Creating and maintaining a good walk in a dressage test is sometimes easier said than done. Five-star event rider Georgie Strang has some helpful advice on how to achieve a good, relaxed but active walk. Then, don’t miss our selection of competitions for you to showcase what you’ve learnt…
1. Practise — It is important a horse learns to stretch and relax in walk at home first — even out hacking you want to teach them to take the rein forward and down, so when you get into a competition environment they are used to the feeling.
2. Leg — Keep your leg on — if your horse jogs, do not take the leg off as they can learn to use this as an evasion.
3. Relax — Stay relaxed and soft. Try to move your hips with the movement of the horse.
4. Take it steady — Ease out the rein gradually so the horse doesn’t suddenly feel insecure. When collecting the reins back up, make sure you also do this steadily.
5. Encourage — Practice at home by using your voice and giving your horse a pat and scratch on the neck.
6. Variety — When training, vary the movement after you have collected the rein, so you horse doesn’t always anticipate walk to trot or canter, and they wait on your aids.
Now you’ve got that advice in mind, take a look at these events and competitions available to enter where you can show off what you’ve learnt…
Unaffiliated fun dressage
Date: 22 February
Venue: High Plains Equestrian Centre, Riding Mill
Details: “This evening competition has classes from intro to novice. Entries are resticted in each class so everyone will win a rosette.”
Enter now
British Dressage including affiliated dressage to music
Date: 22 February
Venue: Cobham Manor Equestrian Centre, Maidstone
Details: “This affiliated competition has classes ranging between prelim and elementary with an unaffiliated pick your own long arena class too.”
Enter now
Unaffiliated dressage
Date: 23 February
Venue: Centyfield Eventing & Dressage Academy, Exeter
Details: “This competition has classes ranging between intro and elementary.”
Enter now
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Unaffiliated dressage
Date: 23 February
Venue: Fenland Equestrian Centre, Wisbech
Details: “This unaffiliated competition features classes ranging between intro and elementary.”
Enter now
Unaffiliated evening dressage
Date: 25 February
Venue: Moulton College Equestrian Centre, Northampton
Details: “This competition has classes ranging between intro and novice.”
Enter now
British Dressage
Date: 26 February
Venue: Alnwick Ford Equestrian, Morpeth
Details: “This affiliated competition has classes ranging between prelim and inter II.”
Enter now
Visit equo.co.uk for full competition and training listings
