How to get Medium Trot ??? (How do you ask your horse?)

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Shipley

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I want to start teaching my horse medium trot. But when I ask for Med Trot he just speeds up.

He is very sharp to the leg and often can accelerate at speed! I have him working nicely at prelim but want to start some novice work at home. He can leg yield, turns on the forhand, rein back etc.

Ideas welcomed
 
My horse was similar, v sharp off the leg, but in a hurried fashion. To be begin with we worked on a 20m circle then spiralled down smaller and asked for a slightly smaller trot, then leg yield out and ask for working again, once he was settled just asking for almost a tiny little bit more, making sure i kept a more exaggerated inside flexion so that he couldn't run through the rein. Once this became easier, my instructor had me use the 3/4 lines in the school (which she loves anyway), I needed to have him straight and then ask for inside flexion whilst tucking his outside shoulder in and then asked him very slightly to find his bigger legs, he didn't get it and rushed a little, so instead of bringing him back for the corners I carried on asking for the inside flexion and took that down the next long side, gradually because we weren't going forwards and backwards all the time his stride lengthened rather than rushed and that was it, he got the idea. (and couldn't work out why we hadn't mentioned it before!)
I have now programmed him to do this, I just half halt him slightly and raise my hands slightly to lift his front end and then let go through my seat and we're off!!
He loves it now!!
 
I think the key is to not ask for too much, so you can keep the balance and avoid rushing. Need to allow the horse to lengthen his frame so allow with you hand and push him forwards.

You can try asking for a little outside bend round the short side of the school, bringing him up off his shoulder, then straighten on the long side and ask for a few bigger strides, by putting your legs slightly forwards and allowing you hands forwards, a little.

Just do a couple of steps at first and tons of priase when he steps up from behind. He'll soon catch on
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Well this probably wont really help you but when my 15hher was taught medium trot he was taught almost all on voice aid as he was so off the leg! we used to come round the corner to go across the diagonal or up the long side and say "ready, steady, GO" and he used to produce the most amazing mediums! to start with the voice aid came with a nudge with legs but after that it was almost all voice with the legs just supporting him. In a dressage test i just had to mutter "GO" under my breath and off he'd go!
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I have found the best way to get a less hurried medium trot from my horse is to get a really energetic but very contained working trot and do a 10m circle at k for example and then as I come out of the 10m circle I turn across the diagonal k x m and really ask with my leg but hold just a little with my seat so he doesnt rush.
I only really ask once he is straight on the diagonal and he gives me a really nice medium then. Ideal to practice at home and then once you and the horse get to know the feel of a good medium its easier to ask anywhere then!
Hope this helps!
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Oh I also find is quite important if they start to rush or struggle bring them back as a few good strides are better than lots of poor strides.
And I always make sure I show a transition back to working trot and its really helps to highlight the difference shown between the two paces.
 
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