Medium Trot Improvements

rosiesowner

rosiesowner

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Below should be a clip of me and my new mare attempting a medium trot. If it isn't below, here's the link: https://youtu.be/iQZXv1qZibQ

On a good day we can do it better than this, but I'm wondering if anyone has any constructive criticism (play nice, we're both a little sensitive :p)

I've been really trying to ride her up into my hand so she lengthens her frame a little rather than just going faster and flicking her toes out and 'looking pretty'. I've not had her long but pleased with her so far, as I feel like we could develop together while she teaches me a few things!

[video=youtube_share;iQZXv1qZibQ]https://youtu.be/iQZXv1qZibQ[/video]
 
She's a lovely mare and it looks like you are having a lot of fun with her!

This is a good start but if I was being critical I would say this looks more like a nice working trot at the moment. Try working on her impulsion overall, I find trying for five strides of more lengthened trot, then five strides of more collected trot and repeating all the way round the arena can help jazz them up a bit. It might also be worth trying a 10m circle and really bending her around your inside leg before asking for a little bit of medium. Hope this helps!
 
what has helped my mare is seriously improving the impulsion, its taken her a LONNGG time to learn to let go in her shoulders, and she can still bury herself a bit, but getting on the long side and going for it, whatever happens has improved her no end! shes not naturally built uphill or has any cadence so getting her to show a difference was always going to be tricky...
its still rushed sometimes, if i dont ride it right, but its taken two months to get between the two photos below.

your mare is lovely!!

before
12743624_10156568192385066_8918040726701330774_n.jpg


in progress!
13061943_10156841335710066_8786523982607217150_n.jpg


no amount of asking for a little bit more actually helped lola, what she needed was a bloomin good kick and sent forward to activate her hind leg properly :)
 
SpringArising said:
She doesn't look quite right to me. There's something about that trot that looks off.
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Yes the moment coming back in the corner but only a brief video so hard to say, it does look like she then finds it hard to come back in the corner and she should be able to collect and sit behind whilst moving into a corner with bend around the new inside leg (which doesn't happen). Extension comes after collection so perhaps some work in that area before pushing on might help. Very lovely horse tho lucky you!
 
Hi...
Love your horse and you both seem to be going in the right direction:)
All I would suggest is rise a little lower and lean a little forward in the medium...it looks to me as if the big rise you have...gives a bit of a plonk on the horses' back which interrupts the smootheness :)

Good luck and enjoy :)
Bryndu
 
I think the fact that the video seems to have been slowed down makes it look as if there is more hesitation than it appears when speeded up to normal, she is laterally stiff on the turn and coming round leading with her shoulder rather than bending through properly which does make her appear slightly unlevel, I think it more of a schooling issue than an unsoundness, she is also slightly anticipating the transition to canter and that is not helping how she moves.

For the OP you need to keep riding the way you are, the mare is not young so may be a bit stiff and set in her ways, think of slowing everything down just a little, in reality not just in the video!! try and set her up a bit more before a transition so she is bending and stepping under and if she is not listening or remaining soft then wait until she is before you ask, better to have quality in the work and change your plans as you go than let them get away with a poor corner or transition because you had planned to do it there so there it must be.

I also agree with the suggestion above of asking for just a few strides of lengthened, a few of shortened, throw in a few 10 m circles to keep them soft and bending so they are learning to step under and push, again it is about quality not quantity, if you get 3 super strides don't push on for more come back and take the pressure off, build it up slowly and it will become easier for her to stay in a better balanced frame.
 
Bryndu said:
Hi...
Love your horse and you both seem to be going in the right direction:)
All I would suggest is rise a little lower and lean a little forward in the medium...it looks to me as if the big rise you have...gives a bit of a plonk on the horses' back which interrupts the smootheness :)

Good luck and enjoy :)
Bryndu
Click to expand...


I agree!! I've been trying to improve on that since watching the video back!
 
be positive said:
I think the fact that the video seems to have been slowed down makes it look as if there is more hesitation than it appears when speeded up to normal, she is laterally stiff on the turn and coming round leading with her shoulder rather than bending through properly which does make her appear slightly unlevel, I think it more of a schooling issue than an unsoundness, she is also slightly anticipating the transition to canter and that is not helping how she moves.

For the OP you need to keep riding the way you are, the mare is not young so may be a bit stiff and set in her ways, think of slowing everything down just a little, in reality not just in the video!! try and set her up a bit more before a transition so she is bending and stepping under and if she is not listening or remaining soft then wait until she is before you ask, better to have quality in the work and change your plans as you go than let them get away with a poor corner or transition because you had planned to do it there so there it must be.

