The four steps to a natural piaffe

Teaching your horse the piaffe – where do you start? Worldwide, there are many ways to teach the piaffe.

But only a few of them are based on the horse’s natural movement in a way that’s durable to their body.

A piaffe needs to be so natural that it seems like your horse can do it all day. The movement flows from their willingness to perform.

I’ve put my four steps to a natural piaffe in this blog so you can try your hand at a natural piaffe, too!

Step 1 Lift and hold the hind leg

Make the cluck noise;
Introduce the stick;
Touch the leg until they start to lift it off the ground;
Stop whenever they lift to reward them;
Once mastered, repeat but hold the stick on the leg to keep the leg in the air.

You want your horse to lift their leg towards the stick, to follow the touch instead of pulling away from it.

Does your horse run away? Return to the shape of the carrying posture and make sure your horse understands the meaning of the whip.

Does your horse not lift their leg? Prepare your horse’s thoughts so they start thinking about the right answer before you ask by trotting your horse a few times, using the kiss noise to create energy.

These are the vocal aids I use

Kiss noise = Tells them to get ready for something, asks for impulsion and energy and prepares their body for the question you’re about to ask.

Cluck = sound that signals the lift of the hind leg.

Step 2 Achieve the hop

Start in a position of rest.
Ask for energy with the kiss noise.
Ask for the lift of the hind legs a slight second earlier than before.
Quit when the horse gives the bounce so the horse gets the ‘yes’ and reward.

Don’t start to try and make the piaffe when it’s going away. Then you take the responsibility away from your horse. Just relax and start again, focusing on the preparation.

Don’t want too much and your horse will learn to offer.

Does your horse think a little too much about the trot? Use the kiss noise a bit less to take their thoughts a bit away from the trot.

Does your horse get too much in your rein? Relax, stop what you’re asking and back them up until you’re back at your position of rest.

Do you find it difficult to find the timing? Make some transitions in trot, ask for a step with another normal step in between and built a rhythm (trot, walk, step, walk, step, trot, hop).

Prepare your horse for the question you’re about to ask

Get your horse thinking about the right movement before asking the question.

Trot around first to get your horse ready for the two-beat rhythm of the piaffe.

Step 3 Shape the piaffe

Only move on to the next step when you have already mastered the hop. At this point, your cluck shouldn’t create, only enhance and shape.

Guide the horse’s head inward so your horse is making a shape to get ready in trot.
When you get a feeling of trot, relax.
Feel with your whip where you can enhance the body to find a better shape and clearer rhythm (think of the trot’s two-beat).
Continue until your horse finds that continuous rhythm.
Further shape the body by tapping parts of the leg that need a bit more activity.

Does your horse run off? Back up and get the feeling that they stay more between your hand and follow better.

Does your horse not sit enough down on their hind legs? Guide the head a bit upwards so their weight balances back on their hind.

It’s important that you lessen your aids

Important: be able to reduce your aids, not add to them. Reducing aids will motivate the continuation.

Voice takes over from the stick, silence and body language takes over from the voice.

Step 4 Transfer to the piaffe under saddle

The piaffe under saddle is actually the same as from the ground. Your horse only has to learn how to carry you as well.

Start in the same place as you taught the piaffe from the ground.

Aids under saddle

Sit up straight in the saddle and move your legs back slightly.
Use the cluck you and your horse know to signal the start of the piaffe.
Use diagonal aids; touch the horse softly with your right leg as the right hind leg and the left front leg lifts off the ground, same for the left side.

The essential is the coordination of your aids, their dosage and timing. Don’t push too much with your body.

Your horse needs to understand the movement and energy before you try to ask it under saddle.

Do you want to learn much more about the piaffe?

I’ve got a whole online training on the piaffe, filled with over 26 videos. In those videos I explain the steps in a lot more depth, give you more tips and even show the piaffe with different types of horses.

As a member, you also have the opportunity to ask me direct questions on your progress during my monthly Live Q&As!

Learn more about the piaffe module here!