Acheiving medium trot & canter.

[equibabe20]

Hi,
Hope this is the right place to post this. I've just been looking at some of the Novice tests and I ws wondering hows the best way to acheive medium trot and canter? He has a tendancy just to try to break into canter or just go faster, any help/tips would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance from a dressage newbie! X

 

[Mel85]

You want the feeling of building the power in the preparation and then "letting it out" when you do the movement. You don't want to be chasing it along as that is when they will break/go faster. Practise building up the power along the short side of the arena until you feel and then let it out down the long side and just let it happen! I hope this makes sense...I know what I mean!

 

[tigers_eye]

A good way of getting that initial feeling is to go into counter canter on a 20m circle, flex the neck to the inside, then ask for trot. You will get a very powerful trot for a few strides, but the horse does need to have good natural balance to acheive this.

 

[Partoow]

'Show a few steps of medium...' The reason medium paces are asked for in this way is that it is the quality of the transition in and out of the movement that is actually what is important as this provides the basis on which being able to ride a medium paces from one point to another in balance in later more advanced tests.
There is no extension of the pace without collection... what this means is that you need to get the horse to first place a little more weight on the hind legs this is achieved along the lines of training in terms of straightness and connection. Medium steps require the horse to take bigger steps with more ground cover not faser steps. every time you ride a correct up/down transition you get the horse to place more weight on the hind legs IF it is ridden taking care to ride the hindlegs in all transitions not pull the front.
First you need to work riding LOTS of on and back transitions this may be done on a circle or on the long side of the school .Make sure he is even in both hands and that when you ask for the on transition that you do not lean backwards make your self taller and concentrate on keeping the rhythm. Try not to kick on every step or you will chase him out of balance and do not get greedy and keep chasing him or he will break to canter,this is a symptom of loss of balance. They should want to take your hand forward the nose should actually be a little infront of the vertical. He will need a little more support from your hand and you need to support more with your body.
Try and develope the idea of shoulder in or shoulder-fore this will help place the hind leg under the horse and enable you to gain a few steps of medium trot/canter.When you ride the transition back to the working pace the placing of the hind leg through shoulder-fore again to make the transition on the hind leg not by dipping onto the hand. You will know when its correct because the poll will stay as the highest point and there will be no increase in weight in the hand.
The important thing in the test is to not come off the corner like a rocket. Make sure you turn onto the diagonal that you have the horse straight and in both reins[ an even weight in both hands]. Half halt then ask for the steps just before X and then for at least a body length over X and then think of a slight shoulder-fore in the dirrection of the new rein to bring the horse back to balance and collection for the return to the working pace. The important thing is to not stop the flow of the movement use the corners to help you regain the balance do not hold your breath and motorbike into and out of them. In that way you will develope the balance and the connection neccessary to clearly show the differences, and the horse will grow in cofidence as he feels you help him into balance not chase him out of it. Sorry this is a bit long but it really is a case of how long is a piece of string..! There is a lot to it and it is why it is quite difficult to get cosistently good marks at this movement. It is about the development of very important aspects of the scales of training. Thats why its there and it is the difference between prelim and novice in these terms of 'way of going'.. I'll shut up now !! its just so interesting. Have fun !

 

[Tempi]

Another good tip for showing a difference with in the pace is to really collect the horse back just before you do the medium trot/canter - but you have to remember to keep the horses hindleg active, so often people think collection is a slower hindleg, its not.

You need to close your fingers on the reins and make sure you keep your upper body relaxed, sit down deep into the saddle and squeeze up from your lower leg into your hand in both the trot and canter. You should feel the horse go for a longer more powerful stride. medium dosent mean faster.

The best thing to do is to go through it with your trainer/instructor.

 

[Rachel1]

Hi, I agree with Parisienne Girl, also I think a common mistake people make is to throw the reins at the horse aas it lengthens, but the horse should take the contact forwards from you as pushes from behind and its frame lengthens, if you break the contact then the horse will lose power. Don't know if that's any help! x

 

[siennamum]

That is so interesting thank you and I can relate to the problems with chasing a horse into medium as I tend to do this, it's a really good point.

 

[PaddyMonty]

I would also advise training horse with a slightly different leg position from normal, ie move both legs back a couple of inches when you want medium trot. Helps the horse to understand what you are asking and avoids the canter confusion.

 

[Ferdinase514]

I actually move my legs slightly forwards, so he knows that it is a different aid for medium trot, as opposed to asking for canter.

 

[PaddyMonty]

Yep, that works to.

 

[Halfstep]

I move my legs forward for lengthenings too!

 

[Madam_max]

Me too.

 

[equibabe20]

Hi everyone, thanks very much for all this brilliant advice! I will be giving it a go soon X

 

[Taboo1968]

excellent good advice..... I'll be trying this tomorrow!