Straightness Training has not only made me aware of the body of my horse, but also my own body. I have noticed that I am left bended too, just like Teddy, I walk with my upper body slightly forward, and I tend to keep my head forward, thus “curling” my neck a little. I have to work with the same things myself as I try to teach Teddy; stretch my left side, move the point of weight backwards, step under with my “hind” legs, lighten up in the front and lengthen my neck.

 

Yes, we’re in this together…

My head is really full now, and I feel that I have to take a break from serious training. I think Teddy needs a break too, after all, he is not even 3 years old, so I decided to see how we look under more casual and spontaneous circumstances. The ST sessions are short, but I can see that he is a little tired of them so I think it might improve the results if I let him do something else a few days. However, I do encourage him to try LFS all times!

Tomorrow we’ll go for a nice walk and just enjoy ourselves, and next week it’s time for more ST training. I’ll try to watch some webinars and see some of Marijkes videos this weekend to reflect on our work and progress. Maybe there will be some lightbulb moments?

Looking at these pictures made me aware how important my own posture is. Notice our leg positions! The insight of the day - I need to try to walk more relaxed and upwards, because I have a tendency to bend my hips and fall slightly forward. I guess I must stop walking on my own shoulders before I can expect my horse to lighten up in the front!

So many questions arise when you start learning something new. How/when/why/what should/shouldn’t I…? Well, Straightness Training sure has made think and re-think! Like longeing for example. For years I’ve been taught that it is absolutely forbidden to move during longeing, the horse should circle around me and I must stand still on one spot in the middle, preferably with my arms in a “v-shape” with the line in one hand and a long whip in the other. But how am I supposed to teach and help the horse to bend laterally, go forward/down and step under with his hind leg if the horse is several meters away?

 

Thanks to Marijke’s course and feedback from experienced ST-trainers/students to my video, I now know that I must start working close to Teddy to be able to support him. He must also stop “leaning” towards me with his shoulders and be more self carrying. Then I can gradually increase the distance and start longeing when he keeps the LFS (Lateral bending / Forward down / Stepping under) on small circles and can do shoulders in walking on a straight line.

 

So focus will be strictly on LFS with baby steps. For both of us. I need to work on my body language and positioning so I will have to focus as much on myself as I focus on Teddy. Little things that can be so difficult…

 


Teddy last winter, before I've even heard of LFS. I've always ecouraged him to relax.

Teddy is a left bended horse. He bends more easily to the left, and he can keep the forward down-position easier while walking on a circle to the left. He puts more weight on his left hind leg and he is "right handed", he spends most of his time grazing with his right leg forward.

When he is trotting straight in a paddock (without support from walls or fences) he tends to bend and he "slides" a little to the left, and he is somewhat more tense and alert on circles to the right. He lifts his head more frequently and gets easily distracted. When he lifts his tail it goes to the left most of the time.




Baby Teddy grazing, keeping his right front leg forward. Photo: Evelina Johansson.

Just a few days ago I decided to take another step towards fulfilling my dreams about working with horses. I joined Marijke de Jong's Straightness Training home study course, and to help me stay focused and keep my goal in mind, I decided to start this blog.


Please feel free to comment, critisize and contribute, but be kind, we are only beginners... For those who might be interested in ST, please visit Marijke de Jong's website HERE.


Here is a clip from today's training:

Have a great weekend!