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Dr. Thomas Ritter demonstrates the Piaffe in Hand with the Lipizzan Mare, Electa, during a November 2008 clinic in Seattle, Washington. Photo by Shana Ritter. |
William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle |
Dr. Thomas Ritter and the Lipizzan Stallion, Maestoso II Shama II, demonstrate a Trot Halfpass at the Longrein. October 2008. Photo by Shana Ritter. |
William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle |
Dr. Thomas Ritter and the Lipizzan Stallion, Maestoso II Catrina. Piaffe in Hand. October 2008. Photo by Shana Ritter. |
William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle |
William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle |
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Queen Isabel of France by Velasquez |
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The Dressage Blog
March 03, 2009
On the Bit 6.0
©Thomas Ritter 2009
Friedrich v. Krane (1856, translation: TR):
“Experience shows that the most suitable shape for the transmission of the pressure is the one in which the three lowest cervical vertebrae form an arc that places the fourth vertebra into a vertical position, and in which the three uppermost cervical vertebrae form an arc which brings the horse's head into an almost vertical position. In this head and neck position the rein aid acts vertically on the horse's jaw when the fist is kept in the most comfortable position: one hand's breadth above the pommel. The neck vertebrae will be positioned so that the individual vertebrae are sufficiently connected with each other and with the back. It has to be remarked in this context that the flexion between the first three vertebrae cannot be identical. The shape of the second vertebra makes the flexion between the first and second vertebrae so much easier than between the others, that these two will always flex more. If the flexion is exaggerated, and if the other vertebrae do not participate in it, a kink develops, which prevents the transmission of the rein aid.”
This is one of the best descriptions I have found of that shape of the horse’s neck which is most effective in transmitting the thrust of the hind legs and the rider’s aids. If C4 has a vertical position, then C1 – C3 and C5 – C7 can form two opposite arcs that are very similar to each other in curvature. The lower arc, C5 – C7, elevates the neck, while the upper arc, C1 – C3 lowers the head into a position where the rein aids can address the lower jaw almost at a 90 degree angle. The head of the horse will then be slightly in front of the vertical, unless the neck is very long and slender. This shape of the neck is a good combination of stability and flexibility. There is enough connective surface area between the vertebrae to ensure the transmission of the energy, AND enough flexion to ensure the suppleness of the neck and poll.
I have to mention, though, that this shape requires a horse with reasonably good conformation. The neck has to be long enough and set on high enough to fit into this form. If the neck is short and thick, it will not be able to curve sufficiently at the top, in order to bring the head close enough to the vertical, if the lower curve elevates the neck too much. The shorter the neck, the shallower the two curves have to be, which translates into a lower elevation. The longer the neck, the more pronounced the two curves can be, which results in a higher elevation. A horse that is capable of elevating his neck more is also able to lower his haunches more, i.e. to collect more, without coming above the bit. A horse with a short neck, who cannot elevate his neck very much without losing his poll flexion, will not be able to lower his haunches, i.e. to collect, very much, either.
The more the neck is flexed between C5 and C7, the more it will elevate. The less it flexes in this area, the lower the elevation will be. The more the neck is flexed between C1 and C3, the lower the nose will drop. The two curves have to match each other, too. The more the lower neck curves upward, the more C1 – C3 have to curve downward. The less the lower neck curves upward, the less the upper neck should flex downward. Otherwise, the head will not come into a position where the rein aids can be transmitted to the hindquarters.
Horses with a ewe neck flex C5 – C7 too much upward, but they don’t flex C1 – C3 sufficiently downward. Horses that are ridden “deep and overflexed” don’t curve C5 – C7 upward enough, and C4 is therefore not vertical, but C1 – C3 are by comparison flexed too sharply, which brings the head too deep and behind the vertical, where the rein aids can no longer properly address the hind legs, and the haunches won’t flex anymore, i.e. the horse will not collect himself.
