HXF Change the rein in trot showing a few medium strides

In this movement you have the opportunity to show us that your horse can be elastic to your aids by lengthening his trot strides ‘noticeably’ and on demand.

We like to see the horse becoming straight onto the diagonal as he leaves the track at H, remaining softly round and connected, then with a supple back and engaged hocks, to see an obvious forward desire translate to longer medium trot strides. The exact number of medium trot strides shown is unimportant, so long as we can see that your horse remains on the bit, in balance throughout and clearly shows the strides lengthening (over tracking) in a soft, yet powerful manner before reducing them back to working trot stride length, remaining rhythmical and balanced before reaching F.

This is not Medium Trot from H to F, it’s an easier, more gentle movement that allows the younger (or less experienced) horse more time to balance and encourage this extra movement over the back, engaging hocks for a shorter distance. With this movement performed correctly and continually the muscles will be better able to perform medium across the entire diagonal, in elementary.

What we don’t want to see…
1 Change in rhythm (hurrying)
2 Hollowing / resisting / tightening over the back
3 Breaking into canter
4 No attempt made, just a working trot
5 Loss of balance / tending to forehand / stumbling

Tips to execute this movement include…
- Effectively half halt when you come off the track at H, to shift weight onto the hocks, then whilst looking softly between your horse’s ears and the F marker, breathe out and let your centre of gravity sink.
- Keeping your body upright and relaxed, allow your seat to encourage a longer stride length by rising higher and sitting deeper whilst simultaneously massaging your horse’s sides with your lower leg. Rising to the trot is advisable as it will encourage him to swing through his back more freely and get his hocks under him further.
- Ensure that your hands are well positioned, that they are a giving pair keeping the contact elastic and so not allowing him to lean but are encouraging the energy to come through, forwards and uphill.
- You’ll see on the diagram that I put circles going up to ‘some medium strides’ and coming back again. This is because I am telling myself to look carefully for fluency in these areas. So make them seamless, well balanced and attractive.
- Your horse should remain round for the entire movement. Avoid the frame lengthening and the head lowering noticeably as it’s probable that you’ll be ‘letting the energy out the front door’ encouraging too much weight on the front legs, and will be penalized for tending to the forehand.
- Half halt again before you hit the track just before F, and ensure you are on the track when you actually pass F.

Executed as above then 8s, 9s and 10s all round

If we see what you’re trying to do but there is ‘not much happening’, but no resistances, loss of balance or hurrying then you’re likely to get a 6.

If we see that no attempt is made at all, just a working trot, then you’re likely to get less.

If we see breaking, resistances, hurrying or a loss of balance then it’ll be less than satisfactory again.