Performance Horse Magazine Article No. 2

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="04b785a3.jpg"> <div> <B>Performance Horse Magazine Article No. 2</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="04cd2b03.jpg"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="145b08f0.png" border=0 width="176" height="143" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Equine Communication"><U>Home</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Location"><U>Location</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Products and Services"><U>Our Product & Services</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Interesting Reading"><U>Interesting Reading</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Forms to Download"><U>Forms to Download</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>The Equine Communication Training Facility</B></div> <div> with Darren Simpson -  Reining Australia/Continental Judge</div> <div> <I>Qualified        </I><I><B> RA           AQHA            HSAA</B></I><I>         Judge</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >    </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>........Enjoy the Ride........</B></I></div> <bR> <div> * Beginner to Advanced       * Competition Training & Coaching       * Starting Young Horses      * Problem Solving* </div> <div> ___________________________________________________________________________________________________</div> <div> *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="737" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 1440 WIDTH="731"><div> <B>Performance Horse Magazine Article No. 2</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#33CCFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Back to </B><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Interesting Reading"><U><B><U>Interesting Reading</U></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <I>Harnessing the Hindquarters</I></div> <div> By Laura Collier and Darren Simpson</div> <bR> <div> <B>Building positive partnerships was the focus of last year's article. Now it's time to put some power to that partnership by effectively harnessing the hindquarters.</B></div> <bR> <div> The hindquarter yield is a main ingredient in just about every manoeuvre that can be performed with a horse. Often the hindquarter yield is overlooked - as a manoeuver too basic to focus on. With horses we tend to compromise performance by focusing on vertical flexion and working the hindquarters last. </div> <div> If we can understand what we need the horse's feet to do in a manoeuver and what the dynamics of that manoeuver entail, we will know if the horse is ready to perform that manoeuver. The isolation<I> </I>of the hindquarter from the rest of the horse becomes essential for any collected work for any discipline.</div> <div> <B>Applications for the hindquarter yield</B> </div> <bR> <div> Quality performances in any discipline require the mastery of a number of movements - all of the movements listed for the following disciplines rely on effective hindquarter yields.</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="459" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 339 WIDTH="3"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="339" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="3" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="449"><bR> <div> <B>Reining</B> </div> <div> Canter departs Slide stops Lead changes Roundness in circle Speed and power for a turn around Roll back</div> <bR> <div> <B>Campdrafting</B> </div> <div> Forward movement Front end turns Stops Lead changes Horse `feeling back'</div> <bR> <div> <B>Cutting</B> </div> <div> Holding shape on a beast Defend or attack Stops Clearing the hindquarter for a clean front end turn</div> <bR> <div> <B>Dressage</B> </div> <div> Any lateral or elevated forward movement including, but not restricted to:Working trot and extended trot Collected canter and extended canter Travers Renvers Half pass Piaffe Passage Lead changes Canter pirouette </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>UNDERSTANDING HINDQUARTER YIELDS</B> </div> <bR> <div> A hindquarter yield is a manoeuver performed any time we put a leg on a horse. The yield should help to engage the quarters for any movement. As a horse can only move in six directions (forward, backward, left, right, up and down) we need to engage the hindquarters to move in<I> </I>any one of these directions.</div> <bR> <div> Once we can control the feet - to get them to do what we need them to do - all that remains is to put them in the right position to achieve the desired result.</div> <bR> <div> Isolating the quarters, to be able to yield left or right, no matter where the nose of the horse is pointing, will tell us if we have a true yield or not.</div> <bR> <div> If we understand the dynamics of a manoeuver, then we understand where we have to put the feet and how we have to shape the horse to effectively perform that manouever. For example, a left lead canter first comes from the horse's hindquarter yielding to the left, so that the right hind - the `power foot' - moves in underneath the horse in order to strike the lead.</div> <bR> <div> <B>About the Authors</B></div> <div> Darren Simpson, together with his wife, Sharon, established <I>Equine Communication</I> at Mt Delaney, via Woodford to enhance the relationship between horse and human. Darren's clinics are popular with a wide range of people - reiners, drafters, eventers, cutters, dressage riders - who want to work more effectively with their horses. Contact <I>Equine Communication</I> on (07) 5496 3506 to find out more about the wide range of learning opportunities available.</div> <bR> <div> Laura Collier continues to work with Darren to develop the hidden talents of Holly (a.k.a. SR Special Effects) as well as to `hide' some of Holly's less desirable talents! Darren's patient and down-to-earth approach has enabled both members of this partnership to develop a better understanding of each other and the equine world they continue to explore.</div> <bR> <div> The authors would like to thank Cushavon Park Stud,Tamborine, for dressage photos of Irish Draft stallion, Conqueror King, Tony Fookes for the reining photographs and Tina Browne, Sarah Corr and Jill McCarthy, for their participation in the photographs.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>Back to </B><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Interesting Reading"><U><B><U>Interesting Reading</U></B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>