Improving the trot

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My 5 year old mare is doing a lovely loose trot now, and we are starting to work on collecting it and getting her more underneath herself. But I was wondering whether anyone had any suggestions I could try to get her more elevated and work towards a true collected trot?

I do have lesson, but my trainer is away so I have not had a lesson for three weeks now, and have had to cancel this week as I am doing a prelim on her to get some miles on the clock!

Thanks,

Rebecca x
 
i use trotting poles to help my youngsters gather up their trot... start them off at normal distance apart and when they are ready I reduce the distance and trot them through it, half halt and steady up on the way in, then leave them alone to balance themselves on the way through and maintain that rhythm for as long as possible afterwards. Usually do two sets of 5 poles, each down a long side of the arena.
 
Hmmm, not sure we are allowed trotting poles in our new school (I am on a livery yard and the school has been resurfaced) as we are not allowed jumps!

That was what I was thinking, and raising them once we get confident going over the poles.
 
Lots of transitions, work on lengthening and shortening the stride on a 20 metre circle, lengthen for half and then shorten the other half. Lots of half halts and walk to canter/stand to canter/canter to stand transitions will all help engage the hind quarters and so improve your trot work.
 
Lots of transitions & loads of leg yielding & shoulder fore. This will get her to bring her hocks under herself. She will become more balanced, her transitions will become seamless & she will be flexing her hocks & propelling herself forward. This will not just help your trot but it will assist all paces. Good Luck
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Thanks... I have been working on lots of transitions to get her in front of the leg, but not done any acute transitions yet as she has not been ready for it up until now. I think I will incorporate some of those into our schooling sessions tomorrow.

She is naturally forwards going, but now I need to try and get her underneath me as well as forwards...
 
hey, I have just returned from the International Eventing Forum and although it was not stricte dressage the improving of the trot was discussed.
Lucinda Fredericks rode her 4star mare (Headley Brittania) with a very ordinary movement and then showed some lovely medium trot. Someone asked how she would reccommend working on cadence and power and the collection of the trot with youngsters. The advice was - once the horse works into the contact - to find a gentle hill and try to create powerful trot up that hill. The slight undulation will prevent the horse from running onto the forehand and will help with directing the power onto the hindquarters. It will also allow you to put a leg on and ask for more impulsion which would then come back to you nicely again due to the undulation of the ground.
 
well raised trotting poles are fab, but i know you cant use them.

Shoulder fore is great for lifting the shoulders up and engaging the hindleg, after doing shoulder fore Archie's medium trot is really fab, nice and through from behind.

Also legyielding on a circle, and from one corner of the school to the other, with a strong leg aid so shes really crossing over behind.
 
I would say loads of trot walk trot transitions and also lots of "almost" transitions.

Each time the horse is learning to sit for a moment, building the strength behind that is required for engagement.

I LOVE the hill tip though!!
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Will all this improve the elevation of the trot???

We are definitely not at the stage of passage and piaffe yet, but I would like to eventually teach her these things. Are transitions the best thing for these too?
 
It makes sense that lift at the front can only be achieved when more weight is being taken behind.

If a horse hasn't the strength to take weight behind then it has to be built gradually.

Carl Hester says transitions are like press ups for horses and my trainer is a big believer in Trot, touch down in walk and trot again along with trotting, almost walking and then pushing on again.

Each time a horse is sitting for a short spell, and that sitting builds strength (as well as fine tuning reactions and obedience at the same time)

Just try and work on you as you're doing them too, and aim to get the downward from as little effort as possible and with the horse still thinking forward.
 
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