Naturally Gaited

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Neck Extension for the Gaited Horse

/ Dressage for the Gaited Horse / By
flat foot walk

What is the neck extension? How does it differ from long and low and how does each impact quality smooth gaits?

Many of us with naturally smooth gaited horses are familiar with the term long and low. For me, long and low was taught to help the naturally gaited horse relax and to break up pace into a smooth gait. 

Before I purchased my first naturally gaited horse in 2007, I had been a dedicated student of dressage since 1988. I learned the benefits of stretching and developing the top line muscles of my trotting horse. I rode my horse forward in a long and low frame on a 20-meter circle and encouraged my horse to step its inside hind leg under the belly and beneath my center of gravity. Then I changed directions and repeated the exercise. Long and low on a 20-meter circle was taught as a way to warm up, relax, stretch, and cool down my horse.

However, as my late father would say, “Too much of anything isn’t good.” As I came to discover, too much long and low isn’t good either. It conditions the horse to travel on the forehand with disengaged chest muscles—kind of like slouching.

After a couple years of long and low with my Trakehner/Thoroughbred, First and Second Level dressage was a rude awakening. It was like starting our training over again, because my horse had been conditioned to travel on the forehand. First and Second Level dressage introduce balance with exercises like shoulder in, haunches in, and counter canter. 

Three reasons why too much long and low puts the horse on the forehand:

  1. The head and neck of the horse weigh as much as 1/9th of its total body weight. When the head and neck are propelled ahead of the horse’s body mass, it places the horse on the forehand by nature. The lower the head and neck gets, the heavier the weight, especially for naturally gaited horses with a head and neck nod.
  2. In this long and low position, the horse’s chest muscles (pectoral and shoulder muscles) are collapsed and are not lifting the horse’s chest, head, neck and wither to place the horse in balance.
  3. When the horse’s head and neck get too low, the horse tends to disengage the hind legs beyond its tail. This further pushes itself onto the forehand. While the lowered head and neck position can help the horse find relaxation and stretch through the back, the disengaged hind quarters push the horse onto the forehand. This doesn’t lift a hollow back to a neutral position for a quality smooth gait.

A better way: moments (not miles) of neck extension AFTER balanced work

A few years ago, I learned about the neck extension from Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) teachers. For me, learning the difference between the neck extension and long and low has been an real eye opener.

Why? Because up until this point, I didn’t have the riding awareness of how long and low had been training my naturally gaited horses to carry themselves on the forehand. The neck extension has brought all the benefits I had been seeking in long and low without the negative effects of collapsing the chest and shoulders.

How to apply the neck extension

  1. I begin with moments of balanced work in hand or in saddle at a halt or a slow walk.
  2. Then from a balanced frame, I proceed to the neck extension for a good stretch and reward. The neck extension can be done in hand, in saddle at a halt, or at a walk or gait.

Benefits of the neck extension

The neck extension trains my naturally gaited horses to:

  1. Stretch their head and neck forward and out to lengthen their spines
  2. Stretch their top line muscles
  3. Encourage them to step deeper under their belly with their hind leg steps
  4. Travel in a relaxed and forward rhythm without rushing, and
  5. Engage their abdominal muscles to lift their wither and back

Watch: Action-Reaction to Neck Extension

Action-Reaction to Neck Extension

 

How to apply the neck extension

  • First, I help my horse find balance and relaxation first through in-hand exercises that help her accept an even snaffle bit contact. These exercises help my horse unlock tension in her jaw as she tastes the bit. These in-hand exercises are then applied in the saddle before I ride.
  • While riding I will follow the natural head and neck motion of my gaited horse to maintain an even snaffle bit contact to maintain relaxation of the jaw. Beginning lessons in Legerete: Following Hands»
  • Instead of beginning my ride with long and low, I encourage my horse to walk in a slow, relaxed and balanced position while still tasting the bit, either in a shoulder-in or a small circle.
  • After I achieve relaxation and balance, I release my horse into moments of the neck extension while she is already in balance. Then throughout our ride, I will ask for neck extension ride in all gaits, whether it be the walk, flat walk, running walk, foxtrot, trot (on cue) or canter.
  • I begin the neck extension on a 20-meter circle and encourage her to step deeper under her belly and engage her abdominal muscles to lift her back to a neutral position.

Two differences between the neck extension and long and low

  1. A big difference between the neck extension and long and low is that the horse’s head and neck are no lower than poll level.
  2. It is also important to keep the horse’s nose ahead of the vertical with an open throat latch. This position helps minimize overweighting the forehand.

Comparisons of long and low and neck extension

This is a great example of a neck extension at a flat walk. My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse is engaged from behind, lifting her back, stretching, forward, out and down at chest level with an even snaffle bit contact. The dressage fundamentals of rhythm, relaxation, connection and engagement are shown here. Also notice that the withers are higher than the croup instead of the croup being higher than the withers.
This is a great example of an ineffective long and low. There are some things going well here like my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse is relaxed and showing a decent length of stride in rhythm, and her withers are higher than her croup. However, she is behind the bit without an even snaffle bit contact and is not lengthening her spine.
Neck extension at a fox trot
Here’s my naturally gaited fox trotting horse, Lady, performing a neck extension at a fox trot. This is a great contrast to the long and low photo below. The dressage fundamentals of rhythm, relaxation, and forward movement without rushing are shown.
Long-and-Low-on-the-forehand
Here’s a great example of an ineffective long and low fox walk. It is a great contrast to the neck extensions shown above and below. While Lady is relaxed and shows a nice stretch, she is on the forehand, disengaged with the hind legs (not stepping under the rider), and her back is hollow. When Lady is on the forehand, she often trips.
trot-on-cue-with-neck-extension
Here’s Lady showing a neck extension at a trot (on cue). Her back is in a neutral position. She is in balance and seeking contact with the bit while stretching her head and neck forward, out and down. Her poll is about even with her wither which allows her to lengthen her spine. Notice that the withers are higher than the croup vs the croup being higher than the withers.

So, whether you’re training your naturally gaited horse to show gaited dressage or western gaited dressage or are looking to break up pace for a natural smooth gait, I hope learning the difference between long and low and neck extension will help bring awareness to your riding. Long and low stretching is great as long as the horse is in balance.

Avoid repetitive steps of a slouching posture: collapsing the chest, riding the horse on the forehand, hollow, behind the bit, out of balance, or disengaged (trailing its hind legs) instead of stepping under the rider.

Neck extension to improve quality smooth gait

Instead, try the neck extension in order to improve the quality of smooth natural four-beat gait. Encourage your horse to reache under its body with its hind leg steps, engage its abdominal muscles to lift its back to a neutral position, and stretches forward, down and out with the head and neck to lengthen the spine. All of which helps to build the top line muscles and break up pace.

If you are on this gaited dressage journey and have a question, I’d love to hear from you. Please contact me, “follow us” on NaturallyGaited Facebook, and subscribe to the NaturallyGaited YouTube channel.