|
|
QUOTES BY ADOLF KASTNER:
On the Rider's Aids
"Any unnecessary or involuntary aid is incorrect.
Every aid is intended to have an effect on the horse’s conformation and biomechanics. The aids must therefore be given in harmony with the horse’s conformation and biomechanics.
The horse’s conformation and biomechanics always remain the same when it is regulated. Consequently, the aids must always remain the same in every stage of development.
The aids for all the exercises are always the same on green horses, trained horses, and School horses. The only difference is that they often have to be given strongly and visibly, frequently repeated, sometimes in conjunction with punishment, on the former, whereas the trained horse requires them more rarely and more subtly. The School horse needs only the weakest, invisible indications, yet obeys quickly and without delay."
(1876)
|
|
|
|
"The bridoon rein of the double bridle is an auxiliary rein since it has to support the curb. On a horse that is new to the double bridle, one uses both bridoon reins, as in the case of the snaffle bridle without a curb, in order not to have to guide the horse with the as yet foreign bit, the curb, alone. Once he is accustomed to the curb, only the inside bridoon rein is used. It is dropped as well, as soon as the horse positions himself correctly and makes correct contact without its support. If the work with the snaffle has been correctly finished, and if the horse is correctly and appropriately bitted, he will hardly resist the immediate acceptance of the curb. Therefore, only the use of the inside snaffle rein is necessary."
(1876)
|
|
"When both bridoon reins are used on a horse that is new to the double bridle, the curb reins are divided as usual with the little finger of the left hand. The left bridoon rein comes into the full left hand. The right bridoon rein is in the right hand between the little finger and the ring finger. Both are in light contact, as are the curb reins.
Riding horses that are new to the double bridle with divided reins so that the left snaffle and curb reins are held in the left hand and both right reins are held in the right hand cannot possibly be approved of because the rider who does this usually also holds the reins at the same level as when riding with just the snaffle which gives the curb an entirely incorrect effect. The curb, consequently, becomes more irritating and confusing to the horse than when it is applied alone and correctly. If the rider leaves the curb reins completely slack, which often happens as well, the bit does not have a quiet position in the mouth. It worries the horse and furthermore interferes with the snaffle bit."
(1876)
|
|
"The outside leg is the forward driving one. It has to support the horse, especially in downward transitions. Its position is in itself an uninterrupted aid.
The inside leg must address poll and throat flexion and neck and ribcage bend with its gentle aids, along with the rein aids, and especially the inside one. It has to frame the hindquarters on a straight line and to prevent them from falling in on the volte. Gently aiding, it has to accompany the half halts and the reinback by inducing the inside hind leg to step closely and under, thus collecting. Finally, it has to find a gentle support in the stirrup with the ball of the foot downward in the volte, and furthermore at the walk and trot in the lateral movements, always remaining straight and soft."
(1876)
|
|
"It is not easy to give the aids with the inside leg correctly, as they always have to be applied gently and softly and precisely measured, so that they never outweigh the uninterrupted aid which consists of the position of the outside leg.
Those riders who refrain from using the inside leg at all will thus definitely be more successful and will always have a better going horse than those who apply the inside leg frequently and incorrectly."
(1876)
|
|
"As far as the rein aids are concerned, the main principle holds that the inside rein guides and directs the horse, maintains the position, induces the turn, enlarges the inside shoulder, executes the full halt, and places the horse onto the haunches, while the outside rein is correctly coordinated with it.
The outside rein, on the other hand, must support, accompany, and often precede all the aids of the inside rein. It lends the latter force and effectiveness, determines the correct position and flexion of the poll and the throatlatch, as well as the degree of the turns. It produces rein contact and a lively mouth. It collects, maintains the croup, maintains and sustains the gait. Finally, in everything the rider does with one curb or snaffle rein, the appropriate coordinated action of the opposite rein, the complete harmony of both, must not be absent. Otherwise the correct rein contact is unthinkable and a faulty contact must develop. "
(1876)
|
|
"Aids through the rider’s seat:
The rider’s seat aids can be applied:
- by adjusting the torso and lifting the chest, bringing the torso slightly behind or in front of the vertical, without disturbing the balance. The former movements shift the rider’s weight backward toward the horse’s hindquarters. They load them, help to collect, and relieve the forehand. The latter movement relieves the haunches and contributes significantly to the support and the acceleration of the gait;
- by advancing the hips and consequently sitting down more on the fork and the seat bones, while keeping the torso more back. This aid drives forward, collects, shifts the rider’s weight considerably toward the haunches, and relieves the forehand. This advancing of the hips produces the free application of the calves;
- by hollowing or bending the rider’s inner side. This forces the horse to step in between the rider’s legs and into the hand. This is applied on the volte and temporarily in turns in order to free up the outer side of the horse and to shift the weight of the torso to the inside. This alone ensures the appropriate influence of the outside leg and keeps it correctly in the stirrup;
- by bending the rider’s inner side and sitting down more noticeably onto the outside seat bone. This movement shifts the rider’s weight toward the outer side of the horse, through the outside stirrup. It is applied momentarily in order to prevent a false gait and to make the horse accept the inside rein;
- by increasing and decreasing the knee pressure. It has a driving, collecting, or calming effect;
- by stretching both knees. This also has a driving effect. It prevents any displacement of the thighs and knees, and it not only lends stability to the torso in all down transitions, before and after the jumps, but it also gives stability to the horse;
- by stretching down the outside knee. The rider brings his body weight into the outside stirrup, which keeps the haunches in respect and prevents them from falling in or out, thus maintaining the correct gait and the correct bend. He furthermore keeps himself in the middle of the horse this way, if the horse invites him through an incorrect gait to sit incorrectly to the inside;
- by the lighter and heavier contact of one calf or the other, or both. This has a driving and collecting effect in addition to the other three mentioned driving aids, and it makes the horse step correctly into the bit, to take contact, and it produces all the gaits the rider demands;
- The aid of the outside calf behind the girth affects mainly the hindquarters.