Friedrich v.Krane (1856, translation: TR):
“Ecuyer Seidler (pl. 28) indicates as the default neck position for the balanced posture of the campaign horse, the frame in which the head is vertical and the nose is level with the hip. The top three cervical vertebrae are flexed downward. No cervical vertebra will be vertical in this case, but the flexion of the upper vertebrae will be greater than the flexion of the lower ones.
“The Prussian Riding Instruction (pl. 29) agrees with this more or less in regard to the elevation of the neck, and defines as the default posture the frame in which the head is 45 degrees in front of the vertical and the nose is level with the withers. In this posture no cervical vertebra will be able to be vertical, either, but the forward-downward flexion of the upper cervical vertebrae will be smaller than the backward flexion of the lower neck vertebrae.”
“M.Baucher (pl. 30/31) divides the path which the horse’s head has to cover in his method, depending on the greater or lesser degree of collection, into 10 parts. Here the highest and lowest position are shown according to his book “Methode d’equitation”, Paris 1843. The latter deviates considerably in principle from the other systems, in that almost all cervical vertebrae participate in the downward flexion and the line of the forehead comes almost 25 degrees behind the vertical.
“If formulating a norm can be useful at all, I would place myself between the default frames of Mr. Seidler and the Riding Instruction and assume that an even flexion of the vertebrae in both directions is the best posture (pl. 32), without the vertical position of the nose.”
This is a very interesting excerpt in which von Krane describes the views of three of the leading authorities of his time who differ considerably from each other in what a horse looks like when he is on the bit. What is probably astonishing for most modern readers is that the Prussian Riding Instruction considered a 45 degree angle between the nose and the vertical to be the best head and neck position. Nowadays, almost everybody would call this above the bit, but during the 19th century it was apparently widely accepted as being on the bit, even if not everybody thought that this was the most effective head position.
E.F.Seidler’s recommendation is closest to the modern interpretation of the term “on the bit”, although many riders today are opposed to any elevation of the neck out of a misunderstanding of the relationship between neck elevation and flexion of the haunches.
Baucher’s lowest position seems similar to the “deep and overflexed” method, where there is practically no upward curve at the base of the neck at all, but most vertebrae participate in the downward flexion. In this position, the rein aids cannot reach the lower jaw at the right angle, and they cannot reach the hind legs. The horse is on the forehand in this position, as mentioned above.
It is also noteworthy that von Krane seems skeptical about the value of indicating an absolute head position that is supposed to be valid or optimal for all horses and all circumstances.
Friedrich v.Krane (1856, translation: TR):
“A head position above 45° will reduce the effect of the bit on the bar, since the fist cannot be brought into a position from where it addresses the bars at a right angle. This position is called in excess. A head position in which the nose deviates backwards from the vertical would be called a position in defect and would have the same consequences.”
Friedrich v.Krane (1856, translation: TR):
“If too many neck vertebrae participate in the forward-downward flexion, so that the head stands in defect, the pressure will pass above the first back vertebra, and the half halt will get stuck in the neck, coiling it up, as it were. An increased pressure of the bit would pull the horse’s chin all the way to his chest, without any transmission of the half halt to the back vertebrae.”
Friedrich v.Krane (1856, translation: TR):
“Flexing the poll too fast and forcefully, as it often happens, especially when auxiliary reins are employed, results in a kink (in the neck behind the 3rd vertebra, TR). A mistake that is almost impossible to correct.”
From these three final excerpts, you can see that the entire range of head positions from the vertical to 45 degrees in front of the vertical was considered acceptable, because the rider can influence the haunches with the reins in these positions. A head position behind the vertical was considered wrong, because it puts the horse onto the forehand and does not allow the rider’s weight and rein aids to flex the haunches. Even when I was a young rider in Germany, having the horse behind the vertical was considered the bigger mistake compared to having it a little in front of the vertical. This has changed in the last 20 years. Nowadays, most dressage riders seem to think that in order to be on the bit, the horse’s head has to be in the space between the vertical and somewhere behind the vertical, but never in front of the vertical, which is really a misunderstanding of the laws of biomechanics.
To be continued…
Feel free to e-mail me with questions and comments.
Thomas Ritter
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