Things You'll Need:
- Dressage Saddle
- Dressage Horse
- Dressage Whip
- Time & Patience
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Step 1
Saddle your horse and mount him in a an arena with thin to moderate sand. Too much sand footing will inhibit your horse's ability to create impulsion, and remember that a dressage whip can be a valuable tool. Use a dressage saddle for the best results.
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Step 2
Start out at a walk in the dressage arena. With each step your horse takes, alternate calf pressure against his sides. Don't use your heels; simply squeeze your calves gently to push him forward into a working walk. If he's slow to get going, a tap with the dressage whip can help motivate him forward.
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Step 3
Collect your horse in your hands, preferably with a snaffle bit approved for dressage, slowing urging him to come round. Continue the leg pressure at a walk, and try a few 15-meter circles, encouraging him to bend around your inside leg while stepping boldly with his outside leg.
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Step 4
After approximately five minutes of walking, urge him into a rising trot along the straight-away of the dressage arena. For this gait, collect him even more in your hands without hanging on his mouth. Ask him to step forward from the hind end while keeping him steady between your hands. After he's warmed up, you can gain even more impulsion with the sitting trot.
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Step 5
Practice gaining impulsion at the trot by spacing trot poles several feet apart. You can do this in a dressage arena or in an indoor or outdoor arena. Have someone on the ground gradually increase the distance between the poles as your horse gains impulsion.
