MANAGING THE FRAMEWORK
Lucinda points out three houses: one uphill, the others downhill. After the third, Lucinda instructs Allison to halt smoothly and as straight as she can. Allison uses her voice, saying “whoa”. This discipline is important. “It’s part of the framework of discipline that we need to put around our horses, rather like for ourselves,” explains Lucinda. “We have to get up, get dressed, brush our teeth and go to work. Our horses need the same level of discipline. “He learns the framework through the rider being consistent, so he knows that when we’re jumping, he doesn’t refuse or run out, he whoas when you ask him to whoa and goes when you ask him to go. “Halting after every few fences is the padlock on that framework. Within that he can be the artist he wants to be and jump as he wants to, but he learns that he can’t go outside the framework.”