Courtney King-Dye works with a new horse and rider currently showing at Second Level concerned with the connection back to front. They first address her leg in the walk, making sure it still until he slows down. He should keep the same speed until asked to do something different. Courtney explains that from the first halt walk transition she wants the horse to be sharp off the aids, first asking with a gentle squeeze (whisper) and then an aid which will get a reaction (shout). They work on getting the timing and degree correct as well as rewarding him for the correct response. Courtney encourages the rider to ride with a quiet leg between applying the aids. He quickly responds to one squeeze to do a forward walk trot transition, so they move on to transitions within the trot, applying the same principles. They make sure that they give him a second to respond to the light aid before applying the heavier aid. Courtney explains how important it is for the rider to be aware of when they are nagging with their leg and to keep a still leg, only using it for the desired aid. With consistent attention to a prompt reaction to her aids, he becomes much more responsive.
