“The rider needs to get to the point where he realizes how important the hindquarters are; if they aren’t working just right, you may notice it more in the front end, but they both have to work, and each one has to complement the other. The problem may show for the rider more in front. It seems to appear that way to most people. It is important to get caught up on this or the rider may not get it.
A horse can be almost caught up, but still leave a little early, just an instant. Had he waited just that instant, he would’ve been altogether. You may let him work at it. He will start to hunt. He can be a little out of time in front when he isn’t hunting in the back quarters enough. Let him hunt there for a while to where, when you ask him, he will start preparing back there. Then you can feel the life come through. You can see it shaping up. The horse fills right in and he can come on through.
This is the goal: when you reach, or you let him know, he shapes up and the whole horse is together- balanced. It seems to me, until a person gets this, he is going to be struggling with a lot of things. This is basic.”
– Tom Dorrance
Unknown Photographer