Fess UP!

[Horsepower]

What dressage moves do you REALLY do with your horse?

[purplnurpl]

I don't understand? Do we do secret moves?

I like working pirouette.
And I like to ask for a medium that is too big for me to stay with, bounce around, and then giggle.
and I like the whole traverse, shoulder in, renverse, straight, change direction and 1/2 pass back to rail move. : )
and I love counter canter.
and halt, back, halt, canter transistion

I love it all!

and I like to go left. oops.

[merrygoround]

For warm-up, all the laterals at the wal;k, for energy, canter transitions. For strenghthening and suppleness, all of the laterals . I find S/I to renvers, to travers, very engaging. :)

[appychik]

Well, when I had a sound horse, we were schooling 1st/2nd movements. I presonally loved doing the counter-canter work (it's a blast) plus the renvers, leg-yield but thinking half-pass, and shoulder-ins. Gus is really not built for dressage, but I'm hoping we can eventually make it back into the show ring this fall. My original goal was the first weekend of August, but we're still not allowed to trot, so I don't think we could even manage a w/t Intro test. :cry: But, thankfully we're able to finally work on that walk! No time like the present time, right? ;)

[slc2]

The tone of the question suggests people are not really doing what they say they're doing, or what? "Fess up"?

What I do depends on the level of training of the horse, their program, training, goals, and of late, my health.

[caffeinated]

My horse is a master of the free walk and stretchy circle. :)

If dressage tests had a "begs for treats" movement, we'd be getting 10s on it.

[Horsepower]

Yes, SLC, that's what I meant. I have found in my over 20 years riding that people tend to exaggerate how high they jump, etc. I just thought it would be fun for people to discuss what dressage moves they do with their horses, and also was trying to give a topic name that would encourage people to open the thread and have fun with it. Also, in dressage, it is my understanding that sometimes people practice moves and don't quite get them so it would be fun to discuss frustrations too. Just meant to be a fun thread.

[slc2]

sure sounded like tons of fun. my answer is the same regardless, it's whatever the horse needs to work on.

one is retired, one is working on longeing and one on hacking lightly and the leased one on 2nd level stuff.

[MyReality]

I like riding square collected canter. I like listening to the footfalls.

I like doing 20 m circle, medium trot rising to collected trot sitting and back. The horse becomes really connected. I don't think my horse gives a very good medium, nor a good collected trot... but still it feels really good.

I also like the whole traverse, shoulder in, renverse, straight combo... mine doesn't have half pass (yet) we do it on the diagonal line. It's wicked wicked... you can totally feel the legs.

I hate counter canter. It's so much work for my horse, and even more work for myself. I also dread those canter transitions, my horse like to be on the 4hand in downward... need to pull all the tricks out to get him to do it properly... you name it, we do it. Typical TB. That's how the collected canter work comes in handy.

I also like shoulder in return. It is the best exercise for a horse. I always teach it. You don't have to do a real shoulder in, you can do shoulder fore, or the way I teach, start riding a 60 meter circle, straighten, then yield back to track. Try it on center line, it is way way good!

[PaddyUK]

We are working on flying changes at home, which last week we got nicely.

Whilst Jack was in shock we did manage a few 2 time changes, but I'm working on 4 time.

We are established in lateral work, BUT and it's a huge BUT, I have a leg operation at the weekend, and this is my 4th op, in 18 months.

So just as Jack and I get it together, the MRI and CATs show more changes/bone movement/chips and I have to have more surgery.:eek:

I have only had Jack for a year and I have just retired Paddy who is 24 (my dream boy) who I have had since a 4YO. So I need to get back in the saddle after this op ASAP.

Spent time on the phone last week trying to get late entry to any affilliated show in a 20 mile radius (We have 5) but all were full with a waiting list.

When working with my trainer, we have done passage, simply because Jack gets himself worked up and will try to buck and rear (hence why I have a $20,000 horse for a pittance) so my trainer gets me to use his energy and ride passage with her doing ground work - the Ferdi Elliberg hoof tap method - and boy does it make your thighs ache:yes:

I have no idea (nor does Surgeon, depends on what he finds) - until I wake up if I will be back in a cast - was 15 weeks last time - or just a back slab for a week and then dressings.

