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With the heat we have been having this summer, I have been working a lot in walk so that the horse and rider don’t become over heated. I know that may riders feel that walk is not a beneficial pace and quickly move on to trot and canter work, so here is a plan you can use and adapt for a walk training session.
Begin with some circles on each rein.
This will start a warm-up and give you time to focus on how your horse feels today.
The size of the circle will depend on your horse’s level of training, novice horses need to be ridden on larger circles to help the maintain their balance, more advanced horse can be ridden on smaller circles.
As you ride the circle, focus on the quality of your horse’s balance, the release of their body around your inside leg, the connection in your outside rein and the softness on the inside rein.
Then begin some lateral work.
Ride movements that are within your horse’s current training level, novice horses may be yielding, advanced horses can do shoulder-in, travers, renvers or half pass.
Focus on the quality of each step in the movement. Check that your horse remains balanced and light, in a level of self-carriage according to the training level.
Add in some rein back steps.
Again, if you horse is working at a novice level, only ask a couple of steps, more advanced horses can do more steps.
Check that each step is made slowly, and that your horse moves straight. If the haunches swing the off the line, very gently pulse your hands in the same direction (haunches move left, move both your hands to the left) to nudge their shoulders back in front of the haunches, even if it takes them off the original line. If you try to put the haunches back behind the shoulders, they will become disengaged.
The make some transitions between lateral movements.
Shoulder-in to travers, half pass to renvers etc.
For novice horses you can yielding on and off the track, with 2 or 3 steps to the inside, then straight, change the bend and 2 make or 3 steps back to the track.
The ride down the centre line checking the quality of your straightness.
Add in a halt and rein back transition.
Rider shoulder in on the centre line or a yield off the centre line, stopping the yield at the ¾ line.
Ridden in a balanced quality walk, a programme like this will exercise your horse without over exerting them.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
Begin with some circles on each rein.
This will start a warm-up and give you time to focus on how your horse feels today.
The size of the circle will depend on your horse’s level of training, novice horses need to be ridden on larger circles to help the maintain their balance, more advanced horse can be ridden on smaller circles.
As you ride the circle, focus on the quality of your horse’s balance, the release of their body around your inside leg, the connection in your outside rein and the softness on the inside rein.
Then begin some lateral work.
Ride movements that are within your horse’s current training level, novice horses may be yielding, advanced horses can do shoulder-in, travers, renvers or half pass.
Focus on the quality of each step in the movement. Check that your horse remains balanced and light, in a level of self-carriage according to the training level.
Add in some rein back steps.
Again, if you horse is working at a novice level, only ask a couple of steps, more advanced horses can do more steps.
Check that each step is made slowly, and that your horse moves straight. If the haunches swing the off the line, very gently pulse your hands in the same direction (haunches move left, move both your hands to the left) to nudge their shoulders back in front of the haunches, even if it takes them off the original line. If you try to put the haunches back behind the shoulders, they will become disengaged.
The make some transitions between lateral movements.
Shoulder-in to travers, half pass to renvers etc.
For novice horses you can yielding on and off the track, with 2 or 3 steps to the inside, then straight, change the bend and 2 make or 3 steps back to the track.
The ride down the centre line checking the quality of your straightness.
Add in a halt and rein back transition.
Rider shoulder in on the centre line or a yield off the centre line, stopping the yield at the ¾ line.
Ridden in a balanced quality walk, a programme like this will exercise your horse without over exerting them.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
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Yielding is a very useful exercise when done well. It is the first stage in creating sideways steps with a horse and a precursor to riding shoulder-in. Although this is a simple exercise, it is not easy to ride and can create more problems than it solves when ridden poorly.
In a correct yield, the horse moves laterally from your inside leg, with a soft ribcage whilst maintaining his balance by crossing his inside legs over his outside legs.
One of the main problems with this exercise is that many horses push their weight to their outside shoulder. This can be caused by the rider sitting behind the movement, leaning away from the direction of travel, by the rider pulling the inside rein or by the horse being unbalanced.
A basic yield begins on a straight line on the inner track. The horse should have a soft rib cage around the riders inside leg. The horse then moves on a diagonal from line towards the track, moving both forehand and haunches at the same rate, ideally crossing the inside foreleg over the outside foreleg and the inside hind crossing the outside hind.
