Maat's Blog Post # 1: Using Trot Lengthenings to Improve Your Training

Even though trot lengthenings don’t show up until your dressage test at First level, you can still use them at home to improve your horse’s overall training! Trot lengthenings gymnasticize your horse and help build muscle. They improve the overall elasticity of your horse, meaning your horse has an easier time lengthening his frame and collecting his frame, which also helps to bring your horse back or to take out that extra stride in your show jumping phase.

With trot lengthenings, your horse uses his muscles the most at the beginning of the lengthening (when you’re asking him to come out from a shorter frame into a longer one) and at the end of the lengthening (when you’re asking him to collect his frame a little). This is where you’ll get the most benefit. At first your horse will only be able to show a little bit of a lengthening, and eventually you’ll find you’ll be able to do them longer and with more reach. As with everything in dressage, your horse must be forward-thinking before asking him to lengthen and then shorten his trot.

Check out the video: