Bend through the body of the horse is a critical part of dressage and it might seem like a simple concept to understand in the beginning. But then you hear someone say, “Bend is actually straightness,” and then your mind gets blown.
What???? Bend is straightness?
Yes, it is my friend, but the two are not one in the same. Just because a horse is bending, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s straight. But if a horse is straight, you can bet your bottom dollar that it is bending.
Ok, I know, I probably totally confused you! But read on for a simple explanation that will clear this up for you!
Bend in the Horse’s body is Different from bend in a Semi Truck
So first you must understand that there are different types of ‘bend.’
Bend in a Semi Truck and Other Similar Things
For example, a semi truck can only “bend” at a fixed point; the place where the cab hooks up to the box. So when a semi truck makes a turn, it will need to bend at that location in order to actually turn tight enough for a right angle turn. The semi is so long that it needs to literally bend somewhere to be able to turn that tight.
A train bends in the same way. You see, the train is designed with multiple cars that are joined together that bend at those “joints.” That is how a train is able to take curved paths on the tracks. If trains were simply just one long part, the track would have to be straight because the train wouldn’t be able to bend to stay on curved tracks.
Now, just a normal car or truck does not bend, because it really doesn’t need to. These shorter vehicles can make their turns on the road just fine because they aren’t so long.
Bend in the Horse and Other Similar Things
The difference in how a horse bends, and many other mammals, has to do with the fact that there is a ribcage and a spine!
If you think about it, the spine is just like a mini train. Each vertebrae is one train car, and they each bend. But they are so closed together that when all the parts bend in the spine, it creates a curve when its surrounded by organs, a ribcage, and covered in muscle and fat.
The purpose of the ribcage is the same as that in humans. It protects the organs. But each rib is connect to a segment of the spine. So when the spine bends, the ribs go with it.
Try this: Stand up straight and bend your body over to the side while remaining facing forward. Or get on all 4’s like a horse and bend your body one way or the other.
In the simplest form, this is how the horse’s ribcage will act when the horse is bending. The ribs on one side of the body will move closer together, while the ribs on the other side will spread farther apart, all due to the fact that the spine in bending.
So in the simplest of terms, this is WHAT the horse’s body does when it bends, in comparison to other “things.” But now we will discuss the WHY:
Why Does a Horse Bend?
The most basic reason a horse bends, or should bend, is to be able to move properly, and in some cases, to not fall over on it’s side!
Think about why we humans bend our bodies. Imagine walking through a tight doorway, like if you are trying to squeeze through a squeaky door without waking someone up at night. The opening is smaller than the width of your hips and shoulders, so you basically have to squiggle your self through!
BEND is what allows you to do this. Bend allows you to move properly according to what you are trying to do. If you went through that doorway without bending your body, you would recklessly bust through!
And it’s the same for the horse. A horse who does not bend it’s body to properly move is reckless! And a horse who over bends is also reckless!
Have you ever cantered on a circle and felt like you were going to slide right off the side of your horse? I’m betting the horse was not properly bent.
Have you ever scraped your boot along the wall? I’m guessing the horse was not properly bent. (over bent)
Have you ever noticed that your 20 meter circle magically gets smaller and smaller, or bigger or bigger, with every lap? Guess what? The horse is either over bent or not bent at all.
Either way, you feel out of control because the horse is not moving properly. It’s reckless!
Moving Properly – What Does That Really Mean, and What Does it Have to Do With Bend?
The above examples are the same as a horse busting through a tight space ( you and the doorway) and making a reckless scene because he wasn’t bent, and therefore, wasn’t moving properly.
But you know what? The most basic reason that a horse’s body bends, or needs to bend, is to be able to maintain a certain speed and not fall over! So first understand that “proper movement” sometimes refers to making the body move the way nature intends. But also, proper movement is what we humans are asking of our horses, but is not necessarily natural.
A wild horse might be able to live in the wild with very little bending of it’s body. But the things we ask of our horses require bend, and they cannot do these things without literally falling over sideways, unless they bend in their bodies. Confused? Let me explain:
True Straightness Requires Bend
One of the main goals of dressage riding is straightness. And why do we seek straightness? So the horse can move properly and have the ability to use it’s power correctly. That’s a whole article in itself to explain all that. But basically, bend, straightness, and proper movement are all connected.
Now let’s very briefly define straightness. Straightness can be from font to back, and from side to side. Straightness means that all four hooves are traveling ‘in-line’ according to a certain line of travel. Straightness is the fact that the horse is standing upright, not tilting one way or the other and putting more weight on that side.
Most of our riding involves curves. Corners for one, but also circles, loops, serpentines, and even all of the lateral movements.
In order for a horse to be straight on a curved line, it has to bend in it’s body! The horse’s spine needs to be able to follow that curve.
If a horse has no bend on a curve, not only is he not straight, but also, it can become reckless. In this situation, your horse has two choices; he can fall over sideways, or speed up to avoid falling over. Let me explain:
Motorcycles, Horses, and Bend
Think of a speedy motorbike. It is a straight object with no bend in the body of it. And how does it take a turn, or rather, a curve? The operator has to lean the bike inward.
And we’ve all seen this: a motorbike tilted sideways and gaining in speed through the turn. Drivers of motorbikes must speed up in curves or turns because the bike is tilted at an angle and it would literally fall over if there weren’t enough speed.
So when your horse is as stiff as a board, with no bend in the body, his body is basically a motorbike. And when you are riding a curve or circle, the horse will be tilted in order to take the curvature. Depending on the horse’s strength and balance, the horse will need to speed up, just like a motorbike, in order to not tip any further, or even fall over completely.
This is more evident in the canter. Read Why Your Horse Speeds Up at the Canter!
And So…
Horses could roam the wild without bending much. All they have to do is act like the motorbike. And we’ve all seen beautiful pictures like this. The horse is galloping and one side of it’s body is almost touching the ground.
But as riders, we have certain goals, criteria for our sport and such. So bending is a big part of our modern day sport. But it does take time, strength, and good training to create a properly bent horse. And as the horse moves up the levels, the degree of bend required increases.
One of the most basic principles of dressage is “rhythm.” And when your horse doesn’t bend properly, rhythm cannot be maintained for long. You’ll probably develop a nice rhythm on the long side, and as soon as you hit a curve, everything falls apart. The horse who takes a curve without bend is not straight, not balanced, not in rhythm, and not moving properly!
Keep Riding, Keep Refining
The Refined Rider
Thank you for quoting me!