In this weeks Dressage with Georgia video we are going back to basics as I show you how to improve the impulsion in trot. By improving the impulsion (and push from the hind quarters), we are making the horse think more forwards, which will create the feeling that we all strive for…. the horse carrying and taking us!
Creating impulsion is actually incredibly easy as you will see in the video, and this is just one of the ways to create the impulsion we want (yep, more videos on this will be coming!) and here’s a little routine which you can practice to help implement this (based on a 20x40m arena).
Start on the right rein
A - Working trot
E - Trot/walk/trot
C - Trot/halt/trot
B - Trot/walk/trot
A - Trot/halt/trot
KXM - Change the rein (in a forwards) working trot
C - Working trot
E- Trot/walk/trot
A - Trot/halt/trot
B - Trot/walk/trot
C - Trot/halt/trot
HXF - Change the rein (in a forwards) working trot
Once you’ve completed the exercise each way, spend some time on either a 20m circle or large around the arena testing and feeling your new forwards thinking trot!
As I mentioned in the video a few times, do not worry about what is happening to the contact during these transitions! Stabilizing the contact is an easy thing to fix once your horse is naturally pushing more forwards. And don’t forget, we are asking the horse to change it’s way of going, so unsteadiness in the contact would be perfectly normal whilst the horse finds its feet and balance in this new trot, so you just need to be patient whilst they adjust.
Enjoy!