Getting my horse to do an Extended Trot...?

Question

Basically, we will be trotting around in a nice working trot. I can ask him to collect and he does this really well. But when I ask him to extend his trot, all he really does is trot faster. I want him to lengthen his strides, not do fast, choppy strides.

How can I get him to actually extend the trot without just trotting fast/messy? Thanks.

Answer 1

By using the right aids, extending your horse's trot can actually be pretty simple.

Without pulling, keep a medium hold on your horse's mouth while continuing to squeeze him forward. While you're holding him, squeeze your fingers (or gently tug with alternating hands). While you're squeezing him forward, alternate legs so that he knows you're not asking him to canter.

This same method can be used when trying to extend the walk and the canter.

I hope this helps, and good luck!!

Answer 2

In a trot lengthening, the horse pushes himself from behind and through his whole body into longer, suspended strides. He covers as much ground as he can in balance.

According to the U.S. Dressage Federation's Glossary of Judging Terms, lengthening is defined as "Elongation of the stride and the outline of the horse, yet maintaining the same tempo [beats per minute] and balance as in the corresponding working pace."

Here I'll give you 10 tips to improve the lengthening:

1. The lengthening is a whole-bodied movement for your horse...that is, it must go from thrusting hind feet all the way to the bit.

2. Expect your horse to reach for the bridle in the lengthening. "Reach" is the operative word. Allow his whole body--not just his strides--to lengthen. Soften your hand so he feels he can reach, but don't throw away the contact.

3. The lengthening should stabilize the contact without making it heavy or inflexible. Your horse should still be responsive to slight suppling aids to the left and right.

4. Lengthenings can only be developed from a correct working trot.

5. Be very picky and precise about your line of travel during the lengthening so that your horse's effort goes "through" his body.

6. You should feel suspension in the lengthening.

7. Keep the same tempo in the lengthening, even if you don't get the amount of reach that you want. If your horse gets fast, he has lost his balance onto the forehand. If it feels slightly slower, that's a good sign because it takes longer to make a big stride than it does to take a small stride.

8. If your horse loses his balance in the lengthening, half halt and circle to get it back.

9. Incorporate suppling exercises with all lengthenings so your horse doesn't get stiff and difficult in the downward transitions. For example, on the diagonal line, you can do a few steps of leg yield in the middle or toward the end of the lengthening. Be sure your horse's shoulders stay on the exact diagonal line.

10. Don't expect to get your best lengthening the first time you ask. Your horse's efforts will improve with repetition. He'll get "into it" when he feels the freedom you have given him.

For more about how to ride trot lengthenings, see "Trot Lengthening: The What, The Why and The How" in the November 2004 issue of Dressage Today magazine.

Or

Extended trot is asked in higher levels of dressage,it is an advanced movement.I'm assuming you ment lengthend trot?

You need lots of impulsion and a horse that can rock some of the weight back,to the hindquaters.

Try to use ground poles or cavalettis(as PressForTime already said!).Start with simple spacing:3.5-4ft apart.Ajust them to your horses individual strides,meaning if he takes big steps you increase the space,if he takes small steps you decrease.Trot over those a couple of times.If he picks himself up well you increase the spacing.Ride through it a couple of times and increase again.Go to the point where he has to stretch but don't make the spacing so big that he really has to reach.You cannot expect him to"do it all"in one day.The slower you go,the better.

YOu need to focus on riding him forward,and stay balanced.

Collection means shifting a horses weight from the fron to the back.The way you do it may sound simple but it is not.YOu need lots of impulsion and energy from the hindend which you will then"catch"with your reins by half halting.Use your weight and seat as well.

A good exercise would be trotting up hills.It will help to develop the needed muscles+encourage the horse to push from behind.

I would definitly have someone more experienced watch you from the ground.Again,you can't learn how to collect a horse by watching,or reading or researching or by us telling you.It is all about feeling(and that feeling you'll only get by doing it and gaining experience!)

Hope this helps

Answer 3

besides poles,

try getting into an collected trot, and then adding leg releasing the reins A LITTLE (not enough to loose collection, but enough for him to bring his head down a bit) and change your posting, so that your in the "up" a little bit longer, like UP down UP down, put lots of emphasis on it.  Your upper body is extreemly important through this also, so remember to keep your shoulders back and your elbows a little farther foreward then at your sides (since you giving rein, and at the collected trot your elbows should be at your side..)

You can also go into halfseat, let go of the reins and let him trot and just play with what you need to do to get him to lengthan as opposed to quicken.  

Answer 4

by laying down ground poles in a row, you can trot over them and then gradualy space them apart so in order to trot over the poles he would have to extend it. Good luck, have fun, and stay safe!!!!

Answer 5

Work on deepening your seat while you leg him strong to get him to reach with his hind legs....you want the energy to come from his rear forward.  Give him enough rein to stretch...you want his whole body to stretch out, but you have to use intermittent rein cues to keep him in balance, and your seat bones to keep him from cantering.  You need to get a well executed working trot before asking him to extend.  You can shift your pelvis by tightening your abdominal muscles while you leg him forward.