A horse has to be 'forward for the legs' of the rider. This means that the horse must react actively and quickly to the leg aid of the rider, by going forward. This is a necessity in dressage, because all achievements originate from a combined energy and all this energy is only created by making the horse more active.

First of all a forward urge is needed. The leg aid of the rider creates the 'forward urge'. By guiding the horse correctly this forward urge can be limited and gathered into a generous 'urge to perform' by the horse. It is absolutely necessary that the horse is obedient to the leg aids. With a following seat and rein contact the rider must make it possible for the horse to obey the legs, which allows him to offer his paces expansively. If the rider works against the movement of the horse with his seat, posture or hands, the horse will not be inclined to obey the forward pushing leg aids. The result is a horse that holds back, and only reacts to kicking, sharp spurs and hard smacks with the whip. It will not be surprising that such horses are sour and unfriendly in the stable

Of course there are many degrees between the two extremes of a willing and active and an unwilling and not so happy horse. The rider must control the hindquarters if he wants to create a horse that turns easily, actively extending and shortening and feeling pleasantly in hand. After all, the motor is the hindquarters and the motor can be started and accelerated read balance of story through the influence of the legs of the rider. But even though we are making a comparison with a mechanical machine the horse is certainly not a dead thing that does everything by itself as long as you push the right button. But we can extend the comparison - if the motor is used by somebody unknowledgeable, it will run badly and play up. This also goes for the horse.

The rider has to teach the horse to be forward for the legs. We will discuss this a little further for those who have not had much experience and are training a young horse. Everyone knows a horse must have impulsion. This impulsion can only be achieved if the horse wants to go forward, and in such a way as is indicated and controlled by the rider. The horse must always, and at every moment, react actively to a pushing leg aid from the rider. What do we do if the rider has problems with the leg aids? If the horse is reacting slowly to the leg aids, and the rider is giving increasingly stronger leg aids without noticing it? When the rider works more and more with his spurs and hits the horse harder and more often with the whip, without really achieving read rest of story