Beginning Horse Riding : What Is Collection Horse Training?

[12HorseGirl12]

bad rider, need to lengthen the stirrups, and losen the rains

[IStartWithGlowPlugs]

Holy crap, lengthen those stirrups

[vikkij91]

The way my mom always explained collection to me was you want to be on top of a mountain, not in a valley...Meaning that you want the horse under you, not leaking out (and up) all over the place. made sense to me when I was like 10... :P

[garfieldzgirl]

@vikkij91 Yeh good way to put it!

[usandpets]

Collection is not submission. It is the way the horse positions their body. The back is rounded, the weight is carried more on the rear and the front is open to move. They do not need to be on the bit to be collected. A trained horse can carry themself in a collected state without pressure from the bit. Having their neck rounded and their head vertical does not mean collected. Where do you get your experts?

[perfectlyEquestrian]

@usandpets yes! collection is through the back, usually as a result the horse will go into frame, but you have to ask for that too! :)

[cowgirl123455]

Hmmmmmm collection nah. My horse can do it but we barrel race and team pin and trail ride honestly we don't need it

[AisforAwesome17]

@cowgirl123455 You'd do much better at barrels if you worked on it.



[cowgirl123455]

@AisforAwesome17 yeah, my horse is older, and he is very stubborn he just doesnt like having collection...but we do more work with cows than anything so he keeps his head low.

[ChloeTolsa]

lol, stop critizing theres no point :D Just let them do what they want to show.

[Zooster545]

She is not horribly off but if you want to learn about collection try and find the book

"Make the Most of Your Horse: The practical application of collection in all types of riding" by Jan Dickerson. I wrote a paper about collection and that was my best source. The book is really helpful; below I have the mla for it.

Dickerson, Jan. Make the Most of Your Horse The practical application of collection in all types of riding. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company Inc., 1970

[cowgurljb]

The bridle work this "expert" shows corresponds more with flexion rather than collection. Flexion creates submission & not collection.

Collection always comes from the rear & not from the bridle. I think this video shows a poor example of collection. You can not collect a horse from a standstill while playing with the reins. I just hope some beginner doesn't go pulling on their horse to get them to "collect"

ExpertVillage: FAIL

[kreabis]

you dont know what your talking about

[RachieRae241]

All of u are dense. Collection starts with the reins and bit. A horse needs to learn how to react to bit pressure before you start working on collection. That's basically what this video is explaining.

For those who think the rider's not releasing, it may be because the horse isn't correctly giving to the pressure. A horse may put its head down, but that doesn't mean it's giving to the bit. The object is to NOT release until the horse gives correctly. In my eyes, I didn't see it do so.

[LaRanaTJ]

you bring a horse on to the bit, not in to the bridle! Another Expert Village gaff

[bouncyshoeheads]

First of all, I agree with below, it takes tons more than just your hands to collect a horse. Also, this whole video the rider is asking and asking and asking for collection, and when he does what she's asking she doesn't give him a release? That's why he's tossing his head!

[callierocks6]

ya holy crap what do western riders know about collection...why not do one about how get some cows?! lol...im working on putting my horse into a frame...and u dont just use ur hands.

[SuperCheryl13]

It really worries me that these people are teaching others that know no better about collection etc. The 'teachers' really don't have a clue. Expert village?? What is this sh1t?!

[XxHorseluver29xX]

I know about people that don't even use the bit =]

[TheCimarroncowgirl]

If you haven't seen the Myler Bit video, A Whole Bit Better", I highly suggest it for anyone who may not understand the mechanics of bitting a horse and how it works in the horses mouth. I do not own a Myler bit, yet, but plan on trying them basis the info given.

[RachieRae241]

I agree. They are wondeful bits. I have used one myself and it helped my high-headed horse learn to keep his head down.

[thatperson195]

although this is a method of collextion, I think collection is made by teaching the horse to properly balance and not with the reins. with using the rein and not teaching the horse to balnce by using slower gaits and proper turns, the horse wont use his hindquarters as much, he will just bend his neck.

[fowlerpower2009]

I think that it is rather contradicting to assume that you should make your horse submit to anything. I do believe that collection is very important especially when showing, however it is a partnership and submission is NEVER the answer, perhaps a different word should have been used.

[EquineKisses]

collection and submission are not even similar...it's obvious that everyone at expert village is clueless!

[christinayummy]

I am training my arabian mare(hunter/jumper is my disipline) and I was wondering how if her head is to lower when trying to collect her? I am having a very hard time in the saddle to figure out if she is giving to bit because it seems that she raises her head. When I lunge her using side reins I can clearly see that she is giving.How can I get her relaxed undersaddle?

[7flyinghecks]

If she goes good in side reins try holding your rains low and snug so they simulate side reins when you ride. This a good schooling exercise. I am training a saddle seat horse, but I don't see why it wouldn't work for a hunter jumper.

[gottogobreyer]

she needs to sit more forward. No replying

[flynbytoofast]

Not really, she could probably sit up a little straighter but she is riding western, you are supose to sit back on your pockets.

[gottogobreyer]

man, is that a snaffle? She's not soft at all! No replying

[horsieylover]

This sucks. You cannot ride your horse back to front while standing still. The rider's pulling the horse in his mound too.

[jackiesps6]

Why would a western rider want to collect there horse to round its hole body shape when their like not doing any sort of Equitation show.

[breyerhorsecrazy]

the reson is that even if you ride western is because when you are showing you will want to beable to make them really suple and easy to sontroll with one rein and beable to easly pickthem up for trail or reinning or even cutting

[gottoride3]

Because we just want to just ride.We don't care about shows.You have to get all dressed up for shows in English and Dressage.

[horsebackrider420]

dude, wtf are you talking about?

[gottoride3]

NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS

[PEDE5TRIAN]

Many western riders actually care a lot about showing off their tasteless outfits, especially in western pleasure. Some riders' attitude and looks make me wanna puke on their shiny shoes.

[flynbytoofast]

Collection is about alot more then just "looking pretty" in the ring. Its teaching a horse to "use" himself and engage his hind quarters. Western riders just as much want to have collection as any english rider! Collection is needed for ANY disipline!

[PEDE5TRIAN]

Except western pleasure:-D

[horsebackrider420]

yep, lol in western pleasure its all about how low your horses head is, and how crippled it looks. boy, what an amazing dicipline....

[garfieldzgirl]

@flynbytoofast For me in english riding and hacking collecting is rounding and bowing his head

[blackerthanblackdog]

Don't you want your horse to be fit and supple and responsive when you ride him? whats it got to do with shows?

[WhippleBaby]

A collected horse is more balanced and is under better control. Every horse should be able to collect.

[PEDE5TRIAN]

Absolutely.

[CJTPproductions]

Some horses are unable to collect due to their conformation. For example, a sway backed horse is going to have an extremely hard time getting into that collected state because they cannot round their backs very easily. So no, every horse may not be able to collect, but yes, I agree with you on how a horse is more balanced and under better control in a collected state.

[hackamore]

Thanks! Looking forward to the next lesson.