# Teaching a horse medium trot



## Gorgeous George (27 January 2009)

George and I did our first novice test last week and we are going to try another one in Feb (perhaps we wont come last this time!). The problem is George doesnt know how to do medium trot (well neither do I really!). We did practise a bit in my last lesson by collecting him up in the corner and then asking him to go forwards into a contact across the diagonal, but he either seems to go faster, or doesnt lengthen at all. When we did our test last week I did try and thought he lengthened a bit, but the judge said no medium trot shown. In the test we are trying in Feb we have to do 2 lots of medium, so I would at least like to show some effort and pick up a few stray marks! Help, any top tips!


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## quirky (27 January 2009)

The way I was taught (by a PSG rider) was not to ask for it initially across the diagonal or up the long side.
I was told to take an inner track and push the trot forward but to contain the front end so he didn't break into canter. Don't do it on a circle, literally just chop the ends off your school. Believe me, when the horse does get it, you can fell it, there is no mistaking the power of the trot.
Only when you are confident that you can ask for a medium and get it do you then progress to asking for some strides where required.
Hope that helps.


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## horseywelsh (27 January 2009)

Firstly how old is George?
Do you know how to ask for the medium/what it feels like?
The horse should not quicken, but lengthen his stride and take his weight onto his hindquarters, and it should feel as though his front end lifts.
For novice level you only have to show a few strides.
Try 10m circle at corner, shoulder in to E/B then ask for medium to end.
If he just quickens try not to allow him to take the lead so my trainer used to have me halting after a few strides across diagonal, then proceed in WT. Made horses life more difficult by going faster so in end he stopped trying.
Try not to over practise, as quality will be reduced. It's all about the preparation and set-up when trying at home. Good Luck. Our 4 for a medium gradually rose to an 8 (over a year of practising)


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## piebaldsparkle (27 January 2009)

He needs to really lighten his forehand and engage his quarters to enable him to lenghten.  Lots of transitions and transition with in a pace (e.g. collected walk, medium walk, extended walk etc..), should help you get his hocks under him.  Once he can engage his hock, you will then be able to ask for some lenghtening, without him just falling on his forehand and quickening.


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## HenryandPeta (27 January 2009)

My instructor (a GB event team member for what it's worth) taught me and Henry to do this in the school. We just practised! Initially working on collected trot to working trot - collected along the short side, then working down the long side. Once he was balanced and making good transitions within the trot, I would keep working trot along the short side, then really push with my leg and constant half halts to ask him to open his shoulder and lighten the forehand at the corner into the long straight - the opening of the shoulder is key - believe me, you will feel it when you get it right, it's like riding on a wave! 

He actually got it for the first time out hacking, where we had the space to just let him go. He is a big horse and even though the arena is huge, he never got more than a few strides into the long side before I was asking for collection and balance to ensure he wasn't motorbiking the corners. 

So I would suggest, try it out hacking! Find somewhere spacious, flat or slightly uphill where you have the room to push George forwards. He'll find his feet in time and then you'll have trouble stopping him doing medium trot! Henry adores doing it and really shows off is anyone is watching! Just don't try it constantly, it's hard work for them until they click that you're not asking for canter - it will feel incredible - ENJOY!!!!


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## Baggybreeches (27 January 2009)

I was taught to just keep kicking into a steady contact, and go large round the school and keep at it until you feel the change in gear (it is VERY different, the elevation is huge), once you know what to aim for it makes it easier to get the next time. Don't worry if it takes a while, once he knows what to do, George will think its great fun! Once you have a good forward Medium, then you can work on refining it, don't worry if he breaks, at this stage its better to be too forward. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




BTW Some walk pirouettes will help with the engagement!


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## Madam_max (27 January 2009)

I found it easier to teach out hacking as they are nayurally more forward.


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## milliepops (27 January 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
I found it easier to teach out hacking as they are nayurally more forward.  
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, I'd agree with this, especially if neither horse nor rider knows what it feels like.  You can just end up speeding round the school otherwise!  Roads or flat tracks that are slightly uphill are very effective IMO - as is hacking out with another horse that can extend.  Just don't go hammering along on the road for too long 
	
	
		
		
	


	




   Once you know the feel, then go back in the school and tweak it.


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## DuckToller (27 January 2009)

Lots of good advice above, but a tip to help in the test itself is to do what you have done, set him up for it.  Collect on the short side, and half halt going into the corner before, and wait until he is completely straight across the diagonal before you even think about asking.  

If you turn out of the corner and then turn across the diagonal and ask while the horse is not quite straight, it doesn't give him a chance to balance. 

Make your turn, wait a few strides, sit and think of lifting his front end, and ask.  I was collared to judge for a friend recently and medium trot was required, very few managed anything like med trot, mainly because they came out of the corner and hurled themselves across the diagonal, but those that at least set the horse up properly did show a difference, which is what the judge is desperate to see!  So practice the above tips, and on the day - collect, turn, patience, patience, ask, ask more, go for it, then steady up, all before the next corner!


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## daisycrazy (27 January 2009)

A very effective tip I was given was to lean the upper body forward (whilst maintaining a contact for the horse to work into) when teaching the horse to lengthen initially. The body language is clearer to the horse that way and they start to get the idea. The horse should be into the contact and drawing your hand forward, otherwise he will lose engagement and become unbalanced. Once he's got the idea of lengthening without rushing, then you can start to get him to transfer the weight to the hindquarters. The more strides he does the more he will lose his balance, so don't ask for too much initially, and use plenty of transitions and half halts and, as somebody else said, walk pirouettes.

ETA: When coming off a turn either down the long side or across the diagonal, it wil help to straighten the horse if you change position to the opposite diagonal - so if you have come off a right turn, you immediately change your position and diagonal as if you were about to turn left. This counters the tendency to come round the corner with the outside shoulder drifting slightly (which will wreck your medium!).


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## ester (27 January 2009)

been there and I also had no idea what I was trying for till it happend

I would say easier when hacking, we have a nice long stretch of grass or the beach, really good if you have a horse that is good at it as they kinda both get in a rhythm together which will make george not break into canter


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## lpu06lec (27 January 2009)

My old horse did it for the first time out hunting! We were trotting along the road and he suddenly lengthend his stride to keep up with the others! After he found his new gait he did it all the time!!


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## amandaco2 (27 January 2009)

i would work on collection-do loads of transitions,rein back, walk pirouttes and circles of varying sizes and really warm him up and get him listening.
then you can try to do a few strides of medium from shoulder in or a 5m collected trot circle once you rejoin the track
only ask for a few strides  then collect again to make it an active request to lengthen then shorten (rather than asking for lengthened and then letting it die away into a more working or collected trot)and praise him if he lifts into an extension.you could collect simply by asking for the shorter strides or going into another 5m circle or shoulder in.
otherwise he will end up running flatter and flatter if you ask for lots of strides.
you can try using poles to help him get the idea he can physically do it!


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