RIDING SUCCESS WITHOUT STRESS
By Joni Bentley
Power Versus Force
The Bentley technique is so easy and different to any training I have ever come across and I believe it will revolutionise training in the future. It gives the most careful consideration to all the different factors involved in crookedness, it then shows you through simple exercises how by "unfixing" rather than "fixing" horse and rider, crookedness gradually crystallises out more and more up to a point where it dissolves and solves itself." Andy Ford Kent
POWER
Our bodies are slung in a web of musculature from the head, rather like a suspension system. When the head leads the movement in a forward and upward direction it literally draws upwards on the bones to which those muscles are attached. This drawing upwards is balanced by muscles releasing downwards in an opposing direction. When you try and force your horse into a shape e.g. by using draw reins, you interfere and demolish this powerful but delicate, core structure.
FORCE
For a spine to function well it is dependent on the neck being free, in order for the head to lead the movement in a forward and upward direction. Then the spine lengthens and widens and the quarters sit and elevate the forehand. Pulling the head and neck in to get your horse into an outline blocks the natural, delicate balance of the head, neck and back. It also puts strain on the cervical vertebrae, especially L3 affecting the nerve and blood supply to the kidneys and liver meridian which is responsible for energy flow and impulsion.
So why doesn't your horse round up?
The reason horses are resistant to rounding up and going on the bit is
because they are crooked behind. See photo 2. By forcing a horse with a pelvic twist like this (and this is very common) into a shape using draw reins, you not only lock them onto their forehand, rendering their self carriage muscles in the head and neck useless, you also leave the crookedness in the quarters with the associated spinal twist dragging behind leaving their whole mechanism vulnerable to repetitive strain injury
Case study
Working with osteopath Timothy Marris, I made a study of the effects of draw reins on horses.
Marris and I arrived at these conclusions after examining a horse before, during and after the use of draw reins. According to Marris, the pull of the draw rein creates excessive flexion to the vertebra of the poll and upper neck area. The resulting pressure on the brain could give the horse a headache and worsens any existing weakness throughout the spine.
This strain is passed back along the neck and spine to the pelvis, causing restriction of breathing, tightening of the lower ribs and tension in the back muscles. Marris says the disturbance of the nerve supply to the front legs would easily cause lameness in the front limbs.
The most saddening and disappointing effects of gadgets, including tight side reins, is that the only part that rounds is the head and neck. Without true self carriage, where the back and forehand is raised see photo, the hind legs struggle to step under, leaving the spine unsupported and vulnerable to injury.
Joni Bentley is a qualified riding instructor, Alexander Technique teacher, and NLP life coach and Reiki master. She is also author of Riding Success without Stress, published By JA Allen. Joni is launching her new DVD "And you thought is was all your fault you couldn't sit straight?" this month, see the website.
