More studying for the L program commences and I again get the urge to write all this down and post it! I do think it's helping me study, and it's fun to share.
As per usual, this post is super long. I feel like I structured it well though.
I went over quality of the gaits prior to this post and now I want to talk about movements. In the materials, there are literally pages of information about movements with criteria, directive ideas, and what to say about each movement both positive and negative. I'm going to post the definition from the rule book and the directives from the test sheet, then talk briefly in my own words about what I took from reading those things, if anything.
All these years doing dressage and I never thought to read the damn rule book to determine what was required for each movement...
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| One of my favorite pictures of shoulder-in on this guy |
Training Level
Medium Walk
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
A clear, regular, and unconstrained walk of moderate lengthening. The horse, remaining on the bit, walks energetically but relaxed with even and determined steps, the hind feet touching the ground in front of the hoofprints of the forefeet. The rider maintains a light, soft, and steady contact with the mouth, allowing the natural movement of the head and neck.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Willing, calm transition; regularity and quality of walk.
So, one thing that I want to note is this, see how there's a working trot and a working canter, but no working walk? There's just a medium walk. This walk should be essentially the walk equivalent to the medium trot and medium canter, and those are big powerful movements! So the medium walk is quite forward, this was drilled into me years ago and I've never really taken it seriously.
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I literally have no pictures of medium walk in the show ring
but look at how cute he is here |
Free Walk
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The free walk is a pace of relaxation in which the horse is allowed complete freedom to lower and stretch out his head and neck. The degree of ground cover and length of strides, with hind feet stepping clearly in front of the footprints of the front feet, are essential to the quality of the free walk.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Regularity and quality of walks; reach and ground cover of free walk allowing complete freedom to
stretch the neck forward and downward; straightness; willing, calm transitions.
This seems pretty straight forward and how I was taught to ride the movement. One thing I was taught to do was to exaggerate the oscillation with your elbows in the free walk to give off the impression that you have to accommodate the horse's intense stretch over the topline by giving a ton in the down phase (when each front foot hits the ground), not sure if that actually works.
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| No, TC, not correct! |
Circles - Trot and Canter
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
Uh, it's a circle. That's not the rulebook definition, I can't find one. It's just a damn circle just go in a circle.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Regularity and quality of trot/canter; bend, balance and shape, and size of circle.
Apparently a circle isn't a circle if it's a volte, which is a circle 10 meters in diameter or smaller. Interesting! I didn't realize that 10 meter circles were considered voltes but it makes sense.
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| Cantering on a circle, good pony |
Changes of Directions and Corners
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
At changes of direction, the horse should adjust the bend of his body to the curvature of the line
it follows remaining supple and following the indications of the rider, without any resistance or
change of gait, rhythm or speed. Corners should be ridden as one-quarter of a volte appropriate to
the level of the test (10 meters at Training-First Levels, 8 meters at Second-Fourth Level).
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Regularity and quality of trot; straightness; bending corner
I found this interesting, the corners are specifically stated to be ridden in a certain way for each level. I've always been taught either that a corner should be ridden 1) as deep as possible while remaining in rhythm or 2) to the depth that is required of the test (so at T2, your turn up centerline is a 10m half circle in trot, so in trot you ride a 10m quarter circle in the corner, your canter work is 20m so you should ride a quarter 20m circle in the corner). Turns out I was wrong on both counts, time to start working on those 8m voltes to help us get in the corners more.
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| He's so cute |
Trot Serpentine
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The serpentine with several loops touching the long side of the arena consists of half circles connected by a straight line. Serpentines with one loop on the long side of the arena are executed with 5-
meter or 10-meter distance from the track…
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Regularity and quality of trot; supple changes of bend on centerline; geometry; balance
This seems pretty straightforward.
Halt
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
1. At the halt, the horse should stand attentive, engaged, motionless, straight and square with the weight
evenly distributed over all four legs. The neck should be raised with the poll as the highest point and the
head slightly in front of the vertical. While remaining “on the bit” and maintaining a light and soft contact
with the rider’s hand, the horse may quietly chew the bit and should be ready to move off at the slightest indication of the rider. The halt must be shown for at least 3 seconds when shown with a salute.
The halt should be maintained throughout the salute.
2. The halt is obtained by the displacement of the horse’s weight to the hindquarters by a properly increased action of the seat and legs of the rider, driving the horse towards a softly closed hand, causing
an almost instantaneous but not abrupt halt at a previously fixed place.
3. The quality of the gaits before and after the halt is an integral part of the assessment.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Regularity and quality of trot; willing, calm transitions; straight, attentiveness; immobility (min.3 seconds)
At the halt, the horse should remain attentive... yeah. I also like the phrase "obtained by the displacement of the horse's weight to the hindquarters" because it sounds quite fancy for a movement that is literally just standing still.
