In passage, five elements need to be adjusted in relation to each other:
- Balance
- Suppleness
- Shape
- Tempo
- Regularity and Rhythm
- Swing
If you have never ridden a passage before, make sure you find an experienced horse to learn it on.
During the passage, the seat of the rider and back of the horse melt together. The seat of the rider follows the swinging in the horse’s back and the back of the horse forms around the soft seat of the rider.
The aids:
- The rider should first make a piaffe and feel which hind leg is in the air and which hind leg is on the ground.
- The rider adds a slight forward and every time a hind leg steps forward, the calf of the rider asks the horse to bring that hind leg more forward.
- The rider asks a bit more swinging from his pelvis, without losing the rhythm (without losing the ball).
- With an inner metronome the rider maintains regularity and rhythm. In the beginning, the rider can help the horse by clacking his tongue.
- The rider maintains the suppleness and softness.