In his book The Way To Perfect Horsemanship, Dr. Udo Burger discusses what one should do with a horse that simply will not stand still and won’t settle down to work: To paraphrase the English translation–go get the newspaper and a good cigar, mount the horse, walk into the arena, halt somewhere, light the cigar, open the paper, and read, smoke and enjoy the day. Eventually, the horse will settle down and realize life is OK.

Even though we now have laptop computers (Burger died in 1985), the concepts of training a horse have remained the same. And the overwhelming message of this year’s USDF Symposium, on the first weekend of December at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, Calif., followed one basic theme from Burger: “Take the time.”

Burger was a German veterinarian whose reputation as one of the finest of horsemen was only enhanced by the publication of two books–the one mentioned above and The Rider Makes The Horse, co-authored with Otto Zietzschmann and about to be published in an English translation.

And it was the words of Burger with which Klaus Balkenhol, the Olympic gold medalist and U.S. dressage team coach, and Dr. Gerd Heuschmann, a German veterinarian and lifelong horseman, started the USDF Symposium.

Balkenhol used the title of the second book as his own credo during the symposium. He and Heuschmann have been giving a version of this clinic all over Europe, espousing a return to the ideals upheld by Burger and other German masters.

The center stage belonged to Heusch-mann on the first night. In a lecture titled “Functional Anatomy Of The Horse–Today And The Future,” Heuschmann stressed his basic points using slides, gentle humor and pointed remarks.

He advised thinking of a horse as a bridge: the front and hind legs are the supports, and the lumbar vertebrae are the bridge between. Back muscles work only forward-back, not up-down, and the back muscles exist to provide locomotion for the horse–not to “carry” a rider, he said.

Heuschmann pointed out that although we worry about overstressing ligaments, we train muscles, not ligaments, when we ride. So all training must use this knowledge or suffer the consequences–“Making vets like me rich,” he said, none too gently.

How to train so that the horse develops mentally and physically is the crux of the matter.

Heuschmann advocates using forward-down-out as the basis: Asking the horse to propel himself from behind, the rider finding a balance point on the horse’s back that allows and encourages the horse to swing through, then using gymnastic exercises to develop strength and suppleness.

He was quick to point out that no one can predetermine the exact position of a horse’s head and neck–that the horse will dictate where it is comfortable. But Heuschmann stressed the horse cannot ever be pulled into a specific position or frame, and it’s wrong to maintain one frame for all the work.

He presented photos and anatomy illustrations to show the results of working with the head and neck too short, too tight, too high and too low.

Heuschmann explained that the horse uses his head and neck as a counter-balance for the locomotion of the hind legs–the more the horse swings the hind end, the more the horse flexes its joints and carries weight and energy. And the more the horse pushes into the next stride, the more he needs to counter-balance with freedom of his head and neck.

Painted Live
The next day, Willy Arts, the trainer at California’s DG Bar Ranch, provided a live demonstration of all these points with Prince, a lovely 8-year-old, Dutch Warmblood gelding by Hemmingway.

Prince had the important bones in his head, neck, withers and hindquarters painted on to him so that the audience could actually see what happens when a horse moves. They could see how the anatomy is affected, for better or worse, if the horse isn’t loose and supple.

After Prince, Arts provided two more examples of DG Bar’s breeding program, a young stallion and filly, each 2 years old. The horses, like Prince, were presented with a surcingle on, no sidereins yet attached, and a longe line over the bridle.

Balkenhol let the horses settle in, no sidereins, even counter-flexing on the circle. And even when sidereins were initially added, he didn’t mind them looking around and counter-flexing slightly. He said they need time to find their balance.

Watching them, he said that if these young horses were typical of U.S. breeding programs, there was no need to look to Europe for young stock.

Balkenhol described the filly, Woodwind (by Contester), as elegant and elastic. He said that horses of this build do not start out strong in the back, so a trainer must take this into consideration when starting any work.

He gave the stallion, Waterloo (by 007), accolades for the clear power of his mind, his balance, and noteworthy use of his back. Even at such a young age, it was easy to see this horse was quite secure and had a high opinion of himself.

Balkenhol then pointed out that in Germany, he sees 20 to 30 such wonderful young horses in a year–but he only sees two to three still going by the time they’re 7. Such is the toll of incorrect work, or overwork.

This theme–that great horses are every day being destroyed through overwork, lack of time and preparation–was to come up throughout the symposium.

“Let The Neck Out More.”
Next into the arena were two young horses: David Wightman brought Brigadier and Laurie Doyle brought Grand Makana. Doyle’s horse was the reserve champion 5-year-old at the Markel/USEF Young Horse Championships in Kentucky, where Wightman’s horse placed third and won the award as the top-placed U.S.-bred horse.

