Horse Training: Long and Low

Recently I went to a clinic with David Middleton.  Now, I have known David since he was a wee tacker playing cushion polo on Rampage.  Despite this, and maybe because of it, I don't think I've ever had a lesson with David.

In the clinic David made two things very clear - Dressage starts with the long rein walk.  I've always wondered where Dressage starts.  The simplest of Dressage tests already contain a large number of movements.  But which one should you train first.  The long rein walk, apparently.

The other thing that David made very clear, is how to train the long rein walk.  You ask the horse to walk.  To maintain contact.  You ask the horse to come onto the bit by flexing the inside rein, and then, when you feel the horse's mouth, you release the reins and see how low the horse will go before you lose contact.

Practice this a few times - say five or six - and your horse will start getting the idea that he can actually stretch forwards and down.  You want to be careful that you don't lose the roundness - they should remain "on the bit".  They also need to remain in an active walk.  But, beyond that, the ground is the limit.  Presto, that simple.

Once you have mastered this in walk, then try it in trot.  Then canter.  It is so hideously simple, yet it forms the foundation of all of your horse training.  When your horse can stretch down and forwards, yet remain round and forwards, then he will also be able to, one day, collect.