First Chance Farm

This is why it’s so challenging.

❤️ Dressage ❤️
The sport where ……
A halt must be direct transition but it can’t be abrupt. It should look like a bird landing on a branch, but cannot be so soft it’s progressive. It must be on the hind leg and has to be square and immobile, but not too short or too long. If the entry is too collected it doesn’t have enough quality, if the stride is longer the horse is too long and makes the halt neigh on impossible to execute like a bird. If the horse lifts it foot too quickly … it will be deemed not immobile and you’ll get a 4.
The trot must be expressive and powerful but must be relaxed. It must be short and compressed in the body with true collection and on the hind leg but it must also swing and be loose. There must be relaxation and rythm but also contained energy springing off the ground.
Collection is important but so is quality, expression, frame and ground cover.
The canter must jump off the ground and above all, be uphill…. But it cannot be too long in stride or frame because it must show collection at all times. Be careful to not allow the stride to become too collected and get small though.
You must have flexion and bend but you have to be straight at all times. You must use a lot of exercises to create bend and flexion to achieve the suppleness, collection and balance required but remember to always ride your horse straight.
The Germans always like to say the horse should sweep the cobwebs out of the corners with their tails when they turn a corner (meaning the horse should turn without bringing the quarters in) but you also have to create bend in the corners.

You might get told for years to extend the trot from marker to marker, then you’ll go to Europe and be told to quietly build the extended trot as you go.
You must have enough bend in the half pass but if you have too much you’ll lose the shoulder. Don’t forget to be upright.

If you’re in one country you have to start your half pass turning into the diagonal line first then catching the quarters, if you’re in another country you’ll spend hours being told this is not correct and you have to leave from shoulder in. Both are correct depending on where you are.

You can ride a Volte inside leg to outside hand and turn your body or you can create the bend and use your outside aids. Both are acceptable.

If you’re in Holland you ride with two legs and two hands with the horse in between. Hand to stop, leg to go. In Germany you ride from the leg into the contact, inside leg to outside hand, and use your seat more. Both are correct.

In piaffe you want the horse to sit, but not too much! You want active hind legs but not so much they balance on the front legs and not moving faster or more active than the front legs. You want them thinking forward but not actually moving too forward but if they think even an inch backwards you forget all of that and ride them forwards.

The passage must be elevated and rhythmical, not too quick but it has to active. Active but relaxed, but big.

Pirouettes must be collected and balanced, between 6-8 strides, but not too quick and not too laboured. They must be uphill but not climbing. Not too high in frame but not too low either. Not too big and not too small.

Finally … If a horse wants to be high you must ride him down and if he wants to be down you must ride him high.

See it’s simple really. 🤷‍♀️😆

JK

Very cute

"When your horse has a short neck, regard it as an alarm bell going off in your training," says William Solyntjes.

Read the full article at the link in our comments.

Yup

Nothing could be more true in this sport!

PSA

www.avma.org

Lengthy but worth reading.

The Golden Rules of the Dressage Warm-Up Arena Four top dressage instructors offer their tips and insights on the rules and etiquette of the dressage warm-up arena to help you stay sane amid the pre-test chaos.