100+ School Exercises for Dressage E-Book

Debby Lush

• Herausgeber: J A Allen
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Equestrian Exercise Books
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 255

Beschreibung

Over 100 exercises for all levels, with easy-to-understand instructions and clear diagrams. 100+ School Exercises for Dressage offers a wide range of different schooling patterns to suit all stages of training and all levels of rider and trainer experience. It is designed to be used as a reference book that can be visited again and again to seek out answers to everyday training challenges. Collected by the author over forty years of riding and training horses of all types and breeds, from backing to Grand Prix, the selection of exercises ranges from the most familiar of patterns to some rarely used but highly effective techniques specific to addressing less-common issues. The final section of the book offers sample schooling plans, explaining how to combine patterns to tackle common schooling issues, such as suppleness, straightness, connection to the outside rein, engagement and collection, and developing medium gaits and half passes.

Leseprobe

First published in 2023 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

[email protected]

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2023

© Debby Lush 2023

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 0 7198 3504 9

Cover design by Blue Sunflower Creative

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the memory of Mhairi McKay, a truly dedicated horsewoman, taken far too young, doing what she loved best – riding her precious horse.

Mhairi was unfailingly kind, supportive, and generous – someone who could invariably raise others’ spirits with her ready smile and positive nature. Always keen to learn, she was about to embark on training to become a British Dressage judge alongside her riding career, but sadly it was not to be.

She is sorely missed by the eventing, dressage, and riding club communities of the Scottish Highlands – a true inspiration to so many.

