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Trainers/Riders Videos

1/18/13 - Shannon Peters - Lift and Responsiveness

bend, flexion, lift, responsiveness, shoulder in, renvers

Part 1: Shannon watches this horse warm up and suggests that they work on getting the joints to bend more even at the beginning of the ride. They start with haunches in at the canter and go on to renvers in the trot, thinking about lifting his shoulder in this movement. They continue to challenge his stiffness in the hindquarters.

Part 2: They exaggerate the bend, schooling with his haunches far in at the canter, then a trot transition and renvers in the trot. His balance improves with the work. Shannon next helps from the ground to aid the horse in using his belly muscles. They next work on the canter in a small circle around Shannon, asking him to use his belly better. They wait on the single change until the rider can move the neck around.

Part 3: The previous work has been rewarded with better self carriage in the trot. In the walk they work on steep half passes with lots of bend to a canter transition. They go to the canter half pass, again with a steep angle and a walk transition when changing directions. There is improved lift in the shoulders.

Part 4: Returning to the trot, they work the shoulder in and then increase the difficulty by doing a short diagonal in shoulder in to the quarter line and leg yield back to the wall. This exercise leads to more response off the leg and better bend. They next do this twice on each long side while lowering the hips and raising the withers.

Part 5: Ms. Peters gives and excellent explanation of the body mechanics of riding the sitting trot to encourage the horse to lift in front of you. As the rider makes the adjustments, the trot becomes more powerful without rushing.

Biographic Overview

Shannon has been an active FEI trainer and competitor for 25 years. She has had great influences throughout her career from her everyday help from husband, US Olympian, Steffen Peters, "S" judge Debbie Riel-Rodriguez, Nancy Baker and for the past 10 years read full bio

Shannon Peters-USA Videos

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