After reading the suggestions given to you, I really agree with those that have suggested going back to basics and also working on your own equitation. In the past, my own Dressage horse actually had a very similar issue to yours, plus the added frustrations of gaping when he got stressed or just didn’t want to work anymore! At the time we were schooling second level and showing first with decent marks in the high 60s- low 70s. It was always something I had intended to fix, but like you I had reservations about taking the time to go back to basics.
I can’t remember who here mentioned it, but I agree that many trainers do not know how to solve this issue or mabye they just realize the complexity of it and try to modify things instead. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for a horse that avoids the bit by going BTV consistently.
At the time, I was working with two instructors, both of which were riding at the Grand Prix level. Whilst their help had managed to get us far and my horse appeared to have decent contact at shows, he continued to return BTV at some point. I had tried the following methods to correct BTV: riding more forward and giving my hands for him to come into, keeping contact when he fell behind and ultimately having my Grand Prix coach ride him for 2 weeks. Sometimes, I’d think I was getting a change, but all of these were just patch work over a hole that would just reappear again later.
What did work was the summer where I ultimately decided to take 3 months off of regular riding to return to basics. I started on the ground by teaching him how to move into the bit, then I moved up to a walk, then trot and canter. When corrected, the contact felt similar, but not the same as before. I had a good bit of weight in my hand, but it was by no means heavy. The true difference was in the back. I could actually feel his back lifted, like he was suddenly broader.
At the walk, I used the same concept I had taught on the ground. I’d encourage hind end engagement with seat and leg and allow him to move into the bit. If he dropped behind again, I’d lift my hands completely upwards and then lower them as he took the bit and lowered his head. AT first, he would only keep true contact for a few seconds and I’d end the ride there to really let the concept sink in. I’d slowly increase the duration to which he kept contact with the bit. We worked on the walk probably for about a month. The main aim was to have him take the bit forward and down (long and low) himself. We’d do leg yields, shoulder in, travers and other lateral movements with longer contact. I wasn’t expecting a completely correct movement, but rather him to relax into the movement. During this time, I also had the time to refine these movements and he eventually did them when my seat and body were in the correct position.
When I was confident that he could hold contact himself and I could correct BTV by lifting him up quickly, then I started to add a few strides of trot here and there. This is where I’d see him come up above the bit when he could not longer hold contact. It was important that I allowed this and continue to hold an elastic contact until he came down again. If I didn’t do so, he probably wouldn’t have trusted the bit any further. I did not go completely into the trot until he had become comfortable holding contact with the few strides I was building on. The same process was repeated for the canter.
Once you add speed, It does become more apparent that the horse’s muscles for a correct frame are weak. Because of this, I did incorporate somewhat of a conditioning plan, which mainly included hill work on hacks. When they become accustomed to going BTV, they gain counter productive muscles (such as under the neck) and do not build the correct muscles much. My goal here was to try and help build those muscles without having to do so in schooling. This is also the reason I worked mostly in a long-low frame because I was building the correct muscles, encouraging relaxation and not risking the tension, which would continue to build the wrong muscles.
Now, he was going brilliantly in a longer frame and slightly in front of the vertical. I was able to change between any gait, lateral movement etc without having to even ask for him to frame up, although I did focus on his fundamentals of straightness, rhythm etc. He now saw the as a positive thing and continuously searched for the bit. From there, I had to start bringing him up into a shorter frame, which I did slowly. I’d bring him up for maybe a stride or two at first, then let him stretch again. Any time he’s show tension in this process, I’d let him stretch out and relax again.
By the end of it, I had a very well trained horse that searched for contact with no gaping issues.Rides became super easy and fun. We could accomplish more things in half the time it used to take us.
Bottom line is that there really are no shortcuts when it comes to addressing BTV, at least not if it is a consistent issue over time. Now, if it is not a training issue, then it COULD be a physical issue, such as saddle fit. BUT going back to the basics can actually be very rewarding and you can learn a lot from it.
