Phil Bennett Harmonious Horsemanship

03/05/2025

An excellent article from Martin Arnold, long term student of Classical Master, Charles de Kunffy.

Phil Bennett Harmonious Horsemanship

CHARLESISMS EXPLAINED (part 1)

In honor of Charles de Kunffy and his profound impact on the art of classical riding, I've decided to devote several posts to expanding on some of my favorite "Charlesisms."

These are sayings, that if you've attended a clinic of his or read one of his books, you'd hear quite often and they were and still are always profound.

The first one I'd like to talk about is "The legs energize, the seat modifies, and the reins verify (through yielding)." This is one I've heard him say a million and a half times, but for good reason because it's basically a short summation of our communication system with the horse or in other words, our aiding system.

THE LEGS ENERGIZE

The first part, "the legs energize," is pretty self explanatory. The driving aids of the legs create hind leg energy which propels the horse forward. However, we have to make sure that the energizing of the leg aids do not create a running horse, but rather a horse that engages its hind legs through the driving. In other words, the legs create "impulsion." I will touch on this more in a moment in the part about the seat. The legs also can yield the horse's rib cage and assist in bending, but even this can be thought of as energizing, just in more of a lateral sense. "The legs energize" comes first as without the horse's energy, we have nothing to work with. Once we have an abundance of energy being created by the driving leg, that leads us to.....

THE SEAT MODIFIES

The second part, "the seat modifies," is a bit more nuanced. We can think about our seat as a filter for the horse's energies, which result from the driving leg aids previously mentioned. This brings up the question, what is the seat? The seat is our seat bones and anything above our seat bones. For example our torso is part of our seat. The elbows are also an important part of the seat. It is one coordinated unit. That is why if our elbows are loose, the integrity of our seat is damaged and its effectiveness, diminished .

Getting back to the modification quality of the seat, the seat modifies or funnels the energy of the hind leg into an improved balance. In other words, the seat should funnel the energy up through the withers and not let it fall down into the chest. This is done through ISOMETRIC resistance of the torso, which includes the elbows, and when the horse responds by shifting their weight more to the hind leg and liberating the forehand, harmonization of the rider with the horse's movement must be instantaneous. Essentially, I just described a half halt.

Along with modifying the horse's energy to create a better balance, the seat really should be the main modifier of the horse's stride length. What is the difference in how we ride medium canter and collected canter? It's really in how we modify with our seat. Our seat allows the energy to flow through more in the medium whereas the seat has more holding power with the collected canter. I reiterate, this is not just done with the seat bones, but it is a coordinated effort with the torso.

As you can see, the seat is a VITAL part of the aiding system, so there is good reason why Charles was so adamant about us developing not only adhesive but INTEGRATED seats and why institutions such as the Spanish Riding School lunge their young riders for up to a year or even longer before allowing them to ride independently. Once we are successfully modifying the horse's energies with our seat, that leads us to.....

THE REINS VERIFY (through yielding)

In this Charlesism,"The reins verify (through yielding)" means that when the horse comes upon the correct answers of the hind legs coming to life from our driving leg and allowing that energy to be modified by our seat in whichever form we choose, the reins VERIFY to the horse that they were indeed correct in their responses to our aiding system by yielding or releasing pressure on the reins. This part of the aiding system may indeed be the most important as the horse truly learns from the release of pressure and not from the pressure itself.

Training horses in the most general sense really should be a subtle communication of pressure and release of pressure. If we never release pressure on them, they never actually learn if what they are doing is correct. At the end of the day, horses want to please us, so the prospect of them always having pressure on them can really crush their spirit, so we must look for the pressure releases as often as possible.

In my description of the half halt in the previous section, you will notice there was no mention of reins pulling on the horse. There is isometric resistance from the seat of the rider which leads to PASSIVE resistance in the rein contact. As mentioned before, the moment the horse shifts their balance, we must release the isometric resistance, which includes the passive resistance in the rein contact and immediately become a willing passenger with the horse's new and improved balance.

