Piaffes

[ponylover88]

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[Lgd]

Piaffe is the highest degree of collection so the horse needs the muscle structure and training first to perform it correctly, plus the correct conformation to allow it to do the movement. Most horses will never reach the level required to do a true piaffe.

It should still be a forward movement, although the advance forward becomes minimal the further the horse progresses in his training.

The horse must shift his weight more into the hind leg showing a greater degree of 'sit' and flexion in the hind leg. The steps should be regular two beat with the toe of the raised hind leg reaching at least to the height of the opposite fetlock joint and the toe of the raised foreleg reaching to at least the mid-cannon bone height of the opposite leg. The horse should be soft over the back with the neck forward but raised with the poll at the highest point and the horse's face at the vertical. The horse should give an impression of lightness and ease in the movement.

It is best taught to the horse by starting the piaffe training from the ground and asking for half steps - this is where the horse covers more ground forward than in true piaffe but starts to develop the collection required. The same exercise is then ridden, asking for only a few steps at a time, gradually building up the strength and carrying capacity of the hind leg. As this improves the steps become more in place and can be held for more steps.

Some breeds find piaffe easier - the Iberian breeds (Lusitano, Andalusian, Lippizaner) do it naturally and are ideally suited to the highly collected work, they are often able to show the beginnings of piaffe in hand at a very young age. The modern WB does it well, although from a purely classical point of view is frequently incorrect in the way the horse 'sits' as many are not truely 'underneath' with the hind leg. TBs often struggle for the same reason, although there are exceptions in any breed. The best piaffe I have ever seen was Christopher Bartle's Olympic horse, Wily Trout - he was widely acknowleged amongst the international judging community as having a classically correct, quality piaffe. Well worth trying to find a video of him doing it!

[amadeorider]

excuse my ignorance but is a piaffe like a canter on the spot, or going forwards lightly?

[Lgd]

This is piaffe

http://www.ridinghabit.com/guide/animation/piaffe.html

[amadeorider]

oh right. cheers.

[IrisSilverMoon]

Originally posted by Lgd
Piaffe is the highest degree of collection so the horse needs the muscle structure and training first to perform it correctly, plus the correct conformation to allow it to do the movement. Most horses will never reach the level required to do a true piaffe.

I would like to point out though that while you might not ever win ribbons in the ring, as long as the horse is physically capable, all horses do have the capacity for piaffe...:) unfortunetely sometimes the best they can manage is a shuffle of the feet, hehe.



TBs often struggle for the same reason


I feel much better now...LOL. :p

you sohuld see the piaffe on one of our school horses, Pat, its absolutely lovely, I think he's got one of the best piaffe's in the barn. he is yet another thoroughbred with a lovely piaffe!

[Wally]

Hákon can piaffe in pace, it's hysterical to watch, he also mutters under his breath while he does it.!:D :D

[ponylover88]

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[Bay Mare]

Hákon can piaffe in pace, it's hysterical to watch, he also mutters under his breath while he does it.!:D :D

LOL, you REALLY need to get a book done with illustrations for these gems! Think a la Thelwell :) I wish that I could draw, I can see it in my mind but it won't come out any further :(


ponylover - Saff does a 'canter piaffe' too, it's not something that I ask for either but it's very controlled from her point of view :) There IS an old classical term for 'canter on the spot' ... can't remember what it is so I can't even pretend that she's doing it properly :rolleyes:

[IrisSilverMoon]

yes, the rider is definately in control during piaffe. its really a big show of how much control you have over the horse because you are asking him to not move forward, but keep the energy, collect and continue moving. if you don't ask correctly or the horse isn't under your control chances are they won't do it, its not every horses favorite movement, though i've known quite a few to use it as a means of evasion... :p

[ponylover88]

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[Gabrielle]

Whilst doing some basic schooling on my 5 year old Section D she tried to get away from me but I "pulled " her back and kept my leg on her - baby piaffe!

She has her hocks under her and moves forward very controlled and actually covers little ground. This happened firstly last summer and I have been trying not to do it too much but just love the feel of it. I entered a Riding club Dressage test last year and we came first. The first ever dressage test that I have completed in and the first for my girl as well. I am hoping to do more as a friend has just moved on to my yard with her TB and she has mentioned she wants to do more dressage - she hasn;t done much-any either.

We are actually talking about getting a trainer between us firstly to just get the basics going. What do you think? :D

[Funky MeerKAT]

All horses can do piaffe, it is a natural movement. Horses will sometimes do it on there own when they get really excited.However to do it and to teach the horse to do it on your aids you need the highest degree of collection and impulsion possible. It is not really possible to teach it to a horse until it has as the basic flatwork and much more, it must be very much on the aids. And yes it is very, very controled, that is what collection is - extreme control of energy. So until your horse is quite advanced in his training you shouldn't even attempt to teach piaffe. And sorry but there is no such thing as canter piaffe, that is just called 'jumping up and down on the spot'!!

[JOJOBA]

I agree that all horses should be able to do a piaffe if correctly taught.
You should have seen the amazing piaffe my TB did after the electric fence malfunctioned and shocked him :rolleyes:. He reared up and ran backwards, and my horse (who was ahead) panicked and dragged me. I turned around in time to see my TB with his neck arched, nostrils flared, back and tail lifted, doing a beautiful piaffe whilst my mum tried to get him back under control :p.
However if you stick a rider on him it's hard enough just to get him working forward in a balanced outline!
I have been working towards the very first stages of piaffe in my riding lessons. At the moment Im just working on a high degree of collection with the horse Im riding - the minute he backs off I make a positive transition upwards and do some medium and lengthened trot, then ask him to collect again. The reason we're doing it is to engage his hindquarters better - due to his build he has a naturally downwards carriage. His neck is set on quite low, and he has a tendency to just arch his neck then drag his back end along. My instructor told me that unfortunately the temptation with him is to think 'oo he looks pretty in front, he must be working' when he isnt. So he had a rather rude awakening with me when he 'rounded' in front, and I still kept pushing him forward!
Hoping to achieve some relatively decent piaffe with him this summer - I took some pics of our current attempts last night and will be putting them up soon, so let me know what you think (if you want to see just keep an eye on the threads I post over the next couple of days).
I was very impressed with the amount of elevation he has in the pictures - especially as he's only just back in work after an injury. He's a super boy.

Sorry to hijak the thread :o

xxx

[Willingbe]

Just to add, if you want to see some more piaffe go to

http://www.dressageworld.de/new/cgi-bin/cl.cgi?lang=en&a=RichtenSieMit&job=piaintro

If you don't have broadband at the very least look at No 31 on the videos :D

[albilusitano]

hmmmm...I took My luso to a Classical Clinic last Saturday, was doing some shoulder in and he decided he'd Piaffe instead.....very nice ! :D :eek:

[albilusitano]

here he is in action

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a158/albilusitano/albie.jpg

[ponylover88]

hes so gorgous! looks very nice!!