Keep your hips and shoulder facing forward and move your waist slightly towards your elbow in the direction you want to go, keeping your seat balanced.
Within the exercise, your inside leg has several functions; it creates softness in the rib cage of the horse, maintains impulsion if required and directs the quarters to step sideways.
Stepping sideways needs a touch with the inside leg to create the sidestep. The outside leg releases to allow the horse to step over and then gathers the outside of the horse. All aids are given only as necessary. If the horse is performing the movement in balance, sit quietly and don’t disrupt them.
Throughout the exercise the horse should remain in balance, stepping across as a whole horse, not dropping into his outside shoulder.
If you feel your horse move weight into their shoulder, ride out of the movement by lightly closing you outside rein towards their neck (not pulling backwards) and touching lightly with you outside leg. Check that your position remains balanced and straight.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
In a correct yield, the horse moves laterally from your inside leg, with a soft ribcage whilst maintaining his balance by crossing his inside legs over his outside legs.
One of the main problems with this exercise is that many horses push their weight to their outside shoulder. This can be caused by the rider sitting behind the movement, leaning away from the direction of travel, by the rider pulling the inside rein or by the horse being unbalanced.
A basic yield begins on a straight line on the inner track. The horse should have a soft rib cage around the riders inside leg. The horse then moves on a diagonal from line towards the track, moving both forehand and haunches at the same rate, ideally crossing the inside foreleg over the outside foreleg and the inside hind crossing the outside hind.
Keep your hips and shoulder facing forward and move your waist slightly towards your elbow in the direction you want to go, keeping your seat balanced.
Within the exercise, your inside leg has several functions; it creates softness in the rib cage of the horse, maintains impulsion if required and directs the quarters to step sideways.
Stepping sideways needs a touch with the inside leg to create the sidestep. The outside leg releases to allow the horse to step over and then gathers the outside of the horse. All aids are given only as necessary. If the horse is performing the movement in balance, sit quietly and don’t disrupt them.
Throughout the exercise the horse should remain in balance, stepping across as a whole horse, not dropping into his outside shoulder.
If you feel your horse move weight into their shoulder, ride out of the movement by lightly closing you outside rein towards their neck (not pulling backwards) and touching lightly with you outside leg. Check that your position remains balanced and straight.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
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,Circles and turns should be easy, we ride them all the time, but they are among the most difficult movements to produce consistently well. Often only part of the circle creates a balanced horse before the movement deteriorates and the horse loses balance. Riding a corner well creates a balanced horse on the straight side of the school, not riding the corner means that your horse is unbalanced on the next side making following movements more difficult.
When the horse loses their balance, they place weight into their shoulder usually more to one side than the other. This can take the rider off balance as well. Equally, if the rider loses their balance, it has a negative impact on the horse. The more that the rider is able to maintain a stable position, the easier it is for the horse to retain their balance.
Riding circles and corners are the same, you just have fewer steps around the corner. One of the most common issues with riding these movements, is that riders try to turn the horse with the reins, forgetting the impact that their position has on the horse. Moving a horse through a corner or around a circle is done by influencing the horse’s posture through your own position.
Slightly advance your outside shoulder to align with your horse’s shoulders. Allow your hands to follow the rotation of your shoulders. Your hips need to be in line with your horse’s hips, seat balanced, weight even across both seat bones. You may need to bring your inside seat bone and hip slightly forward to maintain the alignment of your hips with your horse’s hips.
In this position, your weight will be correctly balanced, and your outside rein will come lightly against your horse’s neck. Your inside rein will move away from your horse’s neck. As your horse finds his balance, you will feel him offer a connection into your outside rein which is perfectly positioned to accept the contact offered. Your inside rein should remain soft, if you pull this rein backwards, you will block your horse’s inside hind leg from coming through and he will be unable to maintain his balance. Avoid purposely putting your weight into one or other stirrup as this will make you unbalanced in relation to your horse. If your body is correctly aligned with your horse, your weight will be in the right place.
When you want to ride out of the circle or turn, all you need to do it sit straight. Avoid trying to straighten your horse as this often results in the rider unbalancing the horse and putting weight back to their shoulder.
