Neck Rope = Neck nerve Irritation
by Rivkah Roth DO DNM
When and Why did “dressage queens” start riding with a neck rope?
Looking at this sketch, it doesn’t take much imagination to figure out why riding with a neck rope or neck ring is neither compassionate nor gentle.
The neck ring irritates a horse’s myriad of lower neck nerves. Pressure or rubbing are potentially painful.
Photo – unattributed via image search / pinterest
Irritating the Horse’s Neck Nerves
is neither gentle nor compassionate.
Furthermore, any pressure against the C6/C7 spinal area of the horse’s underneck directly influences (speak blocks) the
- rear (C7 – sacrum) muscle chain,
- fore (C7 to poll and hyoid) muscle chain.
In turn we will see the horse…
- unnaturally pulling in the chin (locking the jowl angle to protect the artery),
- drop its withers,
- raise its loin/croup,
- drag its hind toes,
- make higher, artificial steps with the forehand,
- shorten its steps from front-to-back.
None of these are desirable. …even if it may start to resemble one of these “impressive” old rider monuments on the ancient Plazas of Europe.
RR RANT – It is plain wrong to think that it would be gentler to literally “irritate the horse’s nerves” than to learn an independent seat that allows for an elastically following hand with a well-fitted bit.
Wake up and stop blindly following the fad creators who don’t think new trends through!
Say N O to neck rope or neck ring riding!
Say N O to inflicting pain!
There simply are no shortcuts to correct riding but to patiently learn an independent seat.
Admittedly, this comes with many frustrating stages of learning rider muscle, joint, and balance control, much of which should first be learned off-horse on the ground.
copyright Rivkah Roth DO DNM
And, to close… allow me a word in my own cause:
If you don’t yet own my reference handbook and teaching manual, it is perhaps time for you to put in your order.
Everything that I describe here can be found in AtoZ Dressage Insights along with hundreds of other bits of wisdom. -> Link to Book Orders: https://atozdressage.com/orderbooks/
-> More Info about AtoZ Insights: https://atozdressage.com/
“A to Z Insights” is exceptional in that it combines knowledge of the Old Cavalry School of Hanover, Otto Lörke’s never written down knowledge and understanding through my first teacher, Hugo Schnapp (who, prior to fleeing from the DDR to Switzerland in 1961, was considered one of the best post-WWII dressage, 3-day event and jumper riders, trainers, and judges in East-Germany), with the knowledge I was drenched in through my grandfather and my second teacher, Hansruedi Thomi, Olympian and instructor at the Swiss Military Horse Academy (EMPfA), along with my decades of experience with biomechanics, correction riding, and teaching.
Rivkah Roth, author of the reference handbook and teaching manual, “A to Z Insights for Riders, Trainers, and Coaches — Old and New Dressage Concepts and Questions,” is the founder of Equiopathy and a natural health practitioner, lecturer and author with over six decades in the saddle as a correction rider (Swiss National License LMS since 1968) and many hours as a National Grand Prix and FEI C dressage judge.
The achievements of her former and present students and mentees include professional coaches on 5 continents (incl. CDN/EC I to III, ISR I to III, Dutch 3rd Level Instructor, USA, AUS), 1986 Dressage World Championships alternate (CDN), 1986 National GP Kuer Champion (CDN), 1992 Barcelona Olympics Long List 3-Day (CDN), 2002 Young Horse Dressage World Championships – Verden/GER (ISR), World Cup and WEG dressage horse (CDN), and countless National and Provincial Champions on all levels (CDN / ISR / SUI).
A to Z Dressage 