Training Your Horse to Go Forward

Dressage is about utilizing the forward energy of the horse, collecting it and then directing it into a dance. The following is a lesson to learn and refine the aids that generate forward motion. Without this forward motion, no further work in dressage or any equestrian discipline for that matter can proceed. At the end of this lesson, the horse should respond to a light leg aid and move forward. The rider should also be able to demonstrate a consistent and fair use of the forward or "go" aids.

Step 1: After walking for 5-10 minutes in warm-up (some trotting is also okay), halt your horse along the wall at either E or B facing the short side of the arena. The rider should sit quietly and squarely in the saddle with their legs softly draped on the horse's sides.

The rider should be breathing fluidly. The outward breath is the breath of impulsion and energy. As you breathe out, stretch tall, close your legs and soften your hands slightly forward. If the horse does not go forward when you ask, repeat the aids. If he still does not go forward, repeat and tap with the whip just behind your calf. As soon as the horse responds, soften your leg back to its neutral draped position, allow your body to move forward with the horse and offer him a praise of "good boy" and a pat on the neck. (Careful to keep your reins in your hand as you pat your horse. Do not worry about whether the horse moves off in a walk or trot at this point. Just go with it and reward it! Quietly bring the horse back to the halt.

Repeat the sequence several times. If the horse understands, then he should move off more promptly and with increased enthusiasm after a few repetitions. Try it while facing the other direction.

Step 2: Walk your horse on a 20m circle. Follow his walking motion with your seat and hands lightly contacting his mouth via the reins. Again, check that your legs are draped along the horse's side and that you are breathing regularly. To initiate a trot, exhale, stretch tall, close the calf. Immediately soften your aids, follow you horse's motion and pat him if he trots off. If he does not, repeat the sequence and add a tap with the whip. Do not simply get firmer with the legs. This creates a dull horse that will look for increasing amounts of pressure from you until you cannot be strong enough. Habituate your horse to listening to quiet aids. (This is the essence of Horse Whispering!) This takes time, patience and consistency. It is also important to note that it is the release of pressure/stimulus/aids that informs a horse he has successfully responded to them. Therefore, if you quit asking when he is not responding to you, you will teach the horse that it is okay not to respond. Likewise if you are quick to soften your aids and release your pressure at the very instant he responds, you will quickly teach him to be very prompt and light to your aids. You will also notice that this creates a positive situation where the horse actually tries to do it even better and more quickly.

Step 3: At a walk or trot and later at a canter if you and your horse are advanced enough. I prefer to do this exercise first in the trot; however, newer riders or young horses or anyone not sure of their abilities should try in walk first. However, I'll give the directions in trot.

Take up a 20m circle in trot using your sequence of aids. Then go with the trot, but do not continue to give your aids at each stride. In fact, get extremely quiet in your aids. Keep your legs as quiet and draped as possible with a stretched calf and deep heel. Leave your horse very much alone and allow him to think that since you aren't asking him to keep trotting it might be okay if he quit. Allow him to stop trotting and immediately activate your aids, exhale, stretch tall, and close the calf. Repeat. See how quickly your horse begins to understand that he has a responsibility to continue forward without your prompting every step. He will over a time slow down. This is expected. However, it is like riding a skateboard. You push to achieve your desired forward momentum and then you stand there and allow the board to glide. Eventually friction begins to slow it down, so you give one, maybe two pushes to put it back up to speed. You never push every single step. The same is true with the horse. He must carry the forward motion on his own with greater responsibility and with less effort from you. You too though, must be focused and feel when your horse/skateboard slows down enough to need a push and it is better to feel when a small quiet push is needed than wait too long and have to give a larger aid or "push" to get your horse going again.

Check for Understanding:
What is the aid for "go"? Nearly at once as you exhale, stretch tall and close the leg.
What do you add if that does not work? Repeat and then repeat with a tap of the whip behind the leg. Did your horse improve during the session? Take even slight improvements. Do not expect to solve all your forward issues in one day. This takes time and practice and every rider reviews this concept to some degree daily with every horse. As the work becomes more challenging it is very easy to dull your horse to the aids. You will need refreshers too!
What if you felt no improvement? Contact a qualified instructor if ever you are unsure as to how to proceed. These are ideas and accumulations of my lessons and not meant to be a substitute for professional instruction. However, unless the horse simply did not move or cooperate at all or is even openly resistant, the best advice is to consult your vet, have the farrier check the hooves, and perhaps even have the saddle checked. If the horse does not seem to be communicating a physical issue, then patiently try it again the next time you ride. It's likely you will see improvement then. Sometimes rider's work so hard for a change they impede their own progress. Coming back to the exercise freshly often shows you made more progress than was apparent.