Lateral work/Exercise to get horses working from behind? (pics)

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I'm not wanting to be a dressage diva or anything, but could do with improving eventing dressage scores from around 40 mark to low-mid thirties.

I've been working hard on getting my horse more infront of the leg, and think I have him bending correctly and he is generally becoming more round. Seem to do a lot of trotting round aimlessly though so need ideas!! I think he's ready to start doing some work that's going to really get his back end under him, but not really sure on how to start doing lateral work - don't want to ask things that are too hard for him because he's not really a naturally flexible guy and is 12yo.

I've done some leg yielding from smaller to larger circles and he tries in a strait line but it's difficult to keep him strait.

Here are some pics - they are from the summer and think we've improved since - I've stopped weating spurs for the moment and he's much more in front of the leg. Anyway, this is the last test we did:
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Some schooling pics (also from summer):
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I think he's coming more round now like in the last pic - is that better???

Thanks for any replies.
 
Pole work is brilliant to get them using their back legs, especially over raised poles.
I had one pony who was awful with his back legs and my instructor suggested I try weighted boots and at first I was hugely against it but it really seemed to work (this was a last resort after trying everything)

MAke sure your using your leg enough to encourage him to step underneathe himself but also half halting. My RI puts it as if you are trying to speed up the back end but slow down the front end. :)
 
Yes there is definately an improvment in the last few pictures. I use alot of shoulder fore - not a steep an angle as shoulder in and push the trot forwards and back when you are in it. I also use alot of half halts really making sure the horse sits and pushes when going up and down in and out of the half halt. Working on changing the speed within a pace is good to, just ensure you stay straight - try not to let him cheat by swinging his quarters in and out (mine liked to do this alot.
To me the main foundation is to be able to get the horse to stretch and really swing through their backs. One of my horses has really struggled with this so I worked alot on it out on hacks, getting him to try and take the contact forwards and down and trot whilst slowly trotting up hills.
He is a very handsome chap, good luck with him.
 
Firstly, I love him!! He is such a cracking horse and looks to have lovely movement.

You're pictures so improvement, but it is always so hard in pictures as I always feel for myself too that they are never taken at the right moment, if you see what I mean.

Well done for taking the spurs off, sometimes they learn to rely on them and then when you haven't got them they don't understand the leg aids.

As to training, I would continue with the leg yielding in and out of circles, try him with shoulder in and get him engaging behind and start introducing as many little complicated moves as he can handle, but for short bursts. One of my lads can be a right pain to school, but as soon as you ask him to do something a little harder or to test him, he actually wakes up and gives it 100%. We were trying to do prelims with him last year and although he was always placed, his scores weren't great, did a novice on him and got 71%, it was just more interesting to him I suppose.

If you are looking at stopping him dragging his feet then poles and slightly raised poles can help, and you can serpentine around and through them, I love serpentines to get mine engaging. Please don't use weighted boots, they are unnecessary and IMO cruel, they will also no teach him to come from behind or to engage.

When not riding, use a pessoa or something like that, you can have it as loose as you want but it will help him start building strength from behind ready to carry you in the ridden work.

Well done, he really is gorgeous and you look great on him.
 
Simple exercise but it works a treat at getting them working through and eventually swinging through the back

Ride a 20 meter circle in trot, ride a quarter of it in a sitting trot so slow the pace down slightly but still keep that impulsion there, then push on into a rising for the rest of the 3 quarters (so there is a clear different between the pace) then back into a sitting for a quarter of the circle, keep doing that a few times then change the rein to opposite side of the school and repeat the process on the other rein, then allow your horse to stretch a little for half a circle and retake the reins and repeat, this encourages them to stretch over the back and eventually encourages self-carriage, you can really then start to feel them working through the back and into a rhythm, you can also spiral in and out doing the above or work on a larger circle.
 
I think most things have already been mentioned. Transitions within the pace and from one pace to another are always a main part of creating impulsion and then engagement. How strict with him are you about transitions? Making sure you get them exactly when you ask for them should help with getting him forwards. I love the spiraling in and out for activating the inside hind, so would definitely continue with that. Lots of bending - different size circles, serpentines, shallow loops etc will all help too but it's important to make sure he's forwards first.

