has the muscle and rider assistance he needs.
Additionally, it is impossible to tell if a horse possesses downhill conformation until he is fully grown. Horses grow taller hind-end first, so during many periods of a horse's development, his hind end might be higher than the front end, projecting a skewed perception of his overall conformation.
Building Topline
The most effective way to ensure a horse moves uphill is to build his top line muscles, which encompass his neck, shoulders, back, loin and croup. These are the muscles that help horses develop a round position on the bit and that support the horse through various movements.
If a rider wants to work on building topline muscles, the first step is to exercise the horse every day. Constant work (particularly at the trot) is the fastest, safest and most effective method of building topline muscles. The horse is probably unable to attempt advanced moves until he has developed a strong foundation.
Once the horse seems fit and agile, the rider can work the horse in a rig: side reins, draw reins or other artificial aids. However, many trainers prefer riders to use only natural aids in building topline: hands, seat, legs and voice. This is certainly a more natural approach.
Correcting a Downhill Horse
It is very easy to tell when a rider is exercising a downhill horse. He or she should feel for:
- Heaviness on the reins
- Halting with the hind legs first
- Dropping the shoulder during turns
- "Rooting" with the nose
These activities suggest the horse is relying too heavily on the forehand rather than trusting his hind end to control his impulsion.
It is never a good idea to try to correct a downhill horse at the trot or canter. All horse training should start at the walk, so riders who are concerned about a horse falling on the forehand should begin correcting this behavior at the walk.
One method, commonly used in western disciplines, is to halt the horse and back up several steps every time he becomes heavy on the bit or through the shoulders. This not only communicates to the horse that he is too far on the forehand, but it also serves to strengthen the hind end muscles as he backs up.
Another method is to open the hands and the knees and alternate pressure from the rider's left and write legs. When the horse's right leg comes forward, the rider's left leg should squeeze against the horse's side, and vice versa. This encourages forward movement from the hind end.
Common Mistakes
Riders (particularly novices) often want to correct downhill horses with their hands. Although this will bring the head set up and perhaps bring the nose on the vertical, it will generally increase the tendency to move on the forehand. The horse will concentrate on fighting the bit rather than coming up into the bridle.
As mentioned above, some riders will also rely too heavily on artificial aids such as side reins and draw reins. Although these are valuable tools for shaping a horse's training program, in inexperienced hands they can make the problem much worse. These aids tend to reinforce control through the hands, which is not the desired result.
When a downhill horse is falling too far on his forehand, only strength, endurance and patient exercise will help.
 |
