February/March 2013 - Page 4
T
he tail, an extension of the vertebrae of the back, is a
component of the whole horse, and as such it is part
of the total movement of the horse. When a horse has
a relaxed back, such as the well-trained older horse, the tail
moves from side to side with the swinging of the back. This
swinging usually only happens when the horse `lets go' of its
back, because it has been trained in such a way that it has
become strong.
For instance, young horses are often seen to tuck their tail
between their buttocks. They do this when they have trouble
coping with a new situation or have difficulty adjusting to
the weight of the rider. Older horses, however, that have no
problem with carrying the weight of the rider and also are able
to engage the quarters, usually carry the tail away from the
body.
When a horse carries its tail to one side, however, it is usually
a sign there are certain tensions in the back muscles, and it is
not going straight. The crooked tail (which can occur naturally,
but seldom does) is usually a result of incorrect training by the
rider.
Rider Straightness
To avoid the situation where the horse travels crooked, the
tension of the muscles in the back needs to be eliminated by
giving more refined and better adjusted aids. If the aids are
not given in tune with the movement of the rhythm, the horse