- The aid of the outside calf at the girth affects the entire horse, because it is applied in the middle of the horse.
- The gentle aid of the inside calf at the girth influences the bend of the entire horse (through the rib cage), and contributes to keeping the haunches on the track.
- The rider’s supple following of the horse’s tempo animates, supples, supports, and confirms the gait.
- The relaxed posture of the torso and elastic calves enable the rider to mark the horse’s tempo as little as possible with his weight in the saddle, in other words to interfere as little as possible with the horse through his own movements. This way, the back and kidneys are spared. The rider’s weight is less of a burden, and the horse becomes willing and ready to yield. The quality of the hand improves.
All these and other aids that cannot be sufficiently described, because they are a matter of tact, must not only be free of all stiffness at all times so that the rider feels their effect instantaneously and so that he feels the movement of all the horse’s limbs continuously, but they must also be applied in the greatest coordination with the reins, whether they are accompanied by their aids or not."
(1876)
|
|
"Rein aids:
These consist of:
- maintaining the same contact with both reins, keeping the hand (curb) or the hands (snaffle) in the same line and in the same place, without moving forward or backward,
- squeezing both reins,
- yielding both reins,
- squeezing or yielding one rein while the other one remains in passive contact, and
- short alternating rein pressures with one rein after the other, with the curb as well as the cavesson and the snaffle."
(1876)
|
|
"The rider’s skill to apply pressure or release with one rein while keeping the other one steady is easier to acquire with the snaffle than with the curb. But it is absolutely indispensable, if you want to ride well, and it can be learned only with great diligence and consistent practice. "
(1876)
|
|
"Restricting and working backward continuously with the outside rein prevents the horse from assuming the correct position and from following the circle line correctly. It also prevents the hindquarters from following steadily, since it pushes them away from the circle line. In addition, it blocks the outside shoulder."
(1876)
|
|
"Any unnecessary or involuntary aid is wrong.
Every aid is supposed to influence the skeleton and the biomechanics of the horse. Therefore, the aids must match the horse’s conformation and biomechanics.
The horse’s conformation and biomechanics always remain the same while they are being regulated. Consequently, the aids must be the same at all levels of development.
The aids are therefore the same for green horses, trained horses and high school horses alike in each exercise. A difference exists only in so far as with green horses they often have to be applied strongly and visibly, frequently repeated and sometimes combined with reprimands, whereas the trained horse requires weaker and less frequent aids, and the school horse needs only faint and invisible hints of aids, yet he obeys promptly and without argument."
(1876)
|
|
"The hand is dependent on the position of the inside leg, the outside leg, and the torso with the natural and correct position of the upper arms and forearms. It will be just as good, mediocre, or bad as these. For the seat and the posture torso provide the support for the hand. A good hand is unthinkable when the seat is wrong, unsteady, stiff, and dead.
The shoulder, elbow, fist, and even the finger joints must remain relaxed and free of tension. If the rider has to apply strength, he must produce it only by sitting deeper in the saddle, by increasing the stability of his torso, and by hugging his rib cage more with one or both arms, in other words by securing and maintaining the support base of the hand more. The hand may close more only to the extent that the reins cannot be pulled away from it.
It is only through long practice that the rider can acquire this skill which originates in the seat and posture alone, i.e. the support base of the hand, and which gives him the greatest possible control over the horse, whereas, conversely, a bad hand gives the horse all the power over him."
(1876)
|
|
"It is an essential requirement that they (the hands, TR) are close together, even to the point of touching each other with their little fingers. For this is the only way the rider feels the combined effect of both reins in his hand, not only their effect on the head and neck, but also on the hindquarters. On the other hand, elbows that are sticking out and forearms that are stretched forward, as well as those that are pressed against the hips or torso make a good and correct rein conduct impossible."
