Fifth Uberstreichen Exercise
Feb 9th, 2010 by Carolyn Resnick Method
The fifth exercise starts with the horse in halt, with the head almost to the ground, on a held contact line. While you are holding the contact, ask the horse to move forward. Your horse will have difficulty wanting to do this because he has become light to the aids. In this exercise, we are teaching the horse to go forward with a held rein. This is a new concept to the horse.
The reason this exercise is important for dressage is that here you will ask the horse to stay soft, round up more at the same moment that he would go forward. This is a very hard concept for a horse to grasp, this is why in dressage we see horses becoming resistant, brace become unwilling, nervous and losing their forward impulsion and willingness to listen to the leg aids to go forward. This is also, what starts a horse rearing and bolting. The horse is totally confused because the rein aids are asking him to halt, in his mind, while the leg aids are demanding forward. This simple exercise takes care of these reactions in the horse by teaching him how to round up in a half halt and go forward at the same time. It is amazing that such a simple exercise from halt to walk, with the head down, would fix all these issues between a horse and his rider, but it works amazingly well. Of course, one has to have the program of all the exercises in place for this one to be completely effective.
If you do not do dressage, this exercise will help your horsemanship skills to advance to a higher level as all the other exercises will, and deepen the trust and willingness of your horse for bridle less riding.
When you ask the horse to go forward on a contact rein he will resist wanting to go forward, but keep requesting, you can use a reed to encourage him, by tapping him behind you. When the horse offers a half step release the contact, say good boy and walk forward with him on the twenty meter circle, when you get to the half way point on the circle, request halt, lower his head to the ground and repeat. This is all there is to this exercise. As you increase the difficulty of the exercise, hold the contact on the horse in longer increments of time, which would look like holding a strong contact as the horse is taking three steps forward before the release.
If you have a horse that doesn’t want to go forward on the held contact, there are two ways you can approach it. Fist, you can ask a friend to walk behind the horse and drive him forward, like you would encourage a horse to step into a trailer, at the moment you ask the horse to go forward from the held contact rein. The other thing you can do is to release the hold and ask him to keep his head down while the rope is released, then ask to walk on, and through the habit, the horse will listen to your request to go forward even though he feels a held contact later on.
For many of you that may need to see a Youtube on this exercise, we will have one out shortly.
Thank you again for checking in and remember to check in on a regular bases especially when the numbers are down in the comment section.
Remember, when you start with the exercises, that you take time sharing territory with your horse and that you are enjoying each other’s company, and that your horse is relaxed and has the capacity to listen to you rather than paying attention to other things. He has to have your full attention. Do not do these exercises if you have any feelings inside of you that remove your personal well being. If you have anything that is bothering you, the horse will pick this up and it will affect negatively the training session. If this is the case practice the exercises by walking through and doing them without your horse to music that is soothing.
Carolyn
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Hi! I am having a great time bonding with my Horse. He is a lover. before I take him out, I spend alot of time cleaning his stall. I usually bring him a treat, before I start. He and I just go about our business. While I clean up; ignoring him. He comes to me for affection. Then I stop what I’m doing. and pet him. I’m always happy to pet, and hug my “Dakota”. Sometimes he holds me, while I scratch him and rub him between his legs. He rests his head on me, or holds my ponytail. We just stand there, loving eachother. Yesterday he was licking the top of my head. I ask him if he wants to go for a walk. When I get his halter and lead rope out, he knows what’s next. I let him follow me out the gate. While we walk, I then take hold of the lead rope and He is always ahead of me. That’s when I ask him to stop, and put his head down. He is very calm as I give and take. He watches me’ as I lower my head and puts his head down pretty easy. I just found you recently,and You have helped me alot. He doesn’t act so scared, but he is always alert. Whenever he stops, with that tall look I stop too, until he sees it’s okay. We play back up, turn around,and let’s go look. what ever we are comfortable with. Iv’e really learned alot with my new friend. We’ll just take our time. I’ll be 64 on the 22nd. This is the best time of my life.
I learned with these exercises to tailor them to each horse. This is interesting because they can be so creatively applied in a variety of ways. I feel this about the waterhole rituals as well. oh farah checking in as well!
