[Jumpers]

Originally Posted by Blistering Winds

The pirouette thingy is AWESOME, but it is like HIGHEST dressage move.

As for flying leads, your horse has to be able to do simple lead changes first. They should be able to pick up the correct lead every time asked.

Then, during a canter, ask for the next lead the same way as you would standing still. Move the hips over, turn the head into the new circle, and the horse should eventually change. Sometimes takes a few or a lot of strides at first, but once they figure it out the stride time gets shorter and shorter as they develop the muscles and balance to perform a flying change.

Actually, a piourette is not the "highest" dressage movement. Piourettes are actually quite simple if your horse can do proper collection and is traveling on the bit properly. These are 2 definite prerequistes.

Tempis and passage are much more difficult than piourettes.

Piourettes are best schooled from the long lines first. The horse should be able to canter a collected 5 meter circle. The horse must know how to set on the haunches and COMPLETELY remove all weight from the forequarter before a true piourette can be schooled. The horse is collected into a smaller and smaller circle until he is actually pivoting on the hind foot.

[Blistering Winds]

Sorry, I just know they are up there in the Top Levels of dressage.

[Jumpers]

Yeah, they sure are up there, you got that right! lol And the piourette is difficult for some horses, but usually they aren't too bad to train providing the horse is highly attentive to the seat and legs and he knows proper collection.

[clashkid47]

Wow, i never knew it was such an advanced move, I won't be trying that one until we perfect everything else. thanks for everyones answers, and all this time i thought it was simular to a cross-canter.


Thanks
Alyssa

[Filly987]

is any one in here

[Filly987]

my horse wont stop1

[thrghbrdrder]

start a new thread...

[Solly Jumper]

I don't know the first but for the second you just ask for a canter again but with the opposite leg.

[sher327]

dead thread ......

[Madamoiselle]

Loki can do about half of a decent pirouette. He was taught superb collection before I got him, I only had to hone it to the point where we could practically canter in place. Keep in mind that your horse has to have already developed self-carriage, if you can't achieve collection without a death grip on your horses face then it's not a good idea to start training it.

The way I was taught :

When you achieve the collection you need, execute a hip-in, towards the direction that your moving.

Your chest is, as for any collection, a bit farther out than usual, your shoulders positioned ever so slightly in the direction your going.

The rest is basically picking up and lifting the shoulder.



As for lead changes-Actually, we're schooling this now;

It's best to teach on straight lines-even if you jump(which is my forte), don't switch directions, if you can't get a simple change very easily and quickly than you aren't ready for a flying change.

It's relatively easy to teach a horse flying changes if you, again can collect and keep them more on the haunches.

Get a nice steady, collected canter, and make sure your horse is relaxed. I'd reccomend some exercises to help focus before attempting this, movements, transitions, cone exercises(try setting up a number of cones in a straight line, canter to one, stop, pick up a canter on the opposite lead, and continue through the pattern).

Loki has no real need for spurs and whips, but it's easier if you have one or the other-IF you're tactful. You're going to need to over exaggerate the aids when teaching.

I canter down a nice straight line, very collected, off the forehand, and when I feel he's fairly relaxed, I gently shift my weight to the appropriate seatbone(if your on the right lead, more weight on your right seat bone). Now, keep in mind, you're not going crooked, your just going to put a larger amount of pressure on that side.

To ask, I use a sharp, clear aid, a sharp squeeze with the leg, if needed I'll shift my heels slightly so I can touch him with my spurs.

At this point, the horse should change pretty easily, if not, try a shoulder-in in the direction opposite of the lead you'd like to switch to(again, if you're on the right lead, shoulder-in towards the right)-or-try a hip out towards the direction of the lead you want to pick up(if your on the right lead and want to pick up the left lead push the hip out towards the left) THEN ask for it.

Be aware that horses first learning are probably going to act up, if you're asking to strong they'll probably take off after they swap. Loki bunny-hops around when I ask still(and yesterday after getting a tap with the whip because he was ignoring my aids-he reared and then kicked out-BUT..he swapped )

The problems that can come with this can be that they can sometimes explode a bit if you go to the collected canter, anticipating a change, even if you have no intention. ALOT of the dressage moves stimulate the nervous system, so normally, to relax Loki I'll let put him into a long and low hunter frame and long trot him in two-point.

Remember, after your horse gives you a change, reward ALOT, give them a loose rein and walk a bit, then maybe go back and practice it once or twice more, if they do well, get off-right then and there. Keep it short and end on a good note.