Dressage Midterm Exam
Answer all questions on separate paper. Cite sources used for answers within
answers (ex.: Dressage in Harmony, p.12) List sources consulted at the end of
your exam
1. Explain the meaning of the phrase “inside leg to outside rein”.
The concept of inside leg to outside reign is a phrase many trainers throw around far too often. It becomes a phrase that students hear so often they tend to forget the true meaning of it. The idea of the inside leg going to the outside reign brings me back to the days when I was first learning about dressage. I was in middle school, and my definition of steering a horse was pulling on the left rein to go left. The thought of creating energy with the inside leg and having it flow to the outside reign did not make sense at first, but the more I learned the more the concept applied. The outside rein is crucial to maintaining a steady connection between your hand and the horses mouth, that also helps allow a flow of energy starting from the hind end, and going through the back and up to the poll. The outside rein functions as the rein that controls the direction of the horse (along with your body). As the horse progresses in age or up the training scale the outside reign is less prominent, and the rider and horses bodies work in tune to each other. In the young horse the outside rein lends great support, and a simple thing like touching the reign to the horse’s neck grants extra support. As they grow they become less dependent on this aid, and move more off your seat.
However, simply using the outside reign will not achieve the results you want. In order to create a horse that is able to bend while staying balanced, while being both straight and bent, you need an appropriate amount of power. This power cannot be obtained from a rein alone, as that would just shut the horse down after a time. The leg is a crucial part of keeping the energy flowing through the entire body of the horse. Your leg will create energy and ask the horse to move forward. When the horse is younger and working at the bottom on the training scale they will need more leg, but as they advance the seat becomes more clear to them. The inside leg specifically ask the body to bend around it, and move to keep his hind end engaged and not lagging behind. This is where the balance of the outside rein contributes to the horse’s balance and straightness. If you did not have an outside reign and were asking the horse to bend around your inside leg, all of the energy would flow out of the outside shoulder, instead up through the horse’s body. When using the outside rein it prevents the energy from escaping out the shoulder and balances the horse. The combination of both aids creates a well balanced and supple horse, but when used incorrectly the horse either becomes too stuck in the bridle, or constantly off balance. This is why it is crucial to maintain harmony with both aids.
2. How does the effect of the cavesson noseband with a full cheek snaffle differ from the effect of the drop or flash noseband with a loose ring snaffle bit?
Both the cavesson noseband and the drop noseband differ tremendously, just as the full cheek snaffle differs from the loose ring snaffle. The full cheek snaffle is specifically designed so that it will not slip through the horse’s mouth. The full cheek piece makes it so you can pull as hard as you want without the bit slipping through, as it would with a loose ring snaffle. The full cheek snaffle has long bars sticking out from the rings that go along the horse’s face. This makes it virtually impossible for it to slip, as there is pressure from the opposite side you are pulling. This bit also has more leverage than your average snaffle, as it attaches in different places. When putting the full cheek on a bridle you attach it to both the reins and cheek pieces. The part of the cheek piece that attaches to the bit also has a keeper on it, connecting it to bar sticking out from the bit. This makes the bit apply pressure to the poll. When the rider goes to put pressure on the bit, through the reins, it also puts pressure on the poll - forcing the head down further. If you must use this torture device because you can simply find no other way to get your horse’s head down then you must use it with a cavesson noseband. The caveson will not interfere with the bit, as the flash or dropped noseband would.