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| Attentive, TC! |
Transitions
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The changes of gait and pace should be clearly shown at the prescribed marker; they should be quickly made
yet must be smooth and not abrupt. The cadence of a gait or pace should be maintained up to the moment
when the gait or pace is changed or the horse halts. The horse should remain light in hand, calm, and maintain
a correct position.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Willing, calm transition; regularity and quality of gaits; bend and balance in corner; straightness
Quickly and not abrupt is freaking hard. Just saying.
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| Trying to remain balanced coming into a trot transition |
Stretchy Circle
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
This exercise gives a clear impression of the “throughness” of the horse and proves its
balance, suppleness, obedience, and relaxation. In order to execute the exercise “stretching on a long rein”
correctly, the athlete must lengthen the reins as the horse stretches gradually forward and downward. As the
neck stretches forward and downward, the mouth should reach more or less to the horizontal line corresponding with the point of the shoulder or lower. An elastic and consistent contact with the athlete’s hands must be
maintained. The gait must maintain its rhythm and tempo, and the horse should remain light in the shoulders
with a swinging back and with the hindlegs well-engaged. During the retake of the reins, the horse must accept
the contact without resistance in the mouth or poll.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Forward and downward stretch over the back into a light contact, maintaining balance and quality of
trot; bend; shape and size of circle; willing, calm transitions.
Can I just remind everyone how many literal years it took me to train my friesian cross to do this. I'm still annoyed with how much effort that took. He thought I was asking him to do a fucking somersault at first I'm sure.
Anyway, note the contact required here, lots of people (myself included) want to just drop the reins and pray. Oh hey see how they refer to us as athletes (!!), wow. I feel so athletic. It cancels out the chocolate I'm eating right now. Interesting about the mouth reaching the point of shoulder, I've always looked at it as poll below withers, I guess unless the horse has a giant head or a tiny shoulder, this would be achieved.
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| Overachiever (him, not my collapsing upper body |
First Level
Lengthening at Trot and Canter
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
This is a variation between the working and medium trot/canter in which a horse’s training is not developed
enough for medium trot/canter.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Moderate lengthening of frame and stride; regularity and quality of trot/canter;; willing, clear transitions; straightness; consistent tempo
Well, that's helpful. Ugh. But I get it, the stride should lengthen in balance. The medium trot info down below is slightly more helpful.
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| Horse should basilisk down the long side... wait, no |
Canter - Trot - Canter Transitions
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
Change of lead through the Trot. This is a change of lead where the horse is brought back into the trot and after
a few trot strides, is restarted into a canter with the other leg leading.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Willing, clear transitions; regularity and quality of gaits; straightness
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| He was so pretty last year, why does he keep getting lighter?? |
Canter Loops
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The serpentine with several loops touching the long side of the arena consists of half circles connected by a
straight line... Serpentines with one loop on the long side of the arena are executed with 5-meter or 10-meter
distance from the track….
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Regularity and quality of canter; shape and size of loop; positioning; balance
Okay so they don't talk much about the positioning, but if you go down to the counter canter section below, it mentions the horse should maintain flexion in the direction of the lead. Tanya taught me a really cool swooping feeling in this loop and I remember how good those felt last year. Always riding it that way.
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| This was during a loop |
Leg Yielding
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The horse is almost straight, except for a slight flexion at the poll away from the direction in which he moves,
so that the rider is just able to see the eyebrow and nostril on the inside. The inside legs pass and cross in
front of the outside legs. Leg-yielding should be included in the training of the horse before he is ready for collected work. Later on, together with the more advanced movement shoulder-in, it is the best means of making
a horse supple, loose, and unconstrained for the benefit of the freedom, elasticity, and regularity of his gaits,
paces, and the harmony, lightness and ease of his movements. Leg-yielding can be performed on the diagonal
in which case the horse should be as close as possible parallel to the long sides of the arena although the
forehand should be slightly in advance of the quarters. It can also be performed along the wall in which case
the horse should be at an angle of about 35 degrees to the direction in which the horse is moving.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Regularity and quality of trot; consistent tempo; alignment; balance and flow
There is so much going on with this definition. Nothing is new for me here, although I didn't know the specific angle required if leg yielding on the wall. Notable things are that this should be done before collection to develop lateral suppleness but after collection is achieved, the shoulder-in is a more effective movement for developing the horse. And the horse should be QUITE straight, I know these things, but I know a lot of things about movements that aren't spelled out in the definition, so it's nice to have it clarified.