CONTENTS

Introduction

PART 1: PATTERNS AND EXERCISES

Foundation Exercises

1. 20m Circles

2. Diamonds to Improve 20m Circles

3. 15m Circles

4. Change the Rein across the Diagonal

5. The Hourglass

6. 2 × 20m Half-Circles

7. 2 × 10m Half-Circles

8. Shallow Loops in Trot

9. Turns Across the School to Change Rein

10. Half-Circle and Return to the Track (Jug Handle)

11. Centre Lines

12. Three- and Four-Loop Serpentines

13. Serpentines with Circles in the Peaks of the Loops

14. Trot-Walk-Trot with Counted Steps of Walk

15. Serpentine with Walk/Trot Transitions Over the Centre Line

16. Change of Canter Lead on the Diagonal

17. Spirals

18. Legs on Short Side, Legs off on Long Side

Diagnostic and Therepeutic Exercises

19. Turn Around the Forehand

20. Quarter Lines and Inside Tracks

21. 20m Figure of Eight

22. Squares

23. 10m Circles

24. Small Circles in Every Corner

25. Alternating 10m Circles on the Centre Line

26. Satellite Circles

27. Continental Serpentines

28. Change Canter Lead on the Diagonal with Guide Poles

29. Rein Back Between Poles

Engage the Horse’s Core Muscles

30. Volte (Small Circle)

31. Volte with Shoulder-In (Or Haunches-In)

32. Riding in a Stretched Outline

Leg Yield Patterns

33. Patterns to Teach Leg Yield

34. Turn Around the Forehand into Leg Yield

35. ‘Baby’ Leg Yield into Circle

36. Leg Yield along the Wall

37. Leg Yield, Approached from the Opposite Direction

38. Leg Yield Zigzags

39. Canter Plié (Canter Leg Yield)

Counter-Canter Patterns

40. Shallow Loops in Canter

41. Half-Circle and Return to Counter-Canter

42. Canter From Track to Centre Line

43. Counter-Canter with Satellite Circles

More Advanced Therapeutic Lateral Work to Adjust Footfalls

44. Shoulder-In, to Turn Around the Forehand, to Shoulder-In

45. Trot Leg Yield (Or Half-Pass) Ridden with Increased Speed

46. Canter Plié to Correct an Excessive Heel First Action

Developmental Exercises

47. Alternating Large and Small Circles

48. Developing Shoulder-In

49. Leg-Yield to Shoulder-In

50. Shoulder-In with Transitions

51. 20m Circle in Shoulder-In, with Trot/Canter and Canter/Trot Transitions

52. Counter-Flexion on A Circle

53. Shoulder-In, Renvers, Shoulder-In

Exercises to Develop Engagement

54. Multiple Transitions Around the Arena

55. Leg Yield Inwards, into Half-Circle

56. Collect the Canter in Preparation for a Walk Transition

57. 20m Figure of Eight in Canter, with Change of Lead Via Rein Back

58. Four Lateral Positions on a Circle

59. Walk Pirouette to Canter Strike off

Exercises to Develop the Medium Gaits

60. 10m Circles Into, and Out of, Medium Trot and Medium Canter

61. Medium Trot Going Large Around the Arena

62. Medium Transitions All Around the Arena

63. Shoulder-In to Medium Trot, to Shoulder-In

64. Shoulder-In to Medium Trot on the Diagonal

65. Half-Round in Medium Canter

66. Medium Strides to Halt

Exercises to Develop Half-Pass

67. Renversée – Turn Around the Forehand in Renvers Position

68. Travers Against A Diagonal Line of Poles

69. Shoulder-In – Half-Pass – Shoulder-In

70. Half-Pass to Renvers to Shoulder-In

71. Half-Pass to Renvers, to Half-Pass

72. Half-Pass to Leg Yield, to Half-Pass

73. Half-Pass to Medium, to Half-Pass

74. Half-Pass in, Leg Yield Out

75. Alternating Shoulder-Fore and Travers to Prepare Half-Pass

76. Canter Plié to Shoulder-Fore, into Canter Half-Pass

77. Counter Change of Hand (Zigzag) with Circles

Exercises to Develop Walk Pirouettes

78. Transitions Medium to Collected Walk, with Ground Poles

79. Developing Walk Pirouettes on a Square

80. Developing Walk Pirouettes on a Circle

First Steps Towards Flying Changes

81. Counter-Flexion Leg Yield in Canter

82. Simple Changes Around the Arena

First Steps Towards Canter Pirouettes

83. Repeated Canter Collections Over the Centre Line

84. Alternating Shoulder-Fore and Haunches-In, on the Circle

85. Working Pirouette from a Spiral

Warm-Down

86. Warm Down Using Small Circle Figures of Eight

Advanced Exercises

Exercises to Further Develop Engagement

87. Progressive Suppling Circles

88. Half-Steps on the Square

Patterns to Teach Flying Changes

89. Half-Circle, Return at Oblique Angle to Flying Change

90. Canter Half-Pass to Flying Change

91. Flying Changes on the Short Diagonals

92. Two Half-Circles with Flying Change

93. Canter Leg Yield Into Flying Change

94. Flying Change on the Half School Line

95. Flying Changes out of the Circle

96. Flying Changes in and out of a Circle

97. Three- and Four-Loop Serpentines with Flying Changes

98. Flying Changes to the Outside Lead

Developing the Canter Zigzag

99. Preparation Exercise for the Changeover in the Canter Zigzag

100. Zigzag with Poles

Patterns to Develop Canter Pirouettes

101. Quarter Canter Pirouettes on the Square

102. Serpentine with Canter Working Half-Pirouettes

103. Walk Pirouette into Canter Pirouette

104. The ‘V’ Shape

105. Canter Half-Pass to Working Pirouette

106. Canter Half-Pirouette on the Quarter Line

PART 2: TRAINING STRATEGIES

Plan Your Schooling Sessions

Goal Setting

Basic Structure of a Training Session

General Advice for Schooling Sessions

Tactics for Schooling Horses of Different Temperaments

Work Different Muscle Sets on Different Days

Warm-Up Strategies

Dare to Make Mistakes and Feel Uncomfortable

Sometimes You Must Sacrifice One Thing in the Short Term to Achieve a Real Change in the Overall Way of Going

Making Uncomfortable Changes Without Harming the Horse’s Confidence

Disturb, then Praise

How Long Will it Take to Retrain (Correct) a Fault?

Sample Work Plans

Strategies to Improve Suppleness

Strategies to Improve Control of the Shoulders, Leading Towards Straightness

Strategies to Develop Connection to the Outside Rein

Strategies to Improve Engagement and Collection

Strategies to Develop and Improve Medium Gaits

Strategies to Introduce, Develop and Improve Half-Pass

Strategies to Introduce Canter Pirouettes

In Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever set out to school your horse and wondered why you are doing so, other than having been told that you should?

Do you ride into the school and wonder what to do, apart from going round and round in endless 20m circles?

It is little wonder that so many riders think that schooling is boring. If you do not understand why you are doing it, or how to make it interesting, then it is bound to feel like an aimless chore you are performing simply because you know that you should!

WHY DO WE SCHOOL OUR HORSES?

