How do I improve this?

The are two key areas you can improve to help the horse: the rider's position and rider's training methods.

Rider Position: As a rider you could be landing too heavy in the saddle, or too far back preventing the horse from lifting its back. If the horse’s back is tense or hollow then the hind legs struggle coming under sufficiently. You could also be doing a tiny rise in rising trot, which does not encourage the horse to make much of a jump from one diagonal pair of legs to the other.

In our courses we start by making sure the rider sits and uses their body in the most effective and balanced way, so that the horse can move in their best form.

Training Ideas: It is important to make sure that every leg aid you give gets a result. The well trained and comfortable horse is responsive to light aids. This can be improved using ground work and by being responsible for every single aid you give to the horse. 

You can also try setting up some trotting poles and then progressing to raised trotting poles, with the aim of improving your horse’s jump and the length of the stride.

 The courses we have carefully constructed at Dressage Training TV offer a comprehensive solution to riding, training and competing from the ground up. These courses have been life changing for both horse and rider.