The TdeT Howlett training aid is a schooling aid that is attracting growing interest among riders looking to develop correct movement without restricting their horse in a fixed outline. When used correctly, it promotes a better connection between the hindquarters and forehand, encourages engagement of the hind legs and helps the horse find its own balance.
Like any training aid, however, it can never replace correct schooling or sensitive hands. Its value lies in occasional, considered use that is adapted to the horse's level of training.
What is the TdeT Howlett training aid used for?
Unlike some training aids that act mainly on the neck, the TdeT Howlett training aid influences the horse's overall biomechanics.
Its purpose is to:
- encourage a natural, relaxed outline;
- encourage the horse to lift and use its back;
- improve engagement of the hind legs;
- help the horse develop greater self-carriage;
- progressively develop the horse's musculature without creating tension.
The aim is never to force the horse into an outline, but rather to provide a framework in which it can discover a more balanced way of moving.
Best practices for using the Howlett
To get the best results, there are a few essential principles to follow.
1. Start with a free warm-up
Before fitting the training aid, allow your horse to walk and then trot freely for around ten minutes so that it can warm up its muscles and mobilise its joints.
2. Adjust it carefully
The TdeT Howlett should remain sufficiently loose to allow the horse to stretch its neck forward and down when needed.
An overly short adjustment would have the opposite effect to the one intended, causing tension and a loss of balance.
3. Focus on transitions
The effectiveness of this training aid comes largely from frequent transitions.
Each transition naturally encourages the horse to shift more weight onto the hindquarters, engage the hind legs and work with a more active back.
4. Alternate straight lines and curves
Curves help improve suppleness, while straight lines encourage impulsion and forward movement.
Alternating between the two helps the horse gradually develop a more stable balance.
5. Keep sessions short but regular
There is no need for lengthy sessions.
Around 15 to 20 minutes working with the training aid is more than enough, particularly for an inexperienced young horse or a horse returning to work.
Quality should always take priority over duration.
Example schooling session with the TdeT Howlett (35 to 40 minutes)
Warm-up (10 minutes)
- 5 minutes in walk on a long rein.
- 5 minutes in trot in a free outline, on large curves.
Objective: encourage the horse to move forward without asking for any particular outline.
Work with the Howlett (20 minutes)
Exercise 1: Frequent transitions
Alternate between:
- walk → trot,
- trot → walk,
- halt → walk.
Approximately every 30 to 50 metres.
Objective:
The horse learns to push from behind while remaining relaxed.
Exercise 2: Serpentines in trot
Ride several serpentines with three or four loops.
Maintain a regular rhythm and slight bend throughout.
Objective:
Develop lateral suppleness and balance.
Exercise 3: Ground poles
Place four ground poles approximately 1.20 m to 1.35 m apart, depending on the horse's stride length.
Trot calmly over the poles.
Objective:
- improve coordination;
- encourage the horse to use its back;
- encourage greater elevation through the shoulders.
Exercise 4: Trot-canter-trot transitions
On a large 20-metre circle:
- transition into canter,
- canter for a few strides,
- transition back to trot,
- repeat.
Objective:
Engage and mobilise the hindquarters and improve balance without focusing on speed.
Cool-down (10 minutes)
Remove the training aid.
Allow the horse to:
- trot freely;
- stretch its neck forward and down;
- finish with several minutes of walk on a long rein.
This phase is essential to allow the muscles to recover and help the horse finish the session feeling comfortable.
The most common mistakes
Even with high-quality equipment, certain mistakes can limit the benefits:
- adjusting the training aid too short;
- focusing on a low outline rather than an active back;
- forgetting the importance of impulsion;
- making sessions too long;
- using the training aid in every session.
The TdeT Howlett is a schooling aid, not a permanent solution.
In summary
When used thoughtfully, the TdeT Howlett training aid can be an excellent way to help develop a horse that is better balanced, more supple and increasingly capable of carrying itself.
Its effectiveness depends less on the training aid itself than on the quality of the exercises used: transitions, bending exercises, work over ground poles and a constant focus on maintaining fluid, correct movement.
By keeping sessions short, varied and progressive, you can help your horse develop functional musculature while preserving relaxation and well-being. A training aid used correctly should never force movement: it should guide the horse towards a more correct and balanced way of going.
