Disengagement of hindquarters?

[bertie666]

in the dg hall of fame there is also a thread on this

[DebbieR]

Thanks Bertie666, I'll have alook!

[Catrin]

I was in the middle of replying to something Debbie asked, and now she hasn't said it!

I think Debbie asked could she damage her horse by disengaging the hindquarters if she wasn't very experienced at the exercise. My view is that if you do in-hand work with sensitivity to your horse's capabilities you are unlikely to do any damage.

I use the exercise frequently with my twenty two year old horse who had arthritic problems this time last year. What I never do is 'make him do it.' I have usually done about ten to fifteen minutes of leading work at walk on one track and some zig zags. At stop, I might then ask him to disengage his hindquarters, but only asking for one tiny step. Depending on how he does that, I might ask a little more.

I use the exercise to compare his flexibility in his hindquarters on each rein. Previously he has done a lot of in-hand lateral work and can do turns on the forehand, pirouettes, half and full pass from my body energy. He also does it ridden.

[DebbieR]

Thanks Catrin - you're right about my question, I deleted my original ramblings as it had already been discussed in the hall of fame!