OBSERVATIONS IN EQUITATION

| Dressage | Observations in Equitation |

SOME OBSERVATIONS ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF EQUITATION
Compiled by
Lt. Col. TS Pandher (Retd)

I   DRESSAGE:

The horse develops in his hindquarters the power to carry his body and the weight of his rider (vertical lifting) as well as to move forward (horizontal pushing). The following figures explain some of these aspects.

Fig. 1:

In collected trot and collected canter the forward (horizontal) and the lifting (vertical) component are about of the same amount, so that the resultant shows at an angle of 450· This leads to a movement corresponding to an arc as shown in the drawing and it can be called collected trot and likewise Collected canter. The horse shows self carriage, he takes weight on his hindquarters and the forehand will be lighter and more mobile.

Fig. 2:

If the horizontal component (forward power) is increased, whereas the vertical (lifting) component is slightly reduced, the movement will be longer. The resultant will show an angle of less than 450· The corresponding arc is not as high but longer than in collection. The movement becomes a medium trot and likewise a medium canter.

Fig. 3:

If the horizontal component (forward or pushing power) is increased to an optimum (utmost lengthening) whereas the vertical component (lifting power) is about the same or slightly less than in fig. 2 the lengthening of the steps strides comes to an optimum and we call it extended trot resp. extended canter.

If the end of the arc of collected, medium and extended movements can be connected by a straight line, it shows that just the steps or strides get longer but that the rhythm in all three movements is maintained.

Fig. 4: Working Trot

Fig. 4:

In working trot or canter, the forward power is similar to that in collection, but the lifting power is much less (the horse is not so much engaged), so that a rather flat movement with a resultant showing an angle of much less than 450 will occur. The horse moves forward in his natural balance without producing clear impulsion.

Fig. 5: Passage

Fig. 5:

If the lifting power in trot is increased and the forward power slightly reduced, the horse’s body becomes clearly in a moment of suspension and it leads to the passage. The resultant will in this case be at an angle of more than 450· The horse carries more weight on his hindquarters.

Fig. 6: Piaffe

Fig. 6:

If the lifting power is increased to an optimum and the forward movement reduced to a minimum, the horse will lift his body on the spot with a moment of clear suspension and we call this movement Piaffe.

(The horse is dancing on the spot). The combination of the forward and upwards movement in trot, canter, passage and piaffe is called impulsion.

In walk where the horse’s body does not leave the ground and no suspension is shown we speak of activity of the steps. In collected walk we have therefore to see a very active energetic movement.

II LATERAL MOVEMENTS:

The purpose of lateral movements is to improve paces, self carriage, submissiveness and obedience of the horses. Furthermore, they support the balance of the horse and lead to more active and expressive steps as well as to a free head position by taking the bridle easily. A medium - or extended trot will be favoured by better collection, covering ground and impulsion.

During lateral movements, the bending of the longitudinal axis causes separate tracks of fore and hind legs, stepping forward - sidewards. The degree of bending and the degree of collection degree of training measure the degree of traking. The distance between the separate tracks should not exceed 80 cm.

The rider has to school for an equal bending of the whole longitudinal axis of the horse. Both hindlegs should step forward in the direction of movement by passing (crossing) each other closely. Despite of the limited thrust (driving power) of hindlegs caused by the constant angle, which entitles the horse to use more of hindlegs carrying power, the driving power must never die and can be proved by a constant and easy taking of the bit.

Paces during lateral movements should be clear, levelled (rhythm), fluent and expressive.

In case the horse is not able to move on a straight track with sufficient submissiveness and self carriage (naturally easily on the bit) every riding of lateral movements is wrong.

We know the following lateral movements:

1. Shoulder in

2. Travers (quarters in)

3. Renvers (quarters out)

4. Half Pass

Shoulder in

During shoulder in the horse has to be bent around the inside leg of the rider, placed close to the girth. The forehand of the horse moves inside the arena as far as necessary to adjust the inside hip to the outside shoulder. The inside legs step in front of the outside ones. The outside-leg of the rider is placed behind the girth, it encourages the corresponding hind leg to step forward in the direction of the constant angle and hinders an escaping as well as a crossing of hindquarters.

