QUESTION: My dressage tests often have comments like "losing energy" or "needs energy", what sort of exercises or aids do I need to create and keep energy?
Answer submitted by Jane Kelly:
Get someone to video you at a show and at home riding the test. Are you unconsciously holding him back with the reins? Is it only at shows or is he always behind the leg and lacking impulsion? If this is only at shows you might be sacrificing forward impulsion so you can feel in control.
Practice doing your test outside the arena. Do not accept anything but a prompt response to your forward aids. If you lose energy mostly during movements, such as leg yield, shoulder-in, circles etc. then try this: as soon as you feel a loss of energy ride really forward and straight, then return to the movement while maintaining the energy.
If your horse is basically a lazy fellow do lots of transitions from gait to gait. Do this quickly, walk three strides, trot - three, walk - three. The rubber band exercise (transitions within the gait ie: lengthening to shortening/collecting) will make your horse more attentive and lighter off the aids. Ask nicely and softly then insist on a quick response with your leg and whip if needed.
Another good reason to videotape yourself is it helps so you can see how much impulsion or lack thereof you have. The best way to do this is ride 3 circles at each gait, 3x and increasing the tempo each time. Watch the tape (preferably with your instructor) and determine what is the best tempo for your horse.
Answer submitted by Tracy and Sharron Rowe:
In order to keep your horse active you must first check a few things. Is your position correct, legs down/long, seat still and tucked under, hands soft and very quiet. If these things are correct then the following exercises should help correct the lack of activity.
Transitions between gaits are very important, walk/trot, trot/canter and walk/canter when your horse is ready. Your horse MUST respond to your aids to move forward immediately, I use the 3 time rule...ask once softly (correctly) once firmly, and the third time you do whatever you can to get your horse to move forward into the desired transition (use of spur or whip is then introduced, please make sure you do not grab the reins when the horse does move forward!). Then you go back to asking softly. Your horse will soon realize that you mean it when you say FORWARD and you will find you have much more activity through your tests when this is accomplished. You also then will have taught your horse to move softly off the leg, and this will create the foundation to move your horse up through the levels off a soft, quiet leg.
Transitions within the gaits, such as working trot, to lengthen trot, or collected to extended and back is also very important. Your horse should power up when asked and come back to a more collected gait when asked. This is the same theory as above. You should be able to do these exercises whenever you want and in any gait. Using the same technique as above ask your horse to move into a more forward gait, lengthen or extended, for 5-10 strides and back again. Ask once softly, once firmly and then apply the whip/spur along with the seat/leg as needed to move your horse more forward. Go back to just using seat/leg to move horse forward as soon as possible teaching your horse to move forward using soft aids...this makes your horse light and receptive.
These exercises will create a horse that is light to the seat/leg and also, helps engage your horse behind through the transitions and builds the muscle needed to create self carriage and power.
Good Luck...and always ride Boldly through your tests!
Answer submitted by Kerry Petty:
As with many questions asked about the horse I will first look at the rider.
I want to see if the rider has energy herself - that is is her core engaged or does she look more ready for a slow trail ride. With out getting 'tight' I want the rider to feel firm but with a look of bottled up energy contained - ready to send the horse forward.
Then going to the horse I will many times use transition work to help the horse understand he is to react sharply to my forward aids. For instance in the beginning 2-5 brisk steps of trot and then a transition down to walk . The walk has to remain brisk and then back up to trot after only a few steps in walk. The transition work is designed to build the hind-end so make sure you are obtaining the down transitions from behind not by the hand.
Transitions within the gait are also helpful. Ask for a bit bigger trot and then bring the trot back with your core. This help the gait become more elastic and will strengthen and supple the horse.
Try also to see if you are doing things that deaden the horse like:
Squeeze harder and harder instead of making him respond to light aids by using the whip
Dig your heel into his side which then pulls the whole leg off
Move your body back and forth to pump the horse which changes your center of balance so much that the horse has to slow down to stay with you.
Looking down which rounds your shoulders and causes your core to collapse backwards which creates a backward pull on the horse.
Good luck