Personally I would spend my warm up time getting him really forwards and responsive with tons of transitions, canter work in a light seat, etc and then move onto the bending and suppling. I find if I'm getting stuck just riding around I try and do something different on every lap of the school - so maybe figure of eight then a serpentine, then some shoulder-fore or leg yielding then change the rein and repeat the pattern. Keeps you both thinking and helps to get the horse really listening as they don't know where they're going next! It's easy for one (or both!) of you to switch off when you keep repeating an exercise in the hope of improving it. I prefer to do something different for a while then come back and have another go if necessary.

Another thing to think about is if you can help boost your marks just by riding your tests more accurately. Working into the corners well and making sure your transitions are right on the markers should help gain a few extra marks. (Apologies if you're already doing this!)

Good luck for next season. :)
 
HollyP said:
He doesnt seem confortable in his head at all. Try using a different noseband...he is really fighting that contact. lovely chap though just needs to soften :)
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have to agree with the above. The contact looks very hard and heavy.... It needs to be a lot lighter which will give more length in the neck which will improve the overall picture and he'll then be able to lighten up off the forehand.

but you say he's a lot more forward now off your leg anyway.... this may have improved the contact? Is he lighter in your hand now?
 
Such a fan of this horse.

Clearly using weighted boots is not a good idea.

He looks very resistant in from to me SB - and would love to see him out of the grackle for schooling.

Nothing usefull really to say though - as others far more experiened will comment. But I would add that some training for you and your position would be a really valuable thing to do.
 
With my old horse I use to do lots of rein back to canter to really wake her up and get her moving. Personally I am not a fan of grackle nosebands they do have there place like when jumping but for schooling I always try to use a loose cavason so that they can open there mouth a little which helps them to flex through jaw.
Another exercise to activate the back end is when turning up the centre line ( not during a test) give the horse a flick with a schooling whip as they step onto the centre line with hind legs, just make sure you allow with your hand as you do it otherwise your giving a go and stop signal at the same time :-)
My instructor use to stand behind me as I rode along the long side to see if I was straight, often I thought I was but instead I would be wonky. When we sorted that the impulsion came. You really can't beat a decent instructor.
 
SB have you tried him in a drop? I switched from a Mexican grakle to a drop and the difference was really noticeable. My horse is very lazy with her hindquarters and my instructor has had us doing turns on the forehand, rein back, transitions every few strides ie walk halt walk rein back trot halt turn on forehand walk canter walk halt - keeps her thinking and working from behind. She also is starting to teach us shoulder in and travers - all with the aim of getting her hind kegs underneath her and working through her back. I also use a Pessoa once a week which helps. Her musculature has changed loads in the last year and she is much, much lighter in my hand.
 
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Thank you people!!!

I have taken him out of the grackle now - I was schooling him with no noseband on one day and he was a lot lighter in my hands!! Couldn't beleive the difference!! So I've got him in a caverson now. We've recently had some mirors installed in the school and I've noticed he does open his mouth a bit, but if he is better in it and happier opening his mouth a bit then I guess that's OK? He also looks miore handsome in a caverson.. although may have to revert back to the grackle when brakes needed. ;)

Thank you for all your comments/advice. I might have a few lessons (have clinics at yard), maybe that would sort us out a bit!!

I do think he is going much better now anyway - I will see if I can get some pics over the weekend. :)
 
Mildred said:
SB have you tried him in a drop? I switched from a Mexican grakle to a drop and the difference was really noticeable. My horse is very lazy with her hindquarters and my instructor has had us doing turns on the forehand, rein back, transitions every few strides ie walk halt walk rein back trot halt turn on forehand walk canter walk halt - keeps her thinking and working from behind. She also is starting to teach us shoulder in and travers - all with the aim of getting her hind kegs underneath her and working through her back. I also use a Pessoa once a week which helps. Her musculature has changed loads in the last year and she is much, much lighter in my hand.
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Not tried a drop - will see how I get on with the caverson. :)
 
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