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Trainers/Riders Videos

3/24/2012, Warming Up, Lateral Exercises & Canter Exercises for the Young Horse

warm up, lateral work, canter work, young horse, shoulder in haunches in, canter pirouette, half-pass, counter canter, balance

Part 1: Chrissa Hoffman rides Scrabble, a five year old gelding, giving a wonderful demonstration of the correct way to warm up and check that he is through. There is an excellent discussion of the appropriate head and neck position for this horse.

Part 2: The warm up continues with the canter, checking that he is seeking the bit when stretching down, while still being able to bring him up to work. She requires him to rock back and carry his weight on his hindquarters. Ms. Hoffman provides a checklist of what qualities to look for during the warmup.

Part 3: After a thorough warm up, Ms. Hoffman asks this talented young gelding to go to work. She begins with the shoulder in and haunches in while keeping the impulsion and asking the gelding to move off her leg.

Part 4: The lateral work continues with the trot half-pass and medium trot. She is careful to ask and stay within the balance he is able to carry. There is a good explanation of how progress with his training.

Part 5: This tutorial begins with the expectation that the horse is responsive to the aids. When the basics are correct, they move on to the shoulder in to activate the inside hind leg in the canter. In the haunches in, the canter half-pass and the counter canter she checks to make sure he carries himself at a level appropriate to his age and training. They also play with the beginning stages of the canter pirouettes.

Part 6: This session ends with lovely stretching at the trot because the work before was correct. Even though the work session is through, she doesn't allow him to rush at the walk. This is a great tutorial on what work is appropriate for a five year old.

Biographic Overview

USDF Gold Medalist and trainer of all breeds ranging from Warmbloods, Saddlebreds, Morgans, and Tb's...she has been training American Saddlebred, "Harry Callahan" who is the only American Saddlebred in the world competing and winning at the FEI levels... read full bio

Chrissa Hoffmann-USA Videos

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