Perfect trot stretch in dressage?

[countercanterr]

(Also posted in Competing & Training)
Hi guys, I'm just wondering what the perfect trot stretch should look like in dressage tests (I'm doing Intro B next weekend). My mare will stretch all the way to the ground consistently in walk and trot if I ask her to (and stays active & in the contact), but whenever I've seen it done in tests before it's only a little stretch. Should I just let her half way down so to speak or let her hoover the ground with her nose? lol

 

[mandyroberts]

Interesting - most horses won't stretch this far without going completely on their forehand. He does lokk a bit on the forehand in pic 2 but not for an Intro - I would go for 70% of what you can get - will be watching for comments from others. Good luck!

 

[nato]

There needs to be a contact, it's a stretch on a long rein not a loose rein. Contact should be sought by the horse as you let the reins out and you should still have a feel on his mouth. Stretch should be down and out.

 

[countercanterr]

She does seek the contact really well and keep it even when she's all the way down, we have little moments where it goes a bit loose but generally she's quite good in it (and not leaning). She was draw-reined before me and still has that tendency to curl up a bit so I've been letting her back down throughout schooling sessions to try and get her neck out more, it's so much better than what it used to be but most of the time she's still slightly btv when her poll is high.

 

[mandyroberts]

I'd be interested to see other pics / video as the other question is should you be doing an Intro as opposed to a Prelim/Novice? If you slaughter the opposition its not terribly satisfying for you or them!

 

[FlyingCircus]

Yeah not sure I'd stick her in an Intro class either!?

 

[Booboos]

I'd also say you need to maintain the contact. From what I can see from the photos your hands are loose and fingers are open. There is a moment when long and low becomes just too much, you feel the horse pull down rather than stretch round and down and that's the moment you put a bit of leg on to stop them.

 

[countercanterr]

I'd be interested to see other pics / video as the other question is should you be doing an Intro as opposed to a Prelim/Novice? If you slaughter the opposition its not terribly satisfying for you or them!

It's really only her stretching she has completely down at the moment, canter is hard to contain and walk can be joggy when she has her poll higher, plus it's her first time out so I have no idea how she will react.

 

[countercanterr]

I'd also say you need to maintain the contact. From what I can see from the photos your hands are loose and fingers are open. There is a moment when long and low becomes just too much, you feel the horse pull down rather than stretch round and down and that's the moment you put a bit of leg on to stop them.

I'm terrible with my fingers! She doesn't pull, I just need to tape them shut haha

 

[Firefly9410]

I did some dressage a few years ago. Prelim and Novice. My cob is able to do what yours does in those photos in both walk and trot and to a lesser extent in canter. In the dressage Free Walk was the only stretching asked for. Our Free Walk looked like those photos and we got an 8 for that.

 

[Batgirl]

This is what it says in the BD rule book:
Stretching on a long rein. This exercise gives a clear impression of the
"throughness" of the horse and proves its balance, suppleness, obedience and
relaxation. In order to execute the exercise "stretching on a long rein" correctly,
the athlete must lengthen the reins as the horse stretches gradually forward and
downward. As the neck stretches forwards and downwards, the mouth should
reach more or less to the horizontal line corresponding with the point of the
shoulder. An elastic and consistent contact with the athlete's hands must be
maintained. The pace must maintain its rhythm, and the horse should remain light
in the shoulders with the hindlegs well engaged. During the retake of the reins the
horse must accept the contact without resistance in the mouth or poll.

As a judge at Intro I would expect to see a definitive but gradual change in outline, stretching over the topline and balance/rhythm maintained. I like that she has not curled up but do focus on the retake as well. You only see a small stretch often because people at intro don't have a good outline to start with and because the horse or rider doesn't have the balance for more. Personally I wouldn't like the hoovering as the contact is more lieklt to be like what you have in the second pic - can you see that the reins are not straight to her mouth. I would go for a bit less.

 

[milliepops]

This popped up on my FB feed today

https://www.facebook.com/pferdia/videos/230663410319163/

How's that for maintaining balance and rhythm?

 

[nato]

This popped up on my FB feed today

https://www.facebook.com/pferdia/videos/230663410319163/

How's that for maintaining balance and rhythm?

I was trying to find this when I first read this thread. The true example of a perfect stretch and pickup!

 

[countercanterr]

I was trying to find this when I first read this thread. The true example of a perfect stretch and pickup!

I saw this a few weeks ago, its so lovely!

We got a 68.98% 5th place with 8's for our stretches which I thought was quite nice because she was not super consistent in them due to distraction (well, no llama moments- she was stretched but a bit up and down). We had very little time to warm up but she behaved very well for her first time out!

 

[Booboos]

Well done! That's a great result, especially for her first time out.

 

[countercanterr]

Well done! That's a great result, especially for her first time out.

Thank you! hopefully next time she'll be much better with a proper warm-up!