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So what does ‘pressure’ look like to your ex racehorse?

The word ‘pressure’ can seem to have a negative connotation surrounding it. Pressure can come in the form of pressure from the leg, pressure from the seat, pressure from one side, pressure from the bit, pressure of the environment they are in. In their first career your ex racehorse isnt used to the ‘pressures’ of the rider being ‘sat on them’ and having themselves, as a horse, to balance the rider. Work riders only really ‘sit on them’ when walking them out, or maybe a tiny bit in rising trot. The rest of the work is done out of the saddle, and more importantly; work riders and jockeys are in their own self carriage.  When pressure is applied under saddle for a racehorse, whether that’s in work riding, or race riding, is when they’re told to ‘giddy up’ (some may refer to it as ‘press on’ ‘quicken up’ etc etc) The position of the rider slightly changes and the horse is asked to extend and ‘push forward’ into the gallop. This is the time when the racehorse can start ‘come off the bridle’ and we as the outside viewer, sees this as long reins and jockeys pushing the horse on to the maximum that they can. 

In times of ‘giddy up’ your ex racehorse is allowed to do what came most naturally to them, what they’re bred to do and what they enjoy doing-to run. We, as retainers, need to try and avoid the ‘straight and go’ pressure/aid as this will only lend to your ex racehorse doing what comes most naturally to them, and what previous ‘pressure’ has meant: go flat and down. In their new role, when we feel this ‘flat and down’ feeling in front, we can , without intention, grip, pull, try and ‘lift up’ and apply ‘more leg’, which will; only exacerbate the feeling we are not hoping/seeking for. 

In this episode we explore what ‘pressure’ is, how we apply their first career knowledge and understanding into our retraining and what tips/pieces of advice can be given to keep a happy horse and rider 

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