Free walk on a long rein - help!

[olivia]

Hi All,

Been busy practising movements for our upcoming stressage outing, and there are lots of things I won't get sorted before then, but I'd really like to get a goodish (so 6 or 7) on our free walk on a long rein.

Tilly is very good at stretching forward and down, but I'm not sure about the walk steps she's taking at the same time. Should she be taking bigger steps? Should they be in the same rhythm as the medium walk, or faster?

Also - at the end of the free walk at what point should I start taking up the reins - should she be back in medium walk by the time we get back to the track? If so how soon after X can I start bringing her back together (if I try to do it too quickly she tends to hollow - then the whole next movement gets icky!)

Many thanks

Olivia

[SuzieP]

Hi Olivia

The free walk should be relaxed but purposeful - not an opportunity for an amble - showing some lengthening of stride over medium walk.

The test should say something like "HXF change rein at free walk" so you should have taken up your reins and be back in medium walk when you get to F. If you need to start gathering Tilly up after X could you do it little by little to give her some warning and then take back the majority if the rein just before F. Would that work?

Good luck - hope it goes really well.

[harveydales]

Yes, agree with Sue. You will get marked firstly on the stretching down and over the back. Many riders daren't give with the reins so this will get you marks - let Tilly take the rein down as far as she will without letting the reins loop. Then they will look at how active the steps are and whether she is stepping under so try and keep her active but not at the expence of stretching down. Agree with Sue about when to start gathering her up. Try and give her subtle warnings and do it very gradually. I'm naughty and teach Harvey by quietly using my voice to get him to stretch down and a tiny tap with my finger on his wither to warn him I'm about to ask him to come back to medium walk.

I think this is a move our Dales Ponies are expecially good at so a good opportunity for marks. Most importantly, have fun!

[olivia]

Thanks Sue and Pam. I think I'm getting the stretch, but not the additional swing to go with it. Tilly takes the entire length of the rein and had a real good stretch (she's still finding going in an outline hard going, so any opportunity for a break she laps it up )

I think if I can gradually take the reins from just past X I should be fine - it's just if I leave it to just before the track she gets tense and hollows.

I've discovered the need to practice lots of different ways of doing the same movement - which I can't believe I never twigged before!!! The is one point where I change the rein in trot down the centre line and I've discovered I need to leave swapping my whip over until I hit the next corner - if I try and do it at X (which I know would technically be correct) we get a massive wobble to our line. If I just change diagonal we're fine - which probably says something about the tentative grasp on 'straight' that TIlly and I have - but hey ho

Olivia

[harveydales]

I wouldn't bother swapping your whip during a test as it is too easy to disrupt the contact and confuse matters for her. Best to keep it in the hand Tilly needs it the most for the whole test.

But most importantly, just enjoy yourselves and smile!

[SuzieP]

I second that - it's another thing to think about. I carry my whip in the hand on the side Bea most falls in on so that I can give him a surreptitious tap on the shoulder to remind him to bend.

IMHO the free walk is the bit that lots of people don't spend enough time honing - it's maybe seen as the easy part of the test where you can have a bit of a breather. But I've lost loads of points on the free walk because the quality was poor.

That makes it sound like I've done loads of dressage doesn't it LOL - I haven't really, but try to learn from my mistakes and the feedback I get.

[olivia]

Well I seem to remember that it has double points doesn't it - so if you get poor marks it's doubly bad.


However now having watched a few 6/7 scored FW I think I might be over reaching myself Although T does stretch down she doesn't step through - mainly because she is very stiff in her quarters/hocks so never really steps through. Anyway as you've both said it's about getting out and having fun - and that's the thing I will focus on.

However I have brought a gorgeous new jacket to celebrate me entering

Olivia

[Anna]

I don't know if i can describe it well but I was once taught to get a nice stepping through and almost swinging free walk is to nudge with each leg alternatively. It seems to work really nicely in encouraging the stepping under and the opening up of the walk pace. That probably doesn't make any sense written down but it definatly works for me Good luck, and I love good reasons to buy new jackets! Make sure you get us pics!