Starting dressage horse?

horse_mom · 08-02-2008, 08:41 PM

how do you start gtting a horse to use his hind end?i would lke to get my gelding to use his hind end more.
also how would you start basic dressage movements and what are the most basic?
can anyone recomened some websites or books?thx

Kodachrome · 08-02-2008, 08:43 PM

No idea about the dressage movements - although basic dressage movements are pretty much your building blocks to basic groundwork.

I would start with groundpoles to build up the hind end!!

shyxpony · 08-02-2008, 08:49 PM

Here's a recent thread on engaging the hindquarters: Hunter or Dressage Training Tips for "Engaging the Hindquarters"???

As for basic movements... obviously w/t/c, lengthening and shortening strides, halting from all gaits, transitions up and down, picking up corrects leads, riding a straight line down the middle of the arena, riding a straight line across the diagonal to change direction, circles, figure eights, walking on a loose rein (free walk), trotting on a loose rein... basic stuff. A good foundation is very important, so all those things should be solid.

Here are the Introductory Level dressage tests, it's good practice. I practice each part individually rather than practicing the whole test at once so my horse doesn't learn the pattern and start anticipating.

lancaster.unl.edu/4h/fair/documents/DresIntr.pdf

Hope that helps

horse_mom · 08-02-2008, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shyxpony

Here's a recent thread on engaging the hindquarters: Hunter or Dressage Training Tips for "Engaging the Hindquarters"???

As for basic movements... obviously w/t/c, lengthening and shortening strides, halting from all gaits, transitions up and down, picking up corrects leads, riding a straight line down the middle of the arena, riding a straight line across the diagonal to change direction, circles, figure eights, walking on a loose rein (free walk), trotting on a loose rein... basic stuff. A good foundation is very important, so all those things should be solid.

Here are the Introductory Level dressage tests, it's good practice. I practice each part individually rather than practicing the whole test at once so my horse doesn't learn the pattern and start anticipating.

lancaster.unl.edu/4h/fair/documents/DresIntr.pdf

Hope that helps

oh thx soo much!!!for the free walk where would you hold the reins and how low do you want the horses head go down?i've already got the transitions to the stop from all gaits!

shyxpony · 08-02-2008, 09:23 PM

Try googling "dressage free walk" and look at the pictures

That should help you.

When you do your free walk, think LONG rein rather than LOOSE rein. You want your reins to be long, with your horse's neck long and low. You should still have light contact. So your reins shouldn't be draped and hanging

JBandRio · 08-03-2008, 05:49 AM

There is much much more to the "free walk" than simply letting the reins out. It all goes back to hind end engagement.
http://search.freefind.com/find.html...temap=Site+Map

MIEventer · 08-03-2008, 06:25 AM

Isn't it funny - how EVERYTHING comes down to proper Hind End Engagement? Yet how many out there ride the forehand instead?

GUESS WHAT!!!! When you ride in the arena - you are doing Basic Dressage! When you walk, trot, canter, lope, halt, circle, bend, serpentine, lateral work, turning on the hind, turning on the fore, etc, etc, etc - you are doing dressage!

There is a great book to get:

101 Dressage Exercises For Both Horse And Rider. I own this book and it is fantastic!

The Free Walk comes from the back end. The back lifted and the head stretching down.

That is something I have to work on. I always get comments from the Judge in my Dressage Tests that my horse isn't stretching down enough.

And what the Judge looks for, is a horse reaching for the stretch, not the riding asking for it. The rider is to allow the horse to pull the reins through their hands while they are moving foward in an engaged walk, stretching down, down, down.

horse_mom · 08-03-2008, 03:22 PM

so i your horse like to walk with his nose close to the ground and stretch his whole top line is that kinda like the free walk?

calvo · 08-03-2008, 04:21 PM

Here is two fantastic websites here

(I should really put it in my signature..lol) I thoroughly recommend it alot!

http://www.artofriding.com/articles/longandlow.html

http://www.classical-dressage.net/sy...ch_page2.shtml

Do read as much as you can on as many pages! believe me, you will be amazed and will learn a bit too

Enjoy!

horse_mom · 08-03-2008, 04:44 PM

thx anyone else?

