Horsemanship: Curl Your Toes!

"Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."    I Kings 19:11-12 (NIV)

Subtle communication is a hallmark of an intimate relationship...with God, with another person and, yes, even your horse.  What if you could cause your horse to move simply by curling your toes?

In Level 2 freestyle riding, we use the mantra "eyes...bellybutton...leg...rein" to motivate and complete turns, both with the indirect rein (to move the hind quarters) and the direct rein (to move the forequarters).  But did you know that as you progress, there are more phases to the leg?

Try this simulation:  While seated and with your toes neutral or spread, feel the back of your calf.
Then while keeping your hand on the back of your calf, curl your toes.  Feel the tension in the calf change.  The horse can perceive this.

Think of it this way:
Phase 1:  Tighten your seat by turning your bellybutton in the desired direction
Phase 2:  Curl your toes on the foot that will effect the turn
Phase 3:  Turn your toes out on that foot
Phase 4:  Turn your toes down on that foot

If you are requesting a hindquarter maneuver, the leg will be slightly back of where it hangs casually.  If you are requesting a forequarter maneuver, the leg will be where it hangs casually or slightly forward.

If you follow this sequence of phases and you are wearing spurs, the spurs only come in contact at Phase 4.

Another interesting note is that in order to curl your toes, you must ride  with your toes neutral or spread.  When you ride with your toes spread, it relaxes your leg all the way to the hip and improves your fluidity.  (Ahhhh, is that a light bulb I see??)

When you first try this, there is a likelihood that your horse will not respond at all.  Get him lighter on the ground, through the porcupine game:
1.  At the location where your leg would touch the horse, start the porcupine game with the back of your hand (this is very similar to the calf of you leg.)
2.  Touch only the hair with the back of your hand.  Count to 6.  If no response:
3.  Slide your thumb or other strong finger to the spot and push very firmly (Phase 4) until there is a response....doesn't have to be a full step at first, but that is the eventual goal.
4.  Repeat this long Phase 1 to quick Phase 4 sequence until the back of the hand on the hair or skin moves the desired part of the horse.
Now you are ready to try it in the saddle.

Remember subtle communication is a hallmark of intimate relationship.  What kind of
communication do you now have with God?...your spouse?...friends?
What kind do you want to have?
How can you improve the relationship to enhance communication.

"...acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.
If you seek him, he will be found by you; 
but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever."  
I Chronicles 28:9  (NIV)