10/12/2026
An interesting read. I’ve only experienced a couple of horses that I feel had true self carriage, and they were such a pleasure to ride! I’m trying to foster this now with HQ; I believe he is on his way. Hopefully I can stay out of his way.
Equitation scientists agree on the critical importance of self-carriage. It improves performance, makes riding safer for both horse and rider, and is also better for your horse's mind as well as dressage sport welfare.
In large part, that’s because it frees up the rider to focus on balance rather than cues, while freeing up the horse’s body for the task at hand, says Andrew McLean, PhD, BSc, Dipl. Ed., founder of the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre in Victoria.
Click on the link in the Comments below to learn why teaching your horse to "carry himself" is key to his training.