08-02-2008, 08:41 PM	#1
horse_mom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: ca Posts: 1,035	Starting dressage horse? how do you start gtting a horse to use his hind end?i would lke to get my gelding to use his hind end more. also how would you start basic dressage movements and what are the most basic? can anyone recomened some websites or books?thx __________________ TEAM EDWARD!!!! "Yes.you are exactly my brand of heroin." Edward Cullen is my herion!!!

08-02-2008, 08:43 PM	#2
Kodachrome Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 333 Images: 11	No idea about the dressage movements - although basic dressage movements are pretty much your building blocks to basic groundwork. I would start with groundpoles to build up the hind end!! __________________ Kat & Kodachrome, 7 year old Reg. QH Gelding. My horsey blog: http://katinthesaddle.wordpress.com

08-03-2008, 05:49 AM	#6
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,699 Images: 145 Blog Entries: 12	There is much much more to the "free walk" than simply letting the reins out. It all goes back to hind end engagement. http://search.freefind.com/find.html...temap=Site+Map __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - You can't hit me with all those snowballs!

08-03-2008, 03:22 PM	#8
horse_mom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: ca Posts: 1,035	so i your horse like to walk with his nose close to the ground and stretch his whole top line is that kinda like the free walk? __________________ TEAM EDWARD!!!! "Yes.you are exactly my brand of heroin." Edward Cullen is my herion!!!

08-03-2008, 04:21 PM	#9
calvo Full Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK Posts: 142	Here is two fantastic websites here (I should really put it in my signature..lol) I thoroughly recommend it alot! http://www.artofriding.com/articles/longandlow.html http://www.classical-dressage.net/sy...ch_page2.shtml Do read as much as you can on as many pages! believe me, you will be amazed and will learn a bit too Enjoy! __________________ Im not actually meant to be here... How hilarious!?

08-02-2008, 08:49 PM	#3
shyxpony Senior Member+ Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,528 Images: 1	Here's a recent thread on engaging the hindquarters: Hunter or Dressage Training Tips for "Engaging the Hindquarters"??? As for basic movements... obviously w/t/c, lengthening and shortening strides, halting from all gaits, transitions up and down, picking up corrects leads, riding a straight line down the middle of the arena, riding a straight line across the diagonal to change direction, circles, figure eights, walking on a loose rein (free walk), trotting on a loose rein... basic stuff. A good foundation is very important, so all those things should be solid. Here are the Introductory Level dressage tests, it's good practice. I practice each part individually rather than practicing the whole test at once so my horse doesn't learn the pattern and start anticipating. lancaster.unl.edu/4h/fair/documents/DresIntr.pdf Hope that helps

08-02-2008, 09:23 PM	#5
shyxpony Senior Member+ Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,528 Images: 1	Try googling "dressage free walk" and look at the pictures That should help you. When you do your free walk, think LONG rein rather than LOOSE rein. You want your reins to be long, with your horse's neck long and low. You should still have light contact. So your reins shouldn't be draped and hanging

08-03-2008, 06:25 AM	#7
MIEventer Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,283	Isn't it funny - how EVERYTHING comes down to proper Hind End Engagement? Yet how many out there ride the forehand instead? GUESS WHAT!!!! When you ride in the arena - you are doing Basic Dressage! When you walk, trot, canter, lope, halt, circle, bend, serpentine, lateral work, turning on the hind, turning on the fore, etc, etc, etc - you are doing dressage! There is a great book to get: 101 Dressage Exercises For Both Horse And Rider. I own this book and it is fantastic! The Free Walk comes from the back end. The back lifted and the head stretching down. That is something I have to work on. I always get comments from the Judge in my Dressage Tests that my horse isn't stretching down enough. And what the Judge looks for, is a horse reaching for the stretch, not the riding asking for it. The rider is to allow the horse to pull the reins through their hands while they are moving foward in an engaged walk, stretching down, down, down.

08-03-2008, 04:44 PM	#10
horse_mom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: ca Posts: 1,035	thx anyone else? __________________ TEAM EDWARD!!!! "Yes.you are exactly my brand of heroin." Edward Cullen is my herion!!!

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