Also in C&T .. lengthening a horses stride?

tonitot

tonitot

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Hi all, just pondering after my lesson today (was going to a report but as it was a baby lesson where we only walked and trotted thought it would be a bit pointless!)

My horse is very choppy as she rushes a bit where she's green and very keen to get on with the job. Today my YO gave me a lesson and was getting me to get her to lengthen down the long sides and collect down the short sides. When I really rode her down the long sides she lengthened beautifully for the first time ever! :D She enjoyed doing this and got a bit excited (which I loved as normally schooling is ever so dull to her) which seemed to make her lengthen even better.

So, I was wondering if I carried on working on this with her would her natural stride become smoother and a bit lengthened or will she always be choppy unless asked to lengthen?

Sorry if that doesnt make any sense, can seem to word it right! :o
 
My youngster can be a bit like this too sometimes so I'll be interested to read your replies. I'm pregnant at the moment so currently just lunging and taking him out on the long lines - and he's really relaxing and lengthening amazingly! With mine, I think a lot of it is uptightness so it's been handy having to put in more groundwork with him. Would doing similar help yours?
 
Groundwork could work but shes very much the same on the lunge although she does put her nose practically on the floor most of the time so maybe a bit more.lunging would help?! :)
 
I think she is a tb?if so it should be easier than for some breeds so yes in theory she should be able to learn to use herself better, take longer steps whilst remaining on the same or possibly slower rhythm and gradually become less up and down in her movement, she has probably learnt to tense and shorten the trot so it will take time to change her mentality as much as the physical side of things.
Lots or stretchy work, getting her taking long steps stretching her topline and really relaxing will help, learning to shorten without tensing then going on again, leg yielding so she moves really softly from your leg not just going forward.
 
Yes she's a TB :) I've had her for 3 years and she's always been a.choppy mover but until now I've not got my bum in gear to do anything about it! She likes to do everything fast which doesnt help.

Thanks for the tips, how can I get her to take longer steps? She does tense up as soon as I put my leg on but until recently I have just been giving her a poke with my heel (being lazy!) rather than using my whole leg which she isn't so sensitive to so hopefully that will help too.
 
She needs to accept your leg, this is where the leg yielding will help so she does not always just go forward but learns to yield sideways as well, a few steps slightly one way then forward to a bigger trot, this done on a circle where you spiral in then leg yield out is probably the most useful exercise.
Continue to do as you were in the lesson, praise her when she opens her shoulders and takes the longer steps, most horses are bright enough to quickly pick up things if you make it very clear when they get it right.
 
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