Medium trot

S

SkyTitch1

Active Member
Joined
30 March 2015
Messages
33
Visit site
Hi,
My horse is 15 years old and hasn't done that much proper dressage before. He's only really started it with me, he won't lengthen his trot stride and I have tried everything. I have used raised trotting poles and excercises that have worked with other horses so I need some tips on how to get a fairly set in his ways horse to lengthen! He'll just rush and my instructor helps me but he's only maybe pointed his toes properly once. He can do all movements from elementary tests so a bit annoying about the medium trot as we can't even go to a novice though we are working higher at home. I know what it feels like but he is not an easy horse and I doubt that anyone else can get it on him. Anyone else in my position?

Thanks in advance
 
I'm pretty useless as I can't give you advice on getting the medium - following with interest :) Just wondering have you considered getting your instructor on her to see if she is capable? I find my instructor gives me better guidance if she's ridden my horse and knows how tricky the horse is or how to get the best out of her specifically.
 
I've just done my first Advanced Medium and my horse doesn't have a medium trot. Don't let it stop you going out and having a go. Mine is just starting to get some idea of lengthening rather than rushing but only just. It hasn't stopped us doing well. He has 163 BD points from Novice/Elem tests without any hint of a medium and that's with limited outings as I keep getting distracted by eventing!
 
That gives me a lot of inspiration!! Thank you! Think I'm going to give it a go as we can do all other movements! I guess only one little movement in the whole test! :)
 
Oh also I find my mare struggles with mediums too but she somehow seems to do them just fine out hacking :) so i know she's capable it's just getting her in the frame of mind and into that same forward mode, but with accuracy!

It could be worth asking for a little lengthening on your next hack to see what he's made of! He may be more willing :)

I regularly scribe for judges and see them often giving 5s for no medium shown so if you can do all the other movements then go for a novice! If schooling at Elementary then you should have all the other movements down to a tee and it'll make up that one score. Enjoy it :)
 
Last edited:
The problem with horses that rush is often asking for too much. With one like yours, I would ask for only two strides and then come back again. Make sure you get a definite change of speed for those two strides, and if necessary to get that reaction, slow the trot right down first. At this stage, you are looking for reaction to your leg, not worrying about how long the stride is. When the reaction is clear, repeat it again and again, two or three times up each long side, still never more than three strides before you bring the horse back.

Over the course of a few weeks, I have found that the horse will realise it can't run in that short a distance and will start to stretch the stride instead. Once you have that, you can increase the number of strides. It may also help if you make your leg aid very slightly forward, to make it clear that is a different aid from 'go faster'. And make sure you don't give away the reins as you ask for more length.

Some learn it better on a circle, some on straight lines. Some 'unlock', mentally and/or physically, if you also include asking them to trot as fast as they can on a 20m circle, so you could try that but don't go hurtling round and round, it either works quite quickly or it doesn't.

Other things to try are doing a small circle in the corner then asking as you come out of the circle; leg yielding to the track then asking, and lengthening in shoulder in, but with all of those still only do two or three strides before you rebalance.

Have fun!
 
Like the others have said I wouldn't let a little thing like no medium trot stop you trying a novice test. Particularly at novice you only have to show some strides as part of the moment, like the poster above says if your line is straight and accurate you'll prob get at least a 5, this is spoken from someone who also has either no medium trot or "chaaargge!" across the diagonal and fall in a heap.:)
 
a horse needs to learn to do a few lengthened strides first then get a good balance whilst performing them, this is level one, if you can't do this forget about medium trot.

speed, rushing shoving, pushing are the death nell to getting what you want.

the quality of a medium trot is determined by the balance, lengthening and most importantly the apparent slowness within which the horse appears to lengthen the whole frame, you therefore need to allow the neck to lengthen also.

you need to prepare very carefully before asking, any loss of balance results in falling on the forehand, think of it as releasing power in slow motion.

try coming off a circle across the diagonal or from a circle down the long side.



start listening to what your horse is telling you, I find they switch off if they realize they can`t do it, and get disappointed in the` thick` rider

learn to half halt gently to prepare, lots of hacking to get the loose all over.

I think personally lateral work which will start to collect the horse will help by gathering it up as there is an element of collection involved because the horse is really coming off the quarters, the power of the quarters propel the whole mass forward yet in a longer frame at the same time, which is really where the difficulty lies, holding the posture necessary to allow the power through.

good luck xx
 
Thank you! He can do a lovely collected trot and canter and will lengthen for a medium canter. I will start off asking for 2 strides and build it up over the weeks while using lateral work xx
 
Definitely work on the collected work - the collection will build the muscle and strength needed to allow the horse to perform any extended work.

Like others, my mare doesn't really have a medium trot, but we've got 71%+ at elementary so far and planning on medium before too long :)
 
tristar said:
a horse needs to learn to do a few lengthened strides first then get a good balance whilst performing them, this is level one, if you can't do this forget about medium trot.

speed, rushing shoving, pushing are the death nell to getting what you want.

the quality of a medium trot is determined by the balance, lengthening and most importantly the apparent slowness within which the horse appears to lengthen the whole frame, you therefore need to allow the neck to lengthen also.

you need to prepare very carefully before asking, any loss of balance results in falling on the forehand, think of it as releasing power in slow motion.

try coming off a circle across the diagonal or from a circle down the long side.



start listening to what your horse is telling you, I find they switch off if they realize they can`t do it, and get disappointed in the` thick` rider

learn to half halt gently to prepare, lots of hacking to get the loose all over.

I think personally lateral work which will start to collect the horse will help by gathering it up as there is an element of collection involved because the horse is really coming off the quarters, the power of the quarters propel the whole mass forward yet in a longer frame at the same time, which is really where the difficulty lies, holding the posture necessary to allow the power through.

good luck xx
Click to expand...

Me and my horse are currently trying to learn medium trot (my horse being evidently more capable than I lol) and this is exactly what my instructor says. My instructor rides my horse and he can get the start of medium trot from her whereas it's hit and miss with me still as I have a tendency to allow her to run on too much and then it all goes on the forehand/rushed etc. I struggle so much with keeping the balance of power from the quarters whilst containing it enough not to allow her to go flat. I think it's just practice and more practice and I agree about the lateral work - that's exactly as my instructor says.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top