IMPULSION

This is the contained power of the horse, which is generated from an active hind leg and contained with the rein. The degree of impulsion will vary according to the experience and competence of the rider, the level of training of the horse, and the difficulty of the movement being asked.

Care must always be taken with Para horses, especially at the lower Grades, so that there is not more energy created than the rider can cope with at any one time.

Some examples might be:

a)  if the rider is Ia and is only able to walk, care must be taken that the horse is not encouraged so far forwards that he trots, as this may be enough to unbalance and frighten a rider.

b)   if too much trot is created, and the rider is unable to remain in balance, both horse and rider suffer. The rider becomes uncomfortable and then either bounces on the horse‚s back, which is bad for the horse, or is unable to maintain a consistent contact which can then make the horse‚s mouth sore or cause a very inconsistent head carriage.

How do we create impulsion?

TOP TIP

For Grade I and II riders it may be useful to train the horse to the voice. Whatever voice signal is used it is important to be consistent so that all riders and coaches working with the horse use the same signals. When the horse is ridden by the able bodied coach and is learning the voice commands, then the coach will of course use his legs and whip if necessary to affirm the aid. These voice signals must not be loud and intrusive.

Horses which are lazy, and many walk only horses are, may need the rider to wear spurs;  but these must only be used when the coach is sure the rider has sufficient command over the legs, and when  there is no likelihood of the horse over-reacting or being rubbed by the spur. The whip, if used, needs to be chosen with care so that it is a suitable length and weight for the rider concerned. Some riders may need to have the whip attached by means of velcro or elastic band, but if this method is used, the coach needs to be quite certain that the horse can tolerate the whip at all times. It is not necessary for the rider to be able to change the whip from one hand to the other, but again, if a whip is used in the outside hand and it drags along the boards of the indoor arena, the horse must tolerate this. This is obviously essential if two whips are to be carried.

TOP TIP FOR ALL

To increase engagement (power), use transitions either direct from one pace to the other or transitions within the pace. These have been discussed in Top Tips 3, but we can now look in more detail at this important training job. All dressage tests contain transitions and it is the quality of these transitions that make the difference in the winning scores. So for example, if a horse is required to go from trot to halt and then from halt to trot, initially, to maintain harmony, these transitions may be made with one or two walk steps, but as horse and rider progress the more direct the transition can be with invisible aids the better the marks will be.
 
There are two excellent exercises for improving impulsion.  The trot-walk-trot transition - for this to be effective the trot needs sufficient energy and consistent rhythm, then step down to walk after only 2 or 3 steps, then trot again for at least 20 metres before asking for another transition Check how the horse responds. He should move up to trot from one aid; his response should be smooth with no jumping upwards in the transition. In the downward transition ask: does he stay softly accepting the bit, not leaning or coming above the bit?  If there is a problem with his acceptance, then check how you are giving the aids and if the horse needs some training reminder, ask your coach to help.   

The second exercise to use can be the trot-canter-trot exercise, which is usually most effective on a circle. Again make sure your horse has sufficient energy in the canter and be disciplined where you ask for the transitions or the horse will take over and make the transition himself. These transitions are essential for the Grade III horse and rider as many horses seem to find walk to canter easier than trot to canter. It is best to decide where on the circle to do the transitions. You may decide on a marker or you may count the strides; either way be consistent, i.e. give the horse the same aid every time so that he understands your aid. It is relatively easy to teach the horse to canter from a seat aid alone if this is what suits your disability best.
 
Next, we are concerned with transitions from within the pace.    Even at Grade II we are required to show transitions within the pace and this is also an excellent training aid. Again the responsiveness of the horse to both the upward and downward aids is the hallmark of quality training. Often the rider gets a good upward response to his aids, but then forgets the downward transition. Even though an ultimate aim is the best impulsion, care must be taken that the impulsion is always contained, and that the frame of the horse reflects his stage of training. For example, Œsome medium trot strides‚ at Grade II do not need the frame to change, provided the poll is the highest point and the nose is just in front of the vertical, but at Grade IV, medium canter should show a lengthening of the frame if the horse is able to work in a balanced collected canter.

As we develop our horses‚ impulsion, (and this is probably not a correct term for the energy and activity of the walk), we will see and feel that the horse‚s back begins to swing, that cadence (off the floor) develops and the horse overall becomes more
athletic and harmonious in all his work.

Horses that do not have 'special' paces will not necessarily gain high marks in some areas but if correctly trained will be given recognition for suppleness, rhythm and submission.

Sometimes to give the horse more purpose and energy a variation in his work can be advantageous, hacking out, jumping and pole work can all be useful even if this is not carried out by his regular Para rider.

To summarise, riders should aim to create as much impulsion as possible to show off the horse's natural paces without losing rhythm, suppleness and balance. It is the rider‚s responsibility to make sure that the horse does not start to pull or speed up.

TOP TIP

When to use a double bridle - how do we know when the double can be used? First the horse needs to be happy to accept the bridle; it needs to be well fitted.   We will discuss tack fitting in a later newsletter. Special care must be taken with the curb chain and if two reins are fitted as one with the curb rein joining the snaffle, this needs to have plenty of room for adjustment. The second important issue is: can the rider give the horse a consistent contact? If not, then the double bridle should not be used.     

However, for riders who have weak hands, or only one functioning hand, the double bridle can safeguard the rider and avoid extra stress on the body. If the horse is happy in a double bridle, then it is better to be able to give only a light aid rather than pulling in a snaffle.