Only a few riders have introduced as many younger horses in the course of the ranges to grand prix as Charlotte Dujardin. Whilst on the fresh British Dressage Nationwide Conference (25 November) she shared her best recommendations on what to search for in a tender horse and methods to get started their schooling sympathetically. So if you wish to get started your younger horse off in the most productive conceivable method, take a look at those best 5 younger horse coaching pointers.
1. Transitions, transitions, transitions
“With a tender horse, you need to experience loads of transitions, no longer only one or two,” says Charlotte, whilst aboard the placing four-year-old Secret Agent. “Even supposing all of us wish to do the tips, let me inform you the tips are the straightforward section, that is the exhausting section. If you happen to get this mistaken it follows you all of the method up.
Permitting the pony to head ahead into downwards transitions allows the hind leg to step beneath them with out the rider having to change their body, Charlotte explains: “On downward transitions, I nonetheless need to assume forwards. I’m no longer considering with my reins, pulling him into stroll as a result of that’s a backward transition.
“On upward transitions, I feel it’s essential, particularly at this age, to not override them together with your legs. As a result of in the event you begin to override you suffocate the pony and it begins to depend at the leg. In case you have a horse that’s naturally lazy you need to train him to head off your legs, and you probably have a horse that’s rather scorching you need to train him to simply accept your leg.
“They don’t should be very best transitions, or completely balanced – it takes time, dressage is all about time and repetition.”
2. Range their regimen
“Having a unique regimen, no longer simply going within the college, however hacking them out, the use of hills, is helping to broaden the stroll and get the duration of stride,” says Charlotte. “Mentally, it’s nice that he is going out and sees different issues, no longer simply the world.”
When she is education the younger horses she does so for now not than 20 mins, 3 or 4 instances per week. She additionally provides in stretching paintings sooner than every consultation. When stretching younger horses she appears to be like for the horses to drop their heads with out curling over.
“I’ve an extended rein, a much broader hand, and with my feeling within the rein it’s like I’m preserving his hand. I’ve were given to stay a nonetheless hand that encourages him to take it ahead. That teaches him to hold himself and in finding his personal stability, I will be able to’t do the rest for him.”
However she stresses it’s principal to not put an excessive amount of drive on a tender horse, and that the stability would possibly come and pass.
“I’m simply letting him be a four-year-old, no longer looking to be expecting an excessive amount of from him and no longer preventing him from making errors.”
Charlotte additionally recommends hiring out venues to present more youthful horses that all-important publicity, with out the rider having to maintain the drive of driving a take a look at.
“After I do take them out to younger horse categories, it’s only for schooling, I don’t wish to over marketing campaign them.”
3. It’s no longer all a couple of flashy trot
While you’re searching for a tender horse, it may be rather simple to be interested in the movies of flashy, extravagant movers.
However, as Charlotte emphasises: “Personality is likely one of the maximum principal portions of a horse, it doesn’t topic if it strikes extremely and has 3 huge paces, if it doesn’t have a just right temperament, then it’s very exhausting to do the process you wish to have to do.”
If you happen to’re taking a look to shop for a tender horse, in relation to paces Charlotte prioritises a just right stroll and canter.
“The trot is the tempo we will be able to exchange essentially the most and broaden,” she says. “You’re searching for a horse with a just right rhythm and a canter that’s rather herbal as a result of numerous the grand prix paintings is canter.”
Charlotte additionally believes the stroll is an frequently unnoticed tempo in relation to ridden paintings.
“The stroll has the coefficient all of the method from newbie to grand prix. So this can be a very, essential tempo. As riders, we get to stroll and we predict it’s time for a smash, so we have now a talk with a pal and we’re no longer if truth be told growing the stroll.
“What I’m looking to do is train them to take my hand down and ahead and march out. I’m searching for that overtrack, how a lot I will be able to get his hind leg to step in entrance of the print of the entrance leg.
“Each day I’m looking to paintings on my stroll, looking to get that leisure, looking to get the pony to drop its head and neck, to stick in entrance of the vertical and take my hand ahead.”
4. Construct a courting with them
“While you experience horses at this age, essentially the most rewarding section for me is that you just construct a courting together with your horse like no different,” Charlotte says. “I don’t wish to drive him into the rest, if he doesn’t wish to do it, then he doesn’t wish to do it. He’s were given to wish to do it with me and I’ve were given to be his good friend, he’s were given to believe me.
“My process as a rider is to reassure him, dangle his hand, what I don’t wish to do is snatch the reins or get off and lunge him. They’re no longer being spooky as a result of they’re naughty, it’s as a result of they haven’t observed this stuff sooner than. He’s allowed to take a look, I don’t wish to no longer let him see what he’s fearful of. I’m no longer going to pin his head down and kick him ahead.
“I take advantage of my voice so much – it’s great to inform them after they’re just right and it’s so principal to stay giving those horses self belief.
“I will be able to by no means omit at London 2012 with Valegro, I went into the world and so they all clapped, and numerous the riders have been in reality apprehensive in regards to the crowd clapping. However I didn’t wish to inform the group to not clap, I depended on my horse sufficient to understand that he’ll deal with that.
“He went in, they clapped, and he tensed up, however I gave him a pat and I may actually really feel him breathe, chill out, and it used to be all ok once more.”
5. Don’t sweat the small stuff
All over her masterclass, Charlotte repeated how principal it’s to keep in mind that with younger horses there’ll all the time be classes which are worse than others.
“All of us have the ones days,” says Charlotte. “I’m very fortunate that I am getting to experience 9 or 10 horses an afternoon, so if I’ve a loopy younger horse that I’ve a foul day on, I will be able to get on any other horse and it may cheer me up.
“If you happen to best have one horse, it’s rather exhausting as a result of you should simply stay going, going, and going. However you will have to keep in mind, bodily, they’re going to continue to grow and converting till they’re a minimum of seven, so check out to not overwork them. You’ve were given to stay it a laugh and simple and great. I don’t search for perfection, all I’m searching for is development.
“It doesn’t topic if there’s a horse of the similar age who’s just a little extra advanced, consider in your self and what you’re feeling is correct on your horse.”
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