BUT, I have a great back up team, Long Suffering Husband (LSH), trainer and best friend who used to work ride for a member of the British Dressage Team, so Jack will be tip top.

LSH has funded my dressage for last 2 years (when I gave up work due to leg break) and to his credit did not bat an eyelid, when I took him to big yard up road from us and led out 16.3 Jack, asked him if he liked him. LSH said "yes, he looks nice" I answered "good, I've just bought him". LSH said "OK, I suppose this means you need new saddles". Bless that man.

Without LSH, I would be nowhere.

Paddy

[pintopiaffe]

LSH said "yes, he looks nice" I answered "good, I've just bought him". LSH said "OK, I suppose this means you need new saddles". Bless that man.

Don't suppose he has a brother who wants to immigrate to the US then, 'eh?

I am awful. I play with piaffe when the opportunity arises. Horse knows it from teacher. When there's a bear in the hollow, or sometimes if the girls all gallop down on the other side of the fence to gawk at us... I USE that energy (and testosterone) and play. I know the difference between prance-in-place and piaffe, and how to feel if it's even, and when he's sitting behind. What I can't tell without mirrors or a ground person is how well he is articulating behind.

When the canter is having a good day, we do half-pass. It's quite easy for him when the canter is having a good day. ;)

For just daily work, very boring, very minute walk-halt-walk, walk-trot-walk, and trot-halt transitions.

Lately, I've been practicing my 'be a farmer, not a rider' moves. :( I have lost all desire to ride. Just doing barely enough to not loose *all* fitness, certainly not enough to improve. :dead: I just don't care. It's too hard, and I'm apparently a wuss. Hellaciously hot and buggy, footing like cement... and I don't even deserve the lovely horses I have. :no:

[badawg]

Not doing them yet, but, I want to be able to ride a line of tempis. WOOT!! Seems like such a blast. Oh, and a lovely, floating trot half pass! Someday, we'll get there. Right now, we're still working on forward and straight!

[allpurpose]

Our best move is the leg yield...away from hooligans in the bushes, the junior rider on the wild pony making right for us on the rail, and/or the trainer's JRT who has taken to bouncing and barking in place at the sight of any horse within hearing distance. :no::no::no:

Oh, and we can canter/halt/half-pass quite nicely if those #$%^&*(!@ deer jump out of the bushes at just the right time! :lol::lol:

[grayarabpony]

I don't understand? Do we do secret moves?


and I like to go left. oops.

:lol:

I like to go right on my pony and left on my big horse, although he goes well either way.

[SPatterson]

The Arab mare and I are practicing the highly advanced art of the 20-meter circle, working trot. Sometimes we get REALLY crazy and leg-yield a bit. And you should see our stretchy free walk. It's wild :lol: . She's coming back from a 6-month break and my only goal right now is to build her topline back up and get her supple and balanced.

With the Morab, we're doing such upper-level movements as Trotting in a Straight Line and Halting Without Throwing a Hissy Fit. She's a rescue that I've just started under saddle, and is on ride #10 or so :yes: .

[spotted mustang]

we do a lot of transitions, we're practicing simple changes thru walk (still difficult for him to get his legs under for canter-walk transitions; he's got a long back and is downhill), shoulder-in, travers, renvers at walk and trot, half-pass at walk so far only, counter canter, lengthening and back to working trot and canter, collecting canter and back to longer steps.

We also do trail rides and some transitions etc on uphills to strengthen his rear.

We jump a bit (small stuff) and do bounces, and sometimes for the heck of it I let him free-jump; he loffs it.

[goeslikestink]

which horse haha

personally i like to hack out and do my stuff outside in a more relaxed atmosphere
so i do a bit of this and that, to include jumping as always go around the woods and open farm land and what ever is there be it hill ditch jump or long canter gallop down quiet country lanes i school as in schoulder ins, leg yields renvers or travers lots of transitions from wlak to trot with half halts and when jumping in the woods half halt stride and if theres a nice long gallop can do walk to canter walk or trot , i do a bit of everything on a gallop or where therea a nice bite of a clearing so the horse knows i am in control sometimes just to teach i walk the gallop or trot it this tells the horse that she cant just take off at any bit of greenery cuase she feels like it - i am in control and she will go when i say and not before
and i am the same with any of my other horses or any horse i have for re hab the triaining is basically the same as the want to horse to be focus and obediant and as we ride an awful lot round bissy roads its essential that they traffic proof

[Gallop~on~Grant]

Right now I like sneaking in a walk/canter depart. He is good at it and it's like riding a huge wave and so much fun! He likes it too and gets high on himself! A little too high.

