Straightness and accuracy are essential to achieving a good dressage score. The exercises outlined below will help you pick up some extra marks in the dressage arena.

Using poles to teach straightness

When teaching exercises such as rein-back, poles laid on the ground as guidelines can be very helpful in keeping the horse straight.

Poles set parallel to a fence or wall can be used to teach a young horse to stay straight in halt.

You can use poles to develop your horse’s lateral suppleness too by using them for bending around.

Using poles to help your accuracy

Poles can be used to help you ride accurate circles.

For example, riding a 15-metre circle can be challenging, but riding one within a framework of poles can highlight when your horse is drifting out and when you need to use more outside leg and rein.

Using poles to improve fitness and suppleness

Many horses enjoy jumping. Using grids of poles set up as small fences can be a brilliant way of building your horse’s muscle and fitness.

Try to include gymnastic jumping in your horse’s schooling schedule once every week.

If you don’t enjoy jumping, try loose schooling instead.