From: Sylvie
Dear Jessica, Please can you help me with my question. I am learning dressage for three years with my horse. We have now achieved to do some leg-yield and most recently shoulder-in which is not very excellent yet so we are still perfecting this. Now I wish very much to learn half-pass, but my teacher says No first we will perfect shoulder-in and learn travers. She is very good teacher but not very conversational to talk with me, thus I do not want to anger her by asking why I cannot first learn half-pass and then travers. So I come to you, because you are always conversational and kind, and I know you will not become angry if I tell you I do not understand why travers must come first before half-pass, since we are already performing shoulder-in.
Thank you, Sylvie
Your instructor makes good sense - and be prepared, because she will probably want you to learn renvers as well as travers before you begin work on the half-pass!
The learning progression of shoulder-in to travers to renvers to half-pass is a good one for a very practical reason: The sequence is in the order of difficulty, and each movement helps prepare the horse, mentally and physically, for the next one.
In travers, the horse's shoulders remain on the track whilst the hindquarters are brought off the track. It's sometimes referred to as "quarters in". It's not the opposite of shoulder-in, though. In shoulder-in, the horse's shoulders are brought off the track. The horse is looking to the inside, away from the track, but the horse's hindquarters remain on the track and the horse continues to move straight down the track.
In travers, the horse's body is bent evenly from nose to tail, and is looking in the direction of travel. These things will also be true when you begin working on half-pass.
In renvers, the horse's quarters remain on the track whilst the forehand is brought in, off the track. It's effectively the travers all over again, with the horse's tail to the wall rather than its head to the wall. In travers and in renvers - and later, in half-pass - the horse will be looking in the direction of travel.
I know that you are impatient to get to half-pass, but consider this: Learning travers will help you develop effective, subtle control of your horse's hindquarters and legs. At the same time, it will help your horse become more attentive and responsive to your leg and seat aids. Travers will also help your horse become stronger in the haunches and hind legs, and more engaged in the hocks. Travers is an excellent exercise to follow shoulder-in, because shoulder-in marks the very beginning of collection, and travers (and renvers) help the horse develop a higher degree of collection. All of this is ideal preparation for the half-pass.
So be patient with yourself, your horse, and your instructor. If your preparation is good and complete, then when you finally begin performing half-pass, you will be surprised to find how easy it is!
Jessica
Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE is a free, subscriber-supported electronic Q&A email newsletter which deals with all aspects of horses, their management, riding, and training. For more information, please visit www.horse-sense.org
Please visit Jessica Jahiel: Holistic Horsemanship® [www.jessicajahiel.com] for more information on Jessica Jahiel's clinics, video lessons, phone consultations, books, articles, columns, and expert witness and litigation consultant services.