[Ambrey]

I am learning to do shoulder fore and leg yield.

My horse is learning all kinds of stuff. I'll have to ask for specifics.

[Ibex]

My horse is three, so currently we're working on looking less like a giraffe, and not steering like a "one oared rowboat" (description courtesy of Dressage(Pea)Nut) :lol:

I can ride a presentable first level test (around the 60% mark), and a jump 2'6" course. Have jumped bigger (up to 4' at the end of a grid, 3' on a couple pieces of a course), but the horse was an ex-prelim eventer and really I was "not falling off" as opposed to really riding :winkgrin:

[smhlin110]

I have a unique situation with my schoolmaster about which I have absolutely no reason to complain, but it's still an issue. He thinks Passage is fun, and easy. So, his idea of an evasion when I ask him to carry himself on his left hind which he does not like to use is to give me Passage. I really should put my leg on and ask him to go forward as we are working First/Second level. (that's where I am, but not him) I should not accept this as an answer as I have not asked for it. I don't even know how to ask for it. But..... sometimes I just let him do it beacuse it is fun!

Nice problem to have, huh? Horse likes Passage???? :) Like Ibex said, tho, it's not riding it, it's just not falling off while he does it. LOL So, that's my secret movement we try not to do too much!

[Ibex]

Nice problem to have, huh? Horse likes Passage???? :) Like Ibex said, tho, it's not riding it, it's just not falling off while he does it. LOL So, that's my secret movement we try not to do too much!

Know the feeling... I used to ride a crafty old Schoolmistress (she went PSG in her day) who demanded complete balance at the canter. Otherwise she was more than happy to perform tempis! I spent the first month trying to canter her on one lead, and one lead only. If it was the correct lead it was just bonus,,, :lol:

[IrishDeclan]

If I can get my gangley 17.2 hand 5 yr old to canter a 20 meter circle without falling in on his shoulder or breaking to trot, it's considered a good day!! Oh the simple pleasures of riding a greenie.... ;)

[angel]

When your horse starts to passage, make sure your shoulders are back and that your thumbs are both pointed skyward. I suspect that when the passage begins, you are rounding your thumbs forward, and not keeping your heels down as you should be doing.

[fatorangehorse]

I don't know if a lesson how to ride the passage was required . . . she'd just made a fun comment . . .

[~Freedom~]

What dressage moves do you REALLY do with your horse?

I actually ride my horse naked over to the next guys farm and with haying going on and looking at shiny sweaty, muscled male bodies just eager for entertainment I just do all the dressage moves asked for and invent a few that would for sure be thrown out...you know underage public and all that.

I do assume you are referring to four legged riding ? Does that answer your question ?

[ferry]

everything up to third-1 minus the changes (unless you want a kung-fu move ;))

[FleetwoodStarr]

Well my gelding does just about everything (on some days) but he has also invented a few new moves that we are trying to get incorporated into dressage tests.
There's the piaffe-buck, spinning buck, backing up and buck, rear-buck, twisty buck, buck that hurts my back, buck that almost gets me off, levade, high-ho silver rear, capriole, courbette, spin, and psychotic crow-hop.
My little mare has just started lunging- she also likes to buck however.
I don't know why I'm stuck with two horses that like to buck so much.

[ddashaq]

Walk, trot, and canter. Preferrably without his head in my lap.;) So we are doing training level, maybe?

[SillyHorse]

Travers, renvers, half pass (trot and canter), approaching first stages of pirouette, just starting flying changes.

[Ambrey]

Halting Without Throwing a Hissy Fit.

My pony and I are working on:

Relaxing shoulders (me).
Not going inverted like a wild eyed Okapi (him).
Not running off every time someone puts a leg on.
Relaxing shoulders (me) so horse doesn't go inverted like a wild eyed okapi.
Going past the hay shed without throwing a hissy fit.
Halting on the way back to the barn without throwing a hissy fit.
Relaxing shoulders.

