A lower frame

After working with a couple of trainers, I've had a concept practically shoved down my throat:
When I'm having a tough ride, I need to put Guinness in a lower frame and ride him much deeper until he relaxes and gives.

Let me start at the beginning because while this might seem advanced, it really isn't.

Guinness is built to carry his head and neck fairly high. It's lovely, and really ideal. His neck is tied in high on his body and is nice and long. With a good arch in it, his poll is the highest point and he is a lovely picture. Unfortunately, he isn't always strong enough to hold this frame and work over his back.

Here's an example... (I am so sorry for the quality of these terrible screenshot photos!)

See the dip in front of his withers and how his back is hollow? Sure, he's still stepping up nicely but that is just because he is a nice and athletic horse. I guarantee you this trot feels like crap and that he is NOT in the bridle at all. You can tell he isn't in the bridle because my hand is back and down, trying desperately to maintain some sort of connection with his face. (Note: not the right way to do that. Oops.)

I've always thought the best way to get him into the bridle and working through from this position is to push him forward into that frame, basically forcing him to lift his back and loosen up. This usually ends up with me chasing him forward into the contact; him racing forward, getting more and more heavy in his shoulders, and causing me endless frustration. A half halt is pretty much impossible here, too. His lack of connection makes a good half halt completely ineffective, usually resulting in him slamming on the brakes and throwing his head up.

So what's a girl to do? LOWER THE NECK.

Wow. Terrible quality. Try to focus on the silhouette, okay?

Note how his poll is no longer really the highest point? It's hard to tell in this photo, but his neck is also wider at the base and he's lifting and filling out that space in front of his withers. His back is much less hollow, and he's actually pushing from behind and into the bridle. This trot is amazing to ride. It feels like floating, is super easy to sit, and is slow yet filled with energy. It's not "collected" but it's a great working trot and perfect for warming up or loosening the back.

When I lower Pig's neck (similar aid to stretchy circle, you just don't stretch all the way), I make sure to keep my outside rein solid. Almost the moment his neck lowers, I can feel him relax and start swinging through his body. It's that instant.

He doesn't stay here long, though. Every couple of strides I have to remind him to keep his neck down. It's harder work down there, and he's constantly looking to go back to the higher-headed way he's used to.

Stay here....

Once I feel he's relaxed and comfortable in the lower frame, I ask for the same thing at the canter.

Nice and round in the neck...

Depending on the day, this work is either easier or harder at the canter. Once I get the lower neck and relaxation at the canter, though, I know I have it for the day. The key at the canter seems to be not letting Pig bulge out through the right shoulder and keeping his haunches under him while he sorts out the lower neck thing. He tends to want to swing wide behind to avoid actually lifting his withers and getting good movement through his back. Though, that swinging wide thing is probably also a symptom of his stifle issues.

If I find Pig is leaning on my inside hand to maintain his bend, I push him more with my inside leg at the girth and give for a step with my inside hand.

Giving with the inside hand, should probably be giving less with my whole damn body. Oops.

The moment of release tends to get him back on the outside rein and bending around my leg instead of my hand. I make sure this release is very brief. Too much use of the release and he stops trusting my connection and the whole endeavor is lost. He has to trust my connection to keep his neck lower and fuller.

There are a couple of things to remember when working your horse in a lower and deeper frame:
1. Keep the nose out in front or on the vertical. If your horse is prone to ducking behind the contact, this may not be the exercise for you.
2. Keep your hands steady. While making them a little wider and lower is helpful here, I wouldn't go overboard and plant your fists on your knees. The goal is to be able to lower your horses frame and ride him there with normal hands. In fact, I find lowering the neck takes my hands out of the equation. With a lower neck and more active back, Pig moves almost entirely off my seat.
3. Focus on relaxation of the poll and jaw to get relaxation through the whole body. When the poll and jaw are relaxed, the horse can move nicely through the neck and body without a spot of tension ruining it.

This lower-neck trot work is not just for warming up. It is also great for developing nice collection and thrust. I shorten my reins, keeping the neck low, and ask Pig to compress his frame. I don't ask for faster, but instead "bouncier."

So fancy!

His poll naturally will come up, but the work asking for a lower neck keeps his withers lifted, his back engaged, and his neck relaxed and happy. Meanwhile, he is able to engage further and really give me a great trot! If he later gets tight or nervous in this higher position, I ask him to lower his neck for a moment and see if that will reset him. Most of the time it will!

I have known about changing the frame for a long time, but for some reason this is the first time the exercise's use has actually sunk in for me. Maybe Pig and I had to be at the right place in our training to be able to effectively use it. Still, I think it's a great tool and one I'll be using a lot!

Have you guys ever experimented with changing your horse's frame like this?