|
|
|
|
|
Editor's Note: Last month featured Second and Third Levels. This issue will report the Fourth and Prix St. Georges Levels.
Fourth Level
Shannon Barnes, Boulder, CO
riding Pandanus,
an 8 y.o. Brandenburg gelding
Even at this level, work begins in the walkwith the goal of having the horse through the neck, in a long-strided, unhurried rhythm. Rhythm cannot be stressed enough. The rider must keep correcting the horse and asking the horse to stretch into the bit until the horse gives the desired response. Only then is the horse ready for more advanced work. The rider asks by using the outside rein for roundness, and the inside leg +/- rein to ask for bend, all the while asking the horse forward and into the bit.
If the horse piaffes in response to the aids, encourage the piaffe. Then return to the walk work.
Allow the horse to stretch into the contact and to take the nose more forward. "Keep the contact, but give the rein." The halt should come from behind. To get the horse giving more from behind, extend the gait a bit, then collect just prior to asking for the halt. Avoid using too much inside rein.
Chewing in the mouth is evidence of good contact. Ask the horse to come round using a half halt in the outside rein.
Use the corner to set up the correct bend in shoulder-in. Pay attention to the rhythm, and return to forward and straight if the horse begins to lose his rhythm. The outside rein should not cross the withers. The outside hand should be low. Do not allow the horses head to come up through the corner or in shoulder-in.
Use a volte to prepare half pass, using the outside leg to get the horse more through. When schooling, use more bending than usual to get the horse through in the neck.
Give the rein, and let the horse go, in the walk. The walk transition and walk itself should not be ridden "backwards" (with more hand than leg). The horse should respond immediately to a request for an upward transition. Practice making walk-trot transitions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nancy Chesney, Larkspur, CO
riding Lorenzo,
an 8 y.o. Dutch Warmblood gelding
In half pass, don't forget the shoulder and the bend. Ride shoulder-in down the long side to E, volte at E, then half pass to the center-line. The rider must sit to the inside, maintain the rhythm, and be sure to take the shoulder along. Riding shoulder in before starting the half pass facilitates the half pass. The rider must not lose the shoulder in during the half pass.
The horse must be round and straight before asking for the change. If the horse is not round, he will be blocked in his back, and will not be able to change cleanly behind. The rider must also keep the seat quiet--disturbing him by drastic or sudden shifts of weight will also interfere with the changes. Horses must be forward in the changes, "You can't make a change without a canter."
To soften/loosen the horse, flex him to each side in a forward canter (a few strides to each side), and then ask for the change when he is soft, forward and working through his back. Practicing changes across the diagonal when a horse is having trouble with the changes creates anticipation and increases anxiety, so that it is harder to get the change to be free and uphill. It is better to work with an anxious horse along the rail.
School the changes by extending on the long side, collecting just before the corner, then asking for the change. Keep the horse moving forwards and round. Tempi's should be ridden collected and straight.
Passage is a slower tempo, but should maintain the swing of the trot. There should NOT be a loss of power, only the sense that the power is coming in slow motion. Elevate the horse by using the lower leg.
Prix St. Georges
Jeremy Steinberg, San Diego, CA
riding Hallmark,
an 8 y.o. Brandenburg gelding
Day One
Walk again must be checked prior to trot work. The trot should be forward, and swinging rather than running. The horse must not come up when brought back. Half halts should be used to bring the horse back without letting him come up.
Ride shoulder-in with the outside rein, asking for a bend. Ask for half halts during in order
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
to increase suppleness and looseness. The horse should not come up in shoulder-in or with the half halts. If the horse is not paying attention to the half halts, ask for a full halt.
Introduce half passes by riding a few steps of shoulder-in. The hands should stay light, allowing the horse to chew. Use the bend from the corner to establish the shoulder-in. Don't forget the use of the outside rein at the beginning of half pass, and allow the change at the end to be a jump. The jump should be bigger than in normal canter.
Tempi changes must be round, and allow the horse to jump, coming from behind. The horse must always be allowed to jump.
The horse must be put in piaffe so that he does it by himself and enjoys it. Don't go out of piaffe into walk because it doesn't help your piaffe/passage transition. Instead, trot forward slowly and round. Focus on the roundness. Ride lots of transitions between piaffe and passage, focussing on swing, self-carriage and roundness. Piaffe slowly forward, passage slowly out. Think of piaffe as going forwards. Take the swing of the trot into the passage.
Day Two
Ride from shoulder-in into half pass. Collect the horse to keep him from running, but allow the horse to swing. If the horse is reluctant to bend, ask him to bend more than usual the next time. Let the horse jump in canter in the half pass. Prepare the half pass with a few steps of shoulder-in.
When riding the zig-zags, ride one stride straight before making the change. This gives more expression, and makes you and the horse look more confident in the change.
Make the trot into the piaffe forward. Don't think of stopping. Ride the piaffe slowly out so that the horse doesn't stiffen and anticipate. Make the horse feel that transitions into and out of piaffe and passage are easy so that his charisma and expression come through.
Reprinted with permission of Dressage un Ltd. ©
|
|
|
|
|
|
