Finding impulsion

[Sol]

When you've not seen much of it for a while?

I do vaguely remember what it feels like Very vaguely!!
We're mastering soft, relaxed, going forwards in a nice rhythm. (I just have to remember to make sure he doesn't set the left side of his jaw! not too complicated). Impulsion.... never did happen.
He's a lot fitter than I think he is, and doesn't seem to have forgotten a thing - clever poney - but doesn't seem to have found any more power either. How do we discover it?! *without* winding him up & making him tense?

Or for now, should I leave that thought alone, and encourage him to be a bit more ... athletic? Play with poles/bounces/gridwork and just stick to simple transitions (although too many make him tense...) The polework will encourage a bit more forwardness & power anyway I'd have thought & help develop his hind end & get his leggies working?

Am I thinking along the right lines?

 

[Gembo]

squeeze your legs around him like your sqeezing a tube of toothpaste and use bounces and explosion grids (small jump stride or two to big upright )

 

[Sol]

squeeze your legs around him like your sqeezing a tube of toothpaste and use bounces and explosion grids (small jump stride or two to big upright )

This just makes him go 'what on earth do you think you're doing, get off!' Even though I have exceptionally weak legs And no, he's not broken, he's just a bit moody & sensitive Special creature.
Bounces shall be okay I think although 'big' uprights may be fun in my dressage saddle!! I think our 'big' might not be all that big, but hopefully he'll get the idea?!

 

[be positive]

If you warm up on a long rein asking for him to relax and stretch try building some more energy and power into the trot then, so when you pick up to start work you are already more activated.
Transitions out of leg yield are good, especially for getting the hind leg under going into canter, it also helps to keep the focus so they do not get so tense.
You can also do transitions within the paces, work over poles on a circle better than on the straight as less inclined to rush onto the forehand.

 

[Sol]

If you warm up on a long rein asking for him to relax and stretch try building some more energy and power into the trot then, so when you pick up to start work you are already more activated.
Transitions out of leg yield are good, especially for getting the hind leg under going into canter, it also helps to keep the focus so they do not get so tense.
You can also do transitions within the paces, work over poles on a circle better than on the straight as less inclined to rush onto the forehand.

That's what I have been doing so far with the trot Focus & tension seem to be synonyms in Dante's mind, we'll be playing with more leg yield & SI in trot & canter though now. His transitions within paces are still very unestablished. Due to lack of impulsion mostly I think as he has no medium trot really yet, although this is just going to be a matter of practice & repetition I presume? I will definitely be using poles on a circle I think Thanks

 

[mik]

From what you say, I think you are on the right road, the transitions within the paces are a key to getting him listening and quick to respond to you, but in a relaxed way. Use shoulder fore to 'build' a bigger trot, slowly and forward, I find that really helps. I collect, then forward , collect forward but bigger steps not faster. Keep it very interesting, circles, loops, transitions. Keep him on his toes. If he stresses, stretch and then repeat, keep at it.
I also think that some tension is necessary when you move up through your training, managing the type of tension is hard though. If, when you insist say on a light forward transition, the horse goes, that is great, even if it shoots forward, as you can reduce and refine the aid. Praise it and it will gradually accept that is the response you wanted. When you ask things your horse feels are 'hard' or that it doesn't want to do, you will reach the point, when you may have a small, or big, 'no I really do insist you do this now' moments. Just be quick to say no firmly and then praise.
If his canter is better than the trot use a lot of canter to trot transitions, through shoulder fore and ride the trot forward after the transition.
Hope some of that may be helpful, and not too boring! Best of luck, do keep us posted.

 

[Sol]

From what you say, I think you are on the right road, the transitions within the paces are a key to getting him listening and quick to respond to you, but in a relaxed way. Use shoulder fore to 'build' a bigger trot, slowly and forward, I find that really helps. I collect, then forward , collect forward but bigger steps not faster. Keep it very interesting, circles, loops, transitions. Keep him on his toes. If he stresses, stretch and then repeat, keep at it.
I also think that some tension is necessary when you move up through your training, managing the type of tension is hard though. If, when you insist say on a light forward transition, the horse goes, that is great, even if it shoots forward, as you can reduce and refine the aid. Praise it and it will gradually accept that is the response you wanted. When you ask things your horse feels are 'hard' or that it doesn't want to do, you will reach the point, when you may have a small, or big, 'no I really do insist you do this now' moments. Just be quick to say no firmly and then praise.
If his canter is better than the trot use a lot of canter to trot transitions, through shoulder fore and ride the trot forward after the transition.
Hope some of that may be helpful, and not too boring! Best of luck, do keep us posted.

