Ride Forward, Not Fast

“Some horses will respond quite quickly when you start riding the transitions closer together, and that can lead to the horse anticipating the transition,” she warns. “If the horse starts to get tense or nervous, regroup, reestablish your rhythm, and start again making sure the horse is relaxed, swinging through the back, and attentive to the rider.”
Don’t forget about the importance of rider position when it comes to developing your horse’s impulsion. “I often see riders sitting behind the vertical to try to increase impulsion,” explains Karen, “but this prevents the horse from being able to lift his back and use his hind legs correctly.” Without a soft, centered seat for the horse’s back to come up into, the cycle of energy is interrupted.

If you have any doubts over whether your horse is moving forward with impulsion or just rushing, check with Karen’s Counting over the Cavaletti exercise.

Exercise #2: Counting over the Cavaletti

Place two cavaletti, or ground poles, about 40 metres apart (the precise distance is not overly important) down the long side of the ring. Ride over the cavaletti in a working trot or canter, counting the number of strides your horse takes in between. The next time around, ride over the cavaletti in lengthened trot or canter, and count the strides again.

“You can also count the strides between two letters in a dressage ring,” says Karen. “If the horse is truly lengthening his stride, the number of strides will be fewer.”

If the strides are not fewer, your horse is likely moving faster rather than with impulsion. “Going faster means that the horse will take short, quick strides because the weight is on the forehand,” Karen explains. “When the horse has impulsion, the strides are actually longer and he gets more air time. He’s transferring that energy forward in a more positive way.”

“The engagement and propulsion of the hind legs creates suspension in the stride and increases the lightness of the shoulders, thus enabling the horse to lengthen his stride,” she continues. “Impulsion refers to the thrust of the hind legs and the more thrust the horse has, the better the horse will be able to do a lengthened stride. Then, later on, the medium and extended gaits are developed out of the lengthened stride.”