There is a saying: "If you control the horse's shoulders, you control the horse."
Sounds reasonable. Makes perfect sense. Until you're the one trying to move those shoulders!
This week, Bee and I have been working on two exercises: moving her shoulders around her hindquarters and getting her to step sideways while continuing to move forward. Both require her to cross one front leg in front of the other.
You would think this would be relatively simple for an animal with four legs. After all, she has twice as many as I do.
Apparently not.
Two Hands, One Leg, and a Confused Horse
Here's the problem. To get Bee to move her shoulders correctly, I have to coordinate both hands, which are doing different things, and one leg, which is providing yet another instruction.
And all three signals need to happen at the right time.
For someone who spent most of her professional life working with numbers, I'm discovering that three moving parts can be surprisingly difficult to manage!
One hand is supposed to help direct her movement. The other needs to maintain the appropriate rein contact. My leg is asking her to move her body.
Unfortunately, sometimes my hands are telling Bee one thing while my leg is telling her something entirely different.
So she backs up.
Except we're supposed to be moving forward.
I can almost hear her thinking, "Lady, would you PLEASE make up your mind?"
And the frustrating part? She's not necessarily doing anything wrong. She's responding to the signals I'm giving her. They're just not always the signals I intended.
What Does It Mean to Move a Horse's Shoulders?
Horses don't naturally move like cars. You can't simply turn the steering wheel and expect the front end to follow.
A horse needs to learn how to shift its weight, coordinate its feet, and respond to increasingly subtle signals from the rider.
One exercise we're practicing is called a forehand yield or turn on the haunches, depending on the specific movement and how the hindquarters are used. The goal is to move Bee's shoulders around her hindquarters while keeping the movement controlled.
We're also practicing moving forward and sideways, asking her to step across with her front legs without losing forward motion.
These exercises help develop body control, balance, and responsiveness.
And they're harder than they look.
When a horse crosses one front leg over the other, it needs to organize its feet and balance carefully. Crossing steps are part of a horse's natural movement repertoire, but producing them consistently, in a particular direction, on cue, while carrying a rider takes practice.
For both of us.
Why Shoulder Control Matters
The statement about controlling the shoulders is becoming clearer to me.
A horse's shoulders play an important role in steering, balance, and direction. When you can influence where the shoulders go, you have another tool for guiding the horse's movement.
That matters when navigating obstacles, making precise turns, working gates, or simply asking your horse to move away from pressure.
It's also an important part of developing a horse that's responsive to lighter, more refined cues.
But here's what I'm learning: you can't expect a horse to respond consistently when the rider isn't communicating consistently.
Sometimes the training session is less about teaching Bee and more about teaching me. Actually, I think it always is about that. I’m proud to say lightbulbs went on this week and I think I’m figuring things out.
Celebrating the Little Victories
I've learned that success doesn't necessarily mean getting five beautiful crossing steps in a row.
Sometimes it's one.
One correct step. One moment when my hands and leg communicate clearly, Bee understands, and everything works.
Then we can build on that.
I’m learning to feel Bee engage her hind end and me recognizing those small movements and improve my timing are everything. It's humbling to realize how much coordination is required for something that looks so effortless when an experienced rider does it.
And Bee? She's continuing to put up with my learning curve.
Mostly.
Meanwhile, Bee's Getting a New Figure!
In other barn news, Bee is definitely losing weight!
I've noticed that I'm having to tighten her cinch more than I used to. That's the strap (or two) that goes underneath a horse's belly to hold the saddle securely in place.
It's encouraging to see her changing shape, although a changing cinch adjustment alone doesn't tell us everything about her weight or body condition.
And speaking of saddles...
Now that I've decided to keep Bee for a while longer, I think it's time to invest in a saddle that really fits her.
Saddle fit is important for both horse comfort and rider balance. A saddle that doesn't distribute pressure appropriately can create discomfort, restrict movement, or interfere with communication between horse and rider.
And considering how much trouble I'm having coordinating my hands and feet, I certainly don't need my saddle making things more complicated!
So I'm going to start looking for a new saddle, with Bee's fit as the priority.
I'll take you along on that journey. We'll explore what makes a saddle fit properly, what to look for, and what I learn from the professionals along the way.
I'm sure there will be plenty of surprises.
I’ve ridden in several barn mates saddles and honestly, it makes a big difference in how you feel up there. Some are tighter, some give you more room, some make you sit up straighter and others help you roll your hips under. I think I’m headed for a cutting saddle. I’ll explain the different saddles when we get there. You know when I think I’m headed one direction I end up somewhere else!
This Week's Lesson
So controlling the shoulders means controlling the horse.
I'm beginning to think controlling my own hands and feet is the more difficult part of that equation. My report card wouldn’t say “talks too much in class” it would say “fidgets with the reins too much”. I’m constantly making sure they aren’t too tight or too loose, that they are even.
But we're learning.
Learning to slow things down, not fidget.
One crossing step at a time.
Until next week,
Christina & Bee
Have you ever struggled to coordinate your riding cues? Or gone through the process of finding a properly fitting saddle? I'd love to hear your experiences!