to
The Piaffe
Many horses may kick in learning piaffe! The video I have created presents horses crosstied next to rails. This was only so the camera had a better view. I always start with the horse in the stall that has flexible plywood walls so if they kick, they do not hurt themselves.
PIAFFE
By Sylvia Burrage, author of videos, EXOTIC TRAINING AND TRICKS, EXOTIC ABC'S, PIAFFE, and REINLESS RIDING
The piaffe is a trot in place. Usually when you see piaffe, it is more like a stepping in place without enough energy to make a clean forward transition into passage or trot. And, the riders are working very hard with their hands and legs trying to force the collection. It has already been proven by the late, great trainer, Albert Ostermaier that the horse can have extreme collection, elevation, and perfect transitions with such incredibly light control, that reins are not needed at all! Paintings from the Renaissance era show piaffe with high elevation of the legs and extreme collection. These are the models I use. Philosophers may argue whether it is a trick or a natural gait and I will leave that arguement to them. However, for training purposes, it is much easier for the horse to understand if the piaffe is taught like a trick. Rather than trying to worry the horse into piaffe with whips and produce kicking, confusion, and suspicion, we train the hind legs to a specific cue. Than, at any point beyond that training, we have a very light touch that gives us a back-up system should the horse lose elevation, suspension, or rhythm. That is the whole key to this method.
To give you some encouragement, I will tell you that I am no expert in piaffe. However, many people have asked me to do this video to explain how I get such extreme elevation and suspension and also keep the rhythm so steady. My background training tricks was a great help. I already knew how to put all sorts of cues on horses. I push them through their resistance without overkill that could make the horse dangerous.
To me, cultivating an enthusiastic attitude is the most important part of the final result. If you note how easily horses learn cues from other horses, it would seem logical to use cues to train them.
