Free Walk on a Long Rein

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Jo C

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Seeing as this movement is worth double the marks, has anyone got any good tips to improve this please? I usually get 6's and 7's for this movement but obviously if I could gain 1 mark more it would make a difference so what would make an 8 or 9 FWLR?
 
Im very proud to say that Blossy often got 9s for her free walk - it was one of her good things!!

Just make sure the walk is really marching forwards, the horse should be relaxed over the back and stretching forwards into the contact but not snatching at the reins, you should still have a decent contact on the mouth.
 
I'd say the most common mistake in the FRWL is for riders to throw away the connection. Long rein does not mean loose rein! This mistake usually means that the quality of the walk suffers and the transition to medium walk at the end is difficult as the rider desperately has to haul back acres of rein!

Practice it a lot when schooling; get the horse used to the idea of reaching down and over the back, sit tall, relax and breath slowly - this will help your horse to relax over the back as much as possible. The horse should march forward into the contact, and not dawdle.

Watch how top riders ride this movement (especially the transitions into it and out of it) and you will get some idea of how much rein to give and how the horse should look.
 
Thanks guys keep the tips coming - this is great!
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I want to know this too. It is my mare's worst part of the test, she either won't take the contact forward, or takes it for a couple of strides before her head comes up. I thought it was just me riding like a muppet, but my instructor rode her at an event on SUnday, and only got a slightly better mark.

FIona
 
My trainer taught me a new method with brought my marks up froma 6 to an 8!

Let as much rein out as you dare, whilst still keeping slight contact and put hands forwards, rather than sideways and down, to encourage them to follow contact downwards.

Keep marching forwards
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one of my horses in particular had problems with free walk but now he gets 8/9's. He didn't know how to stretch at all so i taught him to stretch in trot first, to the point now that if i give him all his reins in trot he is literally at a risk of standing on his chin! This then helped him do the same thing in walk. As above the best way forward is to have a good contact untill they ask for a little rein (normally at the end of a good session) then offer a little at a time, taking it back if they then raise their head/neck to drop the contact.

Most people probably think i have no control of my horse when they drive by and see his head on the floor and me trotting around with nothing above the withers!

Hope this helps

evenag114
 
Finn - have you got any video of this? When I tried this method yesterday I just ended up with straight arms and him falling on his nose whilst mosying (is that a word?!) along, am I being blonde? No actually don't answer that.
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That's a good tip 'evenag', thanks. I am really trying to work hard on my boy's free walk at the mo as it seems an easy area where we can earn extra marks. I have been letting him take the contact forward but then after a few strides his head comes back up again and then I have to faff to get him stretching again. If I bring the contact back in maybe he will learn that he needs to keep stretching in order to have a longer rein - Thanks!!
 
Well after last disastrous test (62%) with 4 for free walk and she jogged i have now found a trick that is working.
In the medium walk before i drop my reins a toggle (i have continental reins) so still can maintain medium walk. When we then go to free walk i drop them one again and as Finn suggested (big thanks for this one!) push my hands forward and she follows the contact down.
She finds it easier to gradually work down and i can get away with this one at home so just hoping it works out at a show.
Also our yard manager is a dressage judge and says i wouldnt get marked down as it still shows the required paces.
 
Now we can do this in trot but seem to have problems doing it in walk. I guess its just a case of keep practising. Thank you.
 
Important point is not to 'drop' the horse - the up & down should be gradual, the horse seeking the contact the whole time.

Also, don't tip forward, particularly when picking the reins up (something I always want to do...).
 
The best tip someone gave me is to smile and breath quite deeply... or yawn (it makes all the muscles relax apparently)
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Perhaps don't yawn in the middle of your test though but you could practice while you're at home. The other one is to sing as that also relaxes your muscles.

They say the best walk you do is as you are leaving the arena on a long rein... so I just try to mimic this by trying to relax as much as possible and opening my hips a bit more to let her swing through.

We got an 8 for our last free walk which I was really pleased with... and I just took a few deep breaths as I turned the corner (oh, go deep into the corner too to allo you to get more of an inside bend)
 
Oh yeah and try breathing out alot/loud enough for him to hear but not so the judge thinks u have invited a new language! If you practice this at home thru transtions it helps too!
 
Now I'm going to giggle when I try it as I'll be thinking of the judge thinking I have invented a new language!
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I'm not sure that will work
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[ QUOTE ]
Oh yeah and try breathing out alot/loud enough for him to hear but not so the judge thinks u have invited a new language! If you practice this at home thru transtions it helps too!

[/ QUOTE ]

I do that!
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I tend to ride with my mouth slightly open anyway (attractive i know) and i make a 'woah' sound when doing downward transitions without moving my lips and it really helps as he has become alot more responsive. No judge has noticed...... yet
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So to summarise, I have to ride along with my mouth open, learning a new language, with his chin on the floor, me with straight arms and yawning - do you think it will work??
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No seriously there are some great tips there, thank you everyone!
 
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