Thank you, that is very useful I hadn't thought of building the trot FROM the transition out of canter - his trot generally is more powerful (yes, a little more rushed sometimes, but also just 'more'! coming down from canter and we've played with medium trot after a canter, but I'd never really put two & two together and thought of actually using that more!

 

[kerilli]

i'd do lots of lateral work, work on half-steps (giving him time to take a bigger stride) then sending forward again. rein back to trot and/or canter, then asking for more because he'll be very balanced and uphill. also, show him that every time you go across the diagonal you want more, so that that opening up becomes a habit, then he'll offer it. i find thinking of a 'slow medium trot' when i want working trot helps me, too.
schooling him out on a hack, or on the gallops, is a good one too. I know of a few top dressage people who get impulsion by using the horse's natural instinct to go with the others, then the rider just tactfully bottles it up. (obv depends on horse's temperament though!)

 

[Sol]

i'd do lots of lateral work, work on half-steps (giving him time to take a bigger stride) then sending forward again. rein back to trot and/or canter, then asking for more because he'll be very balanced and uphill. also, show him that every time you go across the diagonal you want more, so that that opening up becomes a habit, then he'll offer it. i find thinking of a 'slow medium trot' when i want working trot helps me, too.
schooling him out on a hack, or on the gallops, is a good one too. I know of a few top dressage people who get impulsion by using the horse's natural instinct to go with the others, then the rider just tactfully bottles it up. (obv depends on horse's temperament though!)

We're working on keeping hacks very chilled at the minute (no anything so hopefully no added urge to 'eek' at things!) and sadly no chance of getting to gallops Sounds like more fun though!

In the lateral work at the minute, he tends to want to slow right down. He'll keep going, but I think he finds it difficult to do both forwards & sideways so one or the other goes. In my mind I'd rather him take his time about the sideways until he's more confident to work on in it - is that okay? If I push him to keep the same rhythm/stride then he just loses the plot which seems unfair. I'm happy to push him more when he's more established in it though or ride more strongly out of it again.

I'd also forgotten about how useful rein back can be, thank you!

 

[kerilli]

makes perfect sense about the hacking.
re: lateral work - if he tries to slow right down he may be struggling with the angle, so i'd ask for less (do shoulder-fore not shoulder in, say, or aim for much less steepness in leg yields) and keep the forwards more than the sideways.
lateral work in walk is invaluable of course, and so much easier to correct their balance etc.

 

[Sol]

makes perfect sense about the hacking.
re: lateral work - if he tries to slow right down he may be struggling with the angle, so i'd ask for less (do shoulder-fore not shoulder in, say, or aim for much less steepness in leg yields) and keep the forwards more than the sideways.
lateral work in walk is invaluable of course, and so much easier to correct their balance etc.

I'm not asking for much angle usually, ie he will only really leg yield across about 1/8 of the school or 1/4 on his better rein - although I AM now pushing this and asking him for more as it almost seems to have become a habit of 'I only need to do x amount of steps across, therefore I will just pitter patter over and not really try!!' so I am now some of the time making a point and saying no, you will actually work a little harder! Although how much I ask for makes no difference, if I say move sideways a bit, he says 'sure, but slowly!'
Definitely easier(ish) in walk although I do find that as he has a naturally long stride in walk, he sort of makes things harder for himself. He's not keen on collecting the walk up much yet (we're working on it) either.

 

[be positive]

Re leg yielding I start by keeping the steps within the comfort zone and progressively asking for more as I ride out of it, helped by an upward transition at the end, if you get the timing correct the hind leg should really step under as you go into canter, its more about the quality of the transition than the leg yield to start with but as they think more forward leg yield should also improve.

My trainer would say start slowly, finish powerfully.

