In theory, can any horse/pony do medium or extended trot?

B

bex1984

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 February 2007
Messages
5,745
Location
Leicestershire
Visit site

I have spent waaaaaaaaaaaay too much time photographing dressage this summer
blush.gif
which has left me wondering whether some of the requirements in dressage as you go up the levels are actually do-able by any breed and type of horse/pony, given the correct training and a good rider?

Could a stinky hairy coblet x native pony like mine actually achieve something like medium trot? (not that I think this is realistic anyway in his case, but just using it as an example).

I have no idea as to the answers to this, as am just a novice numpty, it's just a question that interested me
tongue.gif
 
of course he can! Put him onthe lunge or loose school him and run with him down the long side! you would be suprised at what most horses can do loose or in the field..
 
yes, i'm convinced they can.
what really convinced me was seeing a picture in a magazine once of a hippo (i kid you not) doing a really good extended trot, all 4 feet off the ground.
if a blubber-laden hippo can...
wink.gif
wink.gif

mind you, i bet they can't jump...!
 
yes of course, think they have to 'find it' though Frank completely forgot he was welsh (though actually judges dont like it if his med trot is too welshy) and we did necessitate a few lessons with a lunge whip down the long sides (made her run lol)

and did my usual trick of teaching him a word to go with it.
 
With correct training cobs can show medium paces. Perhaps a little harder for them than the bigger moving horses, but can be quite correct whilst not flashy. However I have not seen a cob show true extension. Happy for someone to prove me wrong and I would love to see some pics. Have a soft spot for smart cobs
smile.gif
 
Even Badger the Fjord can do medium trot when he chooses (that’s when he chooses and not when I choose, he, he). Just get him over some extended trot poles, you will see!
grin.gif
 
My fab cob, whom I used to event, had the most amazing exended trot. It was frequently commented on in the hunting field, but I was buggered if I could get it inside dressage boards!!!!!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
yes, i'm convinced they can.
what really convinced me was seeing a picture in a magazine once of a hippo (i kid you not) doing a really good extended trot, all 4 feet off the ground.
if a blubber-laden hippo can...
wink.gif
wink.gif

mind you, i bet they can't jump...!

[/ QUOTE ]

They're REALLY fast though! Apparently they're very dangerous and people get squished by them all the time because they figure they're slow and mellow. . . which they soon come to realise was a mistake.
 
[ QUOTE ]
However I have not seen a cob show true extension.

[/ QUOTE ]

See that's something I was wondering about. I have seen cobs (and have known my pony, on very rare occasion, to do this...) really power along, push from behind and get above ground with all 4 feet, but usually without the flicking-out-toes-show-off-extension in front.

blush.gif
blush.gif
photographers are really annoying people, we spend far too long staring at what the legs are doing and watching the movement
blush.gif
blush.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
yes, i'm convinced they can.
what really convinced me was seeing a picture in a magazine once of a hippo (i kid you not) doing a really good extended trot, all 4 feet off the ground.
if a blubber-laden hippo can...
wink.gif
wink.gif

mind you, i bet they can't jump...!

[/ QUOTE ]

They're REALLY fast though! Apparently they're very dangerous and people get squished by them all the time because they figure they're slow and mellow. . . which they soon come to realise was a mistake.

[/ QUOTE ]

apparently they're one of the most dangerous animals on the planet!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
yes, i'm convinced they can.
what really convinced me was seeing a picture in a magazine once of a hippo (i kid you not) doing a really good extended trot, all 4 feet off the ground.
if a blubber-laden hippo can...
wink.gif
wink.gif

mind you, i bet they can't jump...!

[/ QUOTE ]

They're REALLY fast though! Apparently they're very dangerous and people get squished by them all the time because they figure they're slow and mellow. . . which they soon come to realise was a mistake.

[/ QUOTE ]

yep, they can sprint at just-about racehorse speeds, and are very unpredictable and nasty tempered. people get bitten in half by them actually... their teeth are something else.

i found a pic of a hippo doing a pretty good trot, not quite as good as the pic i saw ages ago, but you get the gist...
http://pro.corbis.com/images/NT5215329.jpg?size=67&uid=FE8D876A-EF7D-4150-A4F6-661E59277409
definitely working well over the back, wouldn't you say?!!
 
