Just read through the thread in CHforum "Long & Low" "Down & Round" etc..
It's all very nice - but I always wonder why everything has to be made so complicated? Complication just leads to confusion and the so necessary "feeling" gets lost in analysis.

When we ride, we want our horse to move freely, energetically, over a swinging back, totally free from tension.
Propulsive (pushing) power can only develop if the horse is allowed to move freely and unrestricted, using his entire body, giving his back. We must allow him to stretch forward and down, "seeking the bit".
(When a horse is "dragging" himself around on the forehand on a loose rein - this is NOT "long and low"! (and serves absolutely no purpose!)
See it this way: Every athlete is stretching and loosening up before training and this is what "long & low" or "down and out" is. It is a warm up before exercise and to relax and stretch muscles in between exercises.
Dressage and the motion of the horse does not need to be re-invented.
Rhythm - Regularity results in...
Relaxation - Suppleness - Propulsion (horse comes through)....into...
Connection

etc. etc. - you know "the rest".

Enjoy and "swing along" and feeeeeeel!

Isn't that how Robert termed it? I just think back to his lessons, and his notes, and we talked a little bit about it with him - the long & low vs deep & round.

Robert was surprised how little we use this exercise.
(Or how little we knew about it.....)
The horse must stretch forward and "out".
GIIIVE the rein - LET him come down. You remember.
Then establish a light contact.

"Zuegel aus der Hand kauen lassen", allowing the horse to stretch forward and "chewing" the bit out of your hand" - nose forward and down....., swinging back, free shoulders and good propulsion coming from behind.....
That's what it is all about. Nothing more.

A method employed by some VERY SKILLED RIDERS where the horse is put behind the vertical (long and round - nose on chest) should be left to those who KNOW what they are doing and WHY.
They only use this exercise on certain horses. It should not be copied, just because we see a photo of it - and rush to imitate.

Hi Carola,
Before I start I must congratulate you on this wonderful forum!! It is a great idea for people to be exchanging information etc.....

I have just been reading this topic and could not agree more. As I watch kids riding at pony club etc, I see how lacking long and low is in their instruction. Erin, my daughter whom Carola instructs, always starts her riding sessions by going "long & low". At her last PC rally after lunch break she was the only rider who let her horse walk out with full rein and crossed her stirrups. She was bending her horse around her legs getting him to flex and relax etc. before taking up rein contact and people tended to think of her as an "odd bod".

This is a topic I have discussed with Carola a few times as children have this tendency to "hang off" their horses rather than "feel" them. Maybe all PC should have a look at some "proper" dressage instruction to allow the kids to "get in touch" with themselves and their horse.

Anyway I shall log in again from time to time and follow the interesting topics.

Keep up the good work Carola.
Cheers for now
Deb....

"blush"...

I've just started teaching a few children, around the 9, 10, 11 years old, and I'm getting all of them to stretch in the start and end (long & low). It's amazing how many of the ponies don't do it to start with because they've never done it before.

I will also be starting to teach at a local PC here next month, and I'll be telling all those kids to start off long & low.

I agree that it seems kids aren't taught this very important basic right from the start.

Hey, s/w pony-clubbers - enjoy your lessons with Annette! You couldn't get a nicer person and more dedicated horsewoman than her. Listen and learn (and try not to forget it all when it's "game time"!)

Annette, I wish you loads of happy riders and ponies. Teaching children is very rewarding once they have "seen the light".
They are the "next generation". Tell them what you know and give them direction and insight in this wonderful relationship we can have with our horses.

Golly gosh Carola, now it's me who's blushing!

Thank you so much for your nice words. It's a bit daunting teaching all those pony club kids at once - especially the older ones who probably think they know it all. Anyway, I like to think I'm putting something back into the sport, so I'll give it a go. It's fun with the individual youngsters, especially when you start to see results.

Good on you Annette. I am going to get my instructors tickets when I get the time. Time is something that I always seem to be running out of!!!!!
Which PC are you going to be instructing at? I agree that a lot of the ponies also do not know how to go long and get rather confused themselves, but hey we are never too old to learn!

Well good luck with your future instruction and maybe we shall meet somewhere around the traps.

Regards
Deb