What is the difference between long and low and a neck extension? How do each impact a gaited horse’s quality of movement?

Here’s my story…

Long and Low vs Neck Extension for the Naturally Gaited Horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

Many of us with naturally smooth gaited horses are familiar with the term long and low. For me, long and low was taught to help the naturally gaited horse relax and to break up pace into a smooth gait. A few years ago, I learned about the neck extension from Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) teachers.

Before I purchased my first naturally gaited horse in 2007, I had been a dedicated student of dressage since 1988. I learned the benefits of stretching and developing the top line muscles of my trotting horses. We rode forward in a long and low position on a 20-meter circle and encouraged our horses to step under the rider’s body mass with the inside hind leg toward the outside rein. Then we changed directions and repeated the exercise. Long and low on a 20-meter circle was taught as a way to warm up, relax, stretch, and cool down our horses.

However, as my late father would say, “Too much of anything isn’t good.” Too much of a long and low position conditions the horse to slouch on the forehand. The chest muscles collapse instead of lift and the horse gets heavier on the bridle.

As an amateur, it took a few years for me and my Trakehner/ Thoroughbred gelding to prove ourselves at Training and First levels and begin Second level dressage. That’s when long and low habits met a rude awakening. Since I had conditioned my horse slouch on the forehand, Second level exercises like shoulder-in and haunches-in introduced us to a posture shift of balance and engaging the chest muscles.

Three reasons why long and low puts the horse on the forehand:

1. The head and neck of the horse weigh as much as 1/9th of its total body weight. When the head and neck are propelled ahead of the horse, it places the horse on the forehand by nature. The lower the head and neck get, the heavier the weight, especially in a nodding motion at a walk, flat walk, fox trot, or running walk.
2. In this long and low position, the horse’s chest muscles (pectoral and shoulder muscles) are collapsed and not lifting the horse’s head and neck upward in balance
3. In a long and low position, the horse’s hind legs push and disengage. While the lowered head and neck position can help the horse relax and stretch through the back, the disengaged hind quarters push the horse onto the forehand. This doesn’t lift a hollow back to a neutral position for a quality smooth gait.

A better way: moments (not miles) of neck extension AFTER balanced work

Instead of long and low, I learned the neck extension from Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) teachers. Classical French dressage master Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books also illustrate the neck extension. Karl, the originator of Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) is not a trainer of naturally gaited horses that perform the flat walk, fox trot, tolt, and running walk, but his teachings have so much positive application for the naturally gaited horse—especially the neck extension.

For me, learning the difference between the neck extension and long and low has been an eye opener. Why? Because I didn’t have the riding awareness of how long and low had been training my horses on the forehand. The neck extension has brought all the benefits I had been seeking in long and low without collapsing the chest and shoulders.

What is the neck extension

After moments of balanced work, the neck extension trains my naturally gaited horse to stretch her head and neck forward and out to lengthen her spine, stretch her top line muscles from a balanced frame, encourage her to step deep under her body with her hind leg steps in a regular relaxed and forward rhythm without rushing, and engage her abdominal muscles to lift her back to a neutral position.

Watch: Action-Reaction to Neck Extension

Differences between the neck extension and long and low

Big differences between a neck extension and long and low position are the horse is released to neck extension only after a state of balance and relaxation have been reached to maintain; the horse’s head and neck are positioned no lower than poll at wither level in a neck extension; and the neck extension is performed for a few minutes at a time instead of miles at a time.

It is also important to keep the horse’s nose ahead of the vertical with an open throat latch. This position helps minimize weight loading the forehand.

How to apply the neck extension

• First, I help my horse find balance and relaxation first through in-hand exercises that help her accept an even snaffle bit contact. These exercises help my horse unlock tension in her jaw as she tastes the bit. These in-hand exercises are then applied in the saddle before I ride.
• While riding I will follow the natural head and neck motion of my gaited horse to maintain an even snaffle bit contact to maintain relaxation of the jaw. Beginning lessons in Legerete: Following Hands»
• Instead of beginning my ride with long and low, I encourage my horse to walk in a slow, relaxed and balanced position while still tasting the bit, either in a shoulder-in or a small circle.
• After I achieve relaxation and balance, I release my horse into moments of the relaxed and balanced neck extension. Then throughout our ride, I will ask for neck extension at the walk, flat walk, running walk, foxtrot, trot (on cue) or halt.

Comparisons of long and low and neck extension

Neck extension to improve quality smooth gait

Instead, try the neck extension to improve the quality of natural smooth gait where the horse reaches under its body with its hind leg steps, engages its abdominal muscles to lift its back to a neutral position, and stretches forward, down and out with the head and neck to lengthen the spine. All of these qualities can help build the top line muscles and break up pace!

So, whether you’re training your naturally gaited horse to show gaited dressage or western gaited dressage or are looking to break up pace for a natural smooth gait, I hope learning the difference between long and low and neck extension will help bring awareness to your riding. Long and low stretching is great as long as the horse isn’t collapsing the chest, out of balance on the forehand, hollow, behind the bit, or disengaged (trailing its hind legs) instead of stepping under the rider.

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