The bottom line is that basic training (schooling) is essential for a horse to lead a long, healthy, and happy working life.

Even horses destined for pleasure riding, and not for the competition arena, need to be taught to respond calmly and with an understanding of the rider’s aids. Start, stop, turn, go back, and move over, are all necessary basics for the purposes of manoeuvring safely along paths and through gateways. Trust is built between horse and rider by working together in a safe and controlled environment, such as a riding arena.

In addition, a basic physical training is essential for the horse’s physical wellbeing:

• Healthy muscles – a logical, progressive schooling programme is what it takes to build the strength and fitness in the muscles to enable the horse to carry a rider while performing exercises of any variety, be it dressage, jumping, or simple hacking, without injuring himself.

• Joints – these need to be exercised to increase their flexibility and range, in order to perform ridden tasks without stress or damage.

• Skeleton, especially the spine – with the rider’s weight sitting over the horse’s spine, damage is highly likely to occur unless the core muscles that support the spine are strengthened.

The bonus to all this essential work is that a good education will also turn a horse into a comfortable and pleasurable ride.

If you do aim to train your horse further, to become a specialized sports horse developed to his maximum genetic potential, you will need a far greater comprehension of, and a much wider range of, the training tools available to advance his education.

This book offers you exercises ranging from the most basic, which should be used by every rider, through to advanced techniques for high-level competition horses.

LEARNING HOW TO SCHOOL

Every horse begins life with his own individual strengths and weaknesses gifted by nature. In response to this, your training must first be:

1. Diagnostic – to discover and pinpoint those strengths and weaknesses, both mental and physical.

2. Therapeutic – respond with exercises targeted to address and overcome his weaknesses, and be able to use his strengths as reward for work well done.

3. Gymnastic – the development of his athleticism, once he has achieved the mental and physical status to be able to do so.

Once you gain an understanding of which exercises address these stages, and start using them in a targeted and responsive fashion, you will find schooling becomes far more rewarding. For example, if your horse is on the forehand, simply drilling school patterns will change nothing, but when you ride exercises designed to help the horse develop the weight-carrying capacity of his haunches, you will successfully lighten his forehand. Each exercise in this book will give you an insight into the reasons for its use, so that you can pick appropriately for your individual horse’s issues.

TIP

Remember: a horse doesn’t need to do what he can do – he needs to do what he can’t do to progress.

Schooling is a fascinating journey, and although you should set yourself an ultimate goal, you will never fully ‘arrive’ – there will always be more to learn. By turns thrilling and frustrating, done diligently and well, this journey becomes one of discovery and development, of growth and pleasure in the harmonious partnership you can develop with your horse.

TRAINING TOOLS

Training a horse involves the combined use of aids and patterns; neither will do the job alone. While it is essential that you and your horse both understand the aiding system you have chosen to employ, without the use of a range of physical patterns your schooling will be dull, and your horse will never develop the flexibility and strength he needs for a long and healthy working life.

DIFFERENT AIDING SYSTEMS

Did you know that there are different aiding systems? It is worth clarifying here that when we talk about aiding, there are a number of different schools of riding that teach different aiding systems to obtain the same result. There is no right or wrong – simply more than one legitimate training path. Horses trained in each of these systems can, and do, achieve the ultimate goal of Grand Prix, and perform at the dizzy heights of World Championship and Olympic competition.

Generalized examples of schools would be: the Spanish Riding School-based systems, such as Germany and the UK employ, Iberian systems, the French school, and the Scandinavian. The most important consideration for a student must be that they ensure they learn only from trainers working within one system, and do not attempt to mix systems. This will only lead to confusion and as a result, stressed horses and riders.

PATTERNS

Patterns, however, are universal – and that is largely what this book concentrates on. Where aiding is detailed as a means of riding a specific exercise, it is based on the Spanish Riding School system. If you need more clarity, you can find these aids covered in great detail in my previous book, The Building Blocks of Training, which is designed to lead you through the order in which exercises should be introduced to the horse.

Many of the patterns we use have been developed and refined over centuries of trial and error, with some of the movements we now classify as ‘classical’, and ‘airs above the ground’, having their origins in mounted combat. The length of time required to train a horse to such prowess meant that such animals were much valued and not easy to replace. Training methods that promoted longevity have stood the test of time, becoming what is now often termed ‘classical training’, but is, in fact, simply good training.

