From: Susan
Dear Jessica, first I want to say a big THANK YOU for HORSE-SENSE! I bought my first horse four years ago, right after I discovered HORSE-SENSE, and I've been with you ever since, or should I say that you've been with me! I feel like you are always standing next to me and I can turn to you and just ask you anything without worrying about looking or feeling stupid because I don't already know whatever it is. I love HORSE-SENSE because even when I know something or I think I know something, you always have new information for me or a way of saying something that makes me understand more clearly. So I guess you are my mentor! Thank you! I am very happily sending a check to support HORSE-SENSE. Please don't ever stop doing this. We need you! Now my question at last! (My husband says it takes me forever to get to the point, and maybe he's right about that!) I've been looking everywhere in the AHSA rulebook and asking judges about what exactly is correct trot lengthening. So far I've had no luck. One judge said that there's nothing about it in the rulebook but she knows it when she sees it, and that didn't help me much! Can you help? What exactly should my horse be doing, and what will the judge be looking for? I think I understand about extensions, but I'm a long way from doing any of those! Are there some exercises that I could do with my horse to get real lengthening? My best friend (also a big fan of yours) is working on the same thing, so maybe there is something we can do together. We really want to get this lengthening thing down by summer if we can, but we also want to do it correctly even if it takes longer than that. Your "mentee" (is that a real word?) Susie
Lengthening isn't terribly complicated, and you can certainly develop your own eye to the point where you'll be able to see it when it happens. I'm glad that you and your friend want to do it right - that's much more important than doing it as soon as possible. In the long run, taking the time to do something right SAVES time.
I suggest that you and your friend take turns watching each other ride, and talk to each other so that the watcher can say "Yes, that's it" or "No, not at all" and the rider can focus on noticing exactly how the horse feels when the watcher says "Yes, that's it!" Working together, the two of you can teach yourselves to SEE and FEEL lengthenings.
A lengthening is somewhere between a working trot and a medium trot. To lengthen its stride, a horse must step under itself more deeply (push and reach a little more with its hind legs), and reach a little more with its forelegs. The horse should already be on the aids, and should remain there during the lengthening.
The rider, having asked for the lengthening with brief, increased pressure from both legs, should ALLOW the lengthening by sitting (or rising) quietly. At the same time, the rider should give the horse a little more rein. For a horse to lengthen its stride correctly at trot, keeping the same tempo and clear trot (one-two) rhythm, it will have to reach slightly more forward AND DOWN with its head and neck. This isn't a plunge onto the forehand, or a dive toward the arena footing - it's a horse reaching forward and showing a slightly longer neck, while putting its nose a little more in front of the vertical.
Whomever is watching the horse and rider should be looking for a horse that is balanced, rhythmic, and showing definite forward movement and clear impulsion originating in the hindquarters - and all of this should be visible BEFORE the rider asks for a lengthening. Without the balance and power and engagement, the horse won't be able to lengthen.
Watcher, keep an eye out for these problems:
If the horse loses its balance and falls on the forehand, the rider may be throwing the reins at the horse instead of allowing another inch or two of rein to slide through her fingers. (Rider: there's also a good chance that YOU looked down at your hands, at the horse's neck, or at the horse's head. Before you ask for your lengthening, find an eye-level spot on the wall (or in a tree) at the other end of the arena, and keep looking at it while you ask your horse to lengthen.)
If the horse speeds up instead of reaching, the rider may have forgotten to give it any rein at all.
If the horse's front legs seem to be reaching much more than its hind legs, watch carefully to see where the front feet land. The horse should reach out with each foreleg, placing the hoof on the ground at the far end of the stride - when the leg swings forward, the hoof should point at a specific spot on the ground, and then land on that spot. If the watcher sees the horse's front legs swing forward, point at the ground, then drop back or "hang" for a moment, so that the front feet touch down BEHIND the spot at which they were pointing, this means that the horse is losing its balance. The horse that "flips" its front feet or "hovers" with its front legs at the trot is not stepping under itself and reaching out and up, it is pushing itself along with the hind legs and flinging its front legs out in front - not at all the same thing, and not what you want. Watch the horse's hind legs, too. The hocks should bend, then straighten as the horse pushes off, then bend again and come FORWARD as well as up. You'll learn to see the difference between a horse using its hind legs to step under itself (good) and one that is using its hind legs to push back against the ground and shove itself forward (bad). This may be hard to see at first, but keep watching! You'll learn to recognize the signs of a horse losing balance and tempo.
Rider, you'll have to use your "feel" from the saddle to notice whether the horse's back is lifting under your seat or dropping away from it. If the horse is using its hind legs and belly muscles well, and there is no interference from rider or tack, the hind legs will drive under and the back will lift. If the horse is using its hind legs incorrectly (and its belly muscles not at all), you'll feel the horse's back dropping away from you as its hind legs begin to trail behind its body.
You'll also need to develop your personal sense of timing so that your internal metronome will warn you when the horse's tempo changes. A true trot lengthening will affect only the horse's length of stride - the horse will cover more ground in fewer trot-strides. As long as the rhythm of the trot stays pure, and as long as the tempo remains unchanged, with the horse neither speeding up nor slowing down, you can be sure that your horse is doing its best even if the lengthenings are not enormous.
Remember that lengthenings are NOT extensions, and that your horses are not yet developed to the point at which they could offer a true medium trot, let alone an extended trot. I want to make this point because it's easy for riders to get over-enthusiastic when they have seen upper-level horses make a smooth, fast transition to a medium or extended trot. Well-trained, well-conditioned, strong, athletic, horses that are working at the upper levels and have had plenty of practice CAN make such transitions quickly. Your horses are not able to make the transition from working trot to lengthened trot instantly, or even in two or three strides. Give the horses plenty of preparation before you ask, and plenty of room. If you are working in an arena, you can prepare for the lengthening, then ask for it as you come across a long diagonal. It may take half of that distance for your horse to begin to lengthen. This is normal, so don't get anxious. It will take time and correct practice for your horse to develop the necessary strength to lengthen properly. Ask often - expect little - and never forget to praise and reward!
Jessica
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