[drivingpairs] Re: Thinking of Dressage (long)

Well,  I kept up for as long as I could.  I was holding the reins in 2 hands
leader reins over the top of my hand and wheeler reins through the bottom.
So I would chase them forward into an extended trot and then half halt the
wheeler only so my hands were actually tipped forward to try and not affect
the leader as I got the wheeler into a collected trot by half-halting him
with every hind foot. I was only able to maintain this for say 1 diagonal
across the dressage field.  The point of the exercise was to have the leader
extend but really raise himself up with lots of suspension rather than the
more common lengthening you see instead of extensions.  So the wheeler
actually held the leader back and caused him to put his energy into
suspension.  My arms only held out for about 8 or so tries before we were
all just cantering and trying to not run over anyone:-)

Diane
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dawnmeto@xxxxxxxx>
To: <drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 12:30 PM
Subject: [drivingpairs] Re: Thinking of Dressage (long)


> This is very fascinating info.  I mentioned Doc Hammill in a previous
post.
> He uses an alternative feel using the slightest rein contact with his
> horses.  You can control the speed of the gaits with this feel. It is in
> time with the natural movement of the horses head.  It relaxes them and
> reassures them and gets you in synch with your horses.
>
> Your tandem exercise:  Did you sustain this leader in extended trot and
> the wheeler collected for just a short time?  It is hard to picture this?
> Thanks for taking the time to post this.
>
> I love the inspiration that I get from reading this list.
> Theresa Burns
>

> >
> > Now with the tandem it was more complicated because I had 2 sets of
> > reins so I had 8 choices of legs:-)  I could match left or right on
> > leader or wheeler.  My arms were a bit tired on Sunday because, she
> > decided my Leader needed to have more energy so she had me chase him
> > forward into an extended trot and then bring my wheeler down into a
> > collected trot to get him regular and keep the leader in an extended
> > trot.  She said the leader could have much more expression and
> > suspension since he didn't have to pull any weight.  And yes the leader
> > did go into draft for these excersices but that is all that they were
> > were exercise's.  And she had me actually do downward transistions with
> > the wheeler so that he would actually pull the leader down to a stop.
> > This was so that the leader learns to stay forward in downward
> > transistions and not do the dreaded step back when you halt.

>
>
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