What is Schwung?

“Schwung is the transmission of the energetic impulse created by the hind legs, into the forward movement of the entire horse. An elastically swinging back is the necessary pre-condition. ‘Schwung’ should not merely be interpreted as impulsion. A horse can show impulsion and not have ‘Schwung’. ‘Schwung’ is not identified by the horse being a ‘good’ or ‘showy’ mover. A horse can be born with a good trot, showing long, extended steps. But this natural action can easily be performed in a tense way, with a rigid back and high head carriage. ‘Schwung’ is always the result of efficient training, which uses the natural pace, but adds to it the horse’s suppleness