No two horses are the same. The individual difference lie in "outside" characteristics (conformation, breed, gender) and in character types-- what's "inside." The following character overview is by no means all-encompassing, but rather broadly covers major points. I hope that readers will be able to recognize some of their horse's traits within the generalized categories in this section.
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- This mare is always very enthusiastic about her work, and because of her eagerness to please, she can become quite hot.
- Photo by Alois Müller
The Overachiever
This type of horse is characterized by his enormous work ethic and a high degree of ambition, which is sometimes falsely interpreted as nervousness. The overachiever wants to learn and to please. He frequently anticipates, meaning that he acts ahead of his rider's aids, and therefore makes mistakes. It can be difficult to get this type of horse to relax, often due to the rider's inappropriate reaction to her horse's anticipation.
The owner of an overachieving horse should count herself lucky. She must only learn to steer her horse's ambition so that the horse doesn't "get in his own way." When this is achieved, working with this type of horse is a pleasure.
Common training mistakes: It is fundamentally wrong to punish the horse for mistakes that result from his eagerness to learn and to perform. In addition, frequent repetitions of the same exercises should be avoided.
Training tips: So, you have an overachiever? Congratulations! As previously stated, it is not the overeagerness of the horse that causes problems, but the way in which the rider reacts to his eagerness. If you can learn to keep this type of horse happy, you can teach him anything. In the dressage ring, it is the overachieving horse that is said to be "electric," meaning he reacts immediately to subtle aids, is sensitive to the leg, has a healthy desire to go forward, and is willing to learn. It is also this type of horse--assuming he has good jumping ability--that can complete a technically difficult course better than others.
Once rhythm, suppleness and relaxation, and contact have been achieved (or even, more simply, just "gas, brakes, and steering"), it is a good idea to teach this type of horse simple dressage movements in order to utilize his mental capacity and keep him from getting bored.
Note that it is important not to endlessly repeat the same exercise. The best example in the lower level range is the simple change of lead. While a rider of a slow, stolid horse can repeat this exercise 10 times in a row, an overachiever should only be asked two to three times in succession. Once he realizes what is coming next, he no longer waits for the rider's aids--he anticipates. This will only make the simple change worse: the horse will likely jig rather than walk in between canter leads and he will become tense. The more the rider tries to practice the now-not-so-good simple change in order to improve it, the more stressed the horse will become, since he now feels the rider is holding him back-he understands he is supposed to pick up the new canter lead, but he doesn't "get" that he is supposed to execute pure walk steps in between departs. When the rider continues to practice the movement and perhaps now punishes the horse for "misbehaving," the horse becomes even more tense and exasperated. This vicious cycle takes the joy out of the work for this naturally willing animal.
Instead of repetition, the rider should make a point of adding variety within a movement. Ride two simple changes, then ask for something completely different, and then eventually ask for one or two more simple changes. If the horse still doesn't wait for the rider's aids and execute a correct simple change of lead with clear walk steps in between, then the rider must increase the number of walk steps for training purposes. Instead of requiring three to four steps, the rider can have the horse walk for 10 or more. Or, she can ask for a leg yield or shoulder-in (for more advanced horses) at the walk, which helps prevent the horse from predicting what comes next. The horse must wait for the rider's aids-exactly what he is supposed to learn--and while waiting, he relaxes. As you now know, relaxation is a prerequisite for successfully performing any movement.
The Sensitive Horse
For the right rider, this type of horse can be a true gift. Sensitive horses usually have a healthy degree of forwardness, react well to light and subtle aids, and are usually obedient in a concerted effort to do everything right.
