When new riders first hear the term “collection,” it’s common for them to misconstrue this as the horse simply taking shortened strides. When first attempting to ask for collection, I commonly see far too much rein aid used to simulate what an inexperienced rider thinks is collection.
It’s important to remember that while the end result of collection is a shorter stride length, there is so much more to it than that when it comes to the biomechanical aspect. So what actually is collection? What purpose does it serve? And how is it achieved? Let’s get into detail on this complicated subject.
The Last Module in the Training Scale
The training scale derives from the German military as a framework for ensuring the classical principles of schooling and training would be followed. This scale is meant to be followed in order as a means to achieve success through logical, systematic training. Collection is the last module in the training scale. In order for it to be achieved, rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, and straightness must be accomplished and fully understood by the horse and their rider.
So, What is It?
Long story short, collection is simply the horse learning how to carry both his own and his rider’s weight further onto the hind legs. This results in a shorter, taller stride. The topline becomes taller and more compressed as a biomechanical result of true collection. In order for this to occur, there are two types of elevation to examine – relative and absolute.
Relative elevation (true collection) means the hindquarters have lowered, naturally resulting in the shoulders and forehand bearing less weight. Due to the kinematic relevance of this lightness, the forehand will utilize a wider range of motion and be postured higher during collection. When the withers get taller, the hindquarters are carried lower.
Absolute elevation (false collection) means the neck has been compressed by tight reins and busy hands. Though absolute elevation resembles relative elevation, with closer examination you will observe that the shoulders are low, the back is hollow, and the hindquarters lack engagement. This is a dysfunctional biomechanical posture.
Why is Collection Important?
Collection helps keep the horse light on the forehand, and thus more maneuverable. Turning, stopping, and positioning for movements will be easier for your horse. This lightness also creates cadence, a visual lightness and freedom in the horse’s movement. The moment of suspension in trot and canter is greatly enhanced during the collected gaits.
Also, keep in mind that a majority of lameness occurs in the front limbs. When more weight is carried in the hind legs, the front legs are relieved of additional weight bearing that is common with horses that are on the forehand. This improves the health of the musculoskeletal system in the front legs, and increases the chances of your horse having a longer career.
In order for true extension of the gaits, collection must be achievable to the horse. If you imagine the hind legs as giant springs, collection compresses those springs and extension uses that compression to spring her more forward for the extended gaits. If the “springs” aren’t compressed before asking for that extension, the horse is likely to fall on her forehand and lose her tempo.
When more weight is placed onto the hindquarters, the horse experiences increased balance and maneuverability. This makes performing upper level movements easier, and in these movements, the horse will appear as if he’s travelling uphill. This is due to biomechanically correct carriage.
As a rider, you will also feel a big difference between riding a collected horse versus one who tends to travel on the forehand. He’ll feel more balanced, willing, and responsive. In my experience, collection often feels like a willingness from the horse’s mind and body to work together with me as a team.
Collection is Gradual
Collection is not something that can be achieved in a few rides. It’s a gradual progression. Young or novice horses are generally able to show a small degree of collection, which is generally easier felt by the rider than seen from the ground. As you and your horse work up the levels, he’ll build more strength, balance, and suppleness. With these key ingredients being consistently added to the mix, the degree of collection will increase. Do not force collection or push your horse past her abilities! Allow her to figure out how to carry you in this way, and be patient.
When is Collection Used in a Dressage Test?
Any competent dressage judge will be well aware of the aforementioned fact about collection being a gradual process. The level of collection the tests require is just enough to be sufficient for the movement to happen with fluency and ease. If the movement lacks these qualities, it’s an indication that the horse lacks the level of collection required to perform it.
For example, a 10-meter circle requires less collection than a half pass or canter pirouette, hence why these movements are not performed in the lower levels. As the levels progress, so does the degree of collection.
Achieving Collection
One of the tips I give to riders struggling to get their horse more collected is to NOT think about the position of their horse’s head and neck at all. Riding endless loops on the rail while trying to fiddle the horse’s head down throws everything away that you have worked so hard thus far to achieve. Let’s not do that!
It’s important your horse stays happy, relaxed, and through. When focusing more on the movements that lead to collection instead of collection itself, you’re much more likely to succeed.
All of the other building blocks of the training scale must be clear to your horse before you can begin to ask for collection. That means he (and you) must have a strong foundation of rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, and straightness. Along with that, your horse needs to be strong enough in her hindquarters and back to be able to carry herself confidently in this way. Your horse should also be well-balanced and have a clear understanding and acceptance for the positioning cues, half-halts, and transitions.
