dressage advise wanted!!! free walk on a long rein

[LMSmith]

I have exactly the same problem and its such a shame as free walk is double marks!

The best thing to do is practice it as much as you can at home and try to get him to lengthen his strid a little when you give him his head

[StephWheway]

You need to ensure that although the walk is free and relaxed it still has purpose so you must still be pushing him forward and pushing him to stretch for the contact. As said above practise makes perfect, encourage a little stretch, then ask for more and more. Just make sure you arnt just lolling about with head on floor

[LMSmith]

My instructor told me that my free walk was not a rest and that I still had to make him walk forwards! It was not a time for him to have a stretch and a Sunday stroll!

[whp94]

The judges like to see the horse to take the rein and really stretch down and a nice big over track

[brynbryn]

A nice forward marching walk, with purpose but relaxation through the whole frame. The transition back to collection should be smooth too with the same rhythm in the pace. 6s aren't bad though!!!

[stumpedmum]

a lady I used to work for (competed up to CCI 4*) insisted that whenever we hacked out, we held the rein by the buckle and made sure the horses were really striding out. Many horses feel that when they are given the rein, they are finished. By doing this, the horses learnt that being given the rein meant they had to march forwards. It was very strange at first, but I have to admit worked like a charm.

Hacking out like this also teaches the horses to rely on themselves a little, rather than cowering into your contact if something worries them.

PLEASE NOTE - I don't advise you do this near any roads.

good luck!!

PS - may be an pointless comment, but keep your leg on (feel the swing of the belly and follow it with your leg, encourages longer strides)

[vikki85]

Agree with all of the above!

However, something to bear in mind is that some horses do not naturally have a great walk - my own being one of them. She has a lovely active trot and canter but a really stuffy walk, even in free walk on a long rein, she rarely overtracks. This isn't due to incorrect riding, badly fitting tack or a sore back or anything like that, as she is regularly checked for physical problems. She's just not got a a great big, over-tracking swingy walk.

I'd just like to clarify I'm not saying your horse hasn't got a lovely walk which can't be improved as I'm sure he has!

[sarahp]

I was always taught that the free walk is in dressage tests to check for correct schooling - they should be asked to work for a spell and then allowed to stretch the muscles for a bit, hence the free walk. A horse that has been working correctly over the back will want to lower the head and stride forward into the rein when it is given to them, and should have a natural overtrack.

vikki85 - any horse would be expected to do a correct free walk consistent with its natural paces - what does she look like walking loose in the field?

[vikki85]

Sarahp, she is slightly freer in the field in terms of overtracking, but still not as amazing as I would like her to be She IS a little lazy in the walk, but even when I ask her to stride out she doesn't have big, free movement.

Last dressage test I did my comment for free walk was "good stretch and purpose, but needs to overtrack more". However, she always snorts and during a free walk, which I have always been told is a sign they have been working through and using the correct muscles? I do also include free walk in my schooling at home, at regular intervals to relax the muscles.

[sarahp]

I did say consistent with its natural paces, it sounds as if you're doing all you can - but if she can do better in the field than with you on top you can aim for reproducing that under saddle in time. I've never heard that about the snorting so have no idea, how interesting.

[vikki85]

Yeah, according to my instuctor, snorting when they are allowed to relax during or after schooling (or in a free walk in a dressage test for example) is a good sign. I think it's something to do with them using their stomach muscles, which happens when they are working properly...

I think it's just the way she is with her walk, I've resigned myself to not so good marks and try to improve everything else I can - her 'medium' walk is also more like a 'crawl along at snail pace' than medium! lol

[sarahp]

Yes, daughter's dressage instructor demonstrates the correct usage of stomach muscles by prodding them in a certain place when they will draw up and enable the rider to feel how the back muscles should feel underneath you if the horse is working correctly. Next time I see her I'll ask about the snorting!