He sounds awful, but he's so sweet and is a huge confidence builder because his hissy fits are like kittens fighting. Kind of cute and furry, if a little rambunctious. If I could relax my shoulders and arms and brain more we'd be doing much better (I think he can work at about 2nd level but certainly not push button). I'll be happy if I can get a decent walk leg yield in the next couple of weeks (since leg=GO to this former eventer- how do you eventers manage it?).

[AndalusianMom]

Not exactly working on it, but one of my boys has the default mode of Spanish walk. He's learned that it's a crowd pleaser, so out it comes when he's not sure what I want.:cool:

[Carol O]

I'm having fun with collected canter and can now get eight strides along the 20 meter sides of the arena, shoulder in, changes every four and five, canter pirouette, trot transitions collected-medium medium-collected without going faster(!), Shoulder in, half pass, turn on the haunches. Working on using my seat more, hands and legs less and an uphill quality to all. Having fun!

I have a funny story though. After my last lesson, after working on all the fun stuff, we were going to finish with simple 10 meter circles in the walk. Couldn't do 'em! my horse wanted to make thim into turns on the haunches. Actually I think he was saying "okay, I'm done now, got it?". He made me work for those stupid little walk circles! We can do them now.....

[Dressage Art]

We are showing 3 level tests 1 now - so we ride all of the movements from that test. We also working on the 3rd level test 2/3: walk in the corner to canter depart then immediately go to the C-line and do a canter half pass, b/c it starts right after the walk is difficult for us - we loose the impulsion by 1/2 of the canter half pass + a flying change is right at the end of the canter half pass and by that time we simply don't have enough jump for a descant flying change. Basically, we have to execute several difficult movements on just a long side of arena and it's difficult to maintain the forward jump and energy for us. We can do all of them separately just fine, but together it's just to strainues - I think we just need to develop more stamina, so we can keep up the pace!

I went to Arthur Kottas clinic and he gave me a two new exercisers: 4 loop canter serpentine with flying changes and to sit a trot on a stretchy circle :lol: to sit the stretchy circle is more challenging than flying changes ;)

As some of you know, in 2007, when we started to work on 3rd level, my mare was diagnosed with a mild navicular and was in rehab for about 9 months - so I'm not sure if she can hold up to the 4th level work or the increased difficulty is just too much for her. So I don't really do much of the movements that are higher than a 3rd level... yet... we basically show and school at the same level now. I’m hoping to start schooling 4th level next year, but still show 3rd level.

[billiebob]

On which horse? I don't ride dressage per se but I can do some of the moves fairly reliably.

On the big schoolie I'm getting ready to show: Flying changes on his good days (he's at least 20), leg yield, shoulder in, lovely balanced circles. He's a dream to ride. Makes up for....

the crazy palomino mare (that was supposed to be "western pleasure" but has little basic training besides stop and sort of steer): straight lines, shoulder fore (kind of, also helps with #1), we have 2 canter leads, going at a steady pace is best, leg does not always mean speed up and toss your head, we don't follow other horses, cantering past the gate is just as fun as charging up to it, when we canter past said gate it's cool not to snort like a pig, circles and serpentines are awesome (she actually does like them)....and the piece de resistance.....

Turn on the forehand in conjunction with her neck reining training (comical, seeing as I've had no formal western training. But her owner knows this and has asked me to help anyway. We don't have access to any western trainers right now). She's actually getting really good at this and can almost do it completely off seat and leg cues. I tried this morning doing it with the reins knotted and dropped on her neck and she got a couple of steps, so it was a good greenie day.

[Valentina_32926]

Learning the changes and like her extensions, they can be explosive - err - expressive! :lol:

But they are fun especially when we get them correctly.

[TropicalStorm]

If I can get my gangley 17.2 hand 5 yr old to canter a 20 meter circle without falling in on his shoulder or breaking to trot, it's considered a good day!! Oh the simple pleasures of riding a greenie.... ;)


That's about bang on with me too :D

With my just turned 6 year old, I'm working on balance and getting him to stretch. He has a tendency to get really tight in the back, so I'm working with transitions and cavelettis. I've also found working on spiraling in and out, at all three gaits, is really helping him get his legs underneath himself.
I'm also working on our halts from transitions.