Carolyn,
Oh my gosh, with this fifth exercise I got the distinct impression during our first session of it, that my mare finally understood what I had been wanting all these years: “Well, that’s easy to do.”
Then a few days later–having passed the winter, whiling away the time with your uberstreichen exercises–we began the new ride season with a lesson, and Pycabo, my high headed, overgrown Irish setter of an Arabian, after a bit of warm up and sass while I got myself rearranged, presented the softest bounding collected canter…. lesson over. Vi and I were amazed. Pycabo was quietly pleased, simply wanting to hang out with us.
Thank you ever so much, Karla
Hi Carolyn – checking in.
The weather has been warmer and I’ve been able to work a little with my horses – mostly with Dee. We are doing well. She will stand and let me walk round her after asking for head lower/bend. She will drop her head a little. She does not like me putting both hands on her halter and pulls away as soon as I try to do this – any suggestions. She is not nudging me any more or stepping towards me. Although I have not really been asking her to arch her head, only lower it, I have noticed that she is naturally arching her head more often when I am with her – to ask for the head collar or a treat or just to pay attention to me. She will stand with me when we stop during walking a circle. So it is good. I worked with my gelding a little today for the first time as well. He is much more ready to lower his head than Dee, but will not stand and tends to take a step or two across me when I halt, unless I put strong contact on the lead rope. He is quite happy to have me standing in front of him and lightly holding the halter and immediately dropped his head. At this new place he is given a lot of treats and this is a bit of a nuisance as he is fussing for them a lot, but I didn’t offer him any treats during our session and he settled down quite quickly and stopped asking. Sorry this is a bit long. I’d value your comments if you have time. Thank you again, Nor’dzin
checking in – as you know I’m ‘grounded’ right now and am just having to imagine and visualise the UE’s. Late checking in this week as have been sick and then away from home for a couple of days, still very keen to follow and learn and learning much from other people’s shared experiences too.
Susan
Hi Carolyn!
This has been one of my favorite exercises over the years of working with you. Yes, it can be challenging, but once both the horse and human get it- it feels kind of like floating gracefully along like a swan or ballerina
…And it is very helpful with dressage and building strength.
Thanks for this great reminder and description!
Lori
Dear Carolyn,
I had to get myself dug out again this past weekend but was able to try exercise five. I had some of the same questions that other readers had, particularly #54, but I went ahead and held the rope as I would if I were stopping him with it, pulling it back towards his chest and then walking forward and verbally asking him to go. He did hesitate but did not resist, and then he walked forward.
So far, exercise one is still problematic for Roscoe and me–still a lot of resistance. It’s making me break the exercise down more so that I work only on placing one hand lightly on the side of his head in a partial floating hold. Thanks to you, Carolyn, I view his resistance as an interesting challenge. But I won’t go so far as to say that I welcome it.
Karin
Just checking in!
I know it’s maybe a little late, but I’m checking in as I’m sitting here sharing territory with my horse. Thank you Carolyn!
Hi! Checking in!
No new knews, other than our WRs are definitely coming along and I hope to get more involved in the UEs as well as the speeds within a gait, soon.
Blessings,
Hannah
Hi Carolyn,
I have the same question that Michelle T. is asking in rely number 54.
Nancy Proulx
Sorry comment no 54 of course…
Thank you for asking those questions, Michelle (64).
Exactly the same I wondered about
Dear Carolyn,
just checking in. Thank you!
Kind regards
Kerstin de la Rue
Hi Carolyn,
we got to the fifth UE today. It was easier than I anticipated. The curious thing was that, instead of not wanting to step forward into the contact, Lili actually wanted to go forward more, and almost broke into a trot, keeping her head low and maintaining the contact. After holding the contact for about 5 seconds, stepping forward, I released and praised her. This was just the first trial. I repeated it about 4 times. I look forward to seeing the youtube, as I am not entirely sure about how strong the contact should be.
Thanks!
Christian
Hello, checking in
The other UE’s immediately made sense to me, but to be honest I’ll have to chew on this 5th UE for a while… Which is fine, because me and my horse are not ready for it anyway; still working on the first ones when the mood and circumstances are right (taking all the time it takes).
During riding lessons in the past, I always resented “the rein aids are asking him to halt,(…) while the leg aids are demanding forward.” because I thought it was really unfair to give mixed signals and confuse the horse that way.