Some of the patterns in the latter part of this book are more recent innovations, based around educating horses to produce the movements required for the higher-level competition tests. All, however, are designed to enhance the horse’s physical abilities, while at the same time maintaining his mental relaxation and acceptance of the rider’s aids.

The horse’s understanding of how to respond to the rider’s aids (whichever aiding system you employ), will enable you to use a variety of patterns, each of which is designed to supple and/or strengthen various aspects of the horse’s physique. Too many riders misunderstand the purpose of exercises, believing they need to train the horse to perform certain movements in order to compete at increasingly higher levels of dressage competition. In fact, the exercises are there to train and develop the horse’s body, so that when the time comes to move up a level, the horse is already physically capable of the ‘higher’ movements, and all that is needed is refinement to the presentation, and the addition of more power. As such, many of the movements that riders believe to be too advanced for them to attempt should, in fact, be taught, albeit in an easier format, at much earlier stages of training than they appear in their completed state, in competition.

TRAINING CHALLENGES

How far a horse can be taken, in terms of gymnastic and performance ability, depends on a number of factors at the outset.

•Conformation (the horse’s physical structure) is a fundamental factor that cannot be changed by training, although a good knowledge of exercises targeted to address conformational weaknesses will mitigate this issue as far as is physically possible. Many of us find ourselves riding and training horses with far from ideal conformations, and these can be both more of a challenge, and more of a reward, when we are able to produce them to perform beyond expectation.

•Movement is largely pre-determined by conformation, but may also be influenced by experience (such as interaction with other horses), environment (hilly, challenging terrain during early physical development forms strong cartilage and healthy joints, whereas deep, muddy, or too flat ground may pre-dispose the horse to injury and limited movement), and, of course, training. The latter is responsible for enabling the horse to move his body and limbs under the foreign weight of a rider in such fashion that he does not injure himself, and is free to maximize his physical potential.

•Temperament is innate to the individual, though may be influenced to a degree by handling during upbringing. You cannot totally change a horse’s temperament, but again, by logical, gradual, and kind training, you can channel it to become as close as possible to the desired outcome for a riding horse: attentive, willing, sensitive, and confident. If you have a horse with these attributes by nature the process is much easier, but such horses are highly sought after and, as a result, often expensive!

USE THE SCALES OF TRAINING TO STRUCTURE YOUR SCHOOLING SESSION

If the basics of a horse’s training are incorrect, or not well enough developed, nothing you attempt further along in his training will work – you need a solid foundation to build upon, which should be regularly revisited to ensure no faults have crept in unnoticed. Even with a Grand Prix dressage horse, riders will spend time working on the basics, because the ability to produce the higher, more exciting movements such as piaffe, passage, and canter pirouettes, depends upon solid, secure, and well-developed basics.

How do we know in which order to build this foundation?

We use the universally recognised SCALES OF TRAINING as our guide.

There are small variations in wording, but the most common list is:

1. Rhythm/relaxation

2. Suppleness

3. Contact

4. Impulsion

5. Straightness

6. Collection

Plenty of riders can quote the scales, but fewer can put them in the correct order, which is knowledge critical to enabling you to use them!

The earlier scales – rhythm, suppleness, and contact – are relevant to all horses.

Competition horses should become confirmed in scales 1, 2, and 3, plus impulsion and straightness.

Higher-level horses must be accomplished in all six, and their riders will continually develop and refine them throughout their competitive life.

How to use the scales in practice

Start every schooling session by assessing where the horse is, in relation to the scales. Run through them in order and note which scale is the first one that you feel is not satisfactory on that day. This will give you the focus of that day’s training.

So, your first question will be: is the horse in a correct rhythm?

RHYTHM includes the clarity of the sequence of the gait, the regularity, and the tempo (speed of the rhythm).

If the rhythm is satisfactory for the horse’s stage of training (rhythm will become more clearly defined as training progresses), then the next question is: is the horse supple?

SUPPLENESS should be both longitudinal (over the topline), and lateral (bending from side to side). Lateral bending should (eventually) become equal on both sides, but this is, of course, one of the biggest challenges when starting to train a horse, because horses are not born with two equal sides – their bodies will always curl in one direction or the other. Consequently, this is the most likely scale that will need attention for a long time to come.

Only with a relatively supple horse (particularly in regard to working with a rounded topline) should the rider worry overly much about the contact.