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| Leg yield |
Second Level
Medium Trot
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
This is a pace of moderate lengthening compared to the extended trot, but “rounder” than the latter. Without
hurrying, the horse goes forward with clearly lengthened steps and with impulsion from the hindquarters. The
rider allows the horse to carry the head a little more in front of the vertical than at the collected and the working
trot, and to lower the head and neck slightly. The steps should be even, and the whole movement balanced
and unconstrained.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Moderate lengthening of frame and stride with engagement, elasticity, suspension, straightness, and
uphill balance.
This movement is the one that gives me the most anxiety with TC. Not because he's likely to explode (that's the medium canter lol), but because he just gets so unbalanced. He wants to get rigid in his back and just fling his legs. I absolutely can't sit it right now.
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Here's a crappy screen shot of his medium trot
from earlier this year |
Medium Canter
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
This is a pace between the working and the extended canter. Without hurrying, the horse goes forward with
clearly lengthened strides and impulsion from the hindquarters. The rider allows the horse to carry his head a
little more in front of the vertical than in the collected and working canter, and at the same time allows the
horse to lower his head and neck slightly. The strides should be balanced and unconstrained.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Moderate lengthening of frame and stride with engagement, elasticity, suspension, straightness, and
uphill balance
I'm glad that it says the horses can go in front of the vertical and down a bit, although we don't get a lot of down in the medium canter.
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We'll call this a medium canter even though it was me trying
not to get launched |
Transitions From Medium Paces
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The changes of gait and pace should be clearly shown at the prescribed marker; they should be quickly made
yet must be smooth and not abrupt. The cadence of a gait or pace should be maintained up to the moment
when the gait or pace is changed or the horse halts. The horse should remain light in hand, calm, and maintain
a correct position.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Clear, balanced transitions; regularity and quality of gaits
As we found from the quality of the gaits post, TC struggles with coming down from the medium trot to the collected trot. Quick but not abrupt is hard!
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I'm giving up showing the movements, look at him from last
week, he's figuring it all out after being out of shape |
Shoulder-in
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
This exercise is performed in collected trot. The horse is ridden with a slight but uniform bend around the inside
leg of the rider maintaining cadence at a constant angle of approx. 30 degrees. The horse’s inside foreleg
passes and crosses in front of the outside foreleg; the inside hindleg steps forward under the horse’s body
weight following the same track of the outside foreleg, with the lowering of the inside hip. The horse is bent
away from the direction in which it is moving. If the shoulder-in is performed on the long side or on the centerline, the horse should be straightened after the shoulder-in, before going into the corner. If the movement that
follows the shoulder-in is a circle at any point, or a turn left or right at any point other than the four corners, the
horse should not be straightened.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Angle, bend and balance; engagement and quality of trot
I never realized the shoulder-in had a specific angle associated with it. I thought it was just enough angle to get the horse on three tracks and enough bend for a 10m circle. But I love specifics!
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I haven't shown him yet so you get this screen shot from
practicing last year |
Travers
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
This exercise is performed in collected trot. The forehand remains on the track with the head looking
straight along the track. The haunches are moved to the inside, with the horse slightly bent toward the direction
of movement, so that from the front or behind one sees four tracks. The degree of bend is greater than that of
shoulder-in and a constant angle of approximately 35 degrees should be shown. The horse's outside hindleg
passes and crosses in front of the inside hindleg. The outside foreleg is placed in front of the inside foreleg. To
start the travers, the haunches must leave the track or, after a corner or circle, are not brought back onto the
track. At the end of the travers, the quarters are brought back on to the track as in finishing a circle.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Angle, bend and balance: engagement and quality of trot
I knew the bend/angle was greater than that of shoulder-in, but I didn't realize they gave you a specific degree amount. Good to know. I can't wait for mirrors. I also did learn that travers starting from a circle could just be not quite returning to the rail with the haunches, it's how I start travers in training too.
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| Things TC would rather do than haunches-in |
(Halt and) Rein Back
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
1. Rein back is a rearward diagonal movement with a two-beat rhythm but without a moment of suspension. Each diagonal pair of legs is raised and returned to the ground alternatively, with the forelegs
aligned on the same track as the hindlegs. A four-beat rein back, if done without resistance, can also be
scored marginal or better.
2. During the entire exercise, the horse should remain "on the bit”, maintaining its desire to move forward.
3. Anticipation or precipitation of the movement, resistance to or evasion of the contact, deviation of the
hindquarter from a straight line, spreading or inactive hind legs and dragging forefeet are serious faults.
