Energy/Impulsion II
Clinician Steffan Peters

Prerequisites: correctness on the aids, and in front of the leg.

Calf should be the main driving aid with a REMINDING function—not a constant supporting aid. Spurs are EMERGENCY aids to be used to increase sensitivity to the calf aid.

Praise the horse after each correction—reassure the horse that we are not trying to argue or fight with him, but only to communicate.

Intersperse periods of basic work for suppleness/energy within sessions of more difficult work (i.e., lateral movement, collected work, etc.)

NO NAGGING!!! Use mistakes to teach the horse.

Do more difficult gaits/movements at the BEGINNING of the work session; the horse cannot improve if he is too fatigued to perform the movement correctly.

Extension is longer strides which cover more ground, NOT quicker.

Gymnasticizing comes not from riding long distances in a gait (i.e., extended canter) but in bringing the horse back and asking again.

Purity of the gait is our priority.

Shoulder-fore is useful to straighten a horse that likes to canter haunches in. It is important that the horse learns to understand the difference between being asked for shoulder-fore vs. flying change. Again, stop the aid and see if the horse has yet learned to maintain. If not, ask again with more firmness, then give the horse a chance to maintain it on its own.

The horse should show an IMMEDIATE response to forward/lengthening aids.