Practicing very correct circles and corners consistently will greatly improve your horse’s strength and suppleness, they will start to engage their inside hind leg and this develops better straightness.
In the photos below, the first shows an unbalanced horse and the second shows a balanced horse.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
When the horse loses their balance, they place weight into their shoulder usually more to one side than the other. This can take the rider off balance as well. Equally, if the rider loses their balance, it has a negative impact on the horse. The more that the rider is able to maintain a stable position, the easier it is for the horse to retain their balance.
Riding circles and corners are the same, you just have fewer steps around the corner. One of the most common issues with riding these movements, is that riders try to turn the horse with the reins, forgetting the impact that their position has on the horse. Moving a horse through a corner or around a circle is done by influencing the horse’s posture through your own position.
Slightly advance your outside shoulder to align with your horse’s shoulders. Allow your hands to follow the rotation of your shoulders. Your hips need to be in line with your horse’s hips, seat balanced, weight even across both seat bones. You may need to bring your inside seat bone and hip slightly forward to maintain the alignment of your hips with your horse’s hips.
In this position, your weight will be correctly balanced, and your outside rein will come lightly against your horse’s neck. Your inside rein will move away from your horse’s neck. As your horse finds his balance, you will feel him offer a connection into your outside rein which is perfectly positioned to accept the contact offered. Your inside rein should remain soft, if you pull this rein backwards, you will block your horse’s inside hind leg from coming through and he will be unable to maintain his balance. Avoid purposely putting your weight into one or other stirrup as this will make you unbalanced in relation to your horse. If your body is correctly aligned with your horse, your weight will be in the right place.
When you want to ride out of the circle or turn, all you need to do it sit straight. Avoid trying to straighten your horse as this often results in the rider unbalancing the horse and putting weight back to their shoulder.
Practicing very correct circles and corners consistently will greatly improve your horse’s strength and suppleness, they will start to engage their inside hind leg and this develops better straightness.
In the photos below, the first shows an unbalanced horse and the second shows a balanced horse.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
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A correct position is essential to allowing the horse to move and balance well and most important part of the rider’s posture is the movement of their back. A well-balanced independent rider can influence the horse subtly and support the horse with well-timed aids, creating freedom of movement and lightness.
The rider’s back should be tall, aligned, and supple, never rigid or collapsed. Correct posture begins with a neutral pelvis, allowing the spine to lengthen upward while remaining flexible.
In all paces the rider’s back must move in unison with the horse’s back, spine aligned to the horse’s spine. This allows the rider to communicate clearly through small changes of weight and posture. When this harmony with the horse occurs, the aids become invisible and the horse moves freely.
If the rider has a stiff, hollow or braced back they block the horse’s movement, leading to a shortened or tense stride. Instead of swinging freely, the stride becomes restricted, making true engagement and connection impossible.
The rider’s back also has a direct effect on the contact with the horse’s mouth. When a rider is well-balanced with a soft lower back it allows their hands to remain steady in relation to the movement of the horse. This creates a soft connection from the horse’s mouth to the rider’s seat.
A well-used back also supports self-carriage. Subtle changes in posture and weight distribution signal half-halts and transitions without force. The horse learns to respond to the rider’s body rather than strong rein or leg aids, leading to greater lightness and harmony.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
The rider’s back should be tall, aligned, and supple, never rigid or collapsed. Correct posture begins with a neutral pelvis, allowing the spine to lengthen upward while remaining flexible.
In all paces the rider’s back must move in unison with the horse’s back, spine aligned to the horse’s spine. This allows the rider to communicate clearly through small changes of weight and posture. When this harmony with the horse occurs, the aids become invisible and the horse moves freely.
If the rider has a stiff, hollow or braced back they block the horse’s movement, leading to a shortened or tense stride. Instead of swinging freely, the stride becomes restricted, making true engagement and connection impossible.
The rider’s back also has a direct effect on the contact with the horse’s mouth. When a rider is well-balanced with a soft lower back it allows their hands to remain steady in relation to the movement of the horse. This creates a soft connection from the horse’s mouth to the rider’s seat.
