suppling exercise

[helencharlie]

I need some good suppling exercises, so that I can get Charlie working and competing in dressage at novice level

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

circles and serpentines are always good suppling exercises

 

[Llwyncwn]

Have you tried touching your toes

 

[Mavis]

In my lesson last thursday, the lady teaching me got me to 'serpentine' round some trotting poles. My unbendy broomstick of a horse found it very difficult but it did help a lot having something to focus on, and by the end he was starting to lower and soften and track up behind. (I assume the tantrum he threw towards the end was an indicator that he was a bit peeved that he had to actually work as opposed to shuffle and shamble round the school)

 

[Nickijem]

In the March edition of YourHorse there were some interesting schooling patterns with serpentines - a french serpentine which is like a series of loops. It seemed like a good exercise to supple a horse. It depends how supple your horse is to start with though. I often warm up by doing some counter bends in walk and shallow 5m loops in walk and trot before doing figures of 8 and serpentines.

 

[sfward]

Here's a good one:

Take up trot on the right rein. At K make a 10m circle, counting 14 strides so you know you've got the right size. As you finish your circle head across the short diagonal, and at B ride another 10m circle, this time on the left rein, again counting 14 strides so make sure the circle is an even size. As you finish your circle head across the short diagonal again to H, and ride another 10m circle on the right rein as before. Repeat.
So basically you're riding a zigzag shape with circles each time you hit the track. It's a really good one and requires quite a bit of concentration - from you and the horse!