The bigger the jump, the more the horse must rock back and lift upwards on the takeoff. Therefore as the jumps get bigger, it becomes even more important that you are poised and patient with your upper body off the ground.
From Facebook fan Joan Childs ~ "One of the best bits of advice I was given many many years ago I now pass on freely to all my students. Your hands must be free in order to use them effectively. You can not pull, push, follow, open or close your reins if they are busy being a source of your balance."
"Dressage is about repetition and correction and being strong with yourself to not let bad habits happen. It’s being on top of every little thing. If you make bad transitions at home because you’re lazy or not really thinking of it, you’re going to make bad transitions in the arena. Then you go, ‘oh, he did that,’ but that’s because you allowed him to make all those mistakes in the first place." ~ Charlotte Dujardin
There are a huge range of possible different releases that a rider can use when jumping a horse over a fence. All the way from a "negative" release - which means the rider is actually pulling back on the horse's mouth in the air, like this: (Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)
From Facebook fan Krista Fabregas ~ "On an 18h gangley monster, a custom made saddle makes a world of difference... and ramen noodles provide adequate enough nutrition when paying for said saddle."
Sometimes you can make your circles better by not working on circles! Work on squares, 90 degree turns, and diagonal lines for a while, and maybe some nose to the wall leg yield. Then come back to your circles, after you have worked on better use of and response to your outside turning aids.
Recently on one of those community Facebook pages someone posed the question “What’s the most important quality to establish in your horse?” If you discount the glib, knee-jerk clichéd replies, it’s a question that defies a single answer given the huge variation from one horse to the next and how differently one trainer approaches his work from another. Rather than settle on an agreed conclusion, the query was more raised to provoke discussion.
In DRESSAGE Unscrambled I suggested that the training scale or training pyramid is often misconstrued by well intentioned neophytes. I prefer to think of it as... (Click on Blog Title above to read full entry)
"The motto of instructor and rider must always be forward. Forward in the movement of the horse instructed to his care. Forward in order to achieve his aim in the art of training. Forward whenever difficulties appear." ~ Alois Podhajsky
"Anyone can ruin a horse in a heart beat… and what is happening is this vicious circle of working incorrectly, veterinary need, working incorrectly, more veterinary maintenance, that’s a vicious circle." ~ George Morris
"The horse’s particular, individual tempo must also be coordinated with his particular length of frame. A horse can only set his front foot down on the spot toward which his nose is pointing. Thus, the longer the step, the longer the horse’s frame must be." ~ Walter Zettl
I had the pleasure of auditing the William Fox-Pitt Clinic at Morningside Training Farm last week. While I was struck by many things I heard and observed, the most striking for me was his focus on the fundamentals of good horsemanship. Whether he was working with 3*/4* riders and their horses or with riders and horses of less experience, he started at the beginning. The first day’s sessions on the flat started with a discussion of, and work on, the warm up. This was followed by a focus on connection, relaxation and rhythm. All of this before any upper level movements. The second day’s jumping sessions started over fences at the trot and the walk before moving on to more challenging exercises. The focus of all the jumping work was on supporting a positive attitude in the horse and encouraging the horse to “find” the jumps. His commitment to good fundamentals and to the welfare and nature of each horse was both admirable and refreshing. (Click on Blog Title above (in blue) to read full entry)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1650When you give an aid, whether it is a half halt or an aid to canter - ask very lightly, and then wait a bit to give the horse time to process and respond. This takes the pressure off of the horse which lets him think more clearly about what you are asking, which will allow him to respond in a more focused way. Video # 108 and Question # 323: Kayla has a question (with video) about her horses tendency to fall out through his right shoulder when going to the left. My horse is super bendy going to the left, but he runs right through the outside rein. In our flatwork today, I was trying to get him to step into it before we made our downward transitions from canter to trot, and he would immediately hollow (both vertically and horizontally) and just run sideways, no matter how much I tried to bring his shoulders back. I used the lightest leg aid I could, but it didn't seem to matter. To the right, he doesn't bend as well, but that outside rein actually means something, and he seems to be comfortable stepping up into that one, just not going left.
I added links to all of our videos from today, but our big fiasco was on our attempts at left lead transitions, however, I'm sure you can probably see where I'm wrong in any of them. I'm sure it's something I'm doing wrong, whether with my body position (I caught myself leaning left HARD in the lead departures), or with my hands, but I don't have any idea what, or how to fix it. He also seems to be twisting his head to the outside when we go left, but I'm not sure if he actually is or if it's an illusion because of the way his mane lies (and I can't see the muscle bulge if he's doing it both ways). (Kayla)
Hi Kayla!
What you are describing is actually very common! Most horses have a natural tendency to over bend their necks to the left. This causes them to lean on their right shoulder. And once a horse is heavy on their outside shoulder, they cannot respond properly to your turning aids, no matter how much they want to! (Click on Video or Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer and the critique of this video)Tip/Quote of the Day # 1649In your Dressage seat, let your legs hang quietly down - close to your horse's sides for easy and intimate communication, but not tight, which lessens your ability to communicate in a subtle manner.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1648
There should be no joint in a rider's midsection. Otherwise the hip joint doesn't work as it is supposed to.
