Stressage people.........

[EllieBeast]

...What makes a good 'Free Walk'?

the reason i ask is that my mare - i have been told- has a fantastic free walk. i have never achieved less than an 8/10 for it in a dressage test. i am lucky, as this is the only thing i have never had to work on with her - its just something she does when given the reins and pushed on slightly.
i rode a friends horse in a test at the weekend, and he is not so easy to achieve a stretch from. so my two questions!
>what do judges look for in a good free walk
>how could i achieve this on a horse who is more reluctant to do it?

 

[Tempi]

in free walk the judge wants to see the horse tracking up well, swinging freely through its back and taking the rein forwards and down.

A lot of people loose marks for riding along on the buckle with no contact on the horses mouth, and also lack of activity in the walk is a big mark looser. i often see people ambling along in a free walk.

 

[EllieBeast]

Fabby, thankyou! Beasty makes very light work of her free walk, she practically stomps and never stops swinging her back! im lucky that it is often double points!

 

[Sparklet]

My instructor once told me that if there was a prize for the worst walk in England, my horse would win it (my old horse that is). I tried everything to mend it to no avail.

My new horse - I just sit there and get a 9. There is no justice is there?

 

[EllieBeast]

Lol! im not complaining

its about the only part of a test that we get decent marks!! i think its just because my mare is on a 'mission' at all times!

 

[Sparklet]

I must admit that could be part of it - I get "purposeful walk" and I do think they like a forward marching walk without tension.

I also discovered that the horses nose is supposed to be in front of the vertical not behind so fiddling with the reins too much is a no-no.

 

[Ferdinase514]

Good stretch down and over track with feet.

Finni does the over track but is a bu**er for not stretching enough

Is a good thing if your horse does it naturally.

Me? Jealous.....

 

[EllieBeast]

Ooh, fab thanks. my horse could quite easily trip over her own head whilst doing it!

 

[Sparklet]

[ QUOTE ]
Lol! im not complaining

its about the only part of a test that we get decent marks !! i think its just because my mare is on a 'mission' at all times!

[/ QUOTE ]
Shame we good walkers cant do the whole test in free walk....as soon as I gather up for trot it all goes pear shaped

 

[EllieBeast]

lol, if only!! bless her, she isnt a stressage pony - point us at a jump and we have far less problems!!

 

[siennamum]

Sienna has a terrible free walk and at her best is just overtracking.
The two things I aim to acheive are for her to be clearly overtracking as much as possible and for her nose to be about level with the point of her shoulder not nose on the ground.
I also try to make up marks by showing some difference between the free walk and the medium at each end - I usually fail and end up with a shuffle.