Flatwork Exercises for Performance Horses
Patterns and Movements for Schooling on the Flat
Oct 23, 2009
At their core, flatwork exercises are a method by which riders and performance horses can return to the basics. When schooling on the flat, riders are better able to identify potential problems and correct small mistakes that might make a huge difference in the show arena.
There are numerous benefits of schooling on the flat, and it is a good idea to have a goal for each session. For example, some performances horses might need softening on circles or better flexion in lateral work. These patterns and exercises can help riders accomplish their goals.
Serpentines on Horseback
One of the best flatwork exercises for performance horses is serpentines on horseback. This pattern encourages horses to adopt the correct bend on corners and to rely on their riders' cues when it comes to changing direction.
Serpentines on horseback are usually conducted in a large arena with four or five loops, and this exercise can be completed at walk, trot or canter. At the walk, the center of each loop is the point at which the rider changes bend; at the trot, the center is for changing diagonal (when posting) and changing bend; and at the canter, the center is where the horse should change leads along with bend.
The purpose of serpentines on horseback is to increase flexion and suppleness through the bend, and to improve flexibility through the neck and top line.
Lateral Work
There are several lateral flatwork exercises from which performance horses can greatly benefit. Lateral work simply means that the horse works on two or more tracks rather than one; instead of traveling along a straight line, his front legs travel a different track than his hind legs, in most cases.
A leg yield, for example, means that the horse moves from left to right (or vice versa) by crossing his outside legs in front of the inside, with the bend in the direction from which the horse is moving. In a half-pass, the horse is bent in the direction of motion, making it more difficult.
Lateral flatwork exercises are difficult to master, and riders who have no experience with them should seek guidance from an instructor or trainer. It is essential to perform these exercises correctly; otherwise, neither the rider nor the horse receives any benefit.
Spiral Circles
One of the easiest flatwork exercises is spiral circles, which simply means starting in a small circle and working outward to a larger one, or vice versa. Schooling on the flat is often meant to correct unattractive behaviors in performances horses, and this is just one example.
The purpose of spiral circles is to focus the horse's attention and to give him a smaller area in which to work. When he is focused on circling, he is less likely to get distracted by outside stimuli. Furthermore, this can help calm a horse that gets too fast.
Lastly, spiral circles stretch the top line and encourage performance horses to come round on the correct bend. They set the horse up for a straight and flexible body that neither falls too heavily on the inside shoulder nor relies on the outside hip.
Extensions & Collections
Performance horses must be completely responsive to their riders and must be able to adjust themselves significantly within the gaits. In addition to practicing upward and downward transitions, it is important to work on extensions and collections while schooling on the flat.
An extension means that the horse extends his gait. He will lengthen his stride, lift his back and reach underneath himself more fully from the hind end. Collections, by contrast, mean shortening the stride and the reach. Although a collected gait is generally slower than an extended gait, the issue with these differences is not speed.
All of these flatwork exercises for performance horses will increase communication between horse and rider and lead to better turn-out in the show ring. Although simplistic, they provide an opportunity for the team to work together, fine-tuning the issues that might not come up in other forms of training.
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