Proper Muscle Development

Educate Your Eye Shoulder In proper and inverted rotation Example of hind and front limbs propulsive activity Horse's Back Up-Down Proper Muscle Development Caesar photos Airs Above the Ground Uneducated and irresponsible techniques Long and Low Misconceptions About Long and Low Misconceptions part 2 The Naked Truth Ribs and Muscles Excerpt from IHTC Functional Anatomy Get rid of the boxes Draft Shoulder in Lifting the back Lifting the back Tina & Bridget Jones Force 1 Forces 2 Forces 3 Neuro Feedback Foreleg Saddle Fitting Macel Rafale SOM Meaning of Life 35 Artists are Prophets It will be too late The Seat Equestrian Art The Glove Intelligent Saddles Wrong Dynamics Saddles evolve better way The Hand Energy Flexion of the poll Every stitch The Tree Of Life Magic Peripheral Thinking Thinking Wisdom Questioning Answers The Mask The Science of Physiotherapy Low Back Pain Magic Portal Charpege The Walking The Holy Grail Fitting The Motion Saddle Fitting Precision Forces On The Equine Back Applied equine biomechanics and anatomy piaffe Keepers of the primal Equine Lecture The New Seat Kissing Spine Forum Tree of Life The Comfort Zone The Beauty of The Beauty The Zone Riding The Details The Time Of No TIme Half Pass Half-Pass 2 Body schema Macel Samba S A saddle in tune Integrity Moon Theories

"A horse performs with muscles and since performances as well as gaits are about harmonic movement, the muscular development needs to be both, strong and harmonic." Jean Luc Cornille

Base of Chazot neck (use mouse over for close up)

Helyn is delighted with Chazot's ongoing muscular development. She is taking picture of every muscle of his body and, Thanks to her artistic eye, the pictures are beautiful. Last night, during diner, Helyn asked me how you do it? My first thought was, I listen to him. My second thought was, I listen to him, so I responded, I listen to him. Helyn turned her right hand in circle, which is a gesture that Helyn does when she wants me to elaborate further. Well, I listen to him. Each day is different. As we walk around the ring for the warm up, Chazot's movements are telling me how the work needs to develop. For instance, yesterday we let Chazot play with the big ball. As a result, his shoulders were a little stiff today. I started the session focusing on suppleness. Chazot was quite receptive with the work. In fact his back felt quite good. I asked him to further control longitudinal flexion of his thoracolumbar spine and therefore balance control. We ended with a nice forward transmission of the force through the shoulders.

Proper muscular development is about harmony. A muscle never works alone. For each contraction there are compensatory contractions, muscles that stabilize the joints, others who redirect forces and so on. Vincent Van Gohg wrote, I dream my Painting and then I paint my dream. Each day the light influence the choice of the color, the intensity of the touch, etc. It is the same for the horse's education. Each day is different.

Muscles develop influencing the horse's reaction. The choice of the move, the intensity or softness of the touch is not a preconceived opinion but instead a response the horse aiming at guiding the horse's brain toward the right coordination. JLC