paddypat123
Member
how can I ask my horse for more impulsion? Xx
more impulsion?! Help!
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DressageCob
Well-Known Member
Get him truly forwards first.
Lots of transitions, get him moving off your leg.
You're thinking forwards, not fast. Keep him balanced as you ask for forwards and correct him if he gets fast an flat. Try moving him on down the long side and collecting him up around the short side.
With more impulsion you're looking to have a greater spring in your stride. Not necessarily a faster gait, but a springier one. You want to feel that the horse's hind legs step through properly and he is driving the trot forwards from his back end. He should be collected and working properly through his back.
If your horse is already forwards and collected and working properly, generally the impulsion is there. If not, try varying the gait. Ask for medium trot, then collect, then working trot...alternate them as you're going around. Equally in the canter, send him on then bring him back. That sort of exercise improves your trot and canter and helps you find the one you would want to present to a judge. It's about being forwards, working properly through the back, stepping under with the hind legs and staying balanced.
In short, there is no one way to ask for more impulsion (although some people think kicking will achieve this). It will be a matter of improving your horse's way of going generally, so that the impulsion is there without you having to ask for it as a separate element of the trot/canter.
Lots of transitions, get him moving off your leg.
You're thinking forwards, not fast. Keep him balanced as you ask for forwards and correct him if he gets fast an flat. Try moving him on down the long side and collecting him up around the short side.
With more impulsion you're looking to have a greater spring in your stride. Not necessarily a faster gait, but a springier one. You want to feel that the horse's hind legs step through properly and he is driving the trot forwards from his back end. He should be collected and working properly through his back.
If your horse is already forwards and collected and working properly, generally the impulsion is there. If not, try varying the gait. Ask for medium trot, then collect, then working trot...alternate them as you're going around. Equally in the canter, send him on then bring him back. That sort of exercise improves your trot and canter and helps you find the one you would want to present to a judge. It's about being forwards, working properly through the back, stepping under with the hind legs and staying balanced.
In short, there is no one way to ask for more impulsion (although some people think kicking will achieve this). It will be a matter of improving your horse's way of going generally, so that the impulsion is there without you having to ask for it as a separate element of the trot/canter.
Simon Battram
Well-Known Member
Firstly make sure that your horse is supple and loose. This means both over the top line (stretching long and low) and through the sides (bending, circles and arena patterns).
Then you can make him / her straight which means each hindleg is following the respective front leg and this will allow him / her to push evenly with both hindlegs.
Make sure that you have good response to your aids, which means nice crisp reaction to the leg and soft acceptance of the rein aids.
Then its about transitions, transitions, transitions...
Then you can make him / her straight which means each hindleg is following the respective front leg and this will allow him / her to push evenly with both hindlegs.
Make sure that you have good response to your aids, which means nice crisp reaction to the leg and soft acceptance of the rein aids.
Then its about transitions, transitions, transitions...
Barnacle
Well-Known Member
In what context? Are you trying to do a dressage test or is this something your instructor keeps saying to you or what? Is it just one horse or are you asking in general? Is the horse already forward?
Understanding your context will make it easier to give you suggestions that make sense for your level and for what you have to work with.
Understanding your context will make it easier to give you suggestions that make sense for your level and for what you have to work with.