CONTACT is not solely about acceptance of the bit, but also about a willingness to step forward with the hind leg up to the bridle, and an understanding that yielding to the bit will be rewarded by a yielding hand from the rider. The acceptable amount of weight in the contact will vary from horse to horse, and from moment to moment, according to the balance, the exercise being ridden, and the training level of the horse. Contact is a huge subject all on its own.

When an acceptable contact (for that day) has been achieved, then, and only then, should the degree of impulsion be considered.

IMPULSION comprises four components:

1. the desire to go forward

2. the elasticity of the steps

3. the suppleness of the back

4. the engagement of the hindquarters

Notice how impossible this would be with a lack of suppleness. Too many riders, often as a result of a comment on their dressage test sheet, seek to solve a lack of impulsion by riding more aggressively, which results in greater speed. Unfortunately, speed reduces stride length and elasticity, rather than improving anything. Impulsion cannot be increased without the underlying building blocks in place: rhythm (including tempo), suppleness (which is destroyed by speed) and a good contact to provide the ability to direct impulsion into a useful asset.

STRAIGHTNESS is the trickiest scale to pin down, because it should be addressed on every horse as soon as it understands what the rider’s aids mean. Straightness is essential to bring about the ambidexterity (equal use of both sides of the body) required for even loading of all four limbs, and hence even wear and tear on individual joints. It will not, however, be possible to fully achieve straightness without the preceding four scales in place, so focusing excessively on straightness without, for example, some degree of suppleness, would be counter-productive.

COLLECTION is the icing on the cake, only possible once the other scales are fairly well established, and yet although it is generally considered necessary only for higher-level competition horses, it is, in fact, the ultimate tool for preserving our horses. By nature, a horse takes sixty per cent of his weight on his relatively weak front limbs, and only forty per cent on his strong hindquarters. Collection gives him the physical strength and ability to transfer more weight to his rear end, and so reduce the weight carried by the more fragile front limbs, with the goal of preserving them more successfully. The added bonus comes with the delights offered by a light and mobile forehand – freedom of movement and true expression and beauty of the gaits.

DRESSAGE TESTS AS A MEANS OF ASSESSING TRAINING

At first glance one might think that dressage tests are merely a sequence of movements strung together for the purpose of competition, but if you analyse them with more care you will start to appreciate that they are constructed with the specific goal of testing individual aspects of the horse’s training.

In addition, by studying the progression of test demands up through the competition levels, it will also become clear that they are carefully designed with logical increases in difficulty.

Take, for example, the simple change:

1. At the lower levels, the simple change is generally positioned between two half 10m circles. This gives physical assistance to horse and rider with the preparation for the direct transitions, both down and up.

2. At the next level up, the simple change is required on either the short diagonal of the arena, whilst crossing the centre line, or on the half school line from E to B with the change taking place over X. With the downward transition taking place without the engaging assistance of a turn immediately preceding it, the horse must take weight back onto his haunches (collect) to achieve a good downward transition from the aids alone. On the other hand, the distance from the turn is still minimal, and so the horse is not as likely to have fallen onto his forehand by this point. The upwards transition is on a straight line, where the horse must go from the aids alone onto a named leg.

3. At more advanced levels, the simple change is requested on a long straight line, and sometimes out of counter canter. This requires a high degree of balance and engagement, and that the horse is totally on the aids for both transitions without any help from the pattern.

WHY WE NEED A WIDE RANGE OF EXERCISES

To be successful as a trainer and rider, you should be in possession of multiple answers to any single problem. Different horses require different approaches; different physical issues need different exercises, and different mentalities require different handling. Having a large toolbox of exercises to choose from will mean you will have the ability to be successful with a wide variety of horse types – breed, conformation and temperament.

Using a broad selection of exercises keeps schooling more varied and less of a dull chore. Be flexible so that you can accommodate a horse’s individual needs, and keep training fresh and mentally engaging whilst pushing him physically as far as he is able to tolerate at that time.

As a horse develops, an exercise that was beneficial for a particular issue in the earlier stages might gradually lose effectiveness and need an upgrade to a new one. Remember: a horse does not need to do what he can do – he needs to do what he cannot do in order to progress, but always listen to him – once he becomes muscularly tired, there is no point continuing. Go out for a hack to cool off!

It takes many years to accumulate a catalogue of exercises, by learning from other trainers, and watching training given by those with more experience. The purpose of this book is to cover those basic exercises that everyone should know, and to offer (hopefully) some new ones, along with a description and an explanation of the training value of each pattern.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book presumes you have a fair knowledge of the basic riding skills essential to effectively school a horse, and the ability to ride your horse in a functional, working outline. For greater depth in this area, you would benefit from studying my earlier book, The Building Blocks of Training.

