Each week, work on your Haflinger’s responsiveness with a new transition exercise. On the ground or under saddle, how quickly can they shift gears?

March 1-7: Quick Coordination – On a circle (riding, driving or lunging), complete trot/canter/trot transitions every 20 strides. As your Haflinger’s reactions get quicker, make it 10 strides. Focus on keeping the stride count more than making the gait and the transition test perfect. Not only will this sharpen your horse to your aids, the switch between the hip and sacrum as the motion hinge, and the alternating of stable back muscles in the trot versus firing and releasing in the canter, is great for loosening up!

March 8-14: Stay tuned…

Share your adventures with all four exercises and earn your stoplight charm!