 

[Sol]

Re leg yielding I start by keeping the steps within the comfort zone and progressively asking for more as I ride out of it, helped by an upward transition at the end, if you get the timing correct the hind leg should really step under as you go into canter, its more about the quality of the transition than the leg yield to start with but as they think more forward leg yield should also improve.

My trainer would say start slowly, finish powerfully.

This makes sense, thank you

 

[mik]

Just a thought, stay in rise trot as much as you can in the lateral work (I apologise if you are already!)

 

[Showing4Ever]

You need to get the hindquarters working, & get his back legs swinging. Forget about his head for a few schooling sessions. Then gradually gather up the contact once he's working forward. You should feel him working through his topline. Squeeze your legs a little, then push right down through your stirrups. Lift your hands, sit perfectly & let him then do the work!

 

[Sol]

You need to get the hindquarters working, & get his back legs swinging. Forget about his head for a few schooling sessions. Then gradually gather up the contact once he's working forward. You should feel him working through his topline. Squeeze your legs a little, then push right down through your stirrups. Lift your hands, sit perfectly & let him then do the work!

Tried all that I don't 'ride' his head carriage anyway (I don't have to!) but if I was to drop him, he'd dislike me. He's not an overly confident bunny. I don't think it's as simple as this unless we are only going to be riding in straight lines But thank you anyway

 

[Sol]

Just a thought, stay in rise trot as much as you can in the lateral work (I apologise if you are already!)

Yes, I wont be doing much sitting trot at all with him for a few weeks yet I don't see the point until he's a bit stronger!

 

[tristar]

i don't use le yield at all, i think if the s -in is ridden very gently at the horses speed, maybe that's all he can offer at his present suppleness, he will in time develop more stepping under, indeed my experience is that when it starts to 'be good' the horse not only steps under, but puts itself on the bit very lightly and the contact is also very light.

the impulsion is there in the horse i feel it takes lots of time to access it and have only truly succeeded by riding very carefully and never asking for a lot especially until the horse is really warmed up and also at the stage in its training when it offers easily its power, sometimes i am riding in what might look to be a very calm steady undemanding way, because you can't get it all at once! and by keeping within the horses own individual perameters have had spectacular improvements from initially apparently unpromising creatures, and when it does happen its got nothing to do with force or pushing, kicking, spurs etc the horse has offered it, he has reached the point where he can do it, all i had to do was be patient

 

[suzied]

One exercise which may be useful is to ride a square in walk asking for a quarter pirouette in each corner. This will help build up engagement, suppleness and opening up his shoulders. If you want to encourage him to work through his back, shallow loops in canter on a - not too - loose rein so he is stretching forwards into the contact will help him stretch his spine.

 

[Sol]

i don't use le yield at all, i think if the s -in is ridden very gently at the horses speed, maybe that's all he can offer at his present suppleness, he will in time develop more stepping under, indeed my experience is that when it starts to 'be good' the horse not only steps under, but puts itself on the bit very lightly and the contact is also very light.

the impulsion is there in the horse i feel it takes lots of time to access it and have only truly succeeded by riding very carefully and never asking for a lot especially until the horse is really warmed up and also at the stage in its training when it offers easily its power, sometimes i am riding in what might look to be a very calm steady undemanding way, because you can't get it all at once! and by keeping within the horses own individual perameters have had spectacular improvements from initially apparently unpromising creatures, and when it does happen its got nothing to do with force or pushing, kicking, spurs etc the horse has offered it, he has reached the point where he can do it, all i had to do was be patient

This seems very sensible I certainly don't want to upset him by asking too much too soon, although it's a fine balance with him where I have to find things he CAN do, and ask him a few questions, without making him worry so basically, I can't let him do much wrong!

 

[Sol]

One exercise which may be useful is to ride a square in walk asking for a quarter pirouette in each corner. This will help build up engagement, suppleness and opening up his shoulders. If you want to encourage him to work through his back, shallow loops in canter on a - not too - loose rein so he is stretching forwards into the contact will help him stretch his spine.

We've already been using the 1/4 pirouettes, which he seems to quite like, and the odd 1/2 pirouette type thing (but without too much emphasis put on the back legs being close to on the spot) which also seems to help and he stays in a good rhythm for these also.
I actually got reminded about loops whilst watching a friend ride yesterday, so plan to use some of those today thank you