SHORT STEPS

Jumping riders should teach their horses how to do short steps. Many dressage riders introduce short steps to their young horses. To ride collection as carried out in Grand Prix dressage is difficult and it is of course easier when you are riding a horse who is talented in this respect.

A show jumping horse can be limited in the Grand Prix style of collection but he can easily be taught to shorten his steps. Just as it is important to be able to change the horse's outline - from up and round, to deep and round and then to long and low - it is also important to be able to change the number of steps in a required distance.

Firstly I make sure the horse is listening to me in half halts and down transitions. In order to carry out short steps the horse must be listening to the half halt aids. I carry out many trot to walk transitions and even limit the number of walk steps until I actually only do one step and go into trot again. This is also a very good way to get a lazy horse in front of the leg. If he is lazy going into trot, he must be encouraged with a gentle tap of the dressage whip. During these transitions the horse must be on the bit and round, he can even be a little deep.

After the transition work I apply the same aids as I do to ride a trot to walk transition but I decide I will not go into walk but keep in a trot which has shorter steps. It is almost like you are bouncing a ball with your hand, but now it is your seat which is letting the horse bounce under you. It is important to keep a good rhythm. Your legs should remain relaxed and hanging by the horses sides, only a quick burst of pressure if you feel that the horse may drop the trot and go into walk. You must feel that his hind legs stay active and are stepping under his body. When the horse is learning this exercise it is sometimes necessary to quickly use the legs, but later when he has learnt it there will be no need to use the legs at all. The contact with the horse's mouth should always be light and elastic. After a few shortened steps of trot I then move the horse forwards again in a more active working trot. The horse must always stay in front of your leg and be willing to move forwards as soon as you ask him.

It is very likely when you start this work that the horse will resist in some way. He may become a bit crooked or stiffen in his back because you are asking him to perform something which is physically much more difficult for him. Crookedness should always be corrected and if the horse stiffens his back you should bend him a little more to the inside to help him stay loose over the back.

In canter, the basic exercise of going from a large circle into a small circle will automatically encourage the horse to collect and shorten the canter strides. Another exercise in canter to improve the collection and ability to shorten strides is to use the polework exercises on the circle (see Pole Work page).