Good Exercises to Get a Dressage Horse Back Into Training?
I have shown 1st level dressage on my draft mare, but due to circumstances, she has had 6 months off of nothing but a bit of western style riding whenever I had time (maybe once or twice a month).
I want to get her back into dressage training, but my mind is a bit rusty with good starting basics. Essentially, I need to get her uphill and forward again, as well as supple in the jaw. Thankfully she remembers all of her leg cues,and half her seat cues, but that is about it- she is downhill and hard on the bit right now.
I know transitions are important, and half halts, but any other suggestions on good exercises for gaining suppleness and uphillness (is that a word?)? Forwardness I will not worry about until she gets the basics down again.
Thanks in advance!
Wow, 4 useless answers of kids looking to just get points. Serious answers only please
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She has dropped onto the forehand due to strength issues, but you already know that. I’ll bet that once you give her some strength back, she’ll "remember" all that stuff she knew before but can’t do now due to strength.
I love walk cavaletti. These are 4 poles raised 4-8 inches set fairly close together. I do it by eye and it depends on individual horses. They are much closer together than trot caveletti. I want to say 18 in to 2 ft. Close enough that the horse has to sit back and slow down slightly.
Reiner Klimke was the best, and his daughter (Ingred) did a fab book and video on caveletti. She likes speed more than dad, and does more jumping. Reiner always warmed up and cooled down over the walk caveletti.
Do 2-4 trips through the walk caveletti, do your riding, cool down, then 2-4 more trips through the caveletti. Don’t do more, or you can make her sore pretty fast.
This is a good low impact way to build muscle. It’s the weight lifting part of the routine where the faster work is more aerobic.
go to the the stable and ask kid about it. She looks then go toexerciser
ok
Get a trainer
Flat work and lots of it .ground poles to