Dressage 101: showing and training are 2 different things. you show at a different level than you train at. introduce the shoulder-in- and shoulder-fore and leg yield.
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You absolutely should train at at least one level above the one you are showing. However, it would appear that the OP is working toward training for Training Level, hasn’t reached it, and is possibly not ready to train a proper S/I, which takes a degree of engagement.
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Yeah, count me as another that doesn’t see this as a “rhythm” issue, or even a tempo issue, but as a horse that is lacking the strength to HOLD anything for any length of time as well as a horse who sounds like he does not have good respect for the leg.
In which case, I’d forget about specific exercises and really hone in on the leg respect piece. A horse who is sucked back and unwilling to go forward as soon as he feels the leg is a horse who either A) doesn’t understand it, or B) doesn’t respect it. If you put your leg on, what does he do? From the sounds of it, he gets boggy or sucked up, as which point you put your heel in his side and say “I MEANT IT” and he rushed and gets unbalanced. Sound familiar?
I love taking horses like this out in a field or large outdoor, getting up off their back and saying, “okay…GO”. Whatever the response, as long as it’s forward and prompt, is good. I don’t even care about the gait we end up in at first, so long as the response to my leg is an increase in energetic output. Then I can start refining from there. I also second the “go for a gallop” suggestion. It’s amazing what wonders a good, forward thinking hand gallop (or true gallop, if you’re brave enough) in an open space where you can let the horse open up for longer stretches of straight than are available in your average arena will do for lower gaits.
But as far as “exercises”, I’d go back to transitions. Halt to walk, must be prompt and straight without me begging, don’t care where your head is. Walk to trot, prompt and straight, no begging. Trot to canter, prompt and straight, no begging. I don’t care the tempo of the gait once I’m in it, just that the transition was clean and forward thinking…no oozing into gaits. Once we’ve got that down, I’ll start paying more attention to the front end - although all the while, through all of this you bet I’ve got a nice, wide, forward inside rein to show him “hey, there’s a big ole’ door here for you if you’d like it”.
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I wanted to jump back on and thank everyone again for their suggestions. We have used the past few weeks to “focus on the forward” and I am seeing improvement. I still need to download the metronome app (I don’t have a way to ride to music yet and I’m not a headphones in the saddle person) to help with consistency but counting out loud has helped. We have a new warm up routine with generous circles and forward straight lines that we immediately repeat in canter and that is helping him wake up and step out a bit more.
Our lounge work is coming along as well; he is very good with the vocal aids and I think he is beginning to make the connections that forward is “ok” and nothing bad will happen if he opens up his step (or just speeds up right now). A note/question on the side reins–I use a slightly shorter inside side rein to try to guide him in and down when he relaxes–any other suggestions would be great. I really like the suggestion for counting the canter circle strides and will begin to use that to help me push him forward steadily.
I am a foxhunter/eventer from a past life so galloping and trail work are very important in my program. The weather has been horrid and trail time is walk time right now but he will definitely go out and move when the footing dries up. I think this is a huge speed bump for him -he doesn’t understand that I want him to go!
I like to think of finding the sweet spot in the trot. This is the trot the the horse is comfortable moving forward. Forward being key, there must be some degree of push and swing, no shuffle trots. It may be slower and less powerful than I want, but it is the easy for the horse, base, trot and I can work from there to improve his easy, base, trot. I’ve seen people trying to make their horse more forward by always running them off their feet (hurrying and unbalanced) but never found it productive myself. It sounds like you, OP, feel similarly.
Once I have that sweet spot established I start asking for the inside hind leg to step a little bit more underneath the horse as it comes forward. I do this for a few strides in a row, allowing the slight slowing as the horse responds, then quietly ask him to push forward a bit more again. A large circle can help as the bend helps the horse learn to bring the inside hind up under his body, and we can use it to define the step up vs the forward push strides. Say 1/4 to 1/3 of the circle stepping up and then forward for 2/3 to 3/4 before repeating.
Separately I will play the forward-back game. Go a little more forward each stride for 3-5 strides, then come a little shorter each stride for 3-5 strides. I start with the same number, but then do more of what’s harder and less of what’s easier to try and get the same degree forward as back.
Each of these allows the horse to have a sanctioned slow down, while keeping balanced which creates a better place to go forward from without getting carried away and going too far. Each of these is an exercise done for a short period at this stage, with other exercises done as well.
So many great ideas and suggestions for you here. Just want to agree with all the advice about focusing on the go and forward buttons.
It’s a young horse (in effect) and that just means for a while, it’s going to look messy and unbalanced at times. That is an inevitable part of riding and training a young horse. Don’t worry about it (even though that is hard to do and ignore where he sticks his head).
In focusing on the go, do not worry about contact or a frame or anything else. Almost throw your reins away - be careful they are not scting as an unconscious hand brake. And if he sticks his head in the air like a giraffe, ignore it. First and foremost he must listen to your leg. This is not an option and he needs to learn to use his engine behind. From there, focus on your transitions. Endless endless repetitions of transitions. I heard or read somewhere of one of thr top trainers/riders (maybe Charlotte) that she will do at least a 100 transitions in a short 30 minute session. And the options are endless - transitions between the paces and within the paces.
Kyra Kyrkland has a great set of exercises to ride in small-ish squares which she does with all young horses. Maybe a 10 metre squares - walk halt walk trot - light aid, then a firmer aid and then if no response (or to slow and not forward enough) a big kick/tap with whip - he MUST go forward. And then repeat with a soft aid so you are training the positive forward response with a light aid. And don’t forget to praise - reward every forward response (whether or not its the one you asked for).
If he has a correct response to the whip, for the downward transitions, as your seat is going forward from trot to walk, use your whip slighly behind your leg just to tap him up and remind him that he must remain active in the downward transition.
For my young horse, with longeing, I love to focus on the quality of the up and downward transitions. So I try to replicate what I am looking for under saddle. So here I would use the longe whip again just slightly in the downward transitions to keep it active. I find all this work great to get him focused on you and not anticipating, which is also not allowed.
My suggestion would be don’t play with any lateral work until you have the go button and forward installed. That will help with straightness and balance which, in turn can help address rythym and tempo. Then poles and cavalettti and starting laterals to help bring his hind leg under and encourage him to move his weight more behind (I love spiralling in and out on 20m circles with leg yield for this).
Oh and my other suggestion for go and forward - maybe get off his back and go 2 point. Also helps if he is still building his strength. I find this can also be a good way to refresh and build up some activity in the middle of a session.
Good luck!
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