Creating Impulsion

[Fran_C]

Having just competed in one of my first dressage test I was very pleased to have got 8's for my canter, but it was commented on my test sheet that I didn't have enough impulsion in the trot and Penny's hindlegs weren't under enough. Could anyone give me a simple plan/guide/steps to create more implusion? (Penny has naturally got loads of impulsion in canter, I don't have to do a thing, its only trot and walk where we don't.)

Please comment!

Fran

[Heather]

The best way to create impulsion, Fran,is to do lots of transitions, gradully storing up energy, which can be released or contained by opening or closing the seat and the fingers.

We don't do nearly enough transitions when schooling in this country- in germany, they do dozens in an hour schooling session, and also half halts, but these can only really be effective when the transitions are really good
And the horse is really on the aids.

Do lots of walk halt transitions then walk trot, trot walk, gradually building up to thalt trot, trot halt transitions, and later, reinback to trot, and eventually reinback to canter.

Work in transitions on the circle, on serpentines, across the diagonal, anywhere in fact- you don;t just have to stick to doing them at the markers when schooling!

Try working like this and let me know what happens.


Heather

[Kerry's Partner!!]

Your question really interested me Fran because I feel we lose impulsion when we circle and do serpentines at the moment. Heather's response to you made me realise that we never work on transitions when doing circles, serpentines etc. so I'm going to try this too.