Exercises to improve impulsion

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Ginn

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Well my New Years Resolution is to stop being such a wuss when it comes to schooling - i.e. to ride in the field and school my horse.

Wussy behaviour in the past has resulted in "you're not being a tit so I'll accept what you're giving me" and I have decided that has to stop!

Had a fab, fab, fab session today much to my amazement as she hasn't been schooled in months and normally taking her in the field for such things would result in major strops, airs above the ground and me deciding we won't be doing it again for a while! (I know, big mistake which is why I'm doing something about it!).

Anyway, she was lovely. Started off on the lunge and got some fab work so brave pants on went off the lunge and while she was soft and listening she was also painfully flat and not anything like impulsive or responsive enough.

What I need now is some tools/exercises that I can do to help this (and keep both our minds occupied!). I know everyone is going to say transitions but I could do with some more detailed exercises, suggestions and directions that my sister can yell at me.

And a few (very blurry) pics from today because despite being flat and lazy and the idiot on board is a mess and probably needs shooting(!), she was actually remarkably good and I am really looking forward to the next session :)
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I'm no expert and you'll probably get some much better answers but for me transitions really are the key - you want to get her going really forward from the lightest aid but that takes time to get them like that.

One of the RI I used would give me an exercise where the horse had to go forward no matter what - even if he took off around the arena - the whole point was to get him going forward so we practiced this - ask with a gentle nudge with the leg and if they don't respond do something that will make them respond! For my horse it was swishing my schooling whip just by his shoulder or chasing him with my voice. The more we did this, the more keen he was to go forward just using the leg aid.

Also, we do a lot of rein back into trot (because he doesnt like to go from trot to walk or walk to halt sometimes) - I always get a really forward trot out of this!

Another RI taught me that often once you've lost the impulsion, rather than chasing them on and trying to regain it, the best thing to do is to drop down again and then move back up again and if possible bring them back down again before they lose the impulsion!

I also do a lot of work on the lunge and tickle his hocks to make sure he's really using the back end and tracking up correctly.

Another exercise a friend recommended to me are gradually decreasing or increasing circles with transition so 5 trot, 5 canter, 4 trot, 4 canter, 3 trot, 3 canter etc and then work upwards again - the horse should start to anticipate slightly and be a bit more attentive and quicker going forward!

Sorry if that is nonsense but home some of it helps!
 
What Babybear said!

Also your transitions can be 'within' the pace ie faster trot to slow and back up.
Leg yielding either on a circle or in a straight line helps engange the back legs so its easier to get them to push. With lazy horses I like to leg yeild then as I straighten up push them forwards.

Lots of changes of direction are good for keeping everyones interest, and if you make her really push round the corner not just fall round the backend has to start to work and you find that it is easier to get some semi-decent impulsion.

The other option is start with an in-hand gallop round the field ;)
 
I'll also add that quickness off your leg is key.

Your upper body looks good, but in the trot pics your leg is up and looks to be on. Keep it neutral at her side, there but not asking anything, until you need more impulsion. If the response isn't instantaneous, give a larger aid, and then immediately back down to a quiet aid when she responds correctly.
 
Thanks, some good suggestions to try with her. We do do lots of transitions both within and between paces out hacking (and impulsion is never a problem hacking), but I have to confess that schooling it gets somewhat forgotten. Like the suggestions regarding so many strides of trot, then same with canter etc, especially as that is something I can do when sister lunges the pair of us. Also like the sound of halt, rein back, trot so will definately try that.

Paladine, you are right that I am using my leg a LOT with her, I always feel when schooling that I have to nag for every stride (again out hacking this is never a problem). I do try not to but its easier said than do so any exercises or tips to help with this also appreciated. Unfortunately taking her for a gallop or canter first would make no difference, I can gallop her flat out, pull her up with my little finger and immediately have her chilled on a loose rein!!! If the andrenaline gets up the speed and impulsion isn't the issue - acrobatics are and if anything it sends her backwards. Mr Whippy is often ignored too, hence thinking that schooling and establishing more respect for the aids will help. So yes, sharpness off the leg is definately something to work on.
 
Ginn, I feel your pain! I recognized the leg position because I do the exact same thing with my lazy boy. Add that my leg hangs lower than his barrel in dressage tack and I have a bad habit of pulling my leg up.

Is she decent with a dressage whip? If she is, then life will be easier. Use it to back up the leg aids if she ignores them.

My guy overreacts to the whip, so I pull my legs away and give him a slap with the insides of my lower leg and ankles (no heel and NO spur, haha). This will give me a good reaction, so I back down to a normal aid. Soon I just have to take my leg a bit more off and he's prepared for a leg aid. Won't work with every horse, but it beats the nag, nag, nag that's so easy to get into.
 
Paladine said:
Ginn, I feel your pain! I recognized the leg position because I do the exact same thing with my lazy boy. Add that my leg hangs lower than his barrel in dressage tack and I have a bad habit of pulling my leg up.