4. The steps are counted as each foreleg moves back. After completing the required number of steps
backward, the horse should show a square halt or move forward in the required gait immediately. In
test where a rein back of one horse’s length is required, it should be executed with three or four steps.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Immobility; willing steps back with correct rhythm and count; straightness; clear transitions
Okay so I remember being told to count to three when I stopped before reining back, so that's good to remember. When Rico was learning to do this movement, he went SO WIDE behind, I think it might have been due to being asked to rein back mostly when he was pulling a cart.
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| He's been halting since he was a baby |
Turn on Haunches
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The ‘turn on the haunches’ is executed out of medium walk prepared by half-halts to shorten the steps a little
and to improve the ability to bend the joints of the hindquarters. The ‘turn on the haunches’ can be executed on
a larger diameter (approximately one meter) than the pirouette in walk, but the demands of the training scale
concerning rhythm, contact, activity, and straightness are the same. A turn on the haunches is to be judged like
a regular half pirouette except that full credit must be given for a well performed, but larger (one meter) turn on
the haunches. Full credit should also be given for a well-performed regular sized half pirouette. A significant
deduction should be made if a rider attempts but performs poorly a regular half pirouette.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Quality of shortened walk strides; tempo and regularity; activity of hind legs; bend and fluency in turn
I once watched someone tell another rider that a walk pirouette (the evolved form of a turn on the haunches) was just a small circle and I was like oh no.
So, it annoys me that in the description, it just says basically that the rider shortens the step and maintains the activity and then performs a half pirouette, but bigger. Um, excuse me, USEF, I need more information. I know this movement well and I think it's one of my best movements, so I'll write my own description.
Essentially in this movement, the shoulders move around the haunches while the horse's walk rhythm is maintained. The inside hind leg steps forward and under the horse's body (not inward on the turn away from the horse's body) while the outside hind leg steps forward and under the horse's body around the inside hind leg. The inside front leg steps away from the horse's body along the turn and the outside front leg steps over and in front of the inside front leg. Problems include sticking (loss of rhythm where one or more legs misses a step and "sticks" in the arena instead of being picked up) and hind legs splitting (either stepping out with outside hind leg to create a turn on the middle vs turn on the haunches OR the inside hind leg steps out from under the horse's body, making this movement get larger as time goes on).
Come on, USEF, help us out here, stop letting people make up their own shit about this movement and put out a real directive. Maybe the walk pirouette one is better, but the L program only goes through 2nd level.
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Could be schooling TOH, could be playing with
a ball, who knows |
Simple Change of Lead
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
This is a movement in which, after a direct transition out of the canter into a walk, with three to five
clearly defined steps, an immediate transition is made into the other canter lead.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Clear, balanced, straight transitions; regularity and quality of gaits
Three to five steps is not a long time! I have had both issues though, horses either walking 2 steps and picking it up or horses walking like, seven steps. TC is NOT quick at this, so while I've been schooling the canter-walk and walk-canter transitions quite a lot, he needs to get quicker about changing leads while doing that. The emphasis on straightness is good too, I think there's a temptation to whip the head around to get the horse bending in the new way. This should be done on a straight line.
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| Complicated change of lead |
Counter Canter
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The counter canter is a balancing and straightening movement that must be executed in collection.
The horse canters in correct sequence with the outside foreleg leading with positioning to the side of
the leading leg. The foreleg should be aligned to the same track as the hind leg.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Straightness; shape and size of half circle; positioning; regularity and quality of canter; balance
I'm assuming that positioning means flexion, so the horse should remain flexed in the direction of the leading foreleg. So if the horse is on the left lead, no matter what they should be flexed left.
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| Let's just say I was turning left |
Counter Canter Serpentine
Here's the definition as stated in the USEF Rulebook:
The serpentine consists of half circles connected by a straight line. When crossing the centerline the
horse should be parallel to the short side. Depending on the size of the half circles, the straight connection varies in length.
Directive ideas according to the score sheet:
Regularity, quality and balance of canter; positioning; geometry
None of this is new information, I feel like it's the same definition as the trot serpentine tbh. Except, I suppose, the positioning, as the trot serpentine has a clear change of bend while the counter canter serpentine does not.
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| Can we pretend this was a serpentine? |
Overall Thoughts
That was super interesting! I think it's so silly that I'll sit and read rule books for everything else but never really sat down and read the USEF rule book (and tbh I haven't yet, I took this from the materials). I think that after going through all the L program materials, I'll go do that as well. I've always managed to do okay without reading the rule book, but I want to make sure that I am an informed judge.
I'm curious, did anything stand out as surprising to you? Do the movements seem harder or easier or the same? I feel like some movements to me seem way easier now and others seem way harder.