Never forget this vital part of our aiding system. It's no fun to ride a horse that's heavy and dead in the hand. after all, one of our big goals in the development of our horses is to create self carriage! Do not through away the reins necessarily, but always have a breathing feeling in the contact, so elasticity is maintained as consistently as possible.

That is my first Charlesism to break down. I have several more I want to do, but if you have any favorites, let me know and I'll get them in!!

10/03/2025

PHIL BENNETT HARMONIOUS HORSEMANSHIP

Promoting Good Riding and Happy Horses!

Freelance Riding Instructor and Classical Dressage Trainer based in Ashford, Kent, UK

BHS Qualified, First Aid Trained, DBS Checked, Fully Insured, Forty Years Experience.
Lessons On Your Own Horse. All Levels, from Nervous Novices to Advanced Competition Riders

My "straight forward" approach prioritises the well-being of the horse and is based on the principles of Classical European Horsemanship These provide the only sound foundation for the gradual, gymnastic and biomechanically sound development of both horse and rider.

Visit Phil Bennett Harmonious Horsemanship for full biography, reviews and articles.
Let me help you to be the Rider that your Horse deserves!

I CURRENTLY HAVE A FEW SPACES AVAILABLE FOR NEW OR RETURNING STUDENTS.

Contact me to arrange an initial assessment lesson. Or get together with a few friends and arrange your own small clinic.

Tel or Text: 07904 504511
Email: [email protected]

12/10/2024

Phil has such an insight into a horse and rider connection. he has helped me so much with my huge horse. He picks up on the smallest thing, that then makes a huge difference. The little bits of genius that he says in a lesson are so invaluable eg ' Imagine you are trying to make a swing go higher" when you are struggling with the canter on a big moving horse. Phil teaches with such empathy, combined with a huge knowledge. The exercises he gives you miraculously make whatever issue you are dealing with just dissappear. All without any stress or anxiety on horse or rider. He is genuinely a genius. Thank you Phil. Look forward to the next lesson.

Treena Bettley

03/04/2024

"Effective aids are not exhausting to the rider and not souring to the horse." –Charles De Kunffy

Let’s take this apart.

“𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿”
👉 This means that your aids should not be excessive. Are you kicking and kicking and your horse isn’t listening? Are you pulling on the reins so hard your shoulders ache? These are signs that your aids are not being executed correctly.

If you feel like you’re hitting a wall or your horse isn’t listening… stop. Regroup. Take a step back and assess the situation from the outside, without any emotion or bias. Think about WHY your horse isn’t responding the way you want them to. Always remember: more is not always more. Break apart your roadblock piece by piece, back track, and try to pinpoint where your horse got stuck in the first place.

If you’re at this level of frustration, your horse probably didn’t understand a concept previously. Meet them where they are at and help them understand with patience, kindness, and correctness.

“𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲”
👉 Your horse should be both willing and able to perform the skills you ask of him. Read that again - he needs to be WILLING and ABLE. If your horse is showing signs of discomfort such as ear pinning or kicking out, ask yourself: is my horse willing right now? Is he able to physically and mentally do what I am asking of him?

A sour horse can be the result of many different scenarios. Our horse’s comfort should be our #1 priority, so make sure you address any sourness that arises in order to prevent serious mental or physical damage. Call your vet, seek out a saddle fitter, increase your horse’s turnout time… Whatever it is, make sure you get to the bottom of it.

If your aids are calm, precise, and direct but your horse is still not responding correctly, pause. Take a step back and assess the horse from head to hoof. If a horse is showing signs of discomfort he is trying to tell you something. Listen.

𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚!
🩵 𝑱𝑱 𝑻𝒂𝒕𝒆

🐴: Denali
📸: Richard Malmgren

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23/02/2024

*If your horse can't escape from fearful situation you're most likely FLOODING*

(Picture of Magda and Rocky from 2017 - Rocky unable to escape the stressful stimuli)

"Any scenario for dealing with a fear evoking stimulus in which the individual is exposed to it without the opportunity to escape is known as flooding. "- Dr Helen Spence

"Continual flooding results in a state called conditioned suppression, where the subject appears shut down and calm. Rather than not being scared of the object anymore they just stop responding and suppress the behaviour as an attempt to cope with the overwhelming situation of which they have no control. Conditioned suppression is in fact the objective of natural horsemanship, it’s what the training aims to achieve, and achieves very quickly due to the clever application of positive punishment and negative reinforcement. It’s the part where the horseman exclaims ‘look, does that look like a stressed horse to you!?’ and everyone laughs, unaware that the horse licking and chewing in the corner is in a state of highly compromised welfare. If flooding persists the horse will go into a state of learnt helplessness, a permanent shut down state where the horse has learnt that any response is futile." - http://www.bethbehaviourist.co.uk/articles/just-another-deluded-cowboy

Flooding is something that many equestrians are or were once guilty of subjecting their horses to, including myself.

Flooding is very successful and often used as a quick fix during horsemanship demonstrations. By saying successful I mean it brings the desired outcome - a horse stops reacting to frightening stimuli however the whole process creates an emotional baggage that likely doesn't reduce the fear at all - it only shuts the physical responses.

Let's look at an example : James just bought a new horse for a small price. It was said that the horse has an extreme fear of the whips and has been bolting , rearing and bucking with his previous owner. James thinks it's an easy fix - he dealt with seemingly fearful horses many times before. He puts a lounge line on his new horse and takes him into a small enclosed space. James takes one of his whips and starts waving it and whipping the ground. The horse takes off in panic and gallops around frantically. James follows the horses movement continuously waving and whipping the ground. After 10 minutes of sweat and panic induced running the horse slows down , stops and licks and chews. James thinks the horse is no longer fearful of the whips. However the horse is still dealing with the fear but he learned there is no way to escape the fearful stimuli.

Flooding is not an ethical way to deal with anxiety in horses unless that's the only option (that is after any other method fails) and is used by a professional who understands equine behaviour and learning theory.

Interestingly flooding is sometimes used as an exposure therapy with humans to treat phobias. There is one difference between horses and humans tho - humans understand and sign a consent that flooding will take place and accept that it can cause a tremendous amount of stress, it is conducted by professionals that understand human behaviour in a specifically tailored modification plan.

Horses don't have the capacity to understand that the reason for flooding is to reduce anxiety or eliminate phobia - they react to it as if the thing that they're so afraid of was going to kill them.

They don't have a way of escaping or withdrawing from the "treatment" and usually it is conducted by humans who have no idea what they're actually doing and how damaging it can be to the horse's emotions.

The biggest negative outcome of flooding is the state of learned helplessness where the horse doesn't seem to be bothered about any stimuli - not because he's brave but because he's shut down.

Many equestrians think they are using systematic desensitisation where in fact they're subjecting their horses to flooding.

Systematic desensitisation is different to flooding and happens when we expose a horse to stimuli at a level that doesn't send horses over the fear threshold. If the human spots any signs of discomfort /anxiety in a horse he will go back to the baseline and work from there.

For example if a horse is fearful of a saddle because of the previous experience we first present a saddle at a distance where the horse is not showing any signs of the anxiety , then we slowly walk our way closer to the horse ensuring he's under his fear threshold. The best way to use systematic desensitisation is with conjunction of counter conditioning. So you show the object at the distance where it doesn't cause fear but also reward your horse with food , in that way you are also creating positive associations to the stimuli :)

22/02/2024

BASIC FOUNDATIONS OF CLASSICAL DRESSAGE TRAINING

AS PROMISED, HERE IS THE SECOND EXTRACT FROM MY BOOK, “RIDING IN HARMONY” (NOW SADLY OUT OF PRINT) LOOKING AT THE NEXT THREE STAGES OF THE “TRAINING SCALE”