I dont think it has anything to do with the breeding. It is the conformation and training that could prevent it.
If your horse has good conformation (doesnt have to be perfect) and can engage the hocks and backend properly then no reason why not!
smile.gif
 
Of course they can - we used to have a Shetland pony who once produced an amazing extended trot in the field -- OH and I just exchanged looks in disbelief
grin.gif


As for toe-flicking, I thought it wasn't so desirable?
 
i don't think the toe-flicking is desirable, the extension is supposed to be of the whole frame of the horse as well as the stride, isn't it? it is about taking a bigger, rounder, more ground-covering stride, not flicking the toes.
 
hence why I think if frank gets too welsh/cob trotty its often marked lower even though it feels better/more powerful if that makes sense but is just flicky.

edt to add- not that I am sure frank knows what a proper cob trot is- far too much effort in his opinion.
 
Yes Kerilli, that's what I've always known too.

[ QUOTE ]
I have seen cobs really power along, push from behind and get above ground with all 4 feet, but usually without the flicking-out-toes-show-off-extension in front.


[/ QUOTE ]
 
Yes, I think any horse can show lengthened strides, just depends how balanced they are under saddle as to how well they show them then!

This is my little 13 hander, showing her 'big' trot when loose.

DSC_0783-1.jpg


In comparision her 'normal' trot

DSC_0767-1.jpg
 
[ QUOTE ]
i don't think the toe-flicking is desirable, the extension is supposed to be of the whole frame of the horse as well as the stride, isn't it? it is about taking a bigger, rounder, more ground-covering stride, not flicking the toes.

[/ QUOTE ]

ah see that's what i was wondering about - I suppose I don't really know (being novice numpty) what counts as a good medium/extended stride. So in a dressage test, judges are looking for the horse to cover more ground, not looking for them to just stretch out their front legs? This is all very interesting stuff, and helps me understand more about how to photograph it
smile.gif
 
Did you see the hippo on David Attenborough 'Life' programme last night? In slow mo its trot was amazing!

I would not argue with a hippo being dangerous (and was a little worried when the locals in Kenya started banging our tiny boat to make them appear
blush.gif
) but I am pretty sure they is a guy in Gambia who has a 'pet' one - rides around on it and everything
blush.gif


In response to the original post, my sisters horse has a very upright shoulder and incredibly upright and pigeon toed feet, and he really struggles to get a longer stride in trot. So I think conformation can play a role, not necessarily the breed/type of horse. Sisters horse is a Conn X Tb.
smile.gif
 
I'd say yes, pretty much, Bex. They're relative terms really - a horse in medium/extended trot will show more elevation than they would in their own collected or working trot and, in a cobby type, these are likely to be less showy than in a warmblood type for example. It is about acheving engagement and elevation and yes, a well-schooled horse should be able to achieve this. What differs visually is often down to conformation. A horse with a more upright shoulder will find it harder to "show" its extension for example, even if it is working as correctly as possible.
 
thanks kerilli, I have just got what everyone means when they talk about the angles now
smile.gif


tottles off to look at her pics
grin.gif
 
Friend has a hairy trad cob who she does dressage with.

He is currently winning most of his elementaries, she thinks she will get att 14hh of him to adv med! His only problem is, is the surface is too deep then he treads on his own feathers in medium trot and trips himself up!
 
[ QUOTE ]
bex, if you google "extended trot" images
http://images.google.co.uk/images?source...ved=0CCYQsAQwAw
there are some pics on there of good and bad. the top left is excellent, the third and fourth are not really 'true' (angles of front and back legs diagonally should be equal), there's also a fab pic of a chunky native doing a good extension (2nd down on left).

[/ QUOTE ]

thank you, that's really interesting. The native doing an extended trot is a Fell Pony, a lot like mine, so it's really interesting to see that. I was trying to find a picture I have of Murphy (where he was tanking off with my friend in trot
blush.gif
) where his legs look very similar to that.

I've mainly photographed walk and trots and prelim with the odd novice test too, but did 10 hours of photographing BD Elementary recently which was a new experience - without knowing anyone who rides at that level it's harder to know what people want out of the photos. Need to find myself a dressage diva friend to practice photographing!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top