ideas for exercises to improve the quality of trot under saddle

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Kungfoo-hamster

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My cob youngster (4.5 yrs) has a fabulous trot in-hand but is flatter than I would like under saddle. I am working with lots of transitions, trotting poles and cavalletti (sp?) work to try and encourage that high-cobby trot that he can do when he tries... does anyone have any other tips/hints/suggestions/exercises or novel ways of encouraging him?

Cheers
 
Kungfoo-hamster said:
My cob youngster (4.5 yrs) has a fabulous trot in-hand but is flatter than I would like under saddle. I am working with lots of transitions, trotting poles and cavalletti (sp?) work to try and encourage that high-cobby trot that he can do when he tries... does anyone have any other tips/hints/suggestions/exercises or novel ways of encouraging him?

Cheers
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To be honest, if he's only 4.5, it's going to take time for him to build up the muscles and suppleness needed for him to be able to push himself off the forehand and develop a bigger trot.

If it were me, I would be trying not to rush the trot into a faster pace in order to make it more 'flash', but keep him in his natural rhythm and work on getting him to stretch over his back and push off with his hind legs (so lots of long and low work, transitions, etc). Also bear in mind, as a cob, he's going to struggle more to work over his back and stretch soften in the neck than a purpose-bred warmblood.
 
Thanks - we are working on ensuring that he keeps the rhythm and he is tracking up nicely most of the time, I don't believe in rushing him into a faster trot than his natural gait so will carry on the way I am with the transitions, poles etc and maybe up the long-and-low work ratio a little - I know its going to take time and I definitely don't want to rush things, but still open to any other exercises and ideas that we can use to vary things a bit and keep it interesting for both him and me :)
 
- Work on shortening and lengthening the stride within trot.

- Slow him down on the short side of the school/ask him to pick up the pace on the long side, and vice versa.

- Lots of transitions to get him using his feet and backend.

- Raised poles.

- Hill work (probably the most useful).
 
I agree about not pushing the trot too fast. It won't help at all. He needs to carry more behind. I would also work on slowing the trot right down with thighs until he almost walks then go forward again repeat a million zillion times
hill work when hacking and lateral work

P.s. the flashy cob trot while it may look fast, actually it isn't. The stride is powerful so really pushes from Hinds covering much more ground but with elevation too. This allows time for the knees to come up. Hope that makes sense lol
 
if it was my horse I would forget about trying too hard, in fact I would back off and concentrate on quietly riding on the outside track then when its going along nicely do a 20 metre circle and back onto the track then change the rein and repeat, use gentle progressive transitions, and above all disregard the front end, just a following with the hands gently balancing contact, he needs to reach forward to the contact and stretch his topline a bit, when can do circles move on to two halve circles changing the bend in the middle of the arena, half circle left rein. half circle right rein, this can be very loosening and engaging, and also start serpentines, but take loads of time, he needs to develop every single part of his body that he is using.

I would have him hacking again no over pushing, be patient and the rewards will come as if by magic, when he is ready he will start to offer more as he becomes fitter and this can take some time, one day when he is out hacking he will offer to surge forward then you will have something to work with, don`t destroy it by asking to soon, best of luck!
 
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