COLLECTION

Carl Hester on Dolendo

The first five principles of the training scale are used in the basic training of the horse. Later collection is introduced, which is to change the way the horse carries its weight, putting more weight on the hind legs and therefore achieving lightness of the forehand.

The aim of collection is:

To further develop and improve the equilibrium of the horse, which has been more or less displaced by the additional weight of the rider.
To develop and increase the horse's ability to lower and engage its hindquarters for the benefit of the lightness and mobility of its forehand.
To add to the "ease and carriage" of the horse thereby making it more pleasurable to ride.
Collection is developed by half-halts and the use of the movements such as shoulder-in,travers, renvers, and half pass.

Collection is improved and achieved by the use of the seat and legs and containing hands to engage the horse's hind legs. The joints of the hind legs bend more and step forwards more under the horse's body, therefore lightening the horse's shoulders. The collected horse gives the impression of moving uphill.

Collection is not a term which is heard only in the training of a dressage horse, but should also be taught to the show jumper. A show jumper needs to be collected between jumps, for example, between a spread fence or a water jump to an upright. Here it is imperative that the horse understands the aids of the rider and is able physically to collect. The horse should understand from early on in its training the aids for half-halts, to react when asked to slow down, to change its rhythm, to "close itself up" between the leg and the rein aids of the rider.