Is she decent with a dressage whip? If she is, then life will be easier. Use it to back up the leg aids if she ignores them.

My guy overreacts to the whip, so I pull my legs away and give him a slap with the insides of my lower leg and ankles (no heel and NO spur, haha). This will give me a good reaction, so I back down to a normal aid. Soon I just have to take my leg a bit more off and he's prepared for a leg aid. Won't work with every horse, but it beats the nag, nag, nag that's so easy to get into.
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Glad I'm not alone!! Whips are totally hit and miss - usually they have no reaction what so ever (unless it is a getting her attention Oi down the shoulder!) or I may get a buck. She has to be really listening to have the desired reaction, in which case I tend not to need it!

Put the spurs back on today (oddly enough I don't nag anything like as much when I have them on) and for whatever reason - it could have been shear coincidence - she was the most impulsive I have known her for a while. All the trot work we did ended up as medium and she kept leaping into it at the slightest excuse - let alone aid!! Was absolutely LOVELY (besides nearly taking out a cyclist on the other side of the road when a man popped his head out from under an open bonnet on our side, PMSL:rolleyes:)

Christmas Crackers - did LOADS of direct transitions today (many of them were unplanned I might add!!) but that definately had a good reaction and I felt her anticipating a leg aid more if that makes sense?!?
 
The leg position/spur thing might be a circular problem. It's both the position and "feel" of your leg that Paladine was commenting on - while it's possible to get a good response with a not-perfect position, there is a reason why good dressage riders sit the way they do! The drawing up and back of your leg will give a "holding" feel, no matter how much you're pushing and, in fact, pushing harder may make her even less responsive! So with the spurs it's likely you don't draw your heel up as much, plus she's more responsive to the spur, so she goes more infront of your leg, which makes you not *need* to draw your leg up as much, and because you're leg is in a better position she stays in front of it more . . . . . :)

See if you can relax your thigh and let your knee drop a bit, with the weight going down into your heel and the leg "toned" but not gripping. Then use the dressage whip or a "slap" with the leg as Paladine mentioned, to get her up and in front of you. Do it consistently, don't get sucked into "begging" her to move. If you always increase your aid before you get annoyed enough to do something about the horse's lack of attention, you're really only teaching her that the aid means nothing until it gets to your breaking point. Teach her a soft aid is the ONLY time you'll ask nicely. ;) Remember, horses can feel a fly, so if she's not reacting, it's not because she hasn't felt your aid!

She looks a talented, cute little horse and you're a very nice rider. I think you're right in recognising she's training you a bit, to have low expectations. But if you can get her lighter off your aids she'll realise it's easier than she thought and start to enjoy her schooling more. Schooling shouldn't be a chore for the horse, it should be a chance for you to have a good conversation and show her how to use herself better to make the work easier, so you both enjoy it even more.

Can you get a lesson on her? Even one from someone really good? So much of what you're struggling with is "feel" and if you can feel what you're looking for, even once/for a few steps, you'll be able to go back and work on it. But if you're struggling to find that magic spot in the first place, it's much harder to work on your own.
 
Nail-on-head! ;)

I think she has got far too accustomed to be being "nice", far too forgiving and not tough enough and she is definately defiant at times when it comes to the aids. I try not to rely on the spurs but I think because they make me far more conscious of my leg (and if I'm not then she is very quick to tell me!) they do act as as much of an aid ON me as FOR me... I think! I definately need to work on getting her considerably more reactive to the leg though - I am well aware its my biggest downfall and something I should have addressed probably 2 years ago, infact I probably should have never allowed myself to get so soft and sloppy and her get so switched off to in the first place.

Do you have any other tips for working on this?? 3/4 of our schooling is done on hacks, which helps, but equally I can't gallop her forwards on the roads for example if she's switched off to the leg and I'm having to repeatedly ask. Giving a belt with a stick doesn't really make much difference either - little madam!

Yes we do have lessons with a fabby instructor, and up until the summer were averaging two a month. However a combination of factors has put that on hold for the moment. The current plan is to send her to instructors for a week of intensive training the week before half term so instructor and establish a few buttons and give the the experienced schooling I can't and then I'll go up daily for the following week to be drilled on her - by then I should be able to ride after work and should have transport so I'll then aim to go back to the fortnightly lessons but as always you can never plan too much where horses are concerned!
 
Well, the back up with the whip or the leg "slap" like TarrSteps and I have mentioned usually works within minutes.

If I have one being downright defiant about the leg and refusing to listen to it, I will hop off and lunge with a "You will go forward!" mindset, with a lunge whip to back me up. But this is rare, and it's usually to prevent something dangerous, like a rear, rather than laziness. I don't think this is your problem though.

Really, it's pretty simple. Leg=go. Don't let her outsmart you into thinking that it means anything otherwise. :)
 
Ta! Ironically on the lunge she is angelic and I never have any issues, whip or no whip! I think I just need to be more defiant than her, lol!
 
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