28/ JUNE 2024 THE RIDER


Collection: An Exercise To Try


By Kathy Farrokhzad. There are a couple of


misconceptions about what collection really means.


The Misconceptions Collection isn’t only


about being slow. Many people think that if they slow down their horses (think disengagement of the hind end), that they are “col- lecting”. It is true that upper level horses don’t move their legs quickly, but the slowness doesn’t come about because of lack of for- ward. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. If the horse needs to elevate the legs higher, then he needs more time to do that. The legs move slower to allow for the in- creased “joint articulation” and movement required in collection. Collection isn’t about


shortening the stride length either. People often think that if they can get their horses to travel over less ground, that they’re col- lected. In fact, the leg activ- ity increases. Although the horse takes more steps in


less space, the energy goes into forming higher and rounder


You only need a mild riding! leg movement


rather than just moving ahead over ground.


In The Beginning Collection is difficult


for both rider and horse to achieve, especially in the beginning, because of the re-definition of aids that needs to take place. While the horse and rider are in the novice stage of riding, leg aids can be used to just move, or to perform a tran- sition.


But when you start


working on collection, you will change your seat and leg aids to mean something different. In this case, leg aids need to mean “engage- ment” rather than just “go”. Your expectation, as the rider, is that the horse puts more energy into the move- ment, without going bigger or faster or longer or chang- ing gaits. In fact, your leg and seat aids combined will be morphing into something new to tell the horse: put more energy into your movement, reach deeper un-


bend, so although you want flexion (the horse looks in the direction of the turn), you can keep the horse fairly straight and focus on energy and activity. Make the strides large, find your ideal tempo and stay at that tempo, and then focus on the accuracy of the circle. Then do the small cir-


cle. In the diagram, it’s a 10- metre circle but again, you can play with the size a bit. Just don’t make it too large, nor too small. You need it small enough to ask for a fairly deep bend, but not so small that you horse has trouble negotiating the turn in the first place. Bend! As you ap-


derneath your body, and begin to tilt your pelvis so that you can start to carry rather than push.


An Exercise There is a (seem-


ingly) simple exercise you


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can use to start to teach you and your horse what collec- tion feels like. It can help your horse begin to feel what it’s like to reach under with the hind legs and tilt the pelvis (even if just a little). It basi- cally puts you into “as- suming the position” rather than trying to force anything. These are called


“nested circles.” The trick with doing them is that


they both


should start at the exact same point. So if you start the large cir- cle at C, but then go into the small circle three-quarters into the circle, you’ll lose the purpose of the exer- cise. Make sure you start them at the same place. Do the large circle


first. I have it spaced out here at 20 metres, but you can adjust the size according to your riding space. The key is to make it large and


proach the small circle (in the last quarter of the large circle), apply your bend aids - inside leg at the girth, out- side leg behind the girth, your core and shoulders turned to the middle of the circle, mild inside rein con- tact for flexion, outside neck rein for direction - and bend before you hit C again. Then, move into the 10-m circle. The horse should now


have a fairly deep bend in the hind end as well as the front end. But make sure he doesn’t just fall to the inside. The


image of


“wrapped around your inside leg” works well here. Complete the 10- m circle.


But Don’t Forget! This is where we all fall apart a bit. We tend


evenly round. Take the op- portunity here to activate your horse’s hind legs.


to flop - either to the inside of the turn, or in our seat. Stay tall, turn in but don’t lean or collapse, and keep


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During the small cir-


cle, you need to focus on more than just bend. You also have to encourage the horse to maintain or even in- crease his energy level. You can accept a mildly slower tempo with the legs, but you can’t let the energy dissi- pate. In fact, you need to do everything you can to en- courage your horse to stay in front of your leg espe- cially in the small circle. At first, you’ll feel a


bit like a teeter totter. You will ask your horse to go, and he’ll go but fall to the forehand and begin to rush off. Half-halt and try again. If you don’t ask the


horse to go, he might break gait or quit altogether. Or sometimes, you ask the horse to go and he just runs off.


Be patient through


these tries. Both of you have to learn what it feels like to carry rather than to just push with the hind end. Both of you need to figure out how much energy you need to put in to maintain the gait with more activity and roundness. If you find yourself


and/or your horse huffing and puffing after just a few tries


- congratulations!


You’re on the right track. You’ll both need to develop the stamina to keep moving in collection over a longer period of time. If you feel like you’re


just on the teeter-totter, then you’re also on the right track. Over time, you’ll be able to be more diplomatic in your aids and your horse will become better at keep- ing his own balance. Give this a try. Did


your horse step deeper on the smaller circle? Were you able to keep up the activity level while on the smaller circle? How did the exercise improve you and your horse’s overall balance?


Bio: Kathy Farrokhzad is a licensed EC coach and au- thor of the Horse Listening book collection, Goal Set- ting For The Equestrian: A Personal Workbook, and the creator of the Practice Ses- sions online program. If you liked what you read here, check out her blog at HorseListening.com for many more articles about horses, riding and life in general!


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