Flatwork Training Plan without Poles – From stance, Bending to Permeability

Flatwork is the basis for all riding, in this blog post you will get inspiration with 7 flatwork exercises that will make your everyday training varied and effective.

You can find all of these and 300+ other pole and riding exercises for free in the Happie Horse App!

Feel free to post a photo or video on Instagram or TikTok and tag the @happiehorse_app account! We are looking forward to seeing your ridden exercise!

The Training Plan

The Assymetrical Serpentines

This dressage exercise can be explained in a nutshell: Ride a serpentine line through the arena as you know it, but when riding the arches, go a little further out. This gives you more space to improve your horse’s position and bend.

As a tip: Depending on the space available, you can also vary the number of arches or, in order to gymnastise your horse, include transitions when changing hands.

So it’s all very easy to ride!

Exercise for Balance

You want to improve the balance? Then this exercise is just right for you!

Again, it’s about improving your horse’s stance and bend, but you’ll also improve reaction.

Ride a volte to the inside in the middle of the long sides. Alternatively, you can make the arena smaller enough and ride a volte to the outside towards the rail. Try to ride evenly through the turn and change your horse’s position correctly when changing hands! You can also ride a transition after each volte to further modify the exercise for you and your horse.

Straightness on the Centre Line

“Turn to the centre line, hold in the centre, salute” – this is familiar to every rider who has ever found themselves in the dressage arena at a show.

Although this lesson seems quite easy, a lot can go wrong. First you have to hit the centre line, then you have to ride straight on, not to mention half a volte left, half a volte right.

But this exercise can help: Set up as many cones as you like along the centre line. This way you can mark all the points for all possible lessons that are ridden on the centre line.

PS: If you don’t have any or not enough cones at hand, you can also use poles, cavaletti blocks or other objects!

Four Voltes in the Corner

Riding on the rail, but in a different way – with this exercise you challenge your horse’s position, bending and your control as a rider.

Reduce the size of the arena to the fourth or fifth hoofbeat and ride a volte into the corner in each corner.

To individualise the exercise for you, you can add transitions at any point.

Flexion and Bending

This exercise is also very easy to explain. It combines three different exercises for stance and bend. Start on one long side and ride back from the next corner. As soon as you have reached the middle of the long side at E or B, ride a half volte to the centre line and then a half volte to the other side. After this half volte you only need to turn the corner once and you have ridden through the exercise once.

Figure 8

Figure 8 aka the classic exercise to train stance and bend. This exercise is not part of many flatwork exercises for nothing. You can ride it at any gait.

Ride on the circle and turn your horse inwards in the direction of movement. As soon as you reach X, turn your horse around and ride on the other hand on the other circle.

For variation you can add transitions!

The Reverse Serpentine

You probably know the simple serpentine, but have you ever ridden a reverse serpentine?

For this exercise you ride along the long side, through the corner and turn onto the centre line in the middle of the short side. Then ride a simple serpentine line to the outside and change your horse’s position accordingly.

You can ride this exercise at all gaits and incorporate transitions.

Do you need guidance? Then set up cones, cavaletti blocks or other objects for orientation.

Have fun with your next flatwork training!

Exercises x Happie Horse App

Still haven’t found a suitable exercise? No problem! In the Happie Horse App you will find 300+ free exercises with descriptions and videos. Download the app for free from the App Store or Play Store!

And don’t forget: Tag @happiehorse_app on Instagram and TikTok when you copy an exercise!

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