What Does Throughness Feel Like?

“Needs to be more through.”

It’s the kind of comment you might find on a dressage test sheet.

You may have an idea of what a more through horse looks like, but what does through actually feel like when you’re riding your horse?

How would you know when the feeling changes?

Feel the energy travel from behind your saddle 

When we talk about throughness, we're thinking about the energy created by your horse’s hind legs travelling through their body, over the back and into the contact.

What can you feel happening behind your saddle? What happens underneath you as your horse moves forward? What feedback are you receiving through the reins?

Try this when you ride

Ride forwards in trot and establish a regular rhythm.

Now rise a little quicker. Can you feel your horse follow you? Can you feel them push a little more with their hind legs?

Slow your rising. Can you feel your horse take a little more weight back, almost as though they are sitting?

Then ask them to go forwards again in the regular trot.

What could you feel?

Change the rein and try it again.

Continue with Rider Know How

What connects the power you feel from your horse’s hind legs with the contact you feel through your reins?

Week Four of Rider Know How looks more closely at throughness, with practical coaching and exercises to help you recognise more of what is happening underneath you as you ride.

Continue with Week Four of Rider Know How