Developing collection, it's all about the engine!

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oldie48

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Just had a brilliant lesson with my super trainer and come home buzzing! It's taken a year to build Rose up so that she can carry more weight behind and stay in self carriage, her go to has always been go long, go big and go onto the hand. (This was actually an improvement on when she came when her go to was block in the neck and go crooked. )If I tried to stop this happening, she would lose impulsion and drop behind the leg. Today I had a huge breakthrough as I managed to get her on the hind leg and in self carriage, then I could use my seat to collect and as long as I kept the engine running she stayed up and light in front. But, best of all it was so much easier to sit to her trot and canter. She is beginning to turn into a real dressage horse and I had moments of feeling like a proper dressage rider. I am absolutely knackered though! Pointless post of course but OH is bored witless by my training reports.
 
Sounds absolutely fab Oldie, well done you pair. I love lessons like that.

We are coming out of the set neck and crooked stage, and now well into the losing impulsion and dropping behind the leg stage, so I'm going to live vicariously through your lesson updates!!

Any pics?
 
Sprat said:
Sounds absolutely fab Oldie, well done you pair. I love lessons like that.

We are coming out of the set neck and crooked stage, and now well into the losing impulsion and dropping behind the leg stage, so I'm going to live vicariously through your lesson updates!!

Any pics?
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No sorry , Billy no mates! But next week I am going down for an over nighter so I'll try to remember to take my little camera, which I haven't used for ages. Pleased my ramblings help a bit, biggest win for me has been increased confidence so I am not letting her dribble round anymore. No doubt this will offend some, but a good pony club kick and a determination that she will go forward even if she threatens to have a melt down, has just changed everything for the better!
 
oldie48 said:
No sorry , Billy no mates! But next week I am going down for an over nighter so I'll try to remember to take my little camera, which I haven't used for ages. Pleased my ramblings help a bit, biggest win for me has been increased confidence so I am not letting her dribble round anymore. No doubt this will offend some, but a good pony club kick and a determination that she will go forward even if she threatens to have a melt down, has just changed everything for the better!
Click to expand...

Totally get it, and it usually achieves the desired result. I can get it all at home wonderfully, but it's out at comps that I let it dribble. Keep us updated on your next outing!
 
I love those little lightbulb moments. We get the very very occasional moment when it all comes together and I feel like I'm channelling my inner CDJ :)

In terms of losing the back end/impulsion, I have to agree - we started pretty ugly tbh - increasing the aid and backing up with a dressage whip. Didn't take very long thankfully and he is now much quicker off a lighter aid but I did need to be consistent for a while until he got the hang of it and got stronger through his back end.
 
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