British group dressage medallist Michael Eilberg shares the progressive methods he makes use of poles to assist develop younger horses’ early coaching, from corners and circles to counter canter and lateral work
1. Prepare poles round your enviornment as per the diagram, beneath
“I exploit a 3 determine strategy with my younger horses: circles, to verify the horse is unfastened and supple; straight strains, to verify you possibly can management the bend, that you simply don’t must have it in case you don’t need it; and corners, to signify extra management and the introduction of assortment,” says Michael. “Every part you do in an enviornment is made up of 4 straight line and 4 corners, so that they at all times must be good.”
2. Use the poles across the edge that can assist you trip higher corners
“Trip across the pole to assist push your horse into the nook so that you don’t must do an excessive amount of along with your aids,” advises Michael. “Then flip throughout the college between B and E and trip via parallel poles to offer the horse course and preserve him straight so that you don’t must be too sturdy along with your aids.”
3. Trip circles of various sizes across the poles in canter, to assist develop power and the primary steps in the direction of instructing assortment
“The canter within the smaller circle may get a bit extra laboured because the horse has to work more durable, so that you want a extra energetic help to maintain the vitality within the canter,” says Michael. “The larger circle then provides extra aid, the place you possibly can ship him ahead.”
4. Now make circles in between two of your nook poles, fairly than round them
“This works them a bit more durable, and so they could get tense. Even when your horse will get sturdy, attempt to let go — don’t be sturdy again,” says Michael, who advises taking the horse onto a much bigger circle, or down the straight line after a few smaller circles, to permit him to chill out.
“The minute you get the chance to melt, you will need to soften — it’s important to make the primary transfer your self generally.”
5. Use this association of poles to start out instructing counter canter
To begin counter canter, trip a small half circle across the pole popping out of the nook, then a loop again in the direction of the observe at B or E. On the center marker, trip again in the direction of the centre line and make a half circle around the pole on the different finish.
“Don’t panic in case you can’t get all the way in which to the observe at first,” says Michael. “Work on difficult the horse’s stability and getting nearer. Attempt to be black and white along with your corrections; say, ‘Not like this, like this’.
“If the rhythm will get too quick within the loop, watch for the circle on the finish to catch the pace — you don’t have to drag.”
6. In between workout routines, give your horse an opportunity to stretch, and verify he’s relaxed
“If you’re stretching a horse, all the identical issues nonetheless matter,” factors out Michael. “You continue to need him to be rhythmic and balanced, simply with an extended neck. You don’t need him to fall on the ground along with his nostril.”
7. Rearrange your poles as per the second diagram, beneath, to make use of them to assist introduce younger horses to the early levels of lateral work
“When beginning lateral work, don’t neglect that it must be forwards and sideways, not simply sideways,” says Michael. “Utilizing poles helps give course, and so they give the horse confidence as a result of he is aware of the place he’s going.”
8. The primary lateral motion Michael teaches his younger horses is the leg yield
Make a half circle in trot and trip down the surface of the diagonal line of poles, again in the direction of the observe to start out the leg yield.
“Push the quarters away from the poles — the horse wants to know the best way to be extra reactive off the leg.”
In between, add some transitions to verify the horse is staying reactive to your aids, and to keep up a high quality trot.
“The horse should be taught to know going sideways with out shedding trot. You’re at all times seeking to not must work too onerous,” says Michael.
9. Progress to utilizing the poles to assist educate a horse to half-pass, utilizing travers
“The toughest factor about half-pass is positioning the horse accurately — the quarters are sometimes main or there’s not sufficient bend,” factors out Michael. “By using travers down the surface of the diagonal pole line you’re already more-or-less doing half-pass. The great thing about it’s that each time you trip it you’re getting the identical half-pass and it begins to really feel acquainted. The poles assist preserve the horse in place and rhythm and you may trip positively ahead as the place your line is.”
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Credit score: Future
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