Christoph Hess's simple exercise for collection while maintaining forwardness
Christoph Hess, the renowned German dressage figure, suggests this flatwork exercise to help your horse move towards collection without losing forward momentum. First, in the corner of the arena, ride a small, balanced circle in trot. Then immediately enter shoulder-in along the long side; a movement useful for assessing the horse's balance, energy, and suppleness. He said, "Collection without forwardness is worthless, and I have yet to see a horse at any level that has no issues with straightness."
Goals
Collection with forwardness
Straightness
Suppleness
This exercise setup requires no special arrangement. You can perform it in an arena or a field, but you will need markers to maintain straightness and circle size.
How to Execute This Exercise
Approach the short side of the arena in active trot. Before the second corner, perform a half-halt and instead of a regular turn, ride a very small circle of 6 to 8 meters, keeping the horse balanced. You should bend the horse around the inside leg and control the shoulders with the outside rein. The goal is to maintain trot activity while also asking for more engagement from the horse. This helps with collection. Once you've completed the small circle and returned to the long side, straighten the horse's body while maintaining the same created energy. Immediately perform shoulder-in along the long side. This asks the horse to maintain the balance and engagement from the small circle while moving forward and sideways simultaneously. This lateral work can aid straightness, as the horse must keep its shoulder and hip in line, rather than veering off track or falling out. Straighten the horse again and perform the same exercise at the opposite end of the arena. Repeat this exercise several times on both reins.
Troubleshooting Tips
1. Loss of Forwardness
Simplify the exercise a bit. Don’t push the horse; a slightly larger but correct circle, with a diameter of 8 to 10 meters, followed by a few good steps of shoulder-in, is much more productive than an irregular circle and imbalance afterward.
2. Falling onto the Inside Shoulder
Use the inside leg to support the bend and control the shoulders with the outside rein; do not try to lift the horse with the inside hand. Enlarge the circle so the horse can maintain its balance.
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Source: Horse & Hound