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In the USDF level tests, a horse is first asked to lengthen his trot stride in First Level, Test 1.  This is the precursor to the medium and extended trots in future levels and in this test the lengthening may be ridden in posting or sitting trot even though the rest of the test must be ridden in sitting trot.  The reason for this is that some horses do not have the strength to lift their back muscles for the carrying power necessary for a lengthening.  Other horses do better with the support of a rider’s seat for the lengthening. 

    When teaching a horse his first lengthenings, I usually ride them in posting trot.  Depending on how that particular horse is able to carry himself (and me) I may post these for a while or I may see how he does with my seat on him.  One thing I do not do is change in the middle of the diagonal (or long side if you are doing them along the rail).  In my experience, it’s disturbs the horse’s balance and rhythm to switch back and forth between posting and sitting in the middle of the diagonal.  I also only ask for a lengthening on a short diagonal.  I don’t know of any horse who when first learning to lengthen his stride can carry it across the entire diagonal line.   I also like to teach this out of a shoulder-in if the horse is laterally supple.  This helps to ensure he stays into the outside rein and balanced on his inside hind.

     Now we are ready to teach him how to lengthen his stride.  The first (and very normal) reaction is going to be that he will most probably trot faster and/or break into the canter and the more you squeeze to get a bigger, longer stride, the faster he will go.  Remember, it’s not the end of the world if he does either of these two things.  I usually just come back to the trot (if he has cantered) or slow my posting with half-halts and get reorganized.  Remember, he gave you an answer to your question, it just wasn’t the answer you were looking for.  I don’t make a big deal out of either of these results and try again on the next diagonal.  Now, when you ask again, you must support him with your seat, legs and rein aids.  If you are posting, think of posting with more emphasis on the up stride and make sure to maintain your tempo and rhythm. Don’t post faster.  Think of slowing your posting tempo a little bit so he doesn’t run.

     I also put my horses a little bit deeper and rounder so that their back muscles can come up underneath me.  You must support him with all of your aids, so that means keeping the contact!  Don’t throw away the contact.  Your contact should be the same in a lengthening as it is in your working trot work.  The horse must also lengthen his frame as well as his stride so you must maintain a following contact so he doesn’t become strung out a mile long.

    To prepare for the lengthening in the test, I use the short side.  As I trot through the short side I am simultaneously driving with my legs and halt-halting.  I might also give a little tickle with my stick to activate his hind legs.  I do this through the entire short side and through the corner.  As I come through the corner in shoulder-fore, I make sure I have him securely into the outside rein.  I wait until his entire body is on the diagonal before I ask for the actual lengthening.  Don’t let him explode out of the corner.  He must wait until his body is on the diagonal.  This ensures that he is balanced out of the corner and into the outside rein.  My aid for the lengthening is to exhale, squeeze with my lower legs and give my hands forward just a little bit.  The giving of my hands is not to throw away the contact but to enable him to lengthen is body/frame as well as his stride.  Depending on his level of strength and balance, I may half-halt again over X to rebalance him and then ask again for more trot by squeezing with the lower legs. 

     Remember, most judges will give the score at the end of the movement so you don’t want this lengthening to start out fabulously and then fade to nothing by the end of the diagonal.  Judges want to see a definite transition between the working trot and the lengthening and then another transition back to working trot.  If you do a great transition into the lengthening, and then just let it fade away, the score will reflect this.

     To bring my horse back from the lengthening I close and release my outside hand and close my thighs.  While doing this, I may tickle the inside rein a bit to make sure he doesn’t brace against my outside hand and he stays soft and round. 

     The most important thing to remember is to prepare your horse for the lengthening. Don’t just trot through the short side, get on the diagonal and then expect him to have the energy to float across the diagonal in a lovely lengthening.  You must build up power in his hindquarters with the little taps of the stick and your half halts so that when he sees that diagonal it is a big fun release of that energy that is your true trot lengthening!  It is a wonderful feeling when your horse truly carries himself underneath you across the diagonal in a lengthening.

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