THE TRAINING SCALE: the Training Scale that alternate the his jaw relaxed, and his nose a hint position of one element over the in front of the vertical (That is also Bad training can make the best other. a sign of good riding and training). look terrible; good training can make the average horse a THE ELEMENTS IN BRIEF: 4- Impulsion: Free-flowing energy star. The question is, what is good initiated by the rider, causing the training? 1- Rhythm: It is the result of mental horse’s back to swing, his quarters and physical relaxation. When the to engage, and his forelegs to The best riders and trainers in the horse is relaxed, he is able to step articulate is impulsion. Good world will tell you that good training into the natural rhythm of the four impulsion is reflected through a is that which is built block by block natural gaits: walk, , canter, horse that appears to have an innate onto a strong, solid base. That base and the rein-back. The walk is a is comprised of the following six 4-beat movement, the trot 2-beat, desire to go forward with active, elements in that particular order: the canter 3-beat, and the rein- lively steps. How far the horse back 2-beat. A horse that in steps underneath his barrel and 1. Rhythm rhythm is trotting in a clear 2-beat how much he engages his hocks 2. Suppleness rhythm in a steady tempo. There is are both measures of impulsion. 3. Contact good rhythm and bad rhythm: Good Basic training regulates the horse’s 4. Impulsion rhythm is when the horse’s canter engine so that impulsion becomes 5. Straightness is a true 3-beat, bad or incorrect second nature to the horse and the 6. Collection rhythm is when it becomes a lazy rider does not have to push all the 4-beat. Rhythm faults in the walk time. Together, these elements make are when it comes close to 2-beat, up what is known as The Training and in the trot when it resembles a 5- Straightness: are Scale—also known as The lame, hopping horse. naturally crooked, so straightening Training Pyramid, the German them is the job of the rider/trainer. Training Scale, or the German 2- Suppleness: A horse For example, many horses canter Training System. It may help you is ultimately an athlete, and every with their quarters slightly in. understand how the Training Scale athlete requires a certain degree Crookedness is caused by uneven contributes to your horse’s training of flexibility. Suppleness is the lateral suppleness, i.e. one side if you visualise it as a pyramid, with looseness and flexibility of the Rhythm at the base, and every layer horse’s body. There are two types of stiffer than the other, and a weaker built upon the other. suppleness: longitudinal and lateral. hind leg. Good training focuses Longitudinal suppleness is the on developing both sides and looseness of the horse’s haunches, hind legs of the horse equally, THE ART OF RIDING back, neck, poll, and jaw, giving him which eventually leads to absolute the ability to swing forward while straightness. A horse is truly straight Collection remaining fairly on the bit. Lateral when the hind foot steps in the line THE TRAINING SCALE (PART 1) Straightness suppleness is the degree to which a of the front foot (or sometimes a horse can bend his body and neck little deeper to the inside in the By Emmad Eldin Zaghloul Impulsion sideways, either to produce a circle event of collection). or to move sideways. THERE IS NO SHORTCUT TO QUALITY. TWO THINGS MAKE A DRESSAGE Contact 6- Collection: The pinnacle of the 3- Contact: When the horse is HORSE GREAT: 1-QUALITY BREEDING, AND 2- QUALITY TRAINING. IF Suppleness Training Pyramid, collection is the accepting the rider’s hands, seat, ultimate goal for the dressage horse. YOU SEEK INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS AT GRAND PRIX LEVEL, YOU NEED Rhythm and legs, it is said that he is offering When all the previous elements are good contact. Many people mistake present, collection just happens! BOTH A QUALITY HORSE AND QUALITY TRAINING. BUT IF YOU, LIKE contact for the horse being on the Collection involves the lowering of bit. That is not necessarily true MOST PEOPLE, RUN ON AN AVERAGE BUDGET AND YOUR HORSE IS the croup, lightness of the forehand, There are some variations of the and denotes riding with the hands and shorter and higher steps. OF AVERAGE (OR EVEN BELOW AVERAGE) QUALITY, YOU SHOULDN’T Training Scale, but the above is alone. A horse moving under a rider NECESSARILY WORRY THAT YOU CANNOT MAKE A VERY GOOD the simplest. Variations may add is in contact with his seat, legs, Collection is possible in the walk, an element or two, but those extra and hands. Good contact is when trot and canter, and is achieved by PERFORMER OUT OF HIM. INDEED, QUALITY TRAINING APPLIES TO ALL elements are already integrated into the horse accepts and responds to collecting exercises and refined by HORSES, REGARDLESS OF TYPE, AGE, BREED, OR BACKGROUND. AND the ones mentioned above, such as seat and leg aids while maintaining little half-halts. A rider on a horse ‘Relaxation’ being part of or leading a round outline with a mouth that is doing a great collected canter feels CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK, QUALITY TRAINING DOES NOT to ‘Rhythm’, or ‘Looseness’ as a relaxed and accepting the bit. You as though he/she can let go and the MEAN HIRING AN EXPENSIVE TRAINER; IT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN ATTAIN synonym for ‘Suppleness’. Because can point out good contact when the horse would still maintain perfect the order of the elements is based horse’s back is raised, his quarters rhythm and self-carriage without SIMPLY BY FOLLOWING ‘THE TRAINING SCALE’. on logic, there are no variations of engaged, his poll the highest point, any interference from the rider. HT 90 91