With a loose ring snaffle you have a snaffle mouthpiece that is attached to a circular bit ring. The mouthpiece can move freely around the ring, and when attached to a horse does not provide extra leverage to force the horse’s head down, like the full cheek snaffle does. The drop down noseband goes where the flash noseband would sit on the horse’s mouth (right below the bit) and does not allow the horse to open their mouth very wide. The drop noseband or flash is more safely used with this kind of snaffle, as it does not have rods poking out of the rings that could get caught in a dropped noseband or flash noseband. However, my beliefs are still in line with Walter Zettl when he states, “They say if the rider consequently needs a strong bit or special reins to control the horse, this is just the horse’s problem. But these things are never necessary for the rider who knows the right way. (Dressage in Harmony, p. 2).” This also follows the adapted vaquero style of riding performed by the late Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt, as well as Buck Brannaman. These men believe that any extra devices around the horse’s mouth, such as cavesons, but especially drop or flash nosebands only work to force the horse’s mouth closed. Both the dropped noseband and flash noseband force the horse’s mouth closed, thus causing more problems than there were originally. The fact that the horse is having so much trouble that they are unable to keep their mouths quiet shows there is a pre existing rider error. By adding more pressure it only inhibits the horse’s ability to move its tongue freely, causing it to not be able to swallow properly, thus creating white foam from the mouth. Therefore not solving any problem, but just creating new ones.
3. Describe the correct fitting of the dressage saddle to the horse, including
correct placement of the saddle on the horse’s back and all guidelines to know if the size and design of the saddle are correct for that particular horse. Also include what symptoms one looks for that indicate that previously correctly fitted saddle needs to be re-stuffed.
Correct saddle fit is essential to horse’s well being, and contributes greatly to the way in which they are able to work. A correctly fit saddle will allow the horse to move over its topline without causing pain or pinching the back at any spot, while a poorly fit saddle causes the horse’s back to become tight and rigid. This directly relates to their performance because when the saddle does not fit, the horse’s back is hollow, thus causing their head to up in the air and sending them off balance and disengaging the hind end.
When fitting a saddle it is important to look at where the saddle lays on the back. A perfectly fitted saddle will appear unstable if places in the wrong position. An appropriate place for the saddle is just behind the shoulder (you can determine the shoulder point by moving your horses shoulder around), but never going past their last rib. The withers should be below the pommel, while the cantle should be still landing in the rib’s range. This will allow the horse to freely move its shoulders and the back will be able to support the saddle. When fitting the saddle to the horse one wants to ensure that it has the correct tree size. For example, a thoroughbred with high withers and a back that is not as rounded as a draft horse’s would typically require a narrow gullet, while a draft horse would need an extra wide gullet to get across their broad back. Once the saddle is on the horse and the correct gullet is installed there are a few other things you want to look out for. The first would be the stability of the saddle. If you place one hand on the pommel and one on the cantle and move your hands up and down the saddle should not rise and fall. Another thing to watch out for is the space provided between the horse’s back and the pommel/cantle. You want to have around three fingers width between the withers and the pommel, and a few fingers below the cantle. The saddle at no point should make contact with the horse’s spine. A way to test this while sitting in the saddle (as the stuffing will readjust when you sit in the saddle) is to stick a whip from front to back and make sure it glides smoothly. Lastly, it is important to make sure the sides of the saddle are touching the horse evenly and not pinching anywhere. Lunging the horse can test these basics and making sure the saddle stays securely in place, as well as by checking for sweat marks on saddle pads to make sure the weight is being distributed evenly.
Unfortunately we can take all the precautions in the world, and saddles will still not fit our horses sometimes. If your horse is bucking for no apparent reason in their training, having trouble coming round or stretching, rearing, or their back is sore when you run your fingers down it, it is most likely time to call the saddle doctor. Over time the wool stuffing in the saddles can wear down, and become unevenly distributed. Other times the horse will loose weight, or gain muscle, changing the shape of their topline. This is when the saddle doctor can add or remove stuffing in appropriate places in order to fit your horse again.
4. What movements and figures are required in training level dressage?
The purpose of a training level dressage test is to fulfill the basic levels of the training scale, and prepare the horse for further education. In a training level test the judges are looking for mainly rhythm, relaxation and suppleness, with the beginnings of contact. This is shown in the collective marks at the end of each test. The judge scores a rider on a few key aspects such as: the horse’s gaits, impulsion, and submission, as well as the rider’s position and effective use of the aids, and lastly the harmony found between the horse and rider pair. These scores are showing that both the horse and rider are moving in a direction that leads to a soft horse who is off the aids, and a rider who is communicating well to their partner.
