Circles and Curves with the Heart Training Exercise

with Tania Grantham

As usual with my layouts, I’ve split the exercises up into sections. Once you have mastered all the different lines and exercises, I’d encourage you to mix them up within a training session. I often revisit layouts again and again, and each time, I still get so much use from them.

How to set up the exercise:

Eight standard three metre (10ft) poles.

It’s super simple to lay out; all the gaps are a pole’s length. If in an arena, set up the top and bottom of the heart to point to A and C, and the centre line runs through the middle.

Focus: Circles and curves:

As we mentioned before, horses are one-sided, meaning they will tend to be different on each rein. As riders, our job is to make the horse as ambidextrous as possible so they use themselves in the most athletically correct and efficient way, whether that be on a straight line, a full circle or a curve.

It is well documented that poles increase the athletic output of a horse working, but they are also invaluable for riders. The poles allow riders to easily assess and monitor the accuracy of the line and the horses’ natural tendencies. Using the poles correctly will help riders achieve not only a productive work session but also keep it fun! 

KEY: All exercises can be ridden in a walk. Green lines is trot only and blue lines can be done in trot and canter.

Exercise One: 20m circles

20m circles are one of my favourite exercises to ride over poles as you can really influence your horse’s striding and reach. When a horse bends correctly, they have to not only contract the inside of their body but also stretch the outside. Combining a curved line with poles will push this stretch and help your horse to find much more freedom in their movement, especially the shoulder and stifle. The lines can be adjusted to suit any size horse or pony and varied to increase their reach.

When riding 20m circles, you either aim for the inside 1/3 of a pole (1 and 3), or the outside 1/3 of a pole (2 and 4). 

Line 1: You are aiming for one trot step

Line 2: Two trot or one canter (a bounce)

Line 3: Two or three trot, one or two canter

Line 4: Three or four trot, two or three canter.

You can adjust the strides either by lengthening and collecting your horse’s paces, or you can slightly adjust the line, either in or out, to create a different length space. This makes these circles very versatile as you can use them for any size horse/pony at the same time.

You can also develop the difficulty/demands throughout a session. We want to use the poles to challenge our horses but not lose their confidence. If your horse makes a mistake or finds a line too hard, just reassure them and go back to a slightly easier line till they have their confidence back again. 

Remember to ride the whole circle, the shape you make either side of the poles is important as it gets you to the poles on the correct line so the poles will have maximum effect on your horse. 

Exercise Two A: 10m circles from the long side.

Exercise Two B: 10m circles from the 3/4 line

As 10m circles are smaller they require more bend and turning every stride. It sounds like an obvious thing to say, but it’s amazing how riders can get stuck and forget to keep turning. Look up and around your circle at all times. Try to focus at least 1/4 circle ahead; use the poles to help you to plan ahead and aim where you are going. 
A 10m circle is an exercise that already requires a good deal of balance, control and collection. Adding poles makes it a very demanding exercise; make sure you give your horse plenty of breaks or intersperse the small circles with other exercises. 

As 10m circles are smaller they require more bend and turning every stride. It sounds like an obvious thing to say, but it’s amazing how riders can get stuck and forget to keep turning. Look up and around your circle at all times. Try to focus at least 1/4 circle ahead; use the poles to help you to plan ahead and aim where you are going. 

A 10m circle is an exercise that already requires a good deal of balance, control and collection. Adding poles makes it a very demanding exercise; make sure you give your horse plenty of breaks or intersperse the small circles with other exercises. 

Exercise Three: Loops in trot

Loops are a fantastic exercise to check and improve the evenness of the bend. You came around the corner in the bend; if in rising trot, you need to change your diagonal as you go over the 1/4 line, as you will be in the other bend over the poles. Use the stripes on the poles as a guide and try to cross symmetrical ones. When you cross the 3/4 line again, you change diagonal again as you will be back in the original bend for the corner after the poles. Make sure you ride the loops on both reins. Play around with adjusting the size of the loops and where you cross the poles.

Exercise Four: Curved lines/dog leg turns in trot and canter

Last month, we did the centre-line exercise at all paces. This is an excellent addition to that exercise. Horses have a tendency to anticipate and potentially try to take over. Once I have done the centre line a couple of times, I like to change things up by riding these curved lines, swapping between turning right and left, interspersing it with a few straight centre lines and mixing it up between paces.

It’s really important to keep training fun for both horses and riders. Using poles and being creative with the lines and exercises is such an easy way to ensure practical, productive and enjoyable sessions.

Tania Grantham of Inspire Dressage is a Grand Prix rider and trainer and Pole Work specialist. Based in the South East of England, she works with a wide range of horses and riders striving to bring out their best using innovative and fun polework layouts and exercises.

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