Lena introduces the concept behind her videos and stresses the importance of understanding the horse biomechanics of the walk, trot and canter. Only when the rider has full knowledge of that can she learn when to effectively affect the horse stride.

In this segment, Lena covers the biomechanics of the walk, an extremely important gait. It consists of four-beats with each leg moving independently, and there is no moment of suspension. She discusses some of the issues she sees in the walk and gives tips on how to improve the gait.

Laura demonstrates and explains what it feels like as she warms up her upper-level horse in the walk. The focus still needs to be on the horse engaging the back and hindquarters. She also shows examples of how the horse goes when he is not ridden as correctly. She does a good deal of lateral work...

Laura rides an Andalusian-Arabian that has shown through Grand Prix. With this mare, Laura works on a quick response in the walk lateral work to keep the horses attention. Laura once again goes into detail on the aids she uses and how the horse is responding to them. She focuses on a quick respon...

Transitions at the letters is another place where accuracy is important, and points are often lost in a dressage test. Laura explains and her rider demonstrates where and how to properly do transitions between and within the gaits at different letters throughout the arena. Straightness and balanc...

Karen explains that energy level considers factors such as tempo and length of stride. The riders work again on a circle where they take note of the energy level to begin to understand the differences and can feel when the energy is not enough, too much or just right. When it feels right, the rid...

Next Karen has the riders work on transitions. When the balance and energy feel good in one gait, they move into another gait and then establish a good balance and tempo there. The goal is to achieve that positive energy and tempo as soon as possible after moving to the next gait. Again, praising...

Mimi introduces us to this promising 5-year-old Hanoverian-Arabian cross and explains where he is in his training while warming up at the walk.

Walk Tutorial with Dr. Ulf Moller

Question 1: What is the most difficult movement to ride or to teach? Question 2: When do you start sitting the trot on young horses?

Slowing the walk down on a PRE with Rafael Soto

Slowing the walk down on a PRE with Rafael Soto

Slowing the walk down on a PRE with Rafael Soto

Question: Do you have exercises to deal with tension in the collected walk?

Hilda Gurney presents this video on the walk rhythm with her 26 year old mare.  She begins by pointing out that in a good walk there is a triangle formed by the legs. They use cavaletti set on an arc to improve the walk. She has the rider demonstrate errors a rider can make to make the walk worse...

Medium walk vs. extended walk with Nancy Later

Medium walk vs. extended walk with Nancy Later

Quick tip to help those who deal with a lateral tendency in the walk.

Getting the horse more supple with Hilda Gurney

Nicholas works with this Fourth Level rider on building the correct ride from the beginning.  When she experiences some resistance they calmly insist that he continue forward.   After the warm up they do a collected walk to collected canter while keeping the jump in the canter.  They work on maki...

They now add the single changes, and work through why he is late behind.  Nicholas helps her find the correct positioning and jump in the canter to make clean changes.  After a walk break they work on finding swing in the trot. They create more energy without him getting longer until he is taking...

Free walk, extended walk - Axel Steiner

Free walk, extended walk - Axel Steiner

FEI 5* Judge Janet Foy explains the importance of the free walk. The nose should be out in front of the vertical. She explains that riders often keep the horses too low, and they curl, losing shoulder freedom. A judge will look at both the legs and the topline when giving a score for the free walk.