Self-Carriage = To carry yourself or not to carry yourself😊

Self-Carriage is another silly word in the equestrian industry, right up there with collection and engagement, that everyone pretends to understand but only few do.

I see horses competing on third level and higher that still do not have Self-Carriage and Self-Carriage is really something that should be established as part of the basics before any collection is added to the equation.

Self-Carriage means that the horse is balanced upright and able to continue the shape, form and frame, balance, gait, speed, and direction without the continued support of the aids for longer and longer periods of time until a different aid is given.

During this time of Self-Carriage, you might say that the horse is on “auto pilot,” continuing all the functions asked of him with little or no involvement from the rider. However, being on auto pilot does not mean being checked out or not paying attention, on the contrary. By teaching the horse Self-Carriage, the horse is taking a higher form of responsibility for his own participation in the work and therefore will be more attentive to the rider and alert to any changes in aids.

When a horse is not in Self-Carriage, it means that the aids must be used way too much to “help/aid” the horse in doing what is being asked of him.

Lightness is first and foremost about creating balance so the horse can move without losing his balance horizontally or vertically and this new found “balance/uprightness” or Self-Carriage leads to the use of “lighter aids” as the horse no longer needs the same help to stay balanced and can continue the work by himself.

Here is a check list for what’s NOT Self-Carriage. Does your horse do any of these things?

NOT Self-Carriage:

  1. A horse that does not go willingly off the leg and does not keep going at the same speed is not in Self-Carriage.

  2. A horse that leans on the hand or feels heavy on the bit is not in Self-Carriage.

  3. A horse that leans in and out of the circle with his shoulders or haunches is not in Self-Carriage.

  4. A horse that is difficult to steer, turn, bend or stop is not in Self-Carriage.

  5. A horse that hollows his back and escapes contact, frame and connection is not in Self-Carriage.

  6. A horse that zig zags, speeds up, slows down or changes direction by himself is not in Self-Carriage.


Here is a check list of what IS Self-Carriage:

  1. A horse that goes willingly and immediately off the leg and continues self-impulsion without any show of resistance.

  2. A horse that maintains same head height, lightness to the bit, shape of neck and topline

  3. A horse that has his hind legs aligned with the direction of his front legs and center of gravity, whether straight or bent.

  4. A horse that follows his nose, follows the feel of the rein, turning and bending with ease, easy to stop, stopping uphill.

  5. A horse that stays round in his topline, swinging his back upwards and pushing up under the rider

  6. A horse that has self-impulsion and balance also maintains direction and often continues in the direction he is placed in whether a straight line or bent.


How did your horse do matching up against these two checklists? Perhaps it matched up more with one list than the other, or maybe it was a mixed result.

In my experience there are 5 fundamentals of lightness that are required in order to achieve real Self-Carriage. By the way, Self-Carriage does not mean collection. It just means that the horse is equally balanced between front and rear, like liquid balanced equally in a bottle if the bottle is laying horizontally. If there is more weight in one end of the bottle than the other, then the bottle becomes unbalanced.

The 5 Fundamentals:
Step One: Jaw Flexion
Step Two: Lifting the Withers and Shifting Weight to the Rear
Step Three: Impulsion
Step Four: Creating Bend in the Body
Step Five: Neck Extension

If your aids continue to check these 5 things throughout your entire ride, then you will inevitably build longer and longer periods of Self-Carriage until you experience the flow and harmony you are looking to feel in your ride on a permanent level.

I am currently putting together a group course on the 5 Fundamentals of Lightness to work on developing or increasing Self-Carriage and collection in horses from green to advanced.

If you know that your horse needs more balance, is asymmetrical, lacks straightness or you are experiencing other training issues that slow your progress, email Celie@ConnectedDressage.com and I’ll be happy to hop on a strategy session with you to figure out whether this program is the right one for you and determine your next training step.

Ride with Lightness,

Celie