A correct performance of shoulder in on centerline opens to the judge at C a view of three horse-legs, because the inside hind leg is hidden by the outside foreleg.

Often we see an excessive use of inside rein and outside rider-legs, placed far behind. The outside rein has to keep straight the neck of the horse near its shoulder to avoid on overdone flexion of the neck. The inside rein leads the forehand away from the track and preserves the correct flexion.

Shoulder in right asks for correct flexion of the lower jaw, because otherwise the result is a tilted head to the left (right ear lower) During shoulder in left horses more often show a wrong flexion of the neck near the shoulder and an escaping of the outside hind leg.

Riders often show collapsed hips and a seat, gliding to the outside. During all lateral movements the rider has to keep his hips in line with the hips of the horse, his shoulders in line with horses shoulders.

III  GYMNASTIC JUMPING:

By Gymnastic Jumping, we mean the schooling of horse and rider in jumping with the help of cavalletti and fences. In this connection the function of the ground rails is to determine the horse’s take off.

The basis of gymnastic jumping can be seen from the erection below. A 50 cm rail will be placed at a distance of about 5.50 m in front of an obstacle, which shall be about 2-6” to 3’ (see Fig. 7) high to begin with. The exercise will be executed by the rider at the trot towards the rail. He will make his horse canter over this first rail and continuing at the canter will jump the obstacle.

Fig. 7:

Fig. 7:

The approach is at the trot so that the horse can be brought quietly on to carry out this exercise. The height of the rail at 1’ - 8” (50 cm) has been carefully chosen, so that the horse really jumps and does not trot over the rail. It is only when the horse jumps and canters on that he is correctly placed for the obstacle. If the rider were to canter to the ground rail then the distance between it and the obstacle would have to be either 3.50 m or 7 m since every canter stride requires 3.50 m. The obstacle it-self should be so built that the horse can jump it with ease be it double rails or oxer, For an upright obstacle the distance should be shortened to about (5 in). Increasing the distance to 6 m is necessary only if an oxer or triple bar is to be jumped. The riders can improve his seat over both types of obstacles.

Above all by gymnastic jumping the horse acquires confidence in his own ability to jump. He has already learnt over single obstacles, and gymnastic jumping teachers him to be brought correctly to the fences. Now the rider has simply to prevent his horse from cantering before he reaches the ground rail.

Even so, there are a few typical faults that must be prevented. The worst fault is to canter before reaching ground rail, because the distance is organised only for the trot. The horse must be quite certain of the riders aids and be willing to be ridden forward at the trot. A thorough riding is therefore necessary in preparation.

Impetuous horses need a longer period of preparation before the exercise can be begun. It is best to start them off in a circle two or 3 length in front of the rails. The rider rises to an ordinary trot. If he tried to ride a sitting trot then there would be a real danger that he would be behind the movement as his horse jumps the cavalletti, and then he would be quite out of balance over the obstacle itself. However the approach should have sufficient impulsion that the rider has not got to drive his horse on between the rail and the obstacle, as once again there is the possibility of getting behind the horses movement. We see that the correct jumping seat is a decisive factor here.

Once the obstacle has been successfully cleared a few times it may be put up higher and wider. Altogether the obstacles should not be jumped more than 10 to 15 times as care must be taken not to tire the horse. As a conclusive exercise, it is a good idea to remove the cavalletti and to jump 2 or 3 times over the single obstacle.

The erection of several ground rails in front of the obstacle, is of value for horses which try to gallop too fast when approaching the ground rails. About 4 cavalletti are placed at a height of about 6-8” and the obstacle will be erected at a distance of about 4m.

This exercise is different from the basic exercise in that it requires the horse to trot over the ground rails, and after the last rail leaves the horse to decide if he is going to jump the obstacle from a trot or canter. The obstacle itself must be low since the horse will have no opportunity to use impulsion. For this reason when schooling over bigger jumps, the erection of only one rail is more valuable. Several cavelletti are recommended only when one wants to quieten the horse.

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