SCALES OF TRAINING
Dressage makes the horse a better ride, more manoeuvrable, more powerful and easier to control. The scales of training are the stepping stones that riders live by when training horses. They also form the basis of what judges look for in horses during a dressage test.
Dressage makes the horse a better ride, more manoeuvrable, more powerful and easier to control. The scales of training are the stepping stones that riders live by when training horses. They also form the basis of what judges look for in horses during a dressage test.
1 - Rhythm
Rhythm should be both:
A) Regular and correct for each pace.
Rhythm should be both:
A) Regular and correct for each pace.
- In the walk there should be four hoof beats – in a marching time.
- In the trot, two hoof beats – the legs move in diagonal pairs and in between beats there is a moment of suspension when all the legs are off the ground.
- In the canter, three hoof beats – only one diagonal pair move together and there is a moment of suspension.
B) The same tempo (speed of the rhythm).
The horse should not speed up or slow down whether he is going around a corner or on a straight line, whether he is lengthening his strides or shortening them.
The horse should not speed up or slow down whether he is going around a corner or on a straight line, whether he is lengthening his strides or shortening them.
|
2 - Suppleness
There are 3 parts to suppleness: Longitudinal (flexibility of the top line/over horse back) Lateral (ability to bend equally on both sides, and to conform to the arc of circles and turns) Mental (willing acceptance; relaxation with concentration) The aim is that the horse’s muscles have tone and are free from resistance, his joints are loose and he does not tighten against the rider’s aids therefore creating elasticity and relaxation. |
|
3 - Contact
The ideal contact is a light, even and elastic feel in both reins which is achieved by aids from the legs and seat, not the hands. The legs are applied as a driving aid, causing the horse to step under more and work ‘through’ those muscles along his top line – over the back, neck, through the poll, and the rider feels the energy thus created in the reins. When the contact is established in this way his outline and steps will be ‘round’, not hollow and in the trot and canter, springy and not flat. The horse’s hindquarters and forehand are connected by that band of muscles over the top line and the rider can feel this in his hands as there will be a lively forward tendency in the reins. The horse is then said to be ‘connected’.
4 - Impulsion
Energy not Speed !! This is the contained power of the horse. It is created in the hindquarters by getting him to take more energetic steps, to place his hind legs further under his body and it is contained by the rein contact that stops him from using up this extra energy to simply go faster.
The skill is to create as much energy as can be contained without the horse starting to pull and speed up.
5 - Straightness
Horses, like humans, are born one sided and will tend to move forward with their bodies slightly curved. This crookedness can get worse if a rider sits to one side and/or keeps a stronger contact in one rein than the other. Therefore as a rider you must assess your own symmetry before the horses.
When a horse is crooked, it will be more difficult for him to stay balanced and develop impulsion.
The aim is that the hind legs step into the tracks of the forelegs, both on a straight line and on a circle, and that the rider has an even feel in his reins.
6 - Collection
Through training, the necessary muscles are built up which enables the horse to carry his weight on the hindquarters. This will give the horse increased engagement, lightness of the forehand and self-carriage. Lighting the forehand, gives more freedom to move his shoulders and becoming an easier and more athletic ride.
In Grand Prix, this collection is such a high level that the horse can trot on the spot in piaffe or turn around practically on the spot in canter pirouette. However collection starts when the horse comes into a halt as he stops or shortens his steps, he should step more under his body with his hind legs and transfer a little more of his weight onto his hindquarters – this is the beginning of collection.
The ideal contact is a light, even and elastic feel in both reins which is achieved by aids from the legs and seat, not the hands. The legs are applied as a driving aid, causing the horse to step under more and work ‘through’ those muscles along his top line – over the back, neck, through the poll, and the rider feels the energy thus created in the reins. When the contact is established in this way his outline and steps will be ‘round’, not hollow and in the trot and canter, springy and not flat. The horse’s hindquarters and forehand are connected by that band of muscles over the top line and the rider can feel this in his hands as there will be a lively forward tendency in the reins. The horse is then said to be ‘connected’.
4 - Impulsion
Energy not Speed !! This is the contained power of the horse. It is created in the hindquarters by getting him to take more energetic steps, to place his hind legs further under his body and it is contained by the rein contact that stops him from using up this extra energy to simply go faster.
The skill is to create as much energy as can be contained without the horse starting to pull and speed up.
5 - Straightness
Horses, like humans, are born one sided and will tend to move forward with their bodies slightly curved. This crookedness can get worse if a rider sits to one side and/or keeps a stronger contact in one rein than the other. Therefore as a rider you must assess your own symmetry before the horses.
When a horse is crooked, it will be more difficult for him to stay balanced and develop impulsion.
The aim is that the hind legs step into the tracks of the forelegs, both on a straight line and on a circle, and that the rider has an even feel in his reins.
6 - Collection
Through training, the necessary muscles are built up which enables the horse to carry his weight on the hindquarters. This will give the horse increased engagement, lightness of the forehand and self-carriage. Lighting the forehand, gives more freedom to move his shoulders and becoming an easier and more athletic ride.
In Grand Prix, this collection is such a high level that the horse can trot on the spot in piaffe or turn around practically on the spot in canter pirouette. However collection starts when the horse comes into a halt as he stops or shortens his steps, he should step more under his body with his hind legs and transfer a little more of his weight onto his hindquarters – this is the beginning of collection.