As more specific movements emerge in the training level test they will vary from test to test. Training level test one is more basic than training level test three for example. In the first test the horse is asked to perform at the walk, trot, and canter. This is mainly done in twenty meter circles at various points in the arena. In the canter they allow the horse to have ample amounts of time to pick up the canter (half a twenty meter circle), and give the horse room to move by having him do only a half circle while cantering. They also ask the horse to come down from the center while heading into a corner, thus helping the horse slow down, and not speed up at the sight of an open arena in front of them. There is also a stretchy trot involved at this level. When going into the training level three test the movements get a little more advanced. Instead of just twenty meter circles the horse is now asked to do a one loop in both directions, and have the horse do a different stretch pattern. At the trot the stretchy chewy circle is still ridden in a twenty meter circle, but the walk is a V shape, going from KXH. This insures that the rider is able to direct the horse off of their seat and not just with the reigns, and that is also why this point is worth twice as much weight in the final score. The canter work also gets a little trickier, as they ask you to not only complete a twenty meter circle, but also have you canter to X. This is preparing you for first level, and eventually setting you up for a simple change. Training level dressage allows the horse to demonstrate the beginnings of dressage movements and allows the rider to receive comments from an outside source on how their horse’s training is going in these crucial first stages.
5. What movements and figures are required in first level dressage?
As one enters the first level dressage tests they are expected to be further along in their training than in the training level tests. First level is still a lower level of dressage, where one is still laying down a foundation and preparing for the more in depth levels of second level. In this test the judge is still looking at similar collective marks to training level. The gaits, submission, impulsion, rider’s position and use of aids, as well as the harmony are still heavily evaluated.
As you look deeper into the tests themselves you see much more difficult tasks being asked of the horse and rider. In first level test one a few new things are introduced. There is now a 10 meter half circle ridden at the trot, a 15 meter circle ridden at the canter, and a lengthening of the trot and canter. These movements may seem easy when written on paper, but they are actually much more sophisticated. For example, a 15 meter circle does not seem much harder than a 20 meter, but it will place much more pressure on the horse’s hocks and call for a greater level of balance and softness in order to perform it smoothly and softly. The lengthening is also a test of control for both the horse and rider. In the lengthening you are asking the horse to step deeper on to its hocks and compel itself more forward, lengthening the stride, while still maintaining balance and softness. After the lengthening the horse has to come back to the rider and do so softly and easily. The pace doesn’t slow down in first level test three either - many more things are being introduced and asked of the horse. A full 10 meter circle is now asked at the trot, a change of lead through the trot (on the diagonal), a great deal of leg yielding and the counter canter are now expected. These movements are entering true dressage and really testing the horse and rider team.
6. What are the elements of the pyramid of basics in dressage? (They are clearly defined in your text Dressage in Harmony and in various videos and other books.)
The dressage training scale goes step by step to explain the process in which a horse develops over time with correct training. This ensures that the horse is learning all of the necessary movements to get to the highest level of dressage. The foundation of the training scale is rhythm, with energy and tempo. Rhythm is essential to both the baby horse and horse new to dressage. The horse must have a consistent gait with motivation to move forward. After rhythm is relaxation, with elasticity and suppleness. Relaxation is very important and often times overlooked. After the young or green horse has a standard tempo the horse is now asked to be relaxed and not tense. Walter Zettl explains shying horses in this passage, “One should never forget however that the horse evolved as a grazing animal whose main defense against predators is flight… To cure shying, the horse must be brought to trust his rider and himself, (Dressage in Harmony, p. 80).” This is important to realize in relaxation. You can never force a horse to not spook, but rather guide him and show him he will be okay. This is so the horse will be able to go over his back and ultimately enjoy his work while feeling safe. The third step in the training scale is connection. With true connection the horse should accept the bit and the aids. During this stage the horse should understand contact and start to really search for it. They should also understand leg as more than just go, but also as placing the feet. Last but not least the horse should also start to go off the seat with the help of extra aids.
