André Brandt's Exercise:

Finding Balance & Rhythm

“With this exercise, you’ll work on your horse’s symmetry, balance, and rhythm.”

Amanda

Wed 13 Sep - 23

This is how you do it:

“Set up two jumps in the centerline as shown in the sketch.

Approach the first cross rail in canter. After landing, ride a volte on the centerline before moving ahead and taking the second jump. Every other time you ride the volte to the right and every other time to the left. This helps to ensure your horse becomes symmetrical and well-balanced.

It’s important to note that the volte should not be so large that it extends all the way to the rail. Typically, my voltes are around 10-15 meters in size, but this may vary depending on the size of your arena and the horse you’re riding. Also, make sure the volte isn’t too small, so that you don’t just to a quick pirouette and spin around. Instead, aim to maintain a consistent rhythm throughout the entire volte.

When you first try this exercise, don’t be surprised if you need to hit the brakes quite a bit before reaching the volte and during the first five canter strides within it. But the goal is to ride the volte without having to slow down hard. You’re supposed to land smoothly, find your balance, and keep going in the same relaxed rhythm.

A tip is to try and stay off the rail and avoid using the arena wall for support. I pretty much try to stay off the rail all the time. This makes it much easier to keep your horse straight.”




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