I compete my young horse (6 this year) in what would be equivalent of higher 1st level dressage (I live in France so our levels are not the same… but whatever includes medium trot/canter, rein back, counter canter, simple changes, leg yield, etc) and also working equitation. We get respectable scores in the high 60s but the comments are consistent in both disciplines that he needs to develop more collection and hind end engagement now. I know that this is something that will develop over time, but I also want to start being more serious and focused with his education.
What are your favourite exercises for developing this strength in young horses? And also more activity for a horse that naturally moves slowish and rhythmic?
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I’ll quote Lauren Spreiser:
“Transitions until you die.” 
But really, they are the best. I especially like trot/halt/rein back/trot transitions. Be sure the horse is staying solid in the contact, not evading the bit above or behind it and also not dropping his back. He should lift his back, and you should feel that especially in the rein back. Be sure he is staying straight through all of the transitions. Most horses like to swing their haunches to one side or the other when they are backing up. This exercise also gets them more responsive to the leg and will help with him being “slow.”
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Are you riding smaller circles, and using your shoulder in, renvers and travers? Shoulder in is kind of the mother of collecting exercises. You can use it on a circle as well as straight lines, and do transitions within shoulder in.
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transitions within the gait. Extend, shorten, rinse repeat. It is somewhat the irony or dressage to me: Go faster to go slower, slower to got faster. It all hinges on the strength of the hindquarters.
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You had excellent advice above.
Now also consider the rider that is teaching this horse, does that rider easily can warm up a more advanced horse and achieve that collection?
If not, is that rider learning on a more advanced horse, getting a feel for what is after, so it can teach it clearly to this horse?
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I feel like I’m always banging on about the value of shoulder in 
so I agree with this along with transitions.
I’ve started doing transitions within the gait on the lunge line or long lines with my young horse and both being able to feel (under saddle) and see these transitions has been beneficial.
I’ve also made sure to install a proper half halt and control of the gaits with my body.
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Probably unsurprisingly shoulder-in is difficult for him. I started teaching it a year ago and we’re still really weak at it, compared to other things (like half pass) that he picks up quickly. So that seems indicative of the need for more engagement. Also makes me think I need to spend more time in shoulder-in.
As to other comment about whether I have other horses to ride to get feeling of collection that I’m after, no. This is my horse with the most training. I started him under saddle myself and I’m pretty happy with how well he has developed so far- he doesn’t have issues that I see so commonly in other horses like crookedness, heaviness, being behind the leg, etc. But I haven’t ridden higher level horses for 10 years or more now, so I’m going off the memory of what that feels like.
I think if you have done it before, even 10 years ago, that feeling is there once you feel it, like riding a bicycle, is part of how you ride, now learning to teach it and that is a good question, already discussed how to above.
Young horses are so much fun, enjoy the trip.
I’m reading that he needs “more hind end engagement” and he “naturally moves slowish”. And he’s 6. Here’s what I’d do. I take it he knows leg yield? I the warm-up before you even trot, I’d walk to the wall or fence at a 45 degree angle and do a head-to-the-wall leg yield. He can’t really cheat with these and the only way he can maintain that angle is to actually step under with that hind leg. You may have to remind him that he has to step under with that hind leg. Do leg yields at the walk in both directions at the walk and shoulder-for and shoulder-in at the walk to wake up his hind legs. When you put him to work at the walk, he has to go to work. In the trot warm up, much of the same except leg yield at the walk or fence because that can make horses worry. Regular trot to medium trot to regular trot to canter. Bunches of transitions like other people have mentioned. If your horse is smart, lots of transitions could be counter productive over time because the horse can just think it’s in that gait for a short period of time and then offer the transition without being asked. I like the rein-back directly to trot and things like a walk-canter transition directly into a lengthened/medium canter.
Pretty much, exercises that make him use those hind legs, take more weight behind and keep him “on his toes” about what’s coming next.
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