Dave Smith said...

> Andy wrote:
>
>> Who knows better? The rider or the horse?!?
>
> If the horses knew more than the riders their roles would be
> reversed. Some horses are natural jumpers and don't need
> that much direction. Others need a little more instruction
> from the ride about how fast to come into the jump and how
> to set their stride so jump at the right spot. Otherwise
> the critter may take a big spot and take off before the
> rider expects it, or they may try to get in an extra step
> and then have to leap up at a higher angle, which can be a
> rude surprise. Sometimes the horse stops dead and a poorly
> seated rider flies over the jump solo, which is how I broke
> my collar bone a few years ago.
>
> Riding tends to look easier than it is because when you
> watch a good rider the cues they are giving the horse are
> subtle enough that you don't see them. That is especially
> true in Dressage, where you shouldn't really see the rider
> giving the cues and it looks like the horse is doing it all
> on its own.


Dave Smith,

I kinda/sorta got that impression about rider/horse nuances.

Best,

Andy