Question # 322: Kayla has some new jumps and has a question about what to set up for a green horse.I finally have enough parts to make 10 jumps (with standards)! I’ve also got some odds and ends that I jump (12” high piece of pipe, cross rail set up with cable spools, etc), but these will be my first “real” jumps that look like a stadium round. I’ve got about 25 acres to set them up in, so I can space them way out for a sort-of-cross-country school, but I would really like some advice on how to set them up in a smaller area to simulate a stadium course. And if you know a few good exercises offhand for us super-greenies to work on, that’d be awesome too (especially ones for a horse who doesn’t seem to mind if he knocks down every pole in the pen
Video # 107 and Question # 321: Kellyn has a question about her lovely OTTB, along with a video
This is Maverick, a 9 year old TB I took off the track last year, and the half brother to my 2016 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover horse, Bauer. Maverick was supposed to be my 2017 RRP project but he's a bit delicate minded and we weren't ready to go.
So we're plugging along at home, taking our time and working on basics. Very very slowly. He has (I think) some balance issues and there are moments when he sort of loses his back end on turns (see video). When this happens he panics and gets a bit wild. We've been working on large circles and big figure 8's at home for months and have made a very small amount of progress. He can't handle serpentines or lateral work right now without losing his mind (he's rather dramatic and prone to going airborne). What other exercises can we do that would help this issue without getting him frustrated?
I've ruled out physical issues - he has no previous injuries, clean x-rays, good teeth, and no chiropractic issues. He is prone to ulcers and has been on ulcer treatment for a year now. (Kellyn)
Hi Kellyn!
The first thing I have to say is... (Click on Video or Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer and the critique of this video)
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1647"The rider should remain upright with the small of the back braced. The spine must not be hollow and the spine must remain supple and flexible. This is necessary to enable the rider to follow all movements of his horse as if he were part of his own body. The back must remain firm and upright to allow the rider to use the small of the back as an aid." ~ Alois PodhajskyTip/Quote of the Day # 1646
When riding a Dressage test, riding accurately to the letters and making good use of the corners of the ring shows the judge that you are aware, thinking, and have good control of your horse.
Think of the fact that there is a beginning, a middle, and an end to every exercise you ride, and every jump that you jump. In other words, if I just tell you to go jump that oxer, you job is not just to jump the over well, but to do a good transition into canter, get the right canter, jump the oxer well, and then to pull up in a smooth and organized manner.
Frustration is often a part of the process of learning and improving as a rider. Look at it from the perspective that you have been strong enough to move out of your comfort zone., and into an area that is difficult for you. And if you persist with determination, you will get there!
"Sit on your pockets like you got a million bucks in there." ~ Unknown
Technically it isn't correct to be sitting all the way on your back pockets. This can, however, be a good thing for a rider who has a tendency to lean too far forward to think about doing!
Always keep in mind that you need to engage your horse's brain to get him to truly think forward. Your goal should not be to merely get his feet moving, but to ignite the area of his brain that makes him decide to want to move forward. Only when your horse really wants to go forward do you truly have a forward horse... no matter how fast you are actually traveling.
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1636Regularity in the gaits can only be achieved when the movement goes through the horse's relaxed and swinging back.Tip/Quote of the Day # 1635If you want to have good, solid jumping form over fences, practice your two point position. A lot. Even to the point that it hurts a little. Remember, no pain = no gain!Tip/Quote of the Day # 1634
"It was a really good lesson for me to learn that sometimes to go forward with training you have to go back and fill in the holes." - Katy Barlow
Let's discuss how you can train your horse to be this quick and clever! What kind of exercises do you think you could use for this purpose? (Click on Video Discussion title above (in blue) to read and join in on this educational discussion)
Even if the rider has all of their body parts generally in the right place, they will feel out of balance and out of "sync" with their horse's movement when the shock absorbing joints in their legs are locked and rigid.
From Facebook fan Lisa Davidson ~ "Progress with horses is like watching grass grow - you can never see it happening but the lawn needs mowing every week!"
"There is one way to check that you are on the right way – in the high collection you must be able to stretch them so they follow the bit and they are not stuck up there. In every situation you must be able to stretch them – even a piaffe or a pirouette, even then, I must be able to do it." ~ Hubertus Schmidt
"When the horse jumps, you go with it, not the other way around." ~ Bill Steinkraus
Tip/Quote of the Day # 1628"The horses which excel in the piaffe are the horses which have not only strong conformation of the hindquarters but also a sharp or electric temperament which leads them to offer the piaffe naturally. Such volatile horses are not always easy to train and compete as youngsters because of their temperament, but in the long run it is worth persevering with them because they are less likely to ‘switch off’ in the arena." ~ Chris BartleTip/Quote of the Day # 1627
From Facebook fan Jackie Salyer ~ "Ride as many horses as you can! Each one has something to teach you."
"What must the hand and arm be able to do? Yield, sustain, resist. What they do not need to do is pull, because no rider has ever won a pulling contest with a horse. In order to sustain and resist, the hands must be supported from the rider’s elastically braced back and, to the necessary degree, from the support of the upper arm against the side." ~ Bill Steinkraus
Many horses like and do well with a little bit of rein contact throughout the jumping effort. But there are some that are so sensitive, that ANY amount of feel of their mouth at the top of the jumping arc will restrict their form - causing them to either jump with their nose tucked to their chest, or to try to fight the rider’s hand in the air. Both of which will ruin the quality of the horse’s jump. Make sure you know which kind of horse you have!
You are quite correct, in that transitions are only productive if they are done well! So if you are struggling to do good trot/canter/trot transitions, I would advise that you... (Click on Question Title above (in blue) to read full answer)