PART TWO

STRAIGHTNESS
Like ourselves, all horses are born crooked and classical training has to constantly address this problem (whether the horse is a novice or grand prix!) When a horse is “straight” the hind-legs step in the direction of the corresponding front legs. Thus the horse should be “arrow straight” on a straight line and correctly bent on curved lines. Only then can the energy created in the hindquarters be properly utilised. If the horse is crooked much of this energy is wasted or lost. The hind-legs are not able to take their share of the weight, impulsion is impossible and the horse moves as if he has no “shock absorbers!” Through systematic training both sides of the horse should become equally supple, with even loading (weight bearing) of the hind-legs and equal contact in both reins. Only then can the horse move truly straight. The energy from the hind-legs can pass uninterruptedly through to the mouth, and the restraining and guiding actions of the reins pass via the mouth, poll, through the neck and back to the hindquarters. The horse is then truly “connected”. The rider must not forget that crookedness in his own position has a detrimental effect on the horse’s straightness and may even do serious damage to the horse’s structure.

IMPULSION
From the beginning of training we ask a horse to move free forward movement (in willing response to the lightest leg aids). However travelling fast over the ground is not the same thing as impulsion!

Impulsion is controlled energy and depends upon the horse’s desire to go forward and the engagement of the hindquarters combined with suppleness through the back. Flexion of the joints allows the hind-legs to bend and store energy when they are on the ground. This energy is then released upward and forward increasing the power and suspension. A correctly trained horse responds to the activating leg aids by increasing the flexion and activity of the hind-legs and not by simply speeding up. This goes against the horse’s natural instincts (fight or flight) and is something that the horse has to learn. True impulsion is only possible when the related aspects of relaxation/suppleness, rhythm, balance, contact and straightness have been established.

Only a supple horse can have impulsion. If the horse is stiff or tense the energy from the hindquarters is “blocked” and does not come through the whole horse.

For the horse to learn the skills of bending the hind legs and tilting the pelvis forward, it is often necessary to slow the speed down. A horse running forward and out of balance can never have true impulsion.

Since impulsion is controlled energy, it should be evident in both collected and extended gaits/paces. In Piaffe, for example, the horse should travel minimally forward yet show great impulsion with maximum lift and support from the deeply bent hindquarters. Surprisingly, a racehorse approaching the finishing post has minimal impulsion since all of his energy is being utilised and there is nothing in reserve!

COLLECTION
Collection refers to the ability of the horse to take an increased amount of the combined horse/rider weight on the hind-legs. As a result, the forehand is lightened and all movement become light and easy. Developing collection begins the moment the horse is first ridden but at this stage is more about the building blocks of relaxation, suppleness, rhythm, contact, straightness and impulsion. Great strength and flexibility are needed to collect and this cannot be prematurely forced. The hind-legs can only take a greater share of the weight if they step well forward under the horse’s centre of gravity and so straightness and impulsion are particularly essential. Collection is a relative term and the degree expected from an elementary horse is very different from that required of a fully trained grand prix horse!

Collection is not how slowly the horse travels or how short their steps. It is how much weight they can carry on the hind-legs. If they are able to perform the required movements with ease, balance, rhythm and impulsion then they are sufficiently collected for their current level of training. If on the other hand collection is prematurely forced, before the hind legs are strong enough to take the extra weight, the purity of the paces will be lost.

The outline of a collected horse differs from that of a younger or more novice horse. As the pelvis tucks and the hind-legs are more deeply flexed the croup is lowered, the shoulders appear to be raised and the head and neck are carried in a higher and more arched position (with the face slightly in front of the vertical). It is very important that this outline is created by engagement of the hindquarters and not artificially created by pulling on the reins! Indeed the rider should be able to give and retake the reins without losing “Self-carriage.” The very proof of collection is that at any time the rider should be able to yield one or both reins without loss of carriage, rhythm, balance or control of speed.

The hind-legs can act in two ways, they can push the horse forward and they can carry the weight and lift the horse off the ground. To take more weight on the hind legs and lighten the forehand, the horse has to tuck his pelvis and become stronger in the joints of the hind legs. Therefore all exercises that facilitate these aims are considered to be “collecting” exercises. These consist of: Riding small circles and tighter turns; Lateral Movements on Two Tracks and Transitions between and within the paces/gaits.

All transitions have a collecting effect. Even when a young horse comes from walk to halt he has to shift weight a little further back onto the hind legs. At first simple transitions are used (such as walk to trot, or walk to halt). Later more ‘acute’ transitions should be ridden (e.g. walk to canter, trot to halt). These have a far greater collecting effect. For example when going from canter to walk the hind legs have to be placed more and more under the horse until the forehand becomes so light that the horse can move easily into the walk. Transitions from halt to trot or halt to canter are particularly demanding. The horse has to go instantly from zero motion to maximum energy. To do this successfully the horse has to sit into its hind legs and get maximum upward thrust off the ground.

As collection develops the horse is more able to extend the stride. Only when sufficient weight is taken on the hind-legs can the shoulders lighten and the horse develop maximum thrust from the hind legs. The extended trot and canter then show an ‘uphill’ appearance. Although some lengthening and shortening of the stride are asked of a novice horse, the true medium and extended paces are only possible as collection is developed.

There are too big mistakes frequently made in attempting to train collection. The first is simply slowing the horse down without activating the hocks. (Slow doesn’t mean collected any more than fast means extended!)

The second mistake is trying to create a “collected outline” artificially, by lifting and shortening the neck with the reins/hands (Riding from front to back.) The rider tries to create the illusion of lightening the forehand through forced raising of the head and neck. But raising the neck in this way tightens and hollows the back and prevents the hind-legs from stepping under the body and therefore creates the very opposite of what it sets out to achieve! If the hind-legs are not active and stepping under the horse they cannot support the weight and the horse will be hollow and lack impulsion.

IN MY NEXT ARTICLE I WILL DISCUSS MORE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS

Tel or Text: 07904 504511
Email: [email protected]

22/02/2024

CHOOSE YOUR RIDING INSTRUCTOR/TRAINER CAREFULLY
By Phil Bennett, Freelance Teacher and Classical Dressage Trainer. (PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN PEGASUS MAGAZINE)

You only have to do an internet search to realise that there is no shortage of people offering their services as Riding Instructors, Horse Trainers or Coaches. But how can you tell which one is right for you and your horse?

Maybe you want to compete at top level; participate in Riding Club activities; ride safely in the beautiful countryside, or maybe you simply want to improve your riding and get increased pleasure from your horse and your riding and developing that harmonious partnership which every horse deserves!

Whatever your goals may be, a good instructor/coach will encourage and push you hard enough to make progress without over-facing or causing damage to horse or rider. Unfortunately there are many trainers that allow their own ambitions and ego to get the better of them and the horse and rider can be pushed too hard, too fast or in the wrong direction!

A good teacher has a thorough knowledge of their subject and of the problems that may arise. They inspire confidence in their pupils and adapt to the individual rider and horse. They are encouraging but honest! They get pleasure from seeing their pupils improve and understand that a small step for one rider may be a giant leap for another! They explain something as many times and in as many different ways as necessary. This, of course, takes patience. But if a teacher lacks patience they are in the wrong job!

A good teacher empathises with their pupil and is able to put themselves in their place. (After all, everyone gets onto a horse for the first time knowing nothing.) Good teachers never “talk down” to the rider. Unfortunately there are teachers who are very negative, all criticism and no praise. They can be sarcastic and even openly rude and insulting! There is no excuse for this. The only time a teacher should shout at a pupil is in a gale force wind!

Most importantly a good teacher has the right attitude to the horses and riders that they work with. Not all of them can be the next Olympic champion, but they all deserve respect and a humane approach to their teaching and training.

Not everyone offering instruction has the right qualities for the job! Too many are in a hurry to get quick results and tend to cut corners. Likewise, there are some riders who go from one instructor to another looking for magic solutions, not realising that their problem may not be the instructor or their horse but their own lack of riding skills! Many teachers these days focus too much on the horse and neglect the rider’s seat and aids. I am tempted to say that riders get the teacher they deserve! But perhaps this is a little harsh. They may simply not realise that there is a better way and are easily led down the wrong path.