A well-used back also supports self-carriage. Subtle changes in posture and weight distribution signal half-halts and transitions without force. The horse learns to respond to the rider’s body rather than strong rein or leg aids, leading to greater lightness and harmony.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
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For the final blog of this year, I’m taking a look at the much neglected pace of walk. The example I am using is from the Gothenberg World Cup, from February this year. The full video can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIB0VkqL8iA. The horse I am looking at is Florine ridden by Bianca Nowag-Aulenbrock and the section starts at 2 hours, 42 minutes and 25 seconds.
Correctly ridden, walk is an excellent pace for teaching movement and developing flexibility and strength. The walk shown in this test demonstrates some of the many problems I see with walks ridden by many riders both in competition and training.
The horse in this video shows a very common issue with the type of walk riders are expecting from their horses today. They rider has a very firm hold on the reins, and is leaning back in the saddle in a very blocked and braced position. Consequently, the horse is bracing its neck, hollow backed and disengaged in its haunches and the weight is placed into the forehand. This restricts in the horse’s shoulder movement and blocks the hind legs action, making the stride drop short.
The pictures below clearly show how blocked the horse is and you can see the rider's position moves further behind the vertical throughout the sequence, increasing the blocking of the horse's movement.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
Correctly ridden, walk is an excellent pace for teaching movement and developing flexibility and strength. The walk shown in this test demonstrates some of the many problems I see with walks ridden by many riders both in competition and training.
The horse in this video shows a very common issue with the type of walk riders are expecting from their horses today. They rider has a very firm hold on the reins, and is leaning back in the saddle in a very blocked and braced position. Consequently, the horse is bracing its neck, hollow backed and disengaged in its haunches and the weight is placed into the forehand. This restricts in the horse’s shoulder movement and blocks the hind legs action, making the stride drop short.
The pictures below clearly show how blocked the horse is and you can see the rider's position moves further behind the vertical throughout the sequence, increasing the blocking of the horse's movement.
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
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In previous months, I have reviewed some of the problems that can happen with the individual movements of piaffe (click here to read A View of Piaffe) and passage (click here to read A View of Passage), and this month I am looking at the transition between these two movements. This is a very advanced transition requiring great strength and balance from the horse and it must be ridden very tactfully. The pictures are from a YouTube video “Charlotte Fry and Everdale Dance their Way to Victory” in the FEI Dressage World Cup Mechelen in 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfTZu1Vo77g. The passage begins at 0.49 seconds.
The FEI Rules list some of the faults that can occur with this particular movement, indicating how complex the transition is, the importance of the preceding passage or piaffe.
PASSAGE-PIAFFE-PASSAGE TRANSITIONS:
Problem: - severe resistance, disobedience throughout
- both transitions into and out of piaffe fail 1, 2 or 3 (depending on severity)
- lack of obedience, e.g. one transition fails
- very irregular steps, breaking into canter or walk in 1 trans
- very undefined, too long (over distance of ~ 5+ metres)
- very crooked
Additional Considerations: Watch the passage-piaffe-passage transitions in connection with piaffe or passage:
• Generally speaking, one must see the passage - piaffe - passage transitions in connection with piaffe and passage: A badly sitting piaffe cannot suddenly lead to a highly collected, good transition. Therefore, as a rule, the mark for transition should not be significantly higher than the mark for piaffe and passage. Exception: The Horse shows after a correct passage a piaffe, which starts well, is then broken by a resistance and at the end is shown again in rhythm. In this case, the mark for the transition can be significantly higher than the mark for the piaffe.
• If a piaffe is moving too much forwards or not showing enough steps, the transition is not clearly defined and cannot be more than max. one (1) point higher than the piaffe.
• Imprecise riding can lead to multiple deductions of points: e.g. a piaffe is clearly not shown at the marker prescribed (-> deduction of points), the transition is also not where it belongs (-> deduction) and the subsequent passage is clearly too short (-> deduction).
• If the Horse loses the last passage on the centre line, the mark for the halt has also to be affected as there is no transition passage – halt….
The passage shown here has no suspension. The horse is blocked through the backward pressure from the rider’s hands, compressing the horse’s neck. This disengages the horse’s haunches resulting in limited flexion of the hind leg joints. This causes the horse to bounce up and down, rather than have suspension in the trot steps, and there is a loss of the trot diagonal with the right hind leg reaching the ground before the left fore. (Picture 0.55)
The FEI Rules list some of the faults that can occur with this particular movement, indicating how complex the transition is, the importance of the preceding passage or piaffe.
PASSAGE-PIAFFE-PASSAGE TRANSITIONS:
Problem: - severe resistance, disobedience throughout
- both transitions into and out of piaffe fail 1, 2 or 3 (depending on severity)
- lack of obedience, e.g. one transition fails
- very irregular steps, breaking into canter or walk in 1 trans
- very undefined, too long (over distance of ~ 5+ metres)
- very crooked
Additional Considerations: Watch the passage-piaffe-passage transitions in connection with piaffe or passage:
• Generally speaking, one must see the passage - piaffe - passage transitions in connection with piaffe and passage: A badly sitting piaffe cannot suddenly lead to a highly collected, good transition. Therefore, as a rule, the mark for transition should not be significantly higher than the mark for piaffe and passage. Exception: The Horse shows after a correct passage a piaffe, which starts well, is then broken by a resistance and at the end is shown again in rhythm. In this case, the mark for the transition can be significantly higher than the mark for the piaffe.
• If a piaffe is moving too much forwards or not showing enough steps, the transition is not clearly defined and cannot be more than max. one (1) point higher than the piaffe.
• Imprecise riding can lead to multiple deductions of points: e.g. a piaffe is clearly not shown at the marker prescribed (-> deduction of points), the transition is also not where it belongs (-> deduction) and the subsequent passage is clearly too short (-> deduction).
• If the Horse loses the last passage on the centre line, the mark for the halt has also to be affected as there is no transition passage – halt….
The passage shown here has no suspension. The horse is blocked through the backward pressure from the rider’s hands, compressing the horse’s neck. This disengages the horse’s haunches resulting in limited flexion of the hind leg joints. This causes the horse to bounce up and down, rather than have suspension in the trot steps, and there is a loss of the trot diagonal with the right hind leg reaching the ground before the left fore. (Picture 0.55)
The only way the rider can now make the transition to piaffe is to increase the pressure on the reins by pulling back, further compressing the horse’s forehand and blocking the horse from bringing its haunches under. Because the horse is unable to engage his haunches correctly to piaffe, he starts to start to swing them from side to side. (1 minute 3 seconds) See super imposed pictures 1.03
The piaffe is on the forehand with no flexing of the hindleg joints. The left hindleg is stepping out to the side and there is a breakdown of the diagonals (picture 1.07)
The following passage steps are compromised, and the horse is swinging its haunches from side to side with both hind feet crossing under its body rather than travelling straight (pictures 1:14 A and 1:16).
Approaching the turn, the rider takes a further backwards movement with right rein. This means that the horse weights its inside shoulder and foreleg, leaning into the turn and swings its haunches out with its inside hind foot crossing towards its outside hind. (Picture 1:21)
© Diane Followell - Training Riders, Transforming Horses
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Over my years (OK, decades) of riding and teaching dressage, I have often seen riders and trainers demanding absolute obedience from their horses. If the horse does not give an immediate response to an aid, they are instantly reprimanded, particularly if they performed the exercise before with no problems. There is an idea in dressage that the rider is always right, and the horse must do exactly as the rider demands the instant it is requested.
Counter to many views, I believe that the horse always gives us the right answer, and if the answer is no we have asked the wrong question. This gives me an insight into how the horse is feeling, and why they may have refused the aid.
Did the horse understand the aid?
Was the aid exactly the same as the previous one?
Was the horse in the best position to respond?
Did the rider block the horse?
Had the preparatory work been done correctly?
Was the horse expecting the aid or was he surprised by it?
Each aid and movement in training is a small part that builds on the previous work and is a stepping stone to the next level. If a horse refuses an aid, we must look at the reason behind it and not assume that we are right and they are wrong.
Counter to many views, I believe that the horse always gives us the right answer, and if the answer is no we have asked the wrong question. This gives me an insight into how the horse is feeling, and why they may have refused the aid.
Did the horse understand the aid?
Was the aid exactly the same as the previous one?
Was the horse in the best position to respond?
Did the rider block the horse?
