Collected, extended, posting trot?

Question

so i went to a horse show and did this walk/trot class for a warm up. they first asked for a posting trot, then extended, and then collected and back down to posting. i know what each of them are but how do i ask or do that in a show?

i know posting..duhh.

and collected is a trot with an easy forward going tempo

and extended..the horse extends his legs farther out (i squeeze everytime i go down for my horse to do this)

anyway, any specific ways to do each of these? just wondering. when the judge asked for them i wasnt expecting it.it doesnt matter because it was only a schooling show.

Answer 1

posting - your general working trot, with a speed thats not too fast or slow. Its in between. Keep giving leg, dont keep squeezing, they are like slight kicks, a horse will not listen to constant squeezing. Just keep giving slight kicks to keep his speed and impulsion up. Keep your horse working on the bit, flexing at the poll.

Collected - a working trot with significantly shorter strides. SLow down your posting, dont post so high out of the saddle, but keep your leg on. Act like your almost going to halt, but keep your horse moving forward. His strides should shorten and slow down a bit.

Extended - the horse extends his whole body and moves forward off your leg. post higher out of the saddle and give leg, he should speed up slightly but not rushing.

Remember, riding is all about regulating hand and leg aids.

A great way to practice the extension and collection of gaits is over trot poles. it is a great way to practice and know what you're supposed to be feeling. make sure your horse is working on the bit, flexing down, and around your leg. good luck

Answer 2

A good working  or posting trot must cover ground, engaged behind, active, forward thinking, with a lot of impulsion. This can also be ridden as a sitting trot.

In collected trot we look again for activity. More engagement than working trot, but the horse must still go forward and cover good ground. In collected trot you can have the same stride as in working trot, it's just more active, more cadenced, more expressive. But the steps must not come shorter - that only happens in a piaffe.  The collected work is normally done at a sitting trot.

The extended trot is an enhanced version of the working trot in which the horse's front legs stretch further out and cover more ground with each stride.  But remember this all comes from the rear end of the horse and should not be a rushed gait.

As you progress up the level of collection, you as the rider need to have certain abilities.  Learn to sit and to post and practice lengthening your leg during the sitting trot to provide more motion absorption.

Learn the cue to ask for an extended trot. On horseback, you'll want to sit deep in the saddle and use calf pressure to urge the horse into an extension. Contact with the horse's mouth is equally important, as you don't want to speed up the trot, but extend the horse's front legs.  So dont let the horse run through your hands.

And remember to reward your horse for doing something right by dropping back to a working trot.  Its difficult work for a horse to do collections and extension work and lots of stretching in between will keep your horse happy and loose.

Answer 3

My horses are always collected ( everything is tucked under themselves).

Posting is normal I guess. Just post.

Extended is to as your horse to move out more ( out of his collectiveness)

Collecting you need to hold the reigns while asking for a trot and not go into a canter.

Answer 4

in the posting trot, just ask for a regular trot, and let your horse have his head and try to keep a longer frame. for the collected trot, wiggle your fingers a bit to get your horse to tuck his head over, and squeeze with you calves to get him to get in the bridle. the collected trot should be faster than the posting trot, but it should still be quiet. when you go to ask for the extrended trot, soften up with your hands and continue squeezing (as you said you do) with your calves to get the length of stride desired for the extended trot.

it is different for some horses, but generally, a well-trained horse will respond to that.

hope i helped =)