Explores how horses offer the courbette (rearing while walking) and the variations that develop through voluntary experimentation.
⸻
Key Techniques for Developing Courbette
1. Reward Natural Tries – Horses often start offering steps while rearing; reward these.
2. Combine Known Cues – Layer a walk cue onto a rear or pesade cue to encourage forward motion.
3. Use Props like Toys or Tigers – Some horses engage more when playing with known targets.
4. Low Rear Steps First – Forward motion often starts from low rears; reinforce this phase.
Challenges and Adjustments
• Too much forward thinking too soon shifts balance and breaks the rear.
• High rears are harder to sustain forward motion in without falling.
• Weight balance must be correct before movement can happen smoothly.
Key Insights
• Courbette often begins as a self-taught movement.
• Experimentation and reward guide the development over time.
• Horses invent their own styles—some combine levade or low rear with walk.
• Timing of cues can make or break a successful attempt.