Extensions

[PaulaO]

I’m watching WEG dressage. Every trot extension consists of the horse flinging its front legs, yet no sitting and overstriding in the back. The commentator I believe is Melanie Smith, and she keeps saying the judges are looking at the front. Am I wrong the believe what Charles deKunffy said “extension comes from collection”?

[Moutaineer]

No, you are not wrong, and there were many fine examples of quality extensions today, and quite a few that weren't that great.

I can see a decent extension being one of the things that would fall apart due to tension in that highly charged atmosphere.

Honestly, with a few glaring exceptions, I saw more to be happy about than to complain about with the current state of international dressage. And damn, there were some lovely rides.

[Ponichiwa]

The penalty for being conservative about extensions is greater than the one for going for something a bit more than the horse can maintain in the appropriate balance. On the conservative side, you guarantee you're not going to get > 6. If you shoot for something grander, you might end up at an 8 or 9 or you might break and end up at a 5. Average is still > 6.

[HafDressage]

PaulaO- I agree with you. I think a big part of the problem is not that these horses don't have active hind legs - bc many of them do - but rather that the sport has "emphasized fancy above all else," so everyone's hind leg pales in comparison to the overly dramatic front end that is being encouraged. SO the picture gets super unbalanced looking. Valegro was such a breath of fresh air on this front, but still I think not much has changed with many of the others and even MSJFreestyle exhibits this.

I will say however that the German team has put together some much better quality Piaffe/Passage than I think is common currently.

https://www.facebook.com/the.fei/videos/vb.178629622184438/459183334571854/?type=2&theater