Lengthening strides

[JLA2019]

Hi all, looking for some advise please. I’ve recently got a beautiful 16hh 8 year old ex carriage driving Cleveland Bay. Walk is slightly short, canter is ok.... Her trot is awful! She trots ‘up’ rather than forward if that makes sense?! I can only presume it is something to do with the carriage/ harness. What can I do to lengthen her strides in trot? She naturally carries herself quite high so I even know where to begin to get her long and low. Any advise?

 

[rara007]

I doubt it’s to do with the driving- if anything their trot is usually more forwards and open than a ridden horses. Was that why she retired from driving?

Medium trot ridden, a bit tense and above the bit but not a bad try



Until you see without me bouncing on his back this is his extension.


Some driving breeds are bred for knee action (tuigpaard kwpn and Hackney’s most notably) but I don’t think Cleveland bays fall into that category?

 

[teddypops]

Use poles to encourage her to lengthen strides

 

[Mule]

I doubt it’s to do with the driving- if anything their trot is usually more forwards and open than a ridden horses. Was that why she retired from driving?

Medium trot ridden, a bit tense and above the bit but not a bad try

View attachment 34707

Until you see without me bouncing on his back this is his extension.
View attachment 34708

Some driving breeds are bred for knee action (tuigpaard kwpn and Hackney’s most notably) but I don’t think Cleveland bays fall into that category?

The second pic is a fabulous trot.

 

[be positive]

I assume you want her stride to lengthen generally rather than looking to get a lengthened stride/ medium trot, my first thought would be to encourage her to relax through her back, which may be tight from a change of use so a vet check or physio would be worthwhile to make sure there is nothing restricting her.

Then have some lessons with a good trainer who can see the issue first hand and target the work towards her weaknesses which will differ from horse to horse as to what will help, poles can be useful but some will tense up and shorten in order to lift their feet higher and clear them, lots of hacking can be beneficial to get them working in a more relaxed way especially if you have hills to use.

She looks to be an attractive horse with a lovely kind eye.

 

[Leo Walker]

I doubt it’s to do with the driving- if anything their trot is usually more forwards and open than a ridden horses. Was that why she retired from driving?

Some driving breeds are bred for knee action (tuigpaard kwpn and Hackney’s most notably) but I don’t think Cleveland bays fall into that category?

I cant see the pics Rara? But absolutely what rara said. Heres my, very ordinary pony cob, 4 weeks after being broken

 

[sportsmansB]

She really does look like a lovely mare
If you lunge her, is she any better? What is she like just trotting round the field loose?
Lunging with an aid on (like a bungee or an equi ami or whatever - I'm no expert in these, mine is too low if anything!) to help build up those 'round' muscles that will allow her to stretch her neck and lift her back could help. Then lunging over poles to increase the size of the steps.

Do you have a decent instructor? Sounds like you need to try and find one who will really invest in your partnership - they can help you with lunge and ridden exercises and homework between lessons, so that you are always working towards your goals. It is so much clearer for a new horse who has had a different job, to have consistent direction and progress comes much faster that way.

 

[Littlebear]

Its so hard when they have that up and down action in trot, i have had 2 like that, one spanish and one that was crossed with a heavy breed, both were short in the back and upright in the shoulder, it made lengthening strides much harder that the other types i have had that find it super easy and the one i have now has a real party piece extended trot but she is built for it.
I think the first thing i would ask is whether you have ever ridden a horse that has truly been able to extend the trot so that you are sure you know how to ask for it on a more established horse?
Secondly i have seen it taught by a few methods, i have seen a few that are charged around until they get it, i watch this and don't get it so i am not sure how successful this can be, it always looks to me like they are slamming onto the 4hand and doing god knows what damage to themselves but some people may suggest this works.
The other way which i would suggest is to first of all make sure the horse is truly in front of the leg, and i mean really on the aids almost buzzing for the next signal from you, once they feel like that and are nice and soft over the back and really pushing from behind it should not be too difficult to play with the strides, remember extension comes from engagement of the hind 1/4s so working on collection and going back into working trot (so loads of transitions within the pace) keeping a nice uphill frame will help build up what you need for the lengthened strides, if you have letters around you arena familiarise yourself with how many steps of working trot you have between your markers, for example if you ride on the left rein count between h to k how many steps and f to m to make sure you are maintaining a rhythm, then for collection if you have say 10 steps of trot try to make it 11 or 12 and increase it as it becomes easier, then for lengthening try to make it less than 10, then you have a true guage of whether you are actually collecting or lengthening the stride.
As someone else mentioned you can also use poles to help too. Hope some of that helps x

 

[Hallo2012]

lots of different facets to this....

if she is always high and tight in the neck she wont ever be able to lengthen properly so make that your priority currently. Vary the frame from long and low to slightly higher but still IFV and make sure you can bend her laterally to each side in either frame.
do lots of lateral work again in both frames to get her to relax her body and learn to step under and push off her hind legs.

sometimes you DO have to run them forward until the penny drops that they can reach forward with the shoulder and not just up, for others riding a few steps of shoulder in then forward then back then SI again will work better, or going from rein back to lengthened steps.

My welsh B is not a typical welsh mover and actually uses his shoulder and knees up and down rather than doing the tight toe flick. His medium trot has gone through lots of stages, initially i rode in a slower rhythm to stop him being so frantic, then a bit too forward once he was softer over the back to get him to reach forward, and now i can ride in a more ideal rhythm but still with him free in the shoulder.....the work in progress may well not resemble to end result so dont panic.

 

[Goldenstar]

Has she been in a team ?

 

[Palindrome]

Ground poles are great, but also leg yield on the circle and spiraling in and out should help her lower her head and start using her core more. Start at the walk first, it will be easier for her to understand what you are asking.

 

[BBird]

Hours and hours round and in leg yield will help supple and improve way of going.