It’s not uncommon for a dressage judge’s comments to state “needs more impulsion” when reading through their feedback. So, what exactly does that mean? Here’s a little hint – it doesn’t mean go faster! Now with that said, what goes into creating more impulsion? How much impulsion do you actually need? When and how do you add it? Stick around while we take a detailed dive into this important aspect of training.
Impulsion is the fourth building block in the training scale. It only becomes a useful tool once the first three building blocks are well established. Those are rhythm, suppleness, and contact. These first three building blocks create elasticity in the horse, which in turn forms bigger, higher strides with increased range of motion. Along with increased quality of movement, the horse is getting a better understanding of your driving and restraining aids. Proper response to those cues is the baseline for a good half halt, a critical tool in the development of impulsion.
Impulsion comes from attunement to the aids combined with a solid understanding of the basics, so remember – asking for too much too soon, especially when introducing impulsion, can cause many issues and difficulty with proper communication between you and your horse. This is mostly because the he won’t yet be able to regulate impulsion without becoming stiff over the back or leaning against the bit.
Let’s Define Impulsion
The FEI defines impulsion as: The transmission of controlled, propulsive energy generated from the hindquarters into the athletic movement of the eager horse. Its ultimate expression can be shown only through the horse’s soft and swinging back, and is guided by the gentle contact with the rider’s hand.”
In order to properly understand this definition, let’s break it down a bit more. The energy we create in the horse must remain controllable and contained. It’s important to remember that the energy we encourage the horse to create can be directed into the production of expression, engagement, and cadence. When this energy isn’t contained, it’s common to feel the horse turning it into speed and tension, two things that hinder athletic biomechanical function.
The definition is also clear that impulsion should be shown only through the horse’s soft and swinging back. This revisits an earlier concept in the training scale – suppleness. It also describes the flow of energy moving from the horse’s hindquarters, over the back, and into the connection with the bit – another look back in the training scale at the module about contact. As you and your horse move up the levels of the training scale, those previous modules will continue to intertwine with future ones to fully shape the development of a more advanced horse.
Impulsion and the Importance of “Foreward.”
Suppleness, rhythm, and contact reinforces the circle of energy you’ve worked to create with your horse thus far. To quickly recap this, let’s revisit a summary from my previous post on the topic of contact:
With active hind legs and the longitudinal suppleness of the back correctly established, the energy arrives at the mouth, and in turn, the horse seeks the bit. After this act of seeking, the energy travels along the reins (not backwards from the reins) to the rider’s hands, where the rider modifies it. The rider may allow a bigger stride, ask for a transition, or do a half halt. Sometimes, the rider is just simply connected, and not asking for anything in particular. Only if the rider’s body is supple and connected through the seat bones will the energy then connect through the rider’s legs. The rider’s legs put energy back into the horse’s hind legs, and this pattern continues.
In order for impulsion to come into the picture, the horse must move forward, with good rhythm, over a supple topline and into a soft, steady contact.
The next step is introducing the ability to increase the energy flowing through that circle while we maintain rhythm, tempo, relaxation, suppleness, and contact.
Impulsion is Not Speed!
Asking your horse for a faster tempo doesn’t create impulsion. A common misconception is that impulsion has to do with speed. When you ask for more speed, the horse loses rhythm and tempo. In turn, she’ll lose her balance, spill the energy out of her forehand, and get tense over the back. A common problem once this happens is for the horse to come against the bit. Think instead of impulsion being a tool that creates expression and cadence, improving the quality of your horse’s movement.
The horse must be able to half halt correctly as a prerequisite to learning about impulsion. A true half halt rebalances the horse further onto the hind legs, and really doesn’t involve much “halt” at all! If you’re interested in learning more about the half halt, I will be releasing a mini-course on half halts later on this month.
How to Correctly Ask for Impulsion
There are a few useful exercises for introducing impulsion correctly. One of my favorite exercises takes place on a 20 meter circle. A larger circle like this one helps to keep the horse balanced correctly and naturally puts him in a position where he will be stepping further under with his inside hind. The next step is to ask for more energy. I prefer working on this at the trot, as it’s more adjustable than the walk and takes less concentration on balance than a canter. Create more thrust from the hind legs by using both legs by the girth. Remember to stop cueing as soon as you get a response. It’s easy to over-cue in situations like this, but we are looking for a light, willing, and balanced response from the horse. “Doing a brake stand” with your legs and hands will have a negative effect, as the cueing is too restricted and can feel forceful. You’ll lose that “flow” of energy you’re working so hard to create!
