Though there are many benefits to riding your horse in a long and low posture, this is not the position you would ride them in all the time. But there are many advantages to having long and low in your toolbox. It can be a very useful exercise for any horse, any discipline, or any breed.
Benefits Of Long And Low
This exercise is not simply about extending a horse’s neck. It’s used to encourage him to stretch his neck forward and downward to engage his topline. It improves flexibility, athleticism, muscle development and suppleness. Long and low also releases tension and helps with freedom and balance in the gaits.
For info about additional head positions, visit the article Head Position
Teaching Long And Low
To teach a horse long and low, you have to pay close attention to your timing. It’s imperative that you give the rein when they try to extend their neck so that they don’t run into a brick wall. It takes more finesse than getting one to flex at their poll. But for this desired posture, we need them to break at the wither, not the poll. When you ask them to drop their head from with the withers, if they run into rein pressure, they will flex at the poll instead.
It can be helpful to introduce the long and low posture from the ground. Stand beside the horse. Drape your right arm over their neck and keep your left hand on one rein. Begin rocking their head back and forth until it drops a little. Release and reward that. Then come in again with the rocking motion. Rinse and repeat.
Then put your right arm over their neck and hold the right rein. Hold the left rein with your left hand. Work the reins right and left until the head drops. Release and reward. The end goal is for the horse to immediately lower his head without flexing his poll and without resistance.
At A Walk
To begin teaching long and low from their back, you will widen your hands on the reins and bring them down in front of your thighs. Next, work the right and left rein alternately while putting some action in your legs. Any time the horse drops his head, release the rein and reward that by stopping all motion. Make it feel good.
After the horse can do this at a standstill, then try it at a walk. Remember that you want their nose to be stretched out, not tucked in. The only way that will happen is to make sure you’re not preventing their nose from really extending.
You also don’t want a horse to dump onto their front end while in this posture. That’s where your legs come into play. Continue to actively ride them forward. Keep your riding lively to encourage some impulsion from the hind end. Keep some life in both your hands and your legs.
If you cease the action with your hands, seat, and legs, the horse should come to a stop. If he doesn’t, use the reins to help him.
Progress To A Trot
When you progress long and low to a trot, it will further encourage a horse to round his back and come up off of his front end.
It’s also good to incorporate long and low into some transitions. Walk forward with the head down. Then ask them to stop. Sit down in your seat and ask them back up. Next, put some life back in your body and go to a trot. All while keeping their head in this low posture.
The Biggest Key
The biggest key is to make absolutely certain they don’t run into any pressure when they attempt to extend their nose. If you can open AS they’re trying to drop, your horse will reap the benefits of long and low for years to come.