By now, you should start to see why the accumulation of a vast range of exercises is essential for any trainer/rider, no matter what the age, level, or destiny of a horse might be. Successful trainers are always on the lookout for new exercises to add to their repertoire, and that is one of the main purposes of this book. What follows is by no means an exhaustive list of exercises, but outlines a mix of the essential basics, along with a few that will hopefully be new to you, to add to your catalogue.

RESOLVE PROBLEMS THE LOGICAL WAY

If you have a problem with an exercise, the answer is always to return to a simpler related exercise, where you can re-confirm the basic work underlying the more challenging exercise. Only once the basic work becomes easy should you return to the more difficult exercise. You will find appropriate exercises suggested in the ‘common faults’ section of each pattern.

EQUIPMENT

Most of the exercises described in this book are best performed in the confines of a dressage arena, although this may be as simple as a marked-out area in a field.

Some depend on the additional use of a fence, or a wall, on at least two sides alongside the track.

Many of the exercises can be ridden in both the 20m × 40m arena, and the 20m × 60m arena, although a few may be easier in one than the other. Where arena size is a factor in the success of a particular exercise, this is detailed in the text.

Some exercises involving poles are included, with a few offering the choice of substituting any sort of marker available, such as cones or barrels, if poles are not available.

Note: When working with poles, always ensure there is someone with you for safety’s sake.

Please note:

•Where examples are given, the description is for one direction only. The exercises can, and should be, ridden in both directions, unless targeted to the stiff or the hollow side of the horse, in which case this will be specified in the text.

• When a pronoun is required, I have used ‘he’ and ‘him’ to refer to the horse – this is done with no prejudice against mares, it is simply a stylistic choice for simplicity.

PART 1

PATTERNS AND EXERCISES

FOUNDATION EXERCISES

These are the simple, basic exercises that should be taught to all horses, no matter what their purpose in life. They are designed to equip the horse with the mental understanding and the physical skills for a long and healthy career under saddle.

The gait/s in which each exercise can be performed is detailed on each page.

1. 20m CIRCLE

Walk, trot and canter.

Aims:

• 20m circles are the exercise you will use most throughout your training career.

• The required bend is gentle enough that all horses can accommodate it to some degree, even on their stiffer side.

• It is where you begin to equalise your horse’s two sides.

• It is the basis of many other exercises.

How to:

1. On approach, prepare with small vibrations (half-halts) on the inside rein to develop a tiny inward flexion at the poll, and to warn the horse you are about to leave the track.

2. To start, turn your shoulders so your outside hand travels slightly forward and inwards towards the crest, permitting some bend while keeping control of the outside shoulder. It also brings your inside hand slightly back without pulling backward.

3. Put more weight into your inside stirrup/seat bone.

4. Move your outside leg slightly back from the hip to control the hindquarters.

5.To leave the circle, straighten your shoulders and equalise the weight in both stirrups and seat bones.

Common faults:

•You struggle with the shape. Learn the necessary touch points on the track and centre line (see#2). Place markers or poles as visual aids.

•The horse falls in. Press him out with your inside leg. Do not pull him outwards with the outside rein, which will compromise the bend.

•He falls out. Press the outside rein against his neck – your outside hand should have an inward/ forward direction towards his inside ear – and use more outside leg.

•He leans in like a bicycle. Sit upright relative to the ground, and not to the horse. Push his ribcage out and up with your inside lower and upper leg.

•He bends to the outside as you leave the circle. This is caused by pulling on the outside rein in your effort to straighten. See above for how to leave the circle correctly.

Combine with other exercises:

Many exercises can usefully be performed on the 20m circle, such as

• Transitions

• Spirals

• Satellite circles turning in, and out, of your 20m circle

• Lateral movements such as shoulder-in, and haunches-in

2. DIAMONDS TO IMPROVE 20m CIRCLES

Walk, trot and canter.

Aims:

• To learn the points in the arena where circles should touch, to give you a true circle shape.

How to:

1. In the 20m × 40m arena, put marks (paint, tape, or similar) onto your school fence at the appropriate points: halfway between E and the corner, at C, and halfway between the corner and

B. See diagram.

2. Place a pole or cone just beyond X.

3.