Combining Exercises

Gymnastic Exercises for Horse and Rider, Part 3

by Alice Trindle

If you have been following this series on gymnastic exercises and have been applying them with your partner, the horse, then you should be feeling an improved balance, softer shoulders, and hips that move more freely. 

All of the previous exercises in this series help to strengthen and supple the horse. They also assist with understanding subtle communications through the use of your aids. Through combining your balance aids (focus, shoulders, arms, elbows, tummy and hips influencing your seat) with the pressure aids (leg, calf and inner thigh) and politely making suggestions with your hands through a feel on the reins, you will be to execute these exercises with minimal effort. (See review section below for links to past articles on balance and pressure aids.)

Now, let’s combine these maneuvers to develop a flow between postures that creates rhythm, enhances our timing and use of the aids, and prepares both horse and rider for such jobs as flying lead changes, canter pirouettes, and correct spins. 

Balanced Circle to Shoulder-in to Half-pass

What: Riding the long side of the arena or from the center line, pick up a 10-meter circle, move into a few steps of shoulder-in, then into a half-pass on the diagonal with shoulders leading.

Why: The intent of this exercise is to engage and strengthen the inside hind legs, hips, and hocks; flex the ribcage; soften the jowl; and prepare for correct positioning and balance of half-pass postures. It will also help the horse and rider understand precise use of aids and develop the ability to subtly change and flow between postures. This is not an exercise limited to those pursuing classical dressage! This combination is wonderful preparation for balanced lead changes, correct turn-on-the-haunch, and, in short, communication to all four corners of the horse. 

When:  I use this combination after I have established a balanced circle, a flow for the shoulder-in, and a beginning understanding of the half-pass. These elements need to be in place first or you will risk attempting this combination with poor rhythm, shoulders casting, hips leading, and an overall lack of balance. This combination of postures and movements requires both horse and rider to become more vigilant of their aids, geometry, balance and timing.

How: As in previous gymnastic exercises, it is important that you visualize the geometry prior to starting. I highly recommend riding this combination on your two-leg horse first to feel the balance and rhythm at the walk and trot. It will also assist you with your focus. 

1. As you ride out of the corner, pick up a straight, balanced 10-meter circle, where the inside pair of feet track up on the circle and  the outside pair track up on the outside of the "railroad track" (a parallel track along the circle). 

2. Just prior to departing the circle, keep a slight inside bend (to the right in this illustration). Bring your balance slightly to the left, relax your left leg and caress slightly with your right calf.

3. Accomplish a few steps of shoulder-in. This will position the shoulders to lead in the half-pass rather than starting from a haunches-in posture, which would cause the hips to lead and the shoulders to drag behind in the half-pass--not good!

4. Visualize your half-pass on the diagonal. Shift your balance to the right (or the inside of the bend). Place your left leg back to secure the haunches, put a little feel in the right rein and leave a slight feel in your right calf to invite the horse to step into it, keeping the bend to the right. I feel for the change in flow of energy from the right hind leg to left rein in the shoulder-in, to the exchange from left hind to right foreleg and/or rein in the half-pass.

Cautions: Once again, this is an exercise that is easy to try too hard to accomplish. That just ends up creating bracing in both yourself and the horse. Relax, visualize, see the geometry, and ride for the balance and feel. The biggest note I can reiterate is that a proper, balanced half-pass starts from the outside hind and flows to the inside fore, keeping the shoulders positioned ahead of the hips. 

Since we practiced the haunches-in posture out of the circle in last month’s exercises, your horse may want to depart the circle with his hips to the inside of the track. Don’t let him! Start your half-pass with the shoulders-in, then change your aids to request the half-pass. Your forward/sideways movement will remain balanced, rhythmic, and ready for you to ask for another maneuver. 

See www.tnthorsemanship.com/articles for further combination exercises.

It's time to combine exercises to supple, flex, and prepare you and your horse for a magnificent dance! Make it a dance in which both partners have positive attitudes with bodies ready for anything life throws at them.

References

Gymnastic Exercises for Horses by Eleanor Russell

The Gymnasium of the Horse by Gustav Steinbrecht

For Review

Find past articles and exercises in this series online:

On Alice's website (July – Sept. 2007 Beyond the Basics are articles on balance aids)

Here at NWHS