As you move on to the top half of the training scale the horse is asked much more. If you do not have a firm foundation of rhythm, relaxation and connection these things cannot be achieved naturally. This takes quite a bit of time and muscle in the horse, and should not be asked of the horse unless they are ready. The fourth step in the training scale is impulsion, or shwung as Walter Zettl says. In this step the horses are expected to have increased energy and thrust, and really pick themselves up. After impulsion there is straightness. Straightness is improved alignment and balance through the entire body, not just in the neck or back. This leads into the very last stage of the training scale, which is collection. Collection is self carriage at its finest. This is asking the horse to come completely off the forehand and engage their hind end. This movement is shown at its finest at the Grand Prix level, but also in the Prix St. George and both Intermediaries I and II.
7. How do the basics inter-relate? (And why does Walter Zettl give one more basic than anyone else?)
The basics all inter-relate simply because you cannot get one without the other. At the very foundation of the training scale is rhythm. This ensures that the horse can have a consistent beat of four at the walk, two at the trot, and three at the canter. When first getting on a baby horse they do not have a natural rhythm… they are so confused by the added weight on their back that they are not really aware of how to move normally under it. If the horse never reaches the next stage, relaxation, they would never be able to pick up a consistent tempo, because they would be more worried about survival than being able to walk, trot, and canter to any beat. The same applies to contact. Many people use extra devices to make their horse put their head down, because in reality they are far too bothered to offer it on their own. When a horse puts their head down they are allowing themselves to be vulnerable. This vulnerability only happens when they are relaxed and trusting in the rider enough to allow it to happen. Without a balance of all three basics the horse will not move freely and correctly.
Zettl also adds shwung to the training scale. I feel that shwung is something that many people assume to happen with the formal training scale, but is good that he spells it out so clearly for us. Shwung, as Zettl defines it is, “The power of the hindquarters that carries the horse forward and its transmission over the back, (Dressage in Harmony, p.13).” This is the idea that when the horse engages his hind end and compels forward from energy created in the hind, it can then carry the energy up through the back and to the neck and poll. This is the very epitome of dressage that one works to obtain through out their entire career.
8. What is a half halt and how does one perform it? When is it needed?
The half halt is a crucial tool for the rider to enhance communication with the horse. When thinking of a half halt some may think you are just pulling a little less than a halt on the horse to get them to slow down, but this is not true. The half halt is used very carefully, always reinforced, and can prepare the horse for many things. To start with: the reason for a half halt is either to regain what you had lost in terms of balance and the horse’s frame, or to let the horse know that something new is coming and they are to prepare for it. This can be while in the transition from a walk to trot, trot to canter, canter to trot, and so on. This carries on through the leg yield, lateral movements and further up the training scale. It is how we as the rider tell the horse something is coming or something needs to be fixed. Walter Zettl describes his conversation with another horsemen about half halts here, “He said he had never counted, but he was quite sure it was more than five hundred (half halts) in a single training session! (Dressage in Harmony, p.64)” This shows that in a sport where the only communication you have is through your body it is crucial to master the aid that allows you to warn your horse for what is coming.
When performing the half halt it is important to not only communicate through your reins, but also through your leg. If you just pulled back on the rein it would shut the horse down and take the energy away. But when you apply pressure for a second and also apply leg it makes the horse alert and brings them up slightly. Another key aspect of a half halt is to release immediately. If you hold too long and bring the horse to a complete halt you will lose all energy and have to start over. Lastly, it is crucial to get the timing of the half halt perfectly. As mentioned below, the aid can be perfect, but if it is at the wrong time it means nothing to the horse. If one can complete all of these steps successfully the half halt should yield great results and aid your horse in preparing for what you are asking.
9. Why is the timing of the aids important? (Give specific examples to support your statement of the general principle.)
Timing of the aids is more important than most people realize. When first learning how to ride the rider is more focused on sitting the horse’s movement. After the rider progresses from the passenger stage, and is more actively riding the horse, timing is extremely important. I remember when I was starting to play with some leg yielding and other first level movements my riding instructor put me on a lunge line and asked me when each foot left the ground. I was completely dumfounded. Was I supposed to know when their right hind was leaving the ground, and how that would determine the timing of the canter? This idea initially blew my mind. The more I thought about it though, the more it started to take shape in my mind. Every time I asked for a canter and got it a few strides after was not because the horse was being disobedient to my leg, but because the horse did not have its feet in the right place to canter. If they had picked up the canter the second I asked they probably would have fallen on their face. This concept continues to both confuse and enthrall me as I continue trying to gain a full understanding of it.