But that is also why – I’m really sorry to say – I’m a bit bothered with the instruction “When you ask the horse to go forward on a contact rein he will resist wanting to go forward, but keep requesting, you can use a reed to encourage him, by tapping him behind you.” I wonder if this doesn’t confuse the horse also (in a much nicer. softer way, but still…)?
Also I’m wondering about how my bodylanguage should be, and as Evergreem already asked, why the head of the horse should be down to the ground.
These things I find a bit confusing. But I do understand what the goal is, and the importance of this exercise. Just the process of getting there is not yet quite clear to me. A video would be very helpful!
Meanwhile I’m also reading the blogbook which I enjoy very much.
Great news about the FEI! Maybe it is just one step, but hopefully meaningful: (from the FEI site) “Following constructive debate at the FEI round-table conference at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne today (9 February), the consensus of the group was that any head and neck position of the horse achieved through aggressive force is not acceptable. The group redefined hyperflexion/Rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable. The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable.
The group unanimously agreed that any form of aggressive riding must be sanctioned.”
Deborah, good luck with your back surgery!
And Ian, what a special story about you becoming a horseowner in Portugal and taking care of the misty Sebastian!
Best wishes!
Hi Carolyn,
just checking in. Looking forward to the weather improving so that I can get back to the exercises. meanwhile totally fascinated with learning the WHR.
In the past few years our herd has changed. The herd manifested 3 wonderful new horses (Kate, Tahintate, Mac) unbeknownst to me in preparation for having to say goodbye to 3 very special old timers (Cody, Snipper, Thunder) My husbands horse Levi is still with us and is now the ‘old guy’. The horses and I had come so far together over the years and had such a deep connection that it was very very hard for me to move on and start all over again. The WHR are filling in the gaps for me where there were ‘glitches’ in our communication. “} This is just what my horses have been asking for.
With deepest gratitude.
Laurinda
Hello all, Just enjoying the fun I am having with the girls. Sometimes they play games with me and teach me that I still have things to learn!! Now I take those days in good humor, disappointed in myself at times but never the less on ward we go. Thank you for reminding us to be clear in our heads and hearts, no baggage please while doing the exercises. Fondly, Renee
Hi Carolyn,
Thanks for lesson #5. The ice is starting to melt here, so will have the opportunity to catch up with the exercises soon.
Thanks,
Dyann
For whatever reason, and it may be because I’m doing it wrong, Dodger has no trouble with this one. He walks forward with his nose to the ground like he would if he were grazing and walking at the same time. I have more trouble keeping the line taut with each step than he does walking through the hold. He stops on my whoa, though, so it’s not because he’s just being his pushy self.
So here’s a question…am I supposed to be bent down as I’m walking alongside, attempting to keep the line taut and down about a foot from the snap on his halter, or am I misunderstanding something? I pretty much look foolish to the “No Groundwork Just Ride Circles Club” at my barn, all bent over and holding his head to the ground…not that I care now how I look…but should I be upright as we’re walking forward, and if so, at what angle should I be keeping the line and tautness…down and back toward his front feet? back and up toward his hind end? Please help me with line angle when his head is down…and amount of hold…thanks!
Hello Carolyn, as I re-read the fifth exercise, I have a question. It starts with the horse at halt ‘with the head almost to the ground.’ I am wondering why the head needs to be so low.
I will admit to being reluctant about this because of the extreme head lowering that is taught with western pleasure horses and the physical problem that these horses encounter from this training. Therefore, I am wondering if you could explain your reasoning for wanting the head to be this low.
I am not criticizing your method at all, just wanting to be very clear about what I am doing and what I am asking of the horse.
thank you for clearing this up for me,
Evergreen Amundson
Checking in. I am practicing the UE on almost all our horses. All are responding well. Got a new horse a week ago. She is companion walking, very calm. Leading from behind, and moving right into the UE. I am so excited with the rituals, I forget that I need to ride them also! My question is about whether it is a good idea to go into riding without a saddle at all from the rituals or is it safer to use a saddle. I have a small arab mare that is very nervous with a saddle, although she is broke to ride (11 yrs old.) But she is very calm with the rituals. Suggestions?
Hi,
Farah DeJohnette checking in.
still working on all these with all different horses at all different levels!