Clinic Recap: Effective Aids Through Position with Erin Brinkman
No matter what discipline you ride, ensuring the rider is using clear and effective aids is the gold standard in communicating with the horse from the tack. At a recent clinic in Tampa Bay, Fla., Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer Erin Brinkman instilled that a correct rider position can open up the potential for more from the horse.
Erin Brinkman is a USDF Gold Medalist and USDF “L” Judge. She operates Spica Dressage out of Valhalla Farm in Central Florida. While competing and training in dressage herself, Erin has been teaching others through lessons and clinics for more than 40 years. At a recent two-day clinic at Collette Zimmer Dressage, Erin worked with a variety of horses and riders in the lower levels of the sport. Here are some of the takeaways from a rider who participated.
Less is more
Sometimes, when riders feel like a horse isn’t responding to the aids they use more pressure from the leg or hand to try to reinforce what they are asking. Overuse of this kind of technique can make a horse less responsive to the natural aids (like the leg and seat). You don’t want to be a “nagging” rider. Riders should use their aids sparingly but strategically – the goal isn’t to annoy the horse into responding, but to develop a horse who is responsive to your aids when you do use them.
In addition, riders should feel secure in their position to not have to use “too much” of their body to get a response from their horse. If you are “pumping” in your seat to reinforce the aids, you are working too hard. Focus on what makes your position correct – you don’t want to be too far behind the movement, which can put you in a “chair” type position in the saddle, limiting the effectiveness of your leg and seat. Similarly, you don’t want to be forward either, which can affect your balance and ability to move with the horse.
Fall back on the basics
When things start to go awry, or if you struggle to maintain a movement, go back to to establishing balance in the gaits. It might feel remedial, depending on the level you ride or where the horse you’re riding is at, but a proper foundation is key to all upper-level work, Erin explained.
For example, if a horse is struggling to perform a specific lateral movement or string of movements, try to focus on what is making the exercise so difficult for the horse. Is it because it’s difficult for them to engage their hind-end? Are they struggling to maintain contact and balance? Establish the balance and activating the hind-end simply on a circle or around the perimeter of the area before attempting the movement again with subpar results. By taking a step back, you’re building confidence in the horse and reinforcing correct work in the gaits and therefore their foundation, that will make those exercises easier for them to understand and perform in the long run.
Don’t Drill
If the horse is tense or the work is sloppy, riding the same exercise over and over again isn’t always the answer. Be creative in how you ask for more from the horse to get them to offer more, and reward even one or two “good” steps, Erin explained. Sometimes that’s all you’ll get that day or that ride. But building on just a handful of good attempts will lead to the work becoming more correct over time.
Drilling the same exercise over and over again, or over the span of weeks or days can lead to boredom and untended compensation in the body. It’s a fine line to “teach” and to “perfect” versus overdo it. Know your horse and make sure to mix it up in the work where and when you can. There’s always more than one exercise that yields the same results. Seek out professional help if you feel stuck.