Training the Piaffe in hand

March 2nd, 2011

Here are a few short clips of me training the piaffe in hand. I haven't worked on this in over a month. I was working on two things: slowing the tempo down and lifting the front end up.

I was trying to slow the tempo down by tapping and pressing with the endostick (on Jackson's leg) in time with the opposite diagonal. I tried to do this part very softly.

I was trying to get the front end to lift up by tapping the girth area. This is usually when Jackson would do little rears. I don't think he knew what I wanted. I found I had the most success when I would tap the girth area once or twice then either wait or just go back to lightly tapping his back leg. I think we made progress.

http://www.IvysHorses.com

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• horse
• training
• piaffe
• in hand
• dressage

[jpournelle]

Wow. That has REALLY come along. That's a piaffe now, not a trot-in-place - and you can see the development of his topline. I really like the purity of his steps - actual movement in diagonal pairs, not just foot-shuffling. Well done!

[ivyschex]

@jpournelle Thanks! It has been so fun training it and learning more about the piaffe. I am excited to see how it will progress over the years. 

[4evergus]

It was really cool to see your older videos working on the piaffe and then now. You guys have come a long way! Awesome job!

[ivyschex]

@4evergus Thanks so much! I hope it can inspire people to keep pressing forward!

[Peaka01]

do you use that exact technique to start it? i.e. to train it initially? I would like to train my horse to do this but not sure how to 'start'.

[ivyschex]

@Peaka01 I started training Jackson to piaffe using long lines (i.e. ground driving). Then I use the endostick to help get a better rhythm. I do that part in hand. I know there are lots of people who train the piaffe from the saddle and in hand. Go back to last years videos and take a look at how I was training; keep in mind that I have learned a lot since then and wouldn't do it exactly like that now.

[KARLIhorse]

wow this is beautiful! you seem to have great experience under your belt. would love to learn this, looks sooo complex!

[outlaw12cowboy]

how d you train your horse to do that!? iv tried but failed!? can you help me out?

[100prutske]

this is just fantastic, I wish that I knew how to start with it :)

[hyperfocus2011]

he will learn to rear.....that is how you teach him to jump up and kick his heels out!