engaging hindquaters

Question
I've heard a lot of people talking about their horses engaging their hindquaters, can you tell me what it is and how to achieve it. Thankyou.

Answer
To get your horse to naturally engage their hindquarters takes a lot of time and work. The actual term "engaging the hindquarters" refers to the horse moving actively forwards, bringing his hindlegs underneath him and achieving a soft, flexible outline.
The first thing you need to do to achieve this, primarily, is to get your horse working forwards. People will often try and use head flexion and bit work to try and get the horse's head nice and supple, but just flexing the head and neck will not achieve overall engagement. Get your horse working actively forwards onto a light contact, using the leg and whip to tap the hindquarters forwards and bring the horse into the contact. Use flexing exercises and transitions and try and sit back, possibly raising the hands slightly to get the horse's weight on his hindquarters. When you have done this a lot, your horse should be a lot more supple throughout his whole body, and more able to use his muscles effectively, with his weight all on his hindquaters and his hindlegs stepping forward and "over-tracking" the forefeet.

I hope this has been of some use to you - if you need anymore information or have anymore queries, please don't hesitate to write back again