But mainly, I'm starting to work on me. I realize that I collapse through corners and my sitting trot is atrocious.

[bthatasitmay]

My mare likes to passage. Learned by accident but I knew what it was and rewarded. We are developing piaffe (will use to evade but getting the idea), canter/trot halfpass (going well, she finds lateral work easy too), canter pirouette and just starting changes (have had a few very nice clean ones). She has an awesome extended trot and will do it best out of the passage ( I still rise to it, though). Everything is developing gradually. The mare is talented but can be spooky. I wish I could have had better seat training before I got her. Things are starting to gel now, happily. My wonderful older gelding lets me practice my position in flying changes (he is a wonderful canter horse), and extensions (which I can sit too) w/o stirrups.

[PiaffePlease]

Well, my guy is coming back from an injury, but before the injury we were working on flying changes. He knows how to do them, he is the teacher, and Im the student. It was alot of fun, I really like flying changes. I also enjoyed working on a very collected canter. He is the first horse Ive been able to ride (consistantly) that knows what he is doing. Im always the one teaching the horse, I ride mostly greenies. Its nice to learn from a horse who has been there, done that.

[Vesper Sparrow]

Aside from the usual Training Level stuff, these days we do a lot of kicking flies under the belly at a walk and trot. Despite fly bonnet and multiple levels of flyspray. At least I know the hindquarters are active and engaged...

[PetraR]

I am riding excerpts from Second Level tests with my 7-year old gelding. That's shoulder-in and travers, Counter canter, Simple changes, reinback and medium gaits, turn on the haunches, 10m circles....

In addition we have added flying changes and travers.
But I have to admit that these Second Level tests are loooonnng. I am exhausted half-way through.

I am really happy though to be doing something past First Level! Dressage is so much more fun when you are starting some more advanced stuff.

[CatOnLap]

Can we please let people know that a correctly done passage or piaffe is not an evasion, and if it looks like piaffe and passage and IS an evasion, the horse cannot possibly be properly engaged and on the aides. Why would you want to teach a horse to NOT be engaged in these moves? Because by allowing it, that is what you are doing. Your horse is giving you wonderful feedback about your own position by performing these so called "evasions".


In lower level horses, the movement is more likely to be "fear on the spot" and quite incorrect as the horse is generally hollow backed, spread out behind and above, behind or in front of the bit.

For those on schoolmasters, may I suggest you take a deep breath, correct your own posture and position and then engage the hind end by using your seat and legs to either get the proper movement or to do a transition into whatever it was you originally asked for? And please do this as quickly as possible.

For the person with the horse who "doesn't like" to use his left hind. What is the horse telling you or do you already know why he doesn't like to load on that leg? Unfit? Old injury? present pain? They always have a reason.

[preferred]

6 year old

trot leg yields from quarter line to wall and wall to quarter line or vice versa with a straight stride in between

shoulder-in at walk good, trot coming along

turn-on-forehand walk half and full circle

canter leg yields from quarter line to wall -started these last week better each time

trot lengthenings coming along working on self carraige here and not leaning and running....improving

chewy stretchies.....

10m figure eights at trot...10m left down ctr a stride change bend to 10m right vice versa

[Horsepower]

Hi guys! Thought I'd add one of my own! My pony and I do perfect counter-canters according to my trainer. Unfortunately, he is doing them regardless of the fact I am trying to get the CORRECT lead going.

[bthatasitmay]

Catonlap, this is a fun thread, chill.

[Lgd1]

I just enjoy playing with my old lady now - she retired from competition a few months ago but still does all the advanced stuff. Her party piece is the tempi changes.

Number 2 is nearly back to where we were before her injury last year. Working on the 3 & 4 tempis but they are too unreliable at the moment to compete with as she is slower to the leg on the left-right change at times. If we can crack those I'll get her out advanced towards the end of the summer season. Also working on the canter pirouettes, left one is pretty much there, right one best described as 'needs more work' :lol: She has a lovely natural piaffe and passage but my gut feeling is that she'll top out at PSG/Inter I as not sure she'll get the 1-tempis :sigh:

Baby B is only 2yo so she's working on basic manners and being a baby. She's well grown so will aim to back her next summer at 3½yo and then turn away for the winter. Think I might need the superglue for this one as she is rather 'athletic' :D