Had the preparatory work been done correctly?
Was the horse expecting the aid or was he surprised by it?
Each aid and movement in training is a small part that builds on the previous work and is a stepping stone to the next level. If a horse refuses an aid, we must look at the reason behind it and not assume that we are right and they are wrong.
Training Riders, Transforming Horses
© Diane Followell
© Diane Followell
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This month I am reviewing a half 10 metre circle performed by Kimberly Pap and Sonnenburg’s Jersey competing at the VHO Trophy 2023 starting at 3 minutes 40 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cvqPdPVOsI
The half circle should give the horse and rider an opportunity to prepare for the next movement, a few strides to help the horse rebalance itself, and for the rider to check the engagement of the haunches. However, this chance is missed by the rider. The half pass preceding this turn is made with very extravagant strides and speed. The horse has disengaged his haunches and become unbalanced through the movement. (Picture A).
The half circle should give the horse and rider an opportunity to prepare for the next movement, a few strides to help the horse rebalance itself, and for the rider to check the engagement of the haunches. However, this chance is missed by the rider. The half pass preceding this turn is made with very extravagant strides and speed. The horse has disengaged his haunches and become unbalanced through the movement. (Picture A).
To bring the horse back in time to make the half circle, the rider pulls the reins, blocking the horse. The horse has no engagement of the hind leg and is unable to balance itself correctly, and drops his weight towards his right foreleg to balance. (Picture B).
As they begin the turn, the disengagement of the haunchesand weight towards the shoulder means that the impulsion, instead of balancing the horse, causes him to lean to the inside. The rider is unbalanced and using the reins for support and overbending the horse's neck. (Picture C and D).
Because he is disengaged, the horse moves his inside hind foot towards the outside, crossing his left hindleg. With his balance totally compromised, the horse uses his inside foreleg to stay upright. (Picture E and F)
At the end of the half circle, the horse is still completely out of balance as he enters the centre line with his weight towards his forehand, and disengaged haunches. (Picture G)
Below is a photo of a horse and rider correctly balanced on a circle.
Training Riders, Transforming Horses
© Diane Followell
© Diane Followell
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I am continuing the theme of looking at some of the faults that can occur with the difficult high-level movements, and this time I am looking at passage. The photos are taken from a video of Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper at the Tokyo Olympics Dressage in 2021. The full video can be seen here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSYdsItiqU&t=1549s and the passage I am reviewing starts at 29 mins 14 secs.
Passage is a difficult movement to perform correctly. The horse must have exceptional balance, suppleness strength to maintain the very collected high, slow steps required. This movement must be ridden with lightness and tact from the rider. In the FEI rules, there is a good description of a passage.
The FEI rules 2020 give a description of passage and the faults that can occur.
ARTICLE 414 THE PASSAGE
1. Passage is a measured, very collected, elevated and cadenced trot. It is characterised by a pronounced engagement of the hindquarters, a more accentuated flexion of the knees and hocks, and the graceful elasticity of the movement. Each diagonal pair of legs is raised and returned to the ground alternately, with cadence and a prolonged suspension.
2. In principle, the height of the toe of the raised forefoot should be level with the middle of the cannon bone of the other supporting foreleg. The toe of the raised hind foot should be slightly above the fetlock joint of the other supporting hind leg.
3. The neck should be raised and gracefully arched with the poll as the highest point and the nose line close to the vertical. The Horse should remain light, and soft “on the bit” without altering the cadence. The impulsion remains lively and pronounced.
4. Irregular steps with the hind or front legs, swinging the forehand or the hindquarters from one (1) side to the other, as well as jerky movements of the forelegs or the hind legs, dragging the hind legs or double beat in the moment of suspension are serious faults. The aim of passage is to demonstrate the highest degree of collection, cadence and suspension in the trot.
Having watched many hours of passage, many of the movements I have seen have little resemblance to the way it should be performed, and the marks given do not reflect the requirements for the movement as stated by the FEI. In passage today, horses are blocked in the head and neck, disengaged in their haunches and unable to flex their hind leg joints, which results in a breakdown of the steps and essentially, no passage.