And the themes of the next two days started right here: “Let the neck out.”

“Let the neck out more.”

“The horse has to move from behind, be loose in its body, not rigid or tense.”

“Take the time.”

“Let the horse walk and get used to the surroundings. They are prey creatures, and we’re asking them to listen to us, not their instincts, so they have to have a reason to trust us.”

“The horse must be relaxed enough, clear enough in its mind, to be able to focus on the rider. In other words, the rider must be ‘for the horse.’ All interactions with a horse must consider and respect the horse’s own viewpoint.”

While the young horses settled, Balkenhol said he was in favor of young horses doing cross-training and not concentrating on any specific discipline. He also advocated turn-out time, lots of walks outside, hills if possible, and arena time gradually increasing only as the horse’s strength and schooling develops.

While the auditors watched Steffen Peters ride the truly eye-popping young stallion San Rubin, Balkenhol observed, “The horse has no idea how much he cost,” which received appreciative claps and laughter.

But, he continued seriously, there is no excuse ever to demand too much of a horse too soon, merely because the horse offers such promise with ease. So when San Rubin “offered” passage, Balkenhol said, “That’s enough. Let it be his idea, and stop before he can ever think of it as work.”

Again and again, no matter the age of the horse, Balkenhol stressed that he does not believe in “working through the tension.”

He stressed, “Relaxation and focus are the only way to produce correct work.”

Balkenhol suggested that riders who encounter problems with tension should stop, do exercises to regain the focus and relaxation, and then go on.

As Hilda Gurney worked her home-bred Luminence (by Leonidas), Balkenhol, appreciating the horse’s willingness to work, remarked that he “would not be surprised to see this horse and rider back in the ring at Grand Prix,” an observation that naturally drew applause.

The first day ended with Sue Blinks riding the magnificent Robin Hood. “This is truly a dancing horse,” said Balkenhol as the horse moved with enormous power, elasticity and natural engagement.

This pair proved to be an illustration of the techniques used to get a horse to relax and focus. Using forward-back in trot, letting the horse go forward and then asking him to engage and collect for a few strides, Blinks gradually dispelled any tension without disturbing his basic rhythm. And in a while, the horse produced absolutely breathtaking gaits and movements. He is 7 and was allowed to produce more passage than the younger San Rubin.

Strong Correction
Balkenhol worked with nine more experienced horses on the second day, including Steffen and Shannon Peters on Luxor and Lazslo (the USEF Intermediaire I champion and reserve in 2005), Guenter Seidel on his Olympic partner Aragon, Steffen Peters on his international partner Lombardi II, Wightman on Partous, Christine Traurig on More Magic, and Charlotte Bredahl Baker on Komo.

Last in the arena was Leslie Morse on her Swedish stallion, Tip Top. Morse was one of the few riders who was comfortable joking with Balkenhol and not afraid to play to the crowd. Tip Top was his usual exuberant self, a fitting end to the symposium.

Balkenhol was able, with just a few suggestions, to get Tip Top to settle down and use his back better, so his expressive gaits achieved better rhythm, especially in the tempi changes, where he started out unsure, making mistakes.

A few times, Morse had to give a strong correction, and Balkenhol was quick to say that is how one has to train. Sometimes, he said, the rider has to make it clear to the horse what is and is not permissible. Of course, the rider has to have the knowledge and experience required–and to take the time. But he said that Morse needed to give stronger aids in the two-tempi changes so “the horse can hear them.”

He praised Morse for making sure that all her horses are given ample turn-out time and that they go for long trail rides. Balkenhol said this is how one takes the time and uses the time well.

The Neck Keeps The Balance
Again and again, with each horse, no matter the level of schooling, Klaus Balkenhol insisted that the rider must be able to let the neck go long and maintain the balance and rhythm of the work.

He told the auditors that if you shorten the neck and keep the horse in such a frame, you block the hind legs from stepping through, and the horse will drop and lock his back.

“We must get beyond our egos and do what is right for the horse,” he advised.

To Willingly Work His Back
The main focus of training the horse, Klaus Balkenhol maintained throughout the USDF Symposium, is to get the horse to work over his back willingly.

The horse must learn to use the springs in his joints to create and absorb the energy from his hind legs, through the rider’s seat and hips, out the rider’s arms, and through the reins to the bit.

The horse must be encouraged to become willing and able to reach forward from behind, bending his joints to stay in balance, and softly pushing through to the next stride, the mouth ready to receive signals from the rider.