Neurology of Training: The Base of the Training Pyramid

Most dressage riders who’ve read any of the training manuals used by competition organizations (like USDF, FEI, or the German Federation) are familiar with the training pyramid. Rhythm, suppleness (formerly rhythm), contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection make up the six levels of the pyramid.

But why are these in the order they are? What’s the basis?

Rhythm

Rhythm denotes the basic horse’s gaits. If the rhythm isn’t correct, it’s difficult to get the rest of the levels ironed out. However, not all horses have perfect rhythm. Why?

For most horses, imperfect rhythm is a sign of compensation: compensation for unbalanced conformation, for an unbalanced rider, for mental tension, for an old injury, etc. This is the nervous system’s approach to making do with something that’s in the way.

Because of this compensation, it can be hard to have the rest of the movements work efficiently and achieve throughness and healthy musculature. This is why it is at the base of the pyramid. However, it is frequently possible to improve these rhythm issues through gymnastic exercises.

Different exercises help the body realize that it is either a) unbalanced in the way it has been going, and another way is better, or b) it is safe to let go of the guarding. Now, b can apply even if the horse is mentally calm; the body will often hold patterns because they feel safe, so we have to convince the underlying neurology that it is safe to move differently. These exercises can range from cavaletti to groundwork to even some lateral exercises. See, the training pyramid is a guideline of end goals that should be set before the next goal is achieved (for example, a piaffe is no good if the horse is tense), not a set of rules for exactly how training needs to go. Shoulder-in, a collecting and suppling exercise, can help improve a lateral walk. So rather than waiting until the horse meets certain arbitrary goals, it can be useful to be flexible in what exercises are used to improve certain basics.

For horses whose rhythm is permanently imperfect, there’s no reason to avoid training further or to give up; they can still benefit from good training and be healthier in the long run than if they had no training.

Suppleness

Suppleness is the next step on the pyramid, but I’d like first to address the old name for this phase: relaxation.

Relaxation, which is the freedom from anxiety, is important for the horse’s autonomic system. Horses (and humans) cannot effectively learn if their system is stuck in sympathetic mode, which is fight/flight/fawn/freeze. This is why it is important to flip them back into parasympathetic mode, which is rest/digest. However, both can be flipped into sympathetic mode by a range of things, many of which have nothing to do with what’s happening immediately.

Horses can go into sympathetic overload if they are unbalanced, as their brain interprets this as a threat to their safety. I’ve seen this particularly with Iberians that run on the forehand. Health issues, like ulcers and PSSM, can also put them into sympathetic overload, and past trauma can get them stuck in a negative mental loop. Even saddle fit can trigger a sympathetic response, especially if it’s hitting a nerve.

It is possible to help get them out of this negative loop by a) ensuring underlying medical conditions are taken care of, and b) using exercises that draw their awareness to their own bodies. Bodywork can help with this, but I’ve had good luck with several specific exercises that make them aware of each leg as it lands as well as simply as they move forward. Transition work, different patterns, and others can help bring their attention down to their bodies, particularly when the rider likewise stays calm and draws their own attention inward. Some horses need to move forward to feel safe, which goes with their being prey animals, so forward work might help them realize they can escape if needed and therefore really don’t need to worry. Trail rides or doing dressage outside of the sandbox can help as well, as long as it is safe to do so (if your horse is worse on the trails, it may not be such a good idea). I also find it’s useful to work with their natural behavior; some horses need a period of working with buddies first to establish that it is safe to work in the arena and then work on taking the buddies away.

However, suppleness goes hand in hand with relaxation. Suppleness is elasticity, or the absence of negative tension on the physical side, but in conjunction with control of positive tension. The muscles are toned but not tight, and movement is fluid but still engaged. Think Gene Kelly, the ballet and tap dancer of An American in Paris and many other movies of Hollywood’s Golden Age. If relaxation is a stretchy trot or free walk, suppleness is a calm working trot and medium walk. A horse cannot be supple and not relaxed, but a horse can be relaxed and not supple.

Suppleness also goes with muscle tightness. This neural guarding goes with the body being insecure about going into its full range of motion. The hind leg may not be reaching to the horse’s center of gravity, and the back may not be moving freely. In this way, there is both negative tension holding the movement back and a lack of positive tension bringing the horse to the appropriate range of motion. Often, the horse (and human!) is not even aware that it is guarding certain movement and compensation patterns but may express discomfort over time. So, working on suppleness focuses on helping the individual become aware of these patterns (ie, develops the proprioception) and let the tension go while engaging the under-active muscles.

The work can be similar to relaxation work, but some exercises may be different. A tight but mentally relaxed horse that is behind the leg may need more forward momentum to get the muscles working, while a tight horse that is anxious and behind the leg might explode if pushed too forward.

While both are two sides of the same coin, they’re each fascinating as far as the study of the horse’s neurology goes. Even humans struggle with the same basic concepts, and for me, movement is one of the best ways to address them. However, the very thing that excites me as the trainer is also what makes working on these so challenging for people with fewer tools. Take humans for example: an anxious human may benefit from either a) a playful, laissez-faire approach, or b) a quiet, meditative approach, and knowing who will benefit from which on what day is challenging. Same goes for horses. Suppleness sometimes takes some detective work to find the root of the compensation patterns, but it is so rewarding when it is found.

Conclusion

The bases of the training pyramid are fascinating studies of the practical application of neural training or retraining, and once one realizes this and uses these principles, they make much more sense and come much more easily.

However, remember: the pyramid is a guideline, fantastic for judging progress, not a hard rule book. Some exercises from other elements may be effective to helping these foundational elements, and that is fine as long as you come back to them to ensure they’re not neglected.

– Emily Wright

Interested in learning more about rhythm? Check out our course on Demystifying Timing!

Looking to learn more about both? Join us for our Biomechanics Symposium!