(1876)
|
|
"Aids through the rider’s seat / The rider’s seat aids can be applied:
- by adjusting the torso and lifting the chest, bringing the torso slightly behind or in front of the vertical, without disturbing the balance. The former movements shift the rider’s weight backward toward the horse’s hindquarters. They load them, help to collect, and relieve the forehand. The latter movement relieves the haunches and contributes significantly to the support and the acceleration of the gait;
- by advancing the hips and consequently sitting down more on the fork and the seat bones, while keeping the torso more back. This aid drives forward, collects, shifts the rider’s weight considerably toward the haunches, and relieves the forehand. This advancing of the hips produces the free application of the calves;
- by hollowing or bending the rider’s inner side. This forces the horse to step in between the rider’s legs and into the hand. This is applied on the volte and temporarily in turns in order to free up the outer side of the horse and to shift the weight of the torso to the inside. This alone ensures the appropriate influence of the outside leg and keeps it correctly in the stirrup;
- by bending the rider’s inner side and sitting down more noticeably onto the outside seat bone. This movement shifts the rider’s weight toward the outer side of the horse, through the outside stirrup. It is applied momentarily in order to prevent a false gait and to make the horse accept the inside rein;
- by increasing and decreasing the knee pressure. It has a driving, collecting, or calming effect;
- by stretching both knees. This also has a driving effect. It prevents any displacement of the thighs and knees, and it not only lends stability to the torso in all down transitions, before and after the jumps, but it also gives stability to the horse;
- by stretching down the outside knee. The rider brings his body weight into the outside stirrup, which keeps the haunches in respect and prevents them from falling in or out, thus maintaining the correct gait and the correct bend. He furthermore keeps himself in the middle of the horse this way, if the horse invites him through an incorrect gait to sit incorrectly to the inside;
- by the lighter and heavier contact of one calf or the other, or both. This has a driving and collecting effect in addition to the other three mentioned driving aids, and it makes the horse step correctly into the bit, to take contact, and it produces all the gaits the rider demands;
- The aid of the outside calf behind the girth affects mainly the hindquarters.
- The aid of the outside calf at the girth affects the entire horse, because it is applied in the middle of the horse.
- The gentle aid of the inside calf at the girth influences the bend of the entire horse (through the rib cage), and contributes to keeping the haunches on the track.
- The rider’s supple following of the horse’s tempo animates, supples, supports, and confirms the gait.
- The relaxed posture of the torso and elastic calves enable the rider to mark the horse’s tempo as little as possible with his weight in the saddle, in other words to interfere as little as possible with the horse through his own movements. This way, the back and kidneys are spared. The rider’s weight is less of a burden, and the horse becomes willing and ready to yield. The quality of the hand improves.
All these and other aids that cannot be sufficiently described, because they are a matter of tact, must not only be free of all stiffness at all times so that the rider feels their effect instantaneously and so that he feels the movement of all the horse’s limbs continuously, but they must also be applied in the greatest coordination with the reins, whether they are accompanied by their aids or not."
(1876)
|
|
"Different directions of the rein pressure
The reins influence the entire horse only if they are applied correctly.
Applying the rein pressure straight upward-backward above the middle of the horse’s body adjusts and collects the entire horse. The hand must never be raised so high that the reins and curb levers form a sharp angle, since this way the leverage is lost, and the horse is forced either to go against the bit with his nose poking out, or to go downward behind the bit.
Applying the pressure with the inside rein upward along the line toward the rider’s outside shoulder after the outside rein has been applied enlarges the horse’s inside shoulder, maintains the strictest position, and puts the horse on his haunches.
Squeezing the inside rein straight backward, after applying a pressure with the outside rein, slows down the horse’s inside shoulder, lets the outside shoulder advance in a circular fashion, and induces the turn to the inside.
Directing the pressure of the inside rein gently toward the rider’s outside shoulder without moving the hand backward bends the horse’s poll laterally.
Applying pressure with the outside rein backward toward the rider’s body, while the inside rein remains quiet and steady, frames and slows down the horse’s outside shoulder.
Applying pressure with the outside rein straight backward-upward elevates the neck. A downward pressure lowers the neck. The upward or downward pressure has to be maintained until the horse has assumed the posture.
Applying pressure with the outside rein against the inside rein – while keeping the outside hand directly opposite the inside hand without bringing it back – brings the horse together, brings the horse’s inside hind leg and outside shoulder onto the line, and creates contact for the rider.
On a volte, this aid brings the horse’s outside shoulder onto the circle line. At the same time, the inside stirrup aid is applied with a straight leg and the rider bends to the inside so that he shifts his weight to the inside and frees up the horse’s outer side.
The tasks of the outside and inside rein
As far as the rein aids are concerned, the main principle is that with the correct cooperation of the outside rein the inside rein aligns, guides, and positions the horse, executes the turns, enlarges the inside shoulder, executes down transitions, and brings the horse onto his haunches.
The outside rein has to support all the aids of the inside rein, to accompany them and often to precede them. It provides the latter with strength and effectiveness; it determines the correct bend and flexion of the poll and the throat latch, as well as the degree of bending and flexion along with the turn radius. It produces the contact and a lively mouth. It collects, frames the haunches, and maintains the gait. Finally, every aid of a curb or snaffle rein requires the measured cooperation of the opposite rein, since otherwise contact is unthinkable, and a faulty rein contact must develop."
(1876)
|
|
|
|
|
Last Update: January 13, 2007