How to Give Your Trot more SWING & BOUNCE? From SUPPLENESS to COLLECTION with a Happy & Eager Horse!

99% of riders destroy collection before it even begins...
They want hing leg engagement. They want elevation of the withers.
They want engaged back, and activated core muscles.

But the horse becomes only stiffer and more resistant, as the training continues... Why? Because the rider collection comes from building more muscle, stronger aids, or alternating “go & stop" cues until the horse begins to move like a puppet on the strings and totally loses swing through the spine.

From a biomechanical and sports science perspective, this is the greatest misconception in dressage.

In this video, I share my training session with my young horse Milion, showing step by step how to develop collection correctly:

Step 1: How to establish a forward, swingy trot through relaxation — without rider-driven activation.
Step 2: How to lengthen the frame to connect hindquarters and forehand, allowing the spine to transmit energy freely.
Step 3: How to redirect the force vector at the withers from horizontal to vertical — activating the tendon system for true suspension.

Modern biomechanics confirms that collection does not depend on muscular hypertrophy. Instead, it comes from tendon elasticity. When tendons are activated, they act like springs: storing and releasing energy with far greater efficiency than muscle. This is the secret to effortless piaffe, passage, and collection.

Watch closely and you will see how a young horse, ridden for only one year, begins to discover this system — creating the first authentic moments of suspension and the pathway to joyful, effortless collection.

OneHorseLife, Performance becomes effortless here ✨

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Hello, my name is Anna Marciniak, founder of OneHorseLife.com and the creator of Conscious Relaxation for Horses. With over 15 years of hands-on experience, I specialise in guiding and educating riders of all disciplines worldwide. My mission is to raise awareness for the well-being of horses while helping riders achieve brilliant, effortless performance that ensures a sustainable and inspiring future for our sport.

Website: OneHorseLife.com
Instagram: @onehorselife_official
Email: [email protected]

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