Aids Used in Collection
As you work on collection, a large degree of concentration will be on your horse’s impulsion and straightness. Once this is established, a quick push from your leg to encourage forward movement and to bring the hind legs further underneath will come first. Next, you’ll use the action of your seat to manage the length of stride and reinforce that the leg aid was not a cue to go forward, but instead, to sit the hind end down. Finally, a half halt is applied as a means to bring the energy further back onto the hind legs.
One exercise to help develop the feel of collection is to ride down the long side of the arena in working trot. In the corner, ride a 10-meter circle, using the leg, seat, and half-halt sequence described above. See if you can start to develop some feel for the horse becoming more uphill over his topline as you ask for that higher degree of collection. As you come out of the circle and onto the short side of the arena, see if you can keep that collection going until you come on to the next long side, where you can let him stretch.
What Helps With Collection?
It’s a basic answer this time. Exercises that encourage the horse to come further underneath himself will help with collection. So let’s go over a few different exercises to try.
Transitions:
- Upward transitions encourage more push from behind, while downward transitions encourage the horse to bear more weight on the hind legs. I find a lot of people struggle with the idea of going forward into a downward transition. A better term might be to carry the level of impulsion through the transition. Think about a butterfly landing on a leaf, or a jet bringing it’s nose up just before landing. A properly ridden downward transition takes a moment of rebalancing and almost “hovering” at the gait you’re in before dropping down a gear. Next time in the canter, see if you can get the hind legs trotting last. It’s a fun way to develop more feel for not dropping the front end during a transition.
Riding the Rein-Back
- The rein-back helps with coordination, encourages the back to come up, and strengthens the hind legs. Pressed for time? You can even work on the rein-back from the ground!
Counter-Canter
- Counter-canter is a great exercise for balance, the development of engagement, working on straightness, and increasing the range of motion of the hock joints. A correctly ridden counter canter requires collection.
Laterals
- With correct positioning and cueing, laterals are very beneficial as a way to develop collection and rebalancing. Half-pass and shoulder-in are both at the top of my list while helping a horse develop more collection. If you happened to read the post I made about straightness, you may remember that in order for functional straightness to happen, the hind legs must be carried narrower and the shoulder needs to be in slightly to line up with the inside hind leg. In shoulder-in, the forehand becomes lighter and the range of motion in the shoulder increases, which is exactly what we’re striving for.
Is My Horse Actually Collected?
Self-Carriage is a vital aspect of true collection. When you give away the contact for a few strides, there shouldn’t be a change in the length of stride, speed, rhythm, or balance. You shouldn’t feel that your horse falls onto the forehand and loses that “uphill” feel we’re looking for. It’s a simple test you can do multiple times during your ride.
Besides this test, there are a few other indicators your horse may not be truly collected. A loss of impulsion means a lack of collection. Many collected paces, like passage and piaffe for example, require a lot of impulsion. Always bear in mind that when you are asking for collection, you’re asking the horse to put more energy back on his hind legs, not kill the motor! If you feel like you’re lacking impulsion, simply ask for a medium pace, re-establish the impulsion, and return to the exercise you were working on. If your horse struggles with the same exercise over and over, you may be asking for too much too soon. As with many parts of the training scale, too much too soon can cause damage to the natural paces of your horse. As an example, the walk may become lateral or the canter may become four-beated. If you start to feel any of these issues manifesting, make sure you stop the exercise and get the rhythm correct before moving on.
Surprisingly, a horse can become too engaged! This is when the hind legs come too far underneath the horse’s body. This will cause issues with balance, as the base of support is too short. If this happens, the stride becomes sticky, and forward movement is compromised.
Also, remember how much strength it takes for your horse to move in collection. It’s similar to us humans holding a plank! If anyone has held a plank for too long, they know exactly what that feels like afterwards. The muscles become stiff, tired, and sore. Giving the horse many opportunities to stretch and taking walk breaks throughout your ride is critical.
In Closing
Collection is the end goal of dressage. It’s when the training scale finally comes together, and it’s the final element of that scale. True collection takes a strong understanding of rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, and straightness by both the horse and the rider. Remember, collection takes the use of transitions, laterals, and other movements to achieve correctly. Correct collection always shows the lowering of the hindquarters and raising of the forehand, but there are different degrees of collection. Different levels of dressage tests ask for movements that can be performed at these various degrees.
Thank you for reading! If you’re struggling with this concept, I’d be happy to help. Feel free to contact me if you’d like personalized help with your individual situation and horse. If you’re a podcast listener, look for my podcast episode about collection. It might help for you to listen to it during your ride! I hope your next ride is a safe, confident, and harmonious one. Take care!