lengthen vs extension?

[SDK]

I’m a little bit confused about what I should be doing here. My greenie will be going to a dressage show this weekend doing first level (his first time!) Naturally he has a great trot especially at the lengthened stride he floats and has a big extension with suspension and all. I took him to do some schooling at a local dressage barn to practice some tests and one of the ladies watching commented that his lengthen was actually an extended trot and for first level I should be holding him back more or I will lose marks for “doing the wrong movment”. So i’m a little confused here, with other horses i’ve just let them do what there capable of and got good marks. Should I be holding this horse back or show off his trot? How would the judge go about scoring this?

If anyone could clarify this it would be really helpful! Thanks!

[lstevenson]

The difference between a trot lengthening and an extension has to do with the horse’s balance and the amount of engagement.

Lengthening is born out of a working trot with a level balance, and extension is born out of collected trot with an uphill balance.

You do want to make sure that you allow the horse to be in a slightly longer frame than for working trot. If he’s in a false frame with a very high neck I could see someone making the comment that it looks more like an extension rather than a lengthening.

And remember, keeping the rhythm is what is most important. If you are able to do that, it’s nearly impossible to go for “too much” in the lengthening.

[slc2]

The next time you see the lady, say, ‘Next time you have a thought…just let it go’.

LOL.

First of all, if that type of trot is what your young green horse can do without completely losing his balance and going bananas, that IS his lengthening, regardless of what anyone else thinks it ‘looks’ like.

He won’t actually do an extended trot until he has learned to collect and sit on his rear end and push. He isn’t doing that yet, not to that level (he will at 2nd third level).

He is doing that to the extent that he can now, in the shape he’s in with the balance he has…in other words, that IS his lengthening.

As far as just having the test turn out successfully, if you have a very talented able young horse, when you ride your test, you are a lot more concerned about the WHOLE test than the lengthening, you do what you can and should do, and not one whit more than what’s good for the whole test and the horse. In other words, sure, but don’t overdo. I wouldn’t repeat it over and over, even in training, and wouldn’t go max full out at the show, either.

You need to be able to do something that shows a difference between your working trot and your lengthening. The more of a difference you show, the better your score will be…UNLESS…unless that big difference means you have to leap on your horse’s head to try and get him to STOP doing that whatever-you-want-to-call-it different trot by pulling on his ears and screaming whoa before he leaps out of the ring on the other side.

I would also not get too greedy and ask for too much, I think it’s better to have your test look like happy-energetic-eager-obedient-horsey overall.

However much you can do, and still control your horse and steer him and continue the test without him feeling like he needs to spend the rest of the test popping wheelies, is ok.

[Caroline_Weber]

The extended trot has a much more uphill and compacted/coiled outline with serious THRUST from the hind end, while a good lengthening has a good deal of push from the hind end but shows a lengthened topline (back and neck).

If you look at this sale advert (have no connection to horse, just using it as an example), the first and second photos show a lengthened trot with an active, reaching hind leg and a lengthened topline.
http://www.dressagedaily.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=viewlink&link_id=1170&Itemid=0

Then you have a high-quality extended trot:
http://equisearch.com/equiwire_news/dressageatdevon_rocher_williams_500.jpg
The horse is more uphill and compact in her outline, lowering her haunches so she can balance and produce such extravagant movement.

A horse capable of a medium or extended trot but showing at first should, if well trained, be able to produce a very active, balanced, ground-covering lengthening showing the less constrained outline of the first set of pictures.

[SDK]

Thanks very much for your replies they were extremely helpful and that makes alot more sense. This is what I was thinking too that his more training type of frame and way of going is what would make the difference but I also didn’t want to get negative comments in the movement when I know its probaly one of his stronger points as his canter is still a little babyish at times :lol:

[slc2]

If his canter is babyish, that’s another point in favor of doing a modest lengthening and just sort of getting around and staying in the ring - it’s more about doing the test in a way that’s appropriate for the horse right then.

[goeslikestink]

[QUOTE=SDK.*;4250015]
I’m a little bit confused about what I should be doing here. My greenie will be going to a dressage show this weekend doing first level (his first time!) Naturally he has a great trot especially at the lengthened stride he floats and has a big extension with suspension and all. I took him to do some schooling at a local dressage barn to practice some tests and one of the ladies watching commented that his lengthen was actually an extended trot and for first level I should be holding him back more or I will lose marks for “doing the wrong movment”. So i’m a little confused here, with other horses i’ve just let them do what there capable of and got good marks. Should I be holding this horse back or show off his trot? How would the judge go about scoring this?

If anyone could clarify this it would be really helpful! Thanks![/QUOTE]

sounds like hes running into trot as he isnt balanced and to get balanced you need to
shorten and lenghten his strides using the half halt stride

so you have a more controlled trot at medium and at extended trot
look at my helpful links pages in above sticky
loads of info and videos etc all one page 1

[SDK]

Thanks for the info everyone I will take a look at those pages. I will mention this to my trainer too when I have a lesson tomorrow but to me he feels like he isn’t losing balance going into or comng out of his lengthens but you never know i’m not a dressage rider so its quite possible i’m wrong so I will see what she thinks.

[goeslikestink]

[QUOTE=SDK.*;4252964]
Thanks for the info everyone I will take a look at those pages. I will mention this to my trainer too when I have a lesson tomorrow but to me he feels like he isn’t losing balance going into or comng out of his lengthens but you never know i’m not a dressage rider so its quite possible i’m wrong so I will see what she thinks.[/QUOTE]

if she cant or doesnt know how to perform the half halt stride then change the dressage trianer
as she isnt worth a light-- half halts stride are one of basic movements across the baord in all equine disiplines it informs the horse something going to change