Robin next address tempo changes within the trot and how that fits into the progression of training. He describes the next steps and exercises to improve the canter.

Robin Walker adds turns to the exercise, they make sure to keep the flow going forward. They trot large half circles back to the rail, setting them up for the canter later. The next exercise is sitting a few steps then rising without changing the connection or forward rhythm. This is used as the ...

Bettina Hoy brings her vast experience and knowledge to help this talented rider with the building blocks of great dressage - inside leg to outside hand, proper half halts and supple connection.

International event rider Jonathan Holling offers a logical and methodical lesson on increasing the suppleness in the lateral work with a focus on the trot half pass and a turn on the haunches. If you struggle with these upper level movements, this video offers a structure to build correct perfor...

To begin working on a turn on the haunches, they first school a leg yield with the nose to the rail. They then add a small circle in shoulder-in to get the bend with the front legs describing the shape and size of the circle.

In the trot, they again check the back and forth within the gait, spiral in and out in haunches-in or shoulder-in and then work on the trot half pass. They set it up by going haunches-in down the long side, 10m circle at E or B, haunches-in to the end, straighten across the short end, then trot h...

The exercise continues with haunches-in on the diagonal to the quarter line, medium trot to the next quarter line and the haunches-in again.

Olympic eventer, Bettina Hoy, joins PracticalHorsemanOnDemand.com with this excellent dressage video covering problems common to so many riders - getting the horses more active and responsive. Watch this great lesson for a cavalletti exercise you can do at home and great instruction on how to pro...

They now move on to the canter making sure first that they can go forward and then collect. The progression is to the counter canter next, spiraling in and out and walk/canter, canter/walk transitions. They go back to the turn on the haunches and the medium trot and shoulder-in.

Bettina schools them at the walk, asking for the proper energy and self carriage. She is very particular about the walk trot transition, and in the trot canter they use a 10m circle to prepare. By the end of the lesson the horse is noticeably more in self carriage.

Bettina helps school an event rider in dressage. After warming up on their own, they start with an exercise over cavalletti in an arc. Bettina points out the importance of the line and balance while making subtle changes in the rider’s position. When they go large, Bettina helps her keep the push...

Robin Walker works with a beginner novice rider on understanding and keeping a consistent contact to help improve her OTTBs way of going Robin first acts as the reins as they walk forward to help encourage the horse to soften in the mouth Then he has the rider work on the same thing while going f...

Phyllis Dawson coaches a training level event rider on getting her horse's back looser and more relaxed so the horse has more swing to his stride and is more through. She says that getting the horse looser starts with getting the rider looser.

The intermediate level rider warms up his horse on the flat. Clinic participants observe and make notes to come up with their instruction plans to help the pair.

Emily Beshear compliments the rider and the quality of the horse. She wants to see the rider relax more so he can be more effective in getting the horse more forward and through. They also work on flowing better from one movement to another.

Rebecca Brown works with a preliminary horse and rider combination on working the horse back to front She wants the horse to be more relaxed in the back but also more forward They start in trot improving his response to the forward ask They work within and between the gaits but always thinking fo...

Peter Grey talks about all the dressage rides and offers his perspective as a trainer and judge

Olympian and eventing dressage judge Peter Gray starts the ECP Symposium with a discussion featuring his perspective as an eventing trainer and judge. He also answers questions from the participants.

Jan Byyny works with a rider get more out of her talented modified level horse. They work on lateral work  as well as transitions within the gaits to help make him even more powerful and expressive.

Bettina Hoy teaches a lesson with a 5 year old Holsteiner and from the beginning asks for effective riding, insisting on closed fingers on the reins and a purposeful rising trot. They walk/trot/canter and do sitting trot until…

Trotting with no stirrups…They do trot/canter transitions while Bettina helps her with her arm position. At the walk they talk about the use of the moving seat without affecting what the arms are doing. The results can be seen in how the horse moves.

Improvement in her position are evident as she picks up her stirrups. As she moves her seat she is encouraged to leave the front door open allowing the horse to move forward. They end the lesson in the free walk and even here the use of the seat is emphasized.

Liz works with a rider and her young event horse. As the pair warms up, they focus on transitions to help him engage his hind legs and bring more weight off the front end. They also do 3-loop serpentines to help the horse understand bend, going straight and then changing the bend.