Forward First: The Baseline for Quality Work

In my work with Ola, I was reminded once again of the importance of a confirmed, effortless forward. Before we add complexity, the horse needs to feel truly in front of the seat and the aids.

It’s tempting to dive into transitions, lateral work, or even more collected exercises early on — and in fact, I do like to teach lateral ideas fairly soon, as soon as balance with the rider improves. They are wonderful tools to encourage suppleness, coordination, and to begin addressing asymmetry.

But when it comes to performing them with quality, forward is the non-negotiable baseline. Without forward, laterals risk becoming empty shapes. With forward, they transform into gymnastic work that builds a better body, refines balance, and improves the quality of the natural gaits.

🌱 Effortless Forward as a Foundation

Forward doesn’t mean endless laps in trot or canter. It doesn’t mean rushing or driving. It’s that subtle yet powerful feeling of the horse carrying the energy forward on its own, ready to respond to the lightest thought from the rider.

This effortless forward is the foundation that makes advanced work meaningful:

• Lateral work becomes supple and balanced.

• Transitions build strength instead of tension.

• Collection grows naturally out of flow.

And as always, the way there is simple: reward the slightest try. Every time the horse takes responsibility for carrying the energy forward, no matter how small, it deserves a yes. Those tiny moments accumulate into lasting understanding.

🌟 Carrying Forward Into Laterals

With effortless forward as our baseline, this is also what we are looking for in the laterals themselves. True lateral work doesn’t mean giving up forward energy — it means carrying the same effortless flow into the sideways shaping.

And here lies one of the great practical values of teaching laterals early: they don’t just prepare for advanced work, they can also improve the forward cruising itself. If the horse falls on the inside shoulder, for example, one thought of haunches-in can help lift that shoulder — and from there we can smoothly return to our effortless cruising.

In this way, lateral ideas become signposts that both support balance and protect the forward flow.

🕊 Forward Into Collection

And when we progress into collection, forward still remains the key.

More collected does not mean with less forward energy. Instead of pushing back to cover more ground, the horse learns to push down into the ground so that the energy travels upward and inward. This redirection of energy allows the thoracic sling to lift, the chest to elevate, and the whole movement to become more refined — without losing the effortless flow we began with.

Collection, then, is not a denial of forward but its transformation.

🌸 Personal Reflection

On a personal note, I find it helpful to always remind myself:

• Teaching laterals early is valuable for balance and body awareness.

• Using them later with forward confirmed is what makes them gymnastic and transformative.

• And alongside all of this, we must never lose the “no-nonsense cruising forward” — the relaxed, flowing rhythm on straight and curved lines that tells us the horse is truly carrying the energy.

As so often in training, it is about finding the balance: between shaping and flowing, between tools and freedom, between lateral precision and effortless forward.