| Practice makes perfect. That statement is very true | | | | to move in diagonal pairs and hit the ground at the |
| for Dressage. Of course, if you only practice by | | | | exact same time. When posting we move with the |
| yourself, you may not get any better, but a good | | | | inside hind leg, sitting when it is on the ground and rising |
| coach can help you improve your riding skills. If you | | | | when it comes off, to help the horse balance itself. |
| have ever had to re-train a horse, you know it. The | | | | The canter is a 3-beat gait. On a circle to the right his |
| same counts for re-training a student, or even yourself. | | | | left hind leg pushes him forward onto his left front/right |
| Bad habits are habits too, and changing habits has | | | | hind diagonal pair of legs which he'll use for momentary |
| never been easy. Still, it is do-able. | | | | balance before rolling onto his right front, or leading, leg; |
| When I started taking dressage lessons, the first | | | | thus creating a 3-beat gait. There should be a clear |
| lesson was almost all talk. Not much riding. It surprised | | | | moment of suspension. |
| me, but later on I really appreciated it and was able to | | | | To teach a horse rhythm you will ride the majority of |
| go back to what I learned during my rides without my | | | | your lessons in the trot. The trot is the easiest to |
| instructor. | | | | control since you only work with a 2-beat rhythm. You |
| Today we are explaining the basis of it all: Rhythm. | | | | also will not have to follow his head and neck, as in the |
| Rhythm is the result of a defined beat pattern of the | | | | trot, it is relatively still. It is easy to feel, easy to count, |
| hoof fall. A relaxed horse can step into a natural | | | | and easy to feel if it gets too quick. Once you and |
| rhythm in all four of the natural gaits: | | | | your horse have mastered the rhythm in the trot, you |
| 1. Walk - this should be and clear regular 4-beat gait. | | | | will notice that the rhythm in the canter is much easier |
| 2. Trot - a clear and regular 2-beat gait. | | | | to maintain. |
| 3. Canter - a clear and regular 3-beat gait. | | | | There is good rhythm and bad rhythm. Good rhythm is |
| The walk is 4-beat gait; when either one of the horse's | | | | when the horse's canter is a true 3-beat, bad or |
| front legs leaves the ground, it is followed next by an | | | | incorrect rhythm is when it becomes a lazy 4-beat. |
| opposite hind leg that reaches forward underneath the | | | | Rhythm faults in the walk are when it comes close to |
| belly, creating a diagonal balance point. So the horse | | | | 2-beat (lateral gait - like gaited horses), and in the trot |
| doesn't step on the heels of his own front feet with | | | | when it resembles a lame, hopping horse. |
| the rear hooves, he moves each foreleg forward out | | | | I the next couple of days, we will discuss the next level |
| of the way before a hind hoof on the same side of his | | | | of the training scale: Relaxation with Elasticity & |
| body hits the ground. | | | | Suppleness. |
| The trot is a 2-beat gait; in Dressage we need the legs | | | | |