As you ask for more energy with your legs, apply a half halt to contain and reroute this increased energy back towards her hind legs again. This step is critical. Without the half halt, your horse will just continue at a faster tempo. This generally results in her falling on her forehand, which is the opposite of where you’d prefer the weight to be (more onto the hind legs.)
Don’t forget your seat aids as you work on impulsion! In order to maintain this energy, you must relax your seat and go with the horse. Without a supple rider, it’s quite difficult for the horse stay supple. If you are working on these steps and find your horse quickly loses thrust and carrying power, re-evaluate your own body position, ensuring you aren’t holding in your back, seat, knees, or thighs.
Repeat this exercise a few times, and reward any small try your horse makes. Try not to drill it over and over. Impulsion is a gradual process. If you feel him getting tense, re-establish relaxation and suppleness before continuing this exercise. Remember- asking for too much too soon is detrimental to your horse’s training progress.
More Helpful Hints
Transitions are one of your best friends when it comes to working on impulsion. Transitions within the gait are especially helpful; For instance you could transition from working trot, to medium trot, back to working trot again. As you ask for the medium trot, be mindful the tempo doesn’t change. I like to ride a 20 meter circle at working trot, then come down the long side of the arena in medium trot before making another 20 meter circle at working trot again. As the adjustability of the topline continues to improve, I may half halt back to collected trot for 3-4 strides before then coming up to working trot again. Remember to work on your circles and transitions in both directions to establish an equal element of suppleness to both sides. As your horse begins to work more elastically over the topline, the moment of suspension in the trot will become more pronounced, and impulsion will improve. This exercise can also be done in canter.
If you find your horse overreacts to the impulsion cues and gets a bit quick or tense, lateral movements can be very helpful. All lateral movements will help with channeling energy, but I like to stick to the basics if the horse is green or novice. This prevents him from getting overstimulated, falling on his forehand and losing his balance. Try a leg yield on a circle, drifting the hindquarters out slightly while being careful not to overbend to the inside. Then, ride your normal 20 meter circle again. If you feel like he’s getting quick, go back to the leg yield for a few strides.
How Much Do You Need?
There can be too much, too little, or just the right amount of impulsion. Different movements require different levels of impulsion. When there’s not enough, the horse’s movement will feel dull. There will be a lack of athleticism and engagement in the movement and the stride will feel flat. Most of the time, these horses are chronically behind the leg, so it’s not uncommon to see the rider pushing the horse along every step of the way. If your horse lacks impulsion, he’ll be slow to respond to your cues, unable to collect or extend, and will have trouble with most lateral work.
Too much impulsion is often marked by tension, quickness, an inconsistent tempo, and a short, tight neck. These horses will often be displaying contact issues like gaping the mouth, tilting the head, or coming against the bit. The rider struggles with bending cues, half-halts, and positioning the horse for different movements.
When it’s just right, you’ll feel as Iif you have an element of controllable power. Adjusting the stride will be easy to attain. The hind legs will have more press, and you’ll feel an increased moment of suspension in the trot and canter. This results in more rhythm, and when combined with that increased thrust from the hind leg, cadence is felt and can be seen from the ground with a trained eye. The horse will also be tuned in to your driving and restraining aids and able to work between those aids without confusion or anxiety. Impulsion is a great indication that you and your horse are on the right track in the training process.
Remember:
- Impulsion is a key element of dressage and other disciplines.
- You can’t introduce it until your horse has a solid understanding of rhythm, suppleness, and contact.
- When asking for impulsion, don’t over-cue! Remember not to be too restraining in your half halt or to ask for too much energy which creates anxiety and tension over the topline.
- Impulsion does NOT mean speed! Think of it is a re-direction of energy into power, thrust, and cadence.
I hope this helps build your understanding of impulsion and highlights why it’s so important in your training journey. Thank you for stopping in an taking the time to read this. Be sure to make your next ride a partnership-based, confident, and harmonious one!