The timing of the hind legs I have always struggled with. This is very prominent in my riding with Duncan, as he is green and needs so much guidance from the rider. Especially as he struggles with his left lead, the timing on my part is so important. In order for him to pick up the lead I need to be asking at the exact moment his outside hind foot is leaving the ground. A second too late and he will have the perfect opportunity to pick up the counter canter. The timing of the hind legs is also important with the leg yield. When the horse’s inside leg is leaving the ground you apply your inside leg and hip, asking him to go sideways. If you wait until after the foot has left the ground the horse can no longer alter its course, and will have to wait until it hits the ground again. This concept applies all of the way up the training scale. As one starts the tempi changes the timing must be dead on or the horse will not be able to change leads. Walter Zettl states, “I hear so often from students, ‘I definitely gave the right aids!’ That may be. But the best aids will produce nothing correct if not given in the right moment. Aids that were appropriate a few meters back might need to be altered slightly because the situation has changed in this short length of time,” (Dressage in Harmony, p.47). Without proper timing the horse will not be able to properly do the required movements and it is unfair to ask them to do so.
10. Describe your strongest skill in riding, then describe the area where you feel you need the most improvement. Give reasons for your analysis. Describe an exercise that would help you improve. Give sufficient detail that a reader would be able to follow your directions accurately.
I feel that my strongest skill in riding is my determination. It is true that I will complain and whine along the way, but I will never give up. There were many times when I wanted to sell Duncan. It was not an easy start by any means. He did not know what a halter was and I did not know how to ride a young horse… or break one for that matter. I was pretty clueless in that regard, and Duncan needed someone who knew what they were doing. With that being said, I would not give that horse up for the world. I do not recommend anyone going out and buying the greenest horse they could find… but the lessons I learned along the way have been life changing. It took perseverance to spend two hours every day in the paddock just to get a halter on his face. It took tears, prayers, and many nights just showing him that a human was not a thing to be feared. It took time to teach him to lunge, put a saddle on, and to get him around the arena. It took trust to get on him and faith that God would protect both of us.
And still, after all of that it was time to switch barns. After moving to a new training facility Duncan was put in a stall and turned out in the equivalent of an equine sized sandbox during the day. He became spooky and virtually not able to be ridden. Through God’s guidance and expression of His timing and sovereignty I kept Duncan. My perseverance is certainly a gift from God. When I was just about to sell Duncan I got on my floor and cried out. I read my devotional book that night and it told me exactly what I needed to hear. God told me not to push His timing, and that when I chose a path in line with His will, nothing on heaven or on Earth could stop me. That proved true as just a week later I attended a natural horsemanship clinic and moved Duncan to that facility after the clinic. I went from being too scared to get on him to galloping down the trails in a week. I have determination from God, which proved to be a necessity with Duncan.
Along with my strong suit are also the things I need to improve on. My timing, balance, and feel are areas I struggle in. Riding does not come easily to me, and I certainly have a long way to go before I am where I want to be. I have spent hours trying to feel when a horse picks up their hind leg, and still I cannot tell you unless I focus on that only. I do not always know when a horse’s ribs are leaning to the left, and still struggle connecting the reigns to the feet. Also, I do not have the greatest seat on a spooking horse. I find it challenging to move my hips in the right direction at the canter, and can barely tell when to ask the horse for the canter (when their outside hind is leaving the ground). I am extremely thankful for all of the horses that have put up with all of my bad habits and continue to perform, and often pick up my slack. The only way you can master those skills is to continue riding, and the only way to learn is to make mistakes. I’m glad horses are so forgiving of us and allow us to keep making those crucial mistakes on their backs.
*According to Terry my strongest skill is determination and my weakest skill is whining... apparently I make whining a skill.
