Equestrian Training Scale: Collection – Video

US Dressage Federation (USDF) gold, silver and bronze medalist, Lena Nordlof-Davis, explains and demonstrates Collection as it relates to the Equestrian Training Scale (aka Training Pyramid).

The principles outlined in the training scale form the foundation to help you reach your full potential in show jumping.

From the German Training Scale it is called Versammlung (Collection).

What Is Collection and Why Is It Important?

Simply put, it’s when you shorten the distance between the horse’s front and hind legs as the horse is in motion.

In so doing, the horse’s back starts to arch (like a cat) and the neck goes down. To many, this may appear as though the rider is pulling the horses head down. In fact, we’re bringing the hind legs closer to the front legs and creating a “spring” over the horse’s back and therefore much more power available from the horse.

If done correctly, rhythm should stay the same

There’s a connection between Rhythm (the first level of the scale) and Collection (the top level of the scale).

What can happen as you start to collect your horse is that the horse will lose its rhythm.

How that translates into show jumping is, if you collect your horse correctly while maintaining the rhythm, you will have more POWER to jump.