Balance ground

Learn how to do dressage exercises and gymnastics in liberty.

Balance ground step 1

Equipment:

Neckrope / Cordero, Riding stick or a dressage/driving whip. ´

 (No halter or lead rope).
Introduction part:

- Figure eight, turn towards your pony when changing lead.
- Figure eight, turn away from your pony when changing lead.
- Walk on a circle, you are placed on the inside next to the head.
- Stop, back and relax.

Exercises step 1:
  • Move hindquarter from the outside to learn the first steps of roundness. 
  • Trot at least half a lap on a 20m circle. You on the outside.
  • Three walk-trot-walk transitions on the circle, you on the outside position.
  • Half halt - Walk on the outside, ask the horse to prepare for softens and move hindquarter to make a sharp turn. As soon as the horse bend around your aid and shortening up the steps, confirm. (He don't have to move the hindquarter).

Balance ground step 2

Equipment:

Neckrope / Cordero, Riding stick or a dressage/driving whip. ´

 (No halter or lead rope).
Introduction part:

- Figure eight, turn towards your pony when changing lead.
- Figure eight, turn away from your pony when changing lead.
- Walk on a circle, you are placed on the inside next to the head.
- Stop, back and relax.
Exercises part 2:
  • Half halt in trot, you on the outside. Confirm when pony bends around your aid. 
  • Trot on a circle, you are placed on the inside next the head.
  • Sidepass in walk towards your aid. Your position is optional.
  • Spanish walk 3-4 steps, just show that the horse understand. Doesn't have to be fluently on this level. 

Balance ground step 3

Equipment:

Neckrope / Cordero, Riding stick or a dressage/driving whip. ´

 (No halter or lead rope).
Introduction part:

- Figure eight, turn towards your pony when changing lead.
- Figure eight, turn away from your pony when changing lead.
- Walk on a circle, you are placed on the inside next to the head.
- Stop, back and relax.

Exercises part 3:

  • Shoulder in on the circle 4-5 steps, you are walking backwards infront of your pony.
  • Transitions shoulder in into halfpass ( traversal), you in front of your horse. Important that your pony walks with outside front leg and outside hindleg towards you 3-4 steps. 
  • Transition backing up - trot fluently. Your position is optional beside or infront, but stay away from the wall. 
  • Spanish walk fluently 4-5 steps with a small aid. (no touching fronleg). 

Balance ground step 4

Equipment:

Neckrope / Cordero, Riding stick or a dressage/driving whip. ´

 (No halter or lead rope).
Introduction part:

- Figure eight, turn towards your pony when changing lead.
- Figure eight, turn away from your pony when changing lead.
- Walk on a circle, you are placed on the inside next to the head.
- Stop, back and relax.
Exercises part 4:
  • Transitions walk into trot on the circle, you on the inside. As soon as your horse offering roundness in the transitions, confirm.  
  • Keep the roundness while asking for the half halt in trot, from the outside. Stay in roundness for 5-6 steps.
  • Haunches in 4-5 steps, you are positioned next to your horse.
  • Ask for a few canter jumps on the circle, you on the inside, transition from trot. 
  • Prepare for half steps. Ask your pony to do back up - trot - back up - half steps.

Balance ground step 5

Equipment:

Neckrope / Cordero, Riding stick or a dressage/driving whip. ´

 (No halter or lead rope).
Introduction part:

- Figure eight, turn towards your pony when changing lead.
- Figure eight, turn away from your pony when changing lead.
- Walk on a circle, you are placed on the inside next to the head.
- Stop, back and relax.
Exercises part 5:
  • Ask for trot in roundness on the circle. Your position on the inside.
  • Back up - trot - back up - piaffe 2-3 steps. 
  • Transition from trot into collected canter 2-3 steps on the circle. You on the inside.
  • Single canter jumps from walk. Your positions is optional.
  • Play with passage rhythm 3-4 steps. Doesn't have to be fluently. Just show that your horse start to get the idea about it. 

Balance ground step 6

Equipment:

Neckrope / Cordero, Riding stick or a dressage/driving whip. ´

 (No halter or lead rope).
Introduction part:

- Figure eight, turn towards your pony when changing lead.
- Figure eight, turn away from your pony when changing lead.
- Walk on a circle, you are placed on the inside next to the head.
- Stop, back up and relax.
Exercises in part  6:
  • Collected canter with roundness one lap on the circle. You on the inside.
  • Canter piruett, 4 jumps. Your position is optional.
  • Piaffe steps 4-5 steps.
  • Walk or trot transition into passage 4-5 step with flow.
  • Trot on straight line, transition to half pass ( traversal) you on the inside next to your horse.