In this test, the horse is asked to perform a series of complex trot movements leading into passage; trot half pass to piaffe, then a piaffe pirouette followed with passage. The preceding piaffe is incorrect showing a swinging forehand (see A View of Piaffe and Some Faults in Piaffe) which sets the horse up for a poor passage. Today we see horses performing difficult movements one after the other without being given a rest with a simple movement such as a circle or moving on a straight line in a less collected or extended stride. This type of riding creates a situation where the quality of each exercise deteriorates, and riders have to compromise lightness and balance for the sake of forcing though into the next movement.
This passage shows irregular steps in the hind legs, a double beat in the moment of suspension and a loss of the diagonal trot stride. Perhaps the focus of these tests should be more on the quality of each movement rather than making ever more complicated routines?
In the transition to passage, the rider holds the horse through the rein and this makes the horse contract it’s neck, resulting in a break in the trot diagonals (picture 29.14) where the left hind is off the ground whilst the right fore is on the ground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSYdsItiqU&t=1549s and the passage I am reviewing starts at 29 mins 14 secs.
Passage is a difficult movement to perform correctly. The horse must have exceptional balance, suppleness strength to maintain the very collected high, slow steps required. This movement must be ridden with lightness and tact from the rider. In the FEI rules, there is a good description of a passage.
The FEI rules 2020 give a description of passage and the faults that can occur.
ARTICLE 414 THE PASSAGE
1. Passage is a measured, very collected, elevated and cadenced trot. It is characterised by a pronounced engagement of the hindquarters, a more accentuated flexion of the knees and hocks, and the graceful elasticity of the movement. Each diagonal pair of legs is raised and returned to the ground alternately, with cadence and a prolonged suspension.
2. In principle, the height of the toe of the raised forefoot should be level with the middle of the cannon bone of the other supporting foreleg. The toe of the raised hind foot should be slightly above the fetlock joint of the other supporting hind leg.
3. The neck should be raised and gracefully arched with the poll as the highest point and the nose line close to the vertical. The Horse should remain light, and soft “on the bit” without altering the cadence. The impulsion remains lively and pronounced.
4. Irregular steps with the hind or front legs, swinging the forehand or the hindquarters from one (1) side to the other, as well as jerky movements of the forelegs or the hind legs, dragging the hind legs or double beat in the moment of suspension are serious faults. The aim of passage is to demonstrate the highest degree of collection, cadence and suspension in the trot.
Having watched many hours of passage, many of the movements I have seen have little resemblance to the way it should be performed, and the marks given do not reflect the requirements for the movement as stated by the FEI. In passage today, horses are blocked in the head and neck, disengaged in their haunches and unable to flex their hind leg joints, which results in a breakdown of the steps and essentially, no passage.
In this test, the horse is asked to perform a series of complex trot movements leading into passage; trot half pass to piaffe, then a piaffe pirouette followed with passage. The preceding piaffe is incorrect showing a swinging forehand (see A View of Piaffe and Some Faults in Piaffe) which sets the horse up for a poor passage. Today we see horses performing difficult movements one after the other without being given a rest with a simple movement such as a circle or moving on a straight line in a less collected or extended stride. This type of riding creates a situation where the quality of each exercise deteriorates, and riders have to compromise lightness and balance for the sake of forcing though into the next movement.
This passage shows irregular steps in the hind legs, a double beat in the moment of suspension and a loss of the diagonal trot stride. Perhaps the focus of these tests should be more on the quality of each movement rather than making ever more complicated routines?
In the transition to passage, the rider holds the horse through the rein and this makes the horse contract it’s neck, resulting in a break in the trot diagonals (picture 29.14) where the left hind is off the ground whilst the right fore is on the ground.
The horse continues to be held by the rider’s hands on the reins which restricts the ability of the horse to move off its forehand, preventing the haunches and hind legs from correctly engaging. The passage rhythm is compromised, and the faulty trot stride continues with the left foreleg on the ground and the right hind is in the air (picture 29.15) .
With the haunches disengaged, the left hind foot makes a double beat in the passage, being brought forward (picture 29.16 A) before being drawn back and placed on the ground (picture 29.16 B).
The horse is now out of balance and the forward momentum continues to be blocked by the rider’s hands. The passage has no suspension as the horse moves its inside hind leg towards the outside instead of flexing its leg joints and keeping the inside hind leg moving straight forward. (Picture 29.19).
