9 Year Old Trakehner/Hanoverian Mare...

I was excited to see this horse go, as she was a mare, and part Trakehner! She's was lovely and doing 3rd/4th level work. She'd only been in a double bridle for a couple of weeks and was doing wonderfully.

It's better for your heels to go down-level-down-level when sitting the trot; not up-level-up-level.

Ears will be level when the horse is through at the poll; if the inside ear is lower the horse isn't through

The outside rein keeps the horse from dribbling through the trot into the canter; closing the fist asks for a more correct walk-canter transition

Shoulder fore is the easiest way to get walk rhythm to stop being irregular because it breaks up the lateral pairs

When doing a flying change act as if you're snatching a fly out of the air with the outside hand (keeps the horse from popping the shoulder out) IOW-close the outside hand->croup goes down->forehand goes up->put other hand forward (soften)

If the horse is stiff, ride the changes in right flexion (for this horse); if the horse gets too antsy doing 4's across the diagonal canter left circle while suppleing to the right

In flying chanes legs have to be quick, like windshield wipers or you'll never be quick enough for 1's or 2's if you have to hold your leg

To improve quickness of the changes you need to improve the canter transition (from walk or trot)--you can't just hold the leg on the horse for a few strides, it doesn't teach the horse to be responsive

Priouettes-canter 10 meter circle, haunches in 3 strides, then straight, HI 3 strides, etc

Test to make sure your working pirouette isn't just a leg yield; if too much HI then just "sit" the HI, don't use your outside leg

Need to slow the collected canter to a pirouette canter (almost in place) for a few strides before halting or the horse will fall on its face

HI on the 10 meter circle encourages bending of the joints (inside hind)