How Do You...?

How do you get your horse to go into an extended trot, without him cantering? I can do collect easily and all transitions but get him to extend..how do i do it??

ohh been a while since I have ridden that but I know one of the things that I heard often was DONT LEAN BACK, dont loose contact.
In reality it is just another speed.
I think to help you prevent a canter you need to work more on creating different speeds at the trot. Ask for a short stride collection, lengthen slightly and then bring him back. Keep doing this and slowly lenghthen the stride as you go.
One of your problems may be balance.
They tend to break into the canter because they are still to heavy on the front end and start skipping when their stride is lengthened. You may need to work more on getting your horse engaged behind and then the lengthening will happen very easily.

Ask for more energy from behind. You want the horse to really be driving behind so it takes a nice working trot before you can get the extension.

Really sit up nice and tall, give a bit of rein to allow for the extension through the front end, and really drive with your seat and legs. Because you want a bigger stride in the extension you have to change your post time too... meaning you stay in the air longer for the bigger stride.

Everyone asks differently, that's how I ask and it worked for me showing 1st level dressage, so I hope it'll help you some.

Good luck,
Andi

Ok, here is what allot of riders do wrong.....they drive their horse forward...and end up posting faster.

What you need to do, is get your horse on true collection, close your knees *do not clutch*, toes forward, drive your horse forward BUT POST SLOW. Do not speed up your posting.

Do not lean forward, shoulders back, thumbs up, look forward.

You aren't going to get these upper level movements, until both you and your horse learn True Collection (not just pulling horse in, but driving horse in) and True Balance. You have to have a centered seat and balance to obtain these movements.

Take a tree.


You need good roots. What are your roots in riding?

Now, to move forward in your riding, you need a good stem. What is a strong stem in riding????

Now, everything else..your branches.....only come when you have a good and strong foundation IE: Roots and Stem.

Many riders control with their hands and legs. WHEN THEY SHOULD control with their seat and pelvis.

So, back to the extended trot. You need true collection, centered seat, half halts, drive forward with your legs while controlling the tempo with your seat and pelvis.

Well said Kim.

Personally I still haven't gotten a true extention from my filly... she's only 3 for gosh sake and is still learning true collection. When showing if I'm asked for an extension I simply ask for a bigger working trot... which is basically what an extension is. I got the closest thing to an extension that I've ever asked for Saturday at the show and recieved a comment from the judge as to how I asked for it and how far along my horse has come since he's last seen her. I also won that class!

Any true gait comes from behind... to be collected your horse needs to be working off his hind driving into the collection, to be working your horse needs to be working off his hind with a slight overreach in his steps, to extend your horse needs to be working pushing all of the energy forward through his front end. That's why I say release SLIGHTLY with your hands to allow for him to move forward because if you keep asking and driving w/o giving all you are doing is creating more collection.

For some reason what I'm saying makes sense in my head but when it's on here it doesn't, so if I'm comfoosing you, I'm sorry LOL.

Ok thanks for yor tips :) Our collection is going really well, and my dressage coach asked me the other day to extend, but i just couldnt get him to do it while iw as riding him without cantering. I can get him to do it louging now thanks to vic. ;) I just need PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! Lol

Ok thanks for yor tips :) Our collection is going really well, and my dressage coach asked me the other day to extend, but i just couldnt get him to do it while iw as riding him without cantering. I can get him to do it louging now thanks to vic. ;) I just need PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! Lol
yup tons of practice. good luck

Also make sure u sit up and have ur shoulders back. If his or she is young they will brake as they dont quite know what u are asking them for trot/cantor. its hard to find that line just right before he brakes in to cantor. Keep working at it. You;l get is. Its fun

This is the one to listen to.. EventGirl has it going on.
Extended trot is not a faster trot, it's a bigger trot.