I also agree with the suggestion above of asking for just a few strides of lengthened, a few of shortened, throw in a few 10 m circles to keep them soft and bending so they are learning to step under and push, again it is about quality not quantity, if you get 3 super strides don't push on for more come back and take the pressure off, build it up slowly and it will become easier for her to stay in a better balanced frame.
Click to expand...


Yes, I would agree with your first point and also add that I'm probably not helping the picture by losing my balance near the end of that change of rein. My core strength isn't what it used to be, so there's another thing to work on!

I tried the 10m circles into just a few strides last night, and with a bit of work we were producing a better movement. As you say, she is a little set in her ways! Once you ask her for this it can be quite hard to get her back to you on occasion; I think it's possibly a mixture of lack of schooling since September, a lack of balance which makes it easier just to go faster I suppose and her being quite opinionated ;)

Since this video was taken, we've mainly been working on establishing the basics and we have a simple Prelim test coming up next Friday which she has schooled through nicely so hopefully we'll do okay!!

Sorry for the mammoth reply and thank you for all the helpful advice, it's a big step opening myself for online criticism so I'm really happy to have some useful, genuine tips.

Cheers

Harriet :)
 
Well done for being brave enough to post its backfired on myself a time or two so know how daunting it can seem :).

For mediums, my ridiculous Hackney knees up horse has finally found she can lengthen :D. For us shoulder-in and lateral work really helped get her hind leg engaged and powering from the hind end first.

I think teaching them shoulder in is a really helpful move as it encourages engagement and to bend around your inside leg, as well as shoulder control!

We also went through the 'I know better and we're off' stage :D, to make her wait I would do say five strides lengthened and straight back, if she wasn't paying attention then back to walk or halt. So we did no full diagonals or long sides for quite a while so the message could sink in.

Two years it really took for her to be strong enough to offer a good medium so hang in there, I don't think it will take you guys quite so long :D.
 
rosiesowner said:
Yes, I would agree with your first point and also add that I'm probably not helping the picture by losing my balance near the end of that change of rein. My core strength isn't what it used to be, so there's another thing to work on!

I tried the 10m circles into just a few strides last night, and with a bit of work we were producing a better movement. As you say, she is a little set in her ways! Once you ask her for this it can be quite hard to get her back to you on occasion; I think it's possibly a mixture of lack of schooling since September, a lack of balance which makes it easier just to go faster I suppose and her being quite opinionated ;)

Since this video was taken, we've mainly been working on establishing the basics and we have a simple Prelim test coming up next Friday which she has schooled through nicely so hopefully we'll do okay!!

Sorry for the mammoth reply and thank you for all the helpful advice, it's a big step opening myself for online criticism so I'm really happy to have some useful, genuine tips.

Cheers

Harriet :)
Click to expand...

You seem to be a considerate and thoughtful rider working along the right lines with a lovely horse so it is good to see videos for critique, I think it is brave for anyone to post a video and anyone who replies to them must always be able to offer some constructive not just negative criticism, it is good you are taking it onboard and that it may be of help.

Hope the dressage goes well, looking forward to a report.
 
I'm glad some of the ideas are working! It's always a bit of trial and error with these things to see what suits you and your horse and then it also takes a bit of time to build up the right muscles.

Good luck with your competition.
 
AlexHyde said:
Well done for being brave enough to post its backfired on myself a time or two so know how daunting it can seem :).

For mediums, my ridiculous Hackney knees up horse has finally found she can lengthen :D. For us shoulder-in and lateral work really helped get her hind leg engaged and powering from the hind end first.

I think teaching them shoulder in is a really helpful move as it encourages engagement and to bend around your inside leg, as well as shoulder control!

We also went through the 'I know better and we're off' stage :D, to make her wait I would do say five strides lengthened and straight back, if she wasn't paying attention then back to walk or halt. So we did no full diagonals or long sides for quite a while so the message could sink in.

Two years it really took for her to be strong enough to offer a good medium so hang in there, I don't think it will take you guys quite so long :D.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice-and yes it is daunting as there is no delete post button! Good idea with the shoulder in I'll give that a go. Now I've had her a few weeks and feel like I do now have a proper feel for her I'm going to make our rhythm and lateral work to improve suppleness and engagement the priority, then look at the medium again as I think it's more fair on her rather than expecting her to be as good as can be first time! She can certainly do it, but she has had a lot of time off with her owner since August and I only took on the loan 3/4 weeks ago!

Thank you for the kind and useful advice :)
 
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