Impulsion

Impulsion is step one on the dressage training ladder. I basically interpret it as rear-engine energy. A horse has powerful hindquarters, and that’s where the drive comes from. Impulsion isn’t so much speed as it is power-to-spare energy, ready to spring into action at the least request.

Champagne is an impulsion have-not. Okay, he has a couple of strikes against him. His long sway back makes it difficult for him to collect himself. Sometimes it feels like driving a semi: his front end is almost hinged. And he is “noodley”; the plus is that he is very flexible and bends easily. The minus is that he’s hardly ever straight.

I watched Cath canter him Sunday, and I noticed that he has virtually no hang time (when he is completely in the air with all four feet). This makes for a very cushiony canter and lovely smooth trot, but works against impulsion. No bounding! No jumping either, really.

On my lovely trail ride Saturday, Champagne’s natural walking pace was noticeably slower than that of the other horses. He wanted to be with them, but just couldn’t keep up. As a result, every time the footing looked good enough, we had to trot to catch up . . . and then immediately began to fall behind again. Sigh.

So here’s the thing: I need to get him moving forward a lot more, all the time. Right now he will hardly even do a working walk. He CAN do it, but can’t really sustain it. I’ve read a “fix” for that in training, and I guess I’ll be trying the *soft calf squeeze-response vs. soft calf squeeze-no response-big crop correction-response* thing. And I HATE to hit him.

Plus: I recently read that lethargy can be one symptom of insulin resistance, which I’m pretty sure he has. If I can get that fixed with some nice low-starch grain and the appropriate supplements, maybe he’ll be feeling full of himself and like a HORSE instead of a plug.