Dressage Talent - any tips?

[pukkapony]

I have a stunning 8yr old ex-racing TB, he’s schooling really well and we have been concentrating on dressage I don’t want to risk jumps as he had tendon damage… here is my query; in the field he does the most magnificent display trotting with head held high and struts like a grand prix champion, he has even done a piaffe in hand (not as asked but through sheer excitement at sight of new lady horse nextdoor!) I really want to harness this talent and have him look equally beautiful under saddle but to him ‘work is work’ and there is none of the elegant grace and knees up like a hackney its you’re bog standard medium trot. We have managed a little extension and collection but that’s a working progress… does anyone have any tips as to how I can encourage him to have fun when we are working as that’s when he looks his best.

 

[Tammytoo]

Even shitlands can do Spanish Riding school in the field! As you say, it's being able to produce it under saddle that's the problem. TBs are very intelligent and therefore easily bored so try and do lots of different things with him. You can do a lot of schooling out on a hack, do the odd pleasure ride and don't practice the same things endlessly in the school. They do pick things up very quickly.

Do you have a good, dressage instructor in your area (who understands ex.racers) - a few lessons now and then might help. Or, you could stand the lady friend next to the arena!

PS TBs normally don't do "hackney" style trotting, they are more the daisy cutting trotters.

 

[Loika]

I have a exracer who can move beautifully, when she is of a mind too, she needs entertaining too! We have worked up to some elemnetary movements etc it is not always easy, she can go sideways faster than any horse i know!! Dressage is equine gymnastics so it is hard work for both horse and rider.

These are just general points and advice, you may very well understand and be acheiving them, I am just brain storming and trying to help if I can!

Your boy needs to accept the leg and you need to not be hesitant to use it, lots of inside leg to outside rein. Allow forward movement initially and bring it back under control a few steps later, you won't get perfect straight away but moving forward is a big part of a test so don't inadvertantly squash it by trying for calm collected transistions straight away, they will come! Get a good instructor and the book 101 schooling excersizes so then you are doing even the basic stuff correctly or with more understanding to make satifactory into good, even when you are on your own. Also the more excersizes you know and know well the more interesting the sessions will be for you and your boy! Even though you don't want to jump, get some trotting poles out or as a guide for leg yeild etc, mix them up so you circle to miss them or go over two on either side of the circle. Normally i don't walk when I am schooling to warm up or down as I can't, its boring and she won't do it even after an hour she will still muck about if you try. She will walk for a little while in the session if I make it clear this is part of the work, like transistions and change of rein but I have had to work at this! You have to adjust all the advice to suit your partnership, so pick the bits you like and crack on! Good Luck!

 

[Littlelegs]

Assuming schooling, rider etc all in place,The difference is in the field, he is in perfect self carriage, under saddle he's not at the moment. I would be looking for situations to ride him where he is more likely to have the impulsion to replicate what he does in the field. I don't mean wind him up, but if hacking in a group is more fun for him, instead of his extra energy being wasted on pratting about, you ask for something positive. So not putting him in situations where he explodes, but situations where he has the impulsion to explode, but you ask (& most importantantly get) the desired movement instead. I'm not saying he is an unresponsive plod now at all, but he needs to be more forwards to be in true self carriage. So I would be schooling on lively hacks, probably with a group of teens etc. But bear in mind there is nearly always a level that what the horse can do without you is better than you can replicate on it. How good at dressage he is will depend on where this level is. With the right stimulus, my pony can do a lot of high level movements under saddle, but even with the best rider she would struggle to do well in an advanced test as she just isn't consistent enough to do it every time.