Today, we’re diving into collection and engagement, featuring a guest rider who graciously shared a video of her schooling Prix St. Georges movements. This rider and her horse showcase a beautiful partnership, but like all of us, they face challenges—specifically with achieving an uphill balance and greater engagement. Here are some observations, tips, and exercises to help them, and you, improve!
A Strong Foundation: Accurate Lines and Turns
One notable aspect of this ride is the lack of a dressage court. While this presents challenges, it’s also an excellent opportunity to work on accuracy. Without the marked boundaries of a court, riders must focus on creating clear corners and straight lines. For example:
- Corners are crucial for setting up movements like half-passes or flying changes.
- Diagonals require precision; a slightly off turn can cause a wavy line, affecting the straightness of your changes or pirouettes.
A helpful tip: imagine the court lines even when they’re not there, and practice riding as though the boundaries are present.
Exercises to Improve Uphill Balance
To help a horse achieve better collection and engagement, transitions are key. Here are a few suggestions:
- Canter-Walk-Canter Transitions: Perform these in quick succession to encourage your horse to sit and carry more weight on the hindquarters.
- Half-Pass with Transitions: Incorporate walk transitions within the half-pass. For instance, canter half-pass, transition to walk, maintain the half-pass line, then pick up the canter again.
- Schooling Pirouettes: Focus on sitting slightly back and riding the haunches in while keeping the shoulders up. This will help refine the movement and ensure proper balance.
Rider Position and Influence
The rider’s position plays an important role in the horse’s ability to stay balanced and engaged. A few observations:
- Shoulders and Turns: Ensure your shoulders mirror the direction of the turn. For example, in left turns, the left shoulder should come back while the right shoulder moves forward. This alignment helps keep the horse upright and balanced.
- Maintaining Straightness: Especially in movements like flying changes or half-passes, the rider must focus on keeping the horse’s shoulders and haunches aligned. Overuse of one rein or leg can cause crookedness.
Highlighted Movements: Flying Changes and Half-Passes
The rider demonstrated flying changes and half-passes, both with moments of brilliance and areas for growth:
- The half-passes showed good bend but occasionally lost haunch alignment. Practicing transitions within the half-pass can improve this.
- The flying changes were straight and clean for the most part, though the first change on the diagonal showed slight crookedness. Repeated practice with straightness aids (like using a rail) can help.
Final Thoughts
This rider and horse make a lovely pair, with clear harmony and teamwork. While there is room for improvement in uphill balance and engagement, the partnership is already well-established—a foundation for great progress.
Happy riding, and don’t forget to subscribe and check out my Patreon for more tips and insights!
Amelia
