Over the past ten to twenty years, we’ve seen more and more changes not only in the ‘dressage landscape’, but also among recreational riders. There is an increasing amount of knowledge available about the effects of training on the horse’s body and movement. We better understand what is harmful to them, and there is more and more consideration given to training methods aimed at keeping the horse healthy and happy for as long as possible. One of these methods is training according to the ‘four dimensions‘.

Karin Leibbrandt is a Dutch veterinarian, rehabilitation trainer, and myofascial release therapist. She is a co-founder of an educational center and developed the 4DimensionDressage training method. You can learn all about this in her book ‘Compassionate Training for Today’s Sport Horse’ and in the online course ‘Prevent Injuries Through Sustainable Horse Training’. In this blog, I’ll introduce you to this modern way of horse training, which allows you to train your horse biomechanically sound while minimising the risk of injuries.

Difficult temperament or physical issues?

Karin Leibbrandt has always been a skilled rider and was often given the difficult horses to ride. She soon realised that these horses did not just have challenging temperaments, but often had physical issues as well. This insight led her to understand that they required a different approach to training. Over the years, leveraging her veterinary degree, she developed a method that others could also use. The beauty of this method is that it is not only suitable for horses with physical problems, but also for completely healthy horses to prevent injuries!

There are already numerous training methods and approaches available for equestrians. So why create a new one? “I noticed that many existing methods were often a bit abstract or vague,” Karin explains. “A bit more inside leg, a bit less bending, a bit more length… but what do you really learn? What are you specifically working on to achieve a certain result? Explaining and conveying a method is not that easy.”

Many excellent trainers rely heavily on intuition and find it difficult to clearly explain what they do and why they do it to riders who lack that intuitive sense. Meanwhile, there are many riders who rely more on technique and develop that intuition over time.

The 4DimensionDressage method that Karin developed helps riders understand biomechanics, balance, aids and more. Using these four ‘dimensions’, you work systematically (without becoming rigid) towards an optimal balance and movement of your horse. You want to be able to train with a forward-downward tendency, to promote strength and stability in the horse’s body and movement. This enables the horse to carry himself and a rider in a healthy, sustainable way. It minimises the risk of injuries, and creates a solid foundation for whatever you want to do with your horse, be it dressage, jumping, endurance, or something else.

What are the four dimensions exactly?

1. VERTICAL BALANCE

This balance is all about the weight distribution between the left and right side, most easily observed in the forehand. All horses have a preference for bearing more weight on one side. A slight difference is not problematic, but as we add our weight or ask for more complex exercises, symmetry becomes increasingly important. In traditional training, there is often a strong focus on shifting weight to the hindquarters, but when a horse is not vertically balanced yet, shifting weight to the hindquarters is much more difficult. You can try it yourself on your hands and knees. If you lean heavily to one side, shifting your weight to your knees is neither easy nor comfortable. However, when your weight is evenly distributed, it takes almost no effort. A horse not in vertical balance can be identified by:

• He pulls more on one rein
• Falling in on the inside shoulder or over the outside shoulder (requiring frequent correction to stay on the line you want to ride)
• Inability to adopt a forward-downward tendency (not to be confused with ‘diving’ towards the ground)
• In the long-term: one wider/flatter and one narrower/higher hoof
• One more developed shoulder

2. HORIZONTAL BALANCE

This balance is about the weight distribution between the forehand and hindquarters. Horses naturally bear more weight on the forehand, which becomes even more obvious when a rider is added on top. To prevent overloading of the fore limbs, it is important to help the horse redistribute its weight more evenly. A horse with poor horizontal balance can be identified by:

• The hind and front hoofs not tracking – not landing in or beyond the track of the front hoof in trot (due to having short strides, or a stride that swings back too much and not enough forward)
• The horse lacks proper contact and/or leans into the hand too much
• The horse has difficulty lengthening its neck (with the nose going forward, not necessarily downward)

4. DIAGONAL DIRECTION

Finally, we have the fourth dimension: direction in the diagonal plane. This refers to the angle the horse takes in relation to the line you are following. This is most evident in lateral movements. For example, in travers, the forehand stays on the line while the hind legs move sideways. In leg-yielding or half-pass, the line is in the middle and both the forehand and hindquarters move sideways. This fourth dimension is not a goal in itself but can be used to improve vertical and horizontal balance and lateral flexion.

Riding with a forward-downward tendency

In addition to the four dimensions, one more ingredient is crucial for self-carriage: energy! There must be sufficient energy for a correct forward-downward tendency — not too much and not too little. With too little energy, the horse might compensate, making it appear as if the horse is in vertical balance while it’s not. Or, if there is sufficient vertical balance, too little energy can prevent the horse from lengthening its neck. Too much energy can cause a horse to lose horizontal balance and go onto the forehand. What is the right amount of energy? By experimenting, you will discover what is just right for your horse! It will feel easier and steadier.

Training while problem-solving independently

Many riders take lessons every week (which is great), but they often find it challenging to solve riding issues on their own, without their instructor present. The advantage of training with these four ‘ingredients’ is that you can always keep them in mind during your training. This helps you become more independent in solving problems. Is a certain exercise not working? Check: how is the contact or rhythm? Can my horse do this without losing vertical balance? In which one of the four dimension can I help my horse? Or if your horse resists during an exercise, is this perhaps its difficult side for lateral flexion? Or is it perhaps due to a lack of vertical or horizontal balance? Is the horse behind the vertical or leaning on the bit? There may be insufficient horizontal balance. Or is there perhaps too little energy? By thinking about and experimenting with these factors, you will find solutions more quickly on your own.

Karin compares it to bouncing a ball that is either too soft or too hard: “If the ball is too soft, it takes a lot of effort to keep it moving. If it’s too hard, it bounces away too easily and feels rigid (similar to a tense horse). But a ball that is perfectly inflated, or a fascial system that can optimally rebound in all directions, requires much less effort to stay in motion!”

Discover if your training is optimal for your horse

Karin Leibbrandt, along with Tessa Roos, a biologist and biomechanics specialist, has created the perfect checklist for equestrians. This checklist has ten checks that help you understand what your horse’s body is telling you about the training. From nose to tail and from back to legs, it allows you to determine if your training is benefiting your horse. Click here to download the checklist for free.