Train like a pro | Dressage

By Your Horse

Riding advice

06 February 2012 12:00

With the likes of Olympic dressage rider Isabell Werth following the German scales of training, here’s how they can be applied to your schooling, whether you’re an aspiring Grand Prix rider or about to do your first Prelim test.

When it comes to hours spent training their horses, dressage riders probably beat the other disciplines hands down. But what are the mysterious “scales
of training” the dressage diva is working towards?

It probably won’t surprise anyone to find out that this is a German system, whereby training is broken down into interwoven building blocks, with each phase completed correctly before moving onto the next.

Rhythm

To German trainers and riders rhythm means the regularity of the steps or strides in each gait: they should cover equal distances and be of equal duration. The rhythm should be maintained through transitions and turns as well as on straight lines.

Suppleness

Looseness is the aim here. The idea is that the horse’s movement cannot be considered correct unless he’s working through his back and the muscles are free from tension. The joints should bend and straighten equally on each side of the horse’s body and the impression should be that he’s putting his whole mind and body into his work. Indications of looseness are a swinging back, and a closed mouth. Looseness is considered to have been achieved when your horse will stretch his head and neck forwards and downwards in all three gaits.

Contact

This is the soft, steady connection between the rider’s hand and the horse’s mouth. The horse should go forward rhythmically and seek contact with the rider’s hand. A correct, steady contact allows the horse to find his balance and rhythm in each of the gaits. The poll should always be the highest point of the neck, except when the horse is ridden forwards and downwards. Contact should never be achieved through force or a backward hand action and the horse should go forward confidently onto the contact in response to the rider’s aids.

Impulsion

A horse is said to have impulsion when the energy created by the hindlegs is transmitted to every aspect of forward movement. A horse is working with impulsion when he pushes off energetically from the ground and swings his feet well forward. Impulsion is created by training
and through the rider making use of the horse’s natural paces, and then adding looseness, forward thrust and suppleness.

Straightness

A horse is said to be straight when his forehand is in line with his hindquarters. Straightness is necessary for the weight to be distributed evenly and is developed through training and suppling both sides of the body equally. If the horse is straight, the aids will act equally.

Collection

The aim of all gymnastic training is to create a horse who is ready and willing to perform. The horse’s weight, plus that of his rider, must be distributed as evenly as possible over all four legs, even though the forelegs would carry more load naturally. By training and developing the relevant muscles, riders