A successful local competition rider may not necessarily be a good teacher. Indeed competition success alone is not the best indicator of a rider’s attitude towards the horses they ride and train. We see some very sorry sights in competition arenas at all levels, including at the very top! Tense horses with swishing tails, open mouths, grinding teeth, excessive sweating, frequently above the bit or over-bent, crooked and with irregular paces. Do these horses look happy, supple and relaxed? Is this what you want for your horse? By comparison, there are many wonderful riders are never seen in a competition arena. Competition should be the showcase for good riding and training – not an alternative to it!

If you really care about your horse and want to do your best for them, you need an instructor/ teacher/trainer/coach who shares your attitudes and goals. Perhaps you should think about considering someone advertising teaching on more classical lines. (Don’t worry, you wont have to learn Latin!) Classical Training is based on principles that have been passed down for hundreds if not thousands of years. These have survived because they have been proven to do the most good for the greatest number of horses. Classical Training puts the horse first! The teacher’s first priority is the horse’s mental and physical wellbeing. Training is gradual, progressive and systematic and based on communication and understanding, not force. Horse and rider should be harmonious partners not opponents. Remember no horse asks to be ridden. It is we humans that choose to ride and I believe that we owe it to the horse to make the process as comfortable, painless and least traumatic as possible. Why would you choose to be taught in any other way?

A horse can only achieve his full potential if ridden by a rider who helps rather than hinders them. We who follow a classical system understand that training the rider has to come first. Riders who sit correctly are balanced and secure in the saddle and allow the horse to carry them in comfort. They control and influence the horse largely with their upper body and are able to co-ordinate the other aids of legs and reins. On the other hand, a rider who sits badly, tipping forward or backward, collapsing or hollowing their lower back or collapsing to one side of the saddle causes the horse great discomfort and distress. Communication and control are impaired and the rider frequently resorts to a strong pull on the reins, stronger bits and assorted gadgets! Remember that if you pull against the horse they will pull back and a vicious circle quickly develops. The horse becomes tense, suppleness is lost, muscles and joints are damaged and the paces are ruined.

Correct, gymnastic training of horses is a slow process. The horse needs time to re-establish their balance under the alien weight of a rider. They need to relax and have confidence in a consistent rider. They have to learn how to adapt their posture in order to carry the rider in a way that is most comfortable and least damaging to themselves. This is the rounded or longitudinally stretched topline. Only then can exercises be introduced which build them up rather than break them down! They are able to go freely forward from active hindlegs, unrestricted by tension in the back, neck or mouth. They gradually become more supple and more equal in their bending to left and right and develop regular paces. As they strengthen, they are able to carry more weight on their hindlegs, the forehand becomes lighter and is relieved of strain and potential damage to the frontlegs. The horse is able to maximise his performance and fulfil his natural potential. If, on the other hand, the training is hurried, and does not follow a logical and biomechanically sound sequence, serious damage will be done to the horse’s muscles, joints and ultimately his temperament as he struggles to carry out the unreasonable demands of his rider!

So, if you care about your horses and want what is best for them, choose your instructor carefully. If you want a relaxed, supple, active, obedient and happy horse choose your instructor carefully. If you want your horse to perform to his full potential choose your instructor carefully. If you don’t want to be led in the wrong direction by promises of instant results at the expense of your horse’s wellbeing choose your instructor carefully. If you want to enjoy your riding and you want your horse to enjoy it too choose your instructor carefully.

Give your horse time and give him a chance!

IF I CAN HELP YOU IN ANY WAY PLEASE VISIT MY FACEBOOK PAGE Phil Bennett Harmonious Horsemanship FOR MY FULL DETAILS, REVIEWS ETC.

I AM CURRENTLY ABLE TO TAKE ON A FEW NEW INDIVIDUAL RIDERS, OR WHY NOT ORGANISE A CLINIC WITH A FEW FRIENDS, AT YOUR YARD, OR FOR YOUR LOCAL RIDING CLUB. SOUTH EAST ENGLAND OR ELSEWHERE

Tel or Text: 07904 504511
Email: [email protected]