Training Riders, Transforming Horses
© Diane Followell
© Diane Followell
- Published on
Along with many other equestrians, I have watched the first day of dressage competition at the Paris Olympics. I have been interested in the opportunity to see the scores as the test progress, and to compare them to the expected movements according to the FEI rules.
Here are some of my thoughts on a few of the piaffe movements ridden and the scores allocated. Whilst I have only commented on three horse and rider pairings, these types of piaffe are being shown by many other combinations.
The timings given are from the Discovery+ coverage of the full days event.
For reference the judging criteria as described in “The FEI DRESSAGE JUDGING MANUAL Effective from 1 January 2024” is below;
Here are some of my thoughts on a few of the piaffe movements ridden and the scores allocated. Whilst I have only commented on three horse and rider pairings, these types of piaffe are being shown by many other combinations.
The timings given are from the Discovery+ coverage of the full days event.
For reference the judging criteria as described in “The FEI DRESSAGE JUDGING MANUAL Effective from 1 January 2024” is below;
Table below sets out the faults in piaffe and the scores that should be allocated.
Taken from “The FEI DRESSAGE JUDGING MANUAL To be considered in connection with the FEI Dressage Rules and the FEI Dressage Handbook Guidelines for Judging. Effective from 1 January 2024”.
Nanna Skodborg-Merrald riding Zepter.
Piaffe at 16 minutes and 54 seconds.
- The horse’s forehand is swinging from side to side.
- Loss of rhythm.
- Horse’s nose swinging from side to side.
- Horse bracing through the neck and jaw.
Score 7.6
Piaffe at 18 minutes 9 seconds.
- Swinging haunches.
- Loss of rhythm.
Score 7.8
Emma Kanerva riding Greek Air.
Piaffe starts at 3 hours 13 minutes and 50 seconds.
- Horse is on its forehand.
- Horse’s neck blocked and contracted. The muscle on the underside of the horse’s neck is braced.
- Haunches swinging.
- Tail swishing.
Score 7.7
Piaffe starting at 3 hours 15 minutes and 5 seconds
- Horse’s neck blocked and contracted. The muscle on the underside of the horse’s neck is braced.
- Haunches swinging.
- Uneven steps in hind legs.
- Tail swishing
Score 7.4
Marcus Orlob riding Jane
Piaffe starting at 3 hours 5 minutes and 49 seconds.
- Horse’s neck blocked and contracted.
- From the front view the left hind leg is seen swinging out.
- Uneven steps behind with the left hind leg making a backward movement and the right hind leg stepping up and down.
- Loss of diagonal steps.
- Horse bracing through the neck and jaw.
Score 7.4
Training Riders, Transforming Horses
© Diane Followell
Nanna Skodborg-Merrald riding Zepter.
Piaffe at 16 minutes and 54 seconds.
- The horse’s forehand is swinging from side to side.
- Loss of rhythm.
- Horse’s nose swinging from side to side.
- Horse bracing through the neck and jaw.
Score 7.6
Piaffe at 18 minutes 9 seconds.
- Swinging haunches.
- Loss of rhythm.
Score 7.8
Emma Kanerva riding Greek Air.
Piaffe starts at 3 hours 13 minutes and 50 seconds.
- Horse is on its forehand.
- Horse’s neck blocked and contracted. The muscle on the underside of the horse’s neck is braced.
- Haunches swinging.
- Tail swishing.
Score 7.7
Piaffe starting at 3 hours 15 minutes and 5 seconds
- Horse’s neck blocked and contracted. The muscle on the underside of the horse’s neck is braced.
- Haunches swinging.
- Uneven steps in hind legs.
- Tail swishing
Score 7.4
Marcus Orlob riding Jane
Piaffe starting at 3 hours 5 minutes and 49 seconds.
- Horse’s neck blocked and contracted.
- From the front view the left hind leg is seen swinging out.
- Uneven steps behind with the left hind leg making a backward movement and the right hind leg stepping up and down.
- Loss of diagonal steps.
- Horse bracing through the neck and jaw.
Score 7.4
Training Riders, Transforming Horses
© Diane Followell
