How to improve his very flat trot - video

[bigboyrocky]

Hes been doing well at the lower levels, but when we move up the levels, i think we will need a bit more of a trot, especially if im going to BD him over winter, so, how do you think i could improve his trot? He just needs more lift to his step, but im not sure how to get that, because i work just as hard in the trot to get the impulsion i do in the canter, but his trots no where near his canter..
Hes not actually stiff anymore (was when he first came back) but his trot looks stiff, just because theres no swing to it :/ ahhh, help!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow6L3XRrf2Q

 

[Halfstep]

He is lovely!

He needs to be more connected and "through", and swing his back, but mostly he needs to actually PUSH from his hind legs. A few suggestions: on a 20m circle, ride forwards in trot, then back to an "almost walk", just as you feel his hind leg start to initiate the walk stride, push him back to trot. That way he will have to step up from his hind leg and this will develop the idea of push and lift.

Spiral in and out on the circle: legyield in to a 10m circle (no neck bend, slight flexion), then change the flexion and legyield out. Really ask him to sweep across with his hind legs. When you come back out, ride the almost walk transition, then repeat the spiral. A variation on this is ride travers to spiral in, then shoulder in to spiral out. More difficult!

Sweeping leg yields on the diagonal. so come across the arena, change the flexion, and leg yield to the other side asking for as much angle as he is comfortable with but concentrating on the rhythm all the way.

Lots of other ideas but these are some to play with! Hope this helps.

 

[Tempi]

There is a lot to like about him

However, he needs to be a lot more active - his trot is very short and stuffy. Bigger rises from you, and really think of pushing him through from behind over his back and into the contact. The trot you were getting for your medium trot should almost be your working trot, except more balanced as he was falling on to the forehand - but that is the sort of stretch he needs.

Halfstep has suggested some really good exercises - i would also ride with two sticks and keep both on his croup and keep tapping him on top of his croup to keep his hind legs active and his back swinging.

Also lots of raise trotting poles with alternate ends raised on blocks - i would start with 4 if hes not done it before and then go up to at least 8 and make the strides inbetween longer each time so he is stretching out and up so you will really feel him use his back end properly. You will need a helper for the poles though, unless you fancy getting on and off a lot!

 

[bigboyrocky]

Thank you for that it really is his weak point his trot! Lovely canter, walk and jump, but well.. you can see his trot

Will get cracking on some of those exercises tonight when i go up and ride him i knew people were going to say 'he needs to push more from behind' and 'he needs to be alot more active', i just needed the exercises to help improve that , so thank you he has done lots of trot poles in the past with me, so will put some up tonight, and try and get him to "lift"! will make a point of rising higher to - is that so that he has more time to kind of elevate his stride a bit more?? Thanks

If anyone else can help - it would be much appreciated thanks

 

[RomanyMayday]

What about trying a pessoa training aid?
I read up on them and the web says in short;

The system of ropes and pulleys used encourages the horse to take weight off the forehand and work through his back, bringing his hindquarters underneath him and consequently finding balance and flexibility.

Whether it does what it says on the packet I don't know, but it was just an idea? You may have or others on here may have used them so will have a better idea than me.

 

[bigboyrocky]

pleased to report, that my instructor walked past when i was riding and commented on how supple he was looking, and how much more forward he was