Dressage Training

Ride a Figure Eight

Whether your horse is in Dressage training or any other discipline, he needs to be supple and balanced to perform well. If your steed is stiff, transform him into pretzel-like pliability by riding him on a figure-eight. Practicing figure-eights of various sizes and at varying speeds will stretch and tone your horse’s muscles for greater suppleness and flexibility, key ingredients for optimum performance and improving your sense of feel and timing.

The equine version is different than the figure-eight of the real-world. It is flat in the middle. It looks like a letter “D” and its reversed image lying back-to-back: two circles joined in the middle by a straight line. At the walk or jog, send your horse down the middle of the figure eight with his head, neck, and shoulders centered between your reins. You hands should be about 8 inches apart and follow an unbroken line that starts at your elbow and continues along the reins and down to your horse’s mouth.

As you approach the left hand turn on the figure-eight, prepare to follow the shape of the “D” by shortening up your left rein. As your horse yields to the pressure and shapes his neck to follow the “8’s” path, add steady contact with your right rein to support him evenly on both sides of his body. The outside rein will also encourage him to use his hind end and maintain proper poll-to-tail alignment.

If your horse resists the inside rein, he is stiff in his ribcage. To soften him, nudge him gently with your left heel. If he drifts to the outside of the turn or slows down, press with your calves or heels to increase his momentum. If his line of travel is wobbly, offer him more stability by taking a steady feel of both sides of the bit. Imagine that your reins are creating a narrow corridor that corresponds to the shape of the figure-eight.

Once he gets through the left-hand turn, even up your reins to straighten his path. At this point he might loose energy, so you’ll have to work to keep him motivated as you send him down the straight-away. A stride or two before you reach the end of the straight-way, prepare for the right hand arc by shortening your right rein. During the transition from straight to bent is another time your horse may loose impulsion, so be ready to add leg at the first sign of a stall.

If your horse is stiff or unbalanced, you’ll notice that he’ll consistently wander, shut down or speed up when you straighten him or ask for a bend. A horse that is able to bend well while maintaining a consistent speed is carrying himself in balance and has a high degree of flexibility. Figure-eights are a staple in Dressage training, and should be an integral part of your horse’s training and conditioning program. They will build a foundation of balance and rhythm and you will see real improvement in your horse’s performance.

Written by Dale Rudin

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