Exercises for forward...and round

[Supanova]

To cut a very long story short I am now trying to re-educate / re-train my 11 old mare, after finally finding the route of her problems as per my previous posts (i won't go into all the details again here but suffice to say she now feels like a different horse!).

The problem i have is that she has always been quite behind the leg and whilst she now feels more active I seem to be only able to get either actively forward (with head in the air) or round (but without enough activity). I don't think she yet understands that she can now actually use her muscles and work properly and i think it will take time for the right muscles to develop. At the moment i am therefore focusing on the forward and hoping that the round and over the back will come naturally over time. However, are there any exercises that will naturally help her to become round rather me trying to force the issue? She trots round the field with such power and forwardness but as soon as i half halt to ask her to come on the bit and round she loses activity.

Any tips would be gratefully received.

 

[ihatework]

Hmm, I think you need an experienced eye on the ground if you are going to go that route or you run the risk of a horse that is out of balance, hollow and just running on the forehand.

I'd personally slow it down to the point you can keep round and over back and then work religiously on sharp responsive transitions. Lots of them!! They will get her reactive and more in front of leg, then you can gradually build the forwardness, whilst keeping the softness, by working transitions within the gait etc

 

[Supanova]

Thank you that's really helpful. I understand totally what you mean as it does feel a little to me that she will never learn to be round and balanced if i only go forward with head in air! I guess i just thought i should focus on the forward first because everyone says that the forward is the most important.....I haven't had a lesson for a month or so, but before we discovered the route of her problems, my flatwork trainer was always trying to get her forward and then ask for the round......however when i've been on different clinics some people have worked on the round first! Aargh!! I will definitely have another lesson soon and see what they think now as she is different.

Right tomorrow's work is lots of transitions!

 

[ajf]

As IHW says get someone on the ground to watch and help.

I know when my boy sticks his head up and goes it feels completley different to when he's round. He feels faster with his head up but in reality he's actually faster with his head round and soft.

Also if you can hack with someone whoose horse has a lovely forward trot, then hopefully she may just naturally want to keep up with them a bit so you don't have to keep nagging.

Good luck

 

[RobinHood]

Hmm, I think you need an experienced eye on the ground if you are going to go that route or you run the risk of a horse that is out of balance, hollow and just running on the forehand.

I'd personally slow it down to the point you can keep round and over back and then work religiously on sharp responsive transitions. Lots of them!! They will get her reactive and more in front of leg, then you can gradually build the forwardness, whilst keeping the softness, by working transitions within the gait etc

Agree with this and you explained it better than I could.

It's actually very difficult for a horse to go truly forward (as in hindlegs stepping towards the bit) if the horse is tense and hollow with the muscles along the topline tight. You need to think of unkinking and stretching out the muscles across the back and neck, and hopefully losing any inhibiting under neck muscle. Once you've achieved that you should find the horse will start to swing forward more freely.

 

[Supanova]

Thank you all - it is nice to hear that everyone thinks the same. Other than transitions, any other specific exercise that may help?

 

[JillA]

I find circles are the key to stepping under without being too heavy handed with the contact. Start with 20m circles, and you will being to feel her yielding to your inside hand, but it will take time to build up the strength in her hinds and her back. Start at walk and raise your hands to encourage her to lower her head (yes, I know it sounds counter-intuitive but it does work, like a fulcrum, so long as she understands how to give to pressure) then progess on to half circles of trot before back to walk the next half circle. Remember to do it equally on both reins!
If you can lunge her, watch her hind legs at trot on the lunge and you will see that stepping under, especially on a downward transition. Eventually lateral work with strengthen her hinds and increase the stepping under (or engagement)

 

[scheherazade]

Following this thread with interest

 

[Supanova]

JillA - thank you, that's really helpful.

 

[B-B]

Leg yields!

 

[Pinkvboots]

You have to get him off your leg before anything, do lots of walk to trot transitions very close together like 4 strides of trot then two of walk and back into trot get him jumping into the trot as much as you can, this is a good exercise for horses that ignore leg aids use leg and back up with your stick if he does not go forward, you must have a forward motion everytime you use your leg, lunging with a bungee between the legs can help the horse to drop his head and learn to be round and stay balanced ready for when you ask when riding.

 

[ecrozier]

I have found lateral work to be very useful for this, spiralling in and out on circles is a good way to start. I would agree that it is a bit of a chicken and egg situation as you do need her to be repsonding to your leg, but think going too fast will definately affect balance and her ability to work over her back. I know with my bigger horse, he works much better from behind at what feels like a slower pace, so is actually more ACTIVE when going slower - I guess its sometimes confusing when people use the term 'forwards' as actually you are looking for activity/engagement rather than plain and simple forwards motion - not sure I am making any sense here but I think I know what I mean?!
Riding square corners also often helps and even with quite young/green horses my instructor teaches a form of baby walk pirouette to add to the toolbox of tricks to encourage the hindleg activity. Polework can also be very useful for establishing/maintaining rhythm.

 

[Supanova]

This is all great thank you.

Pinkyboots - she isn't reactive enough to the leg (probably because she has spent a number of years not feeling like going forward so has learnt to ignore it quite well!), so your exercise should be a good one.

Ecrozier - you make total sense! The difficulty is that she is not active when she is round and i really struggle to get the activity and roundness. I have done some spiralling in and out with her and it does seem to help so i will keep at it.

Just probably worth adding that she has got really good paces and can power along in what feels like a balanced way, but its like she struggles to lift up her back up (back and saddle are fine) and bring her hind legs underneath her. I therefore agree that lunging might help her develop this without having to carry the weight of the rider.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Poles are good for getting the hind end working, one of mine is a bit straight through the hind leg so getting his hocks underneath him is harder I find the poles and the short transitions relly help, he also used to ignore leg aids but with the exercise I mentioned earlier he is off the leg on a light aid now, although we do still do the short transitions just to sharpen them up.

 

[BeckyD]

No suggestions from me but I just wanted to say my horse is exactly the same, so I'm glad to see I'm not alone!