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Re: [RC] Define "Collection" - Chris PausOh yeah, working with a well trained dressage horse is a whole nother matter! I'm working with a greenie. My mare is in her second year under saddle, but i'm taking her training slowly. I think my patience is going to pay off in the long run because I haven't overfaced her with information or requests for her to do things she's not mentally or physically ready to do...
If I hadn't ridden my mentor's horse, I probably wouldn't know what that nirvana moment feels like and wouldnt' recognize it if my mare gave it to me! Now, I'm trying to put that into practice with my own mare. And being as my knowledge is limited, I don't always ask her in the right way.
Like the other day, we were doing a nice collected walk on a dirt road. I asked for a trot, but instead of keeping the collection, her head went up and her back hollowed. I stopped her and got the walk again, and then asked for the trot again. The second time she got it! I was thrilled until I realized the problem the first time was me, not her! I had tilted forward at the trot, one of my bad riding habits. That naturally throws the horse on the forehand. The second time, I sat better and asked for the speed with my legs and butt, without tipping my torso forward. I got a collected trot.
chris
gingerodgers@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: Chris is correct and I did forget the most important part of all of this which is the giving. As soon as your horse does even the slightest bit of what you are asking for, take the tension off the reigns (to a degree ofcourse) but still keep your contact with him on his mouth. Keep in mind that my information given regarding collecting is being performed on a horse that was trained for a long period of time by an olympic dressage trainer. There are definite degrees of collecting depending on what you are looking for. "If I fill this moment with gratitude, the next moment can't help but bring blessings." Chris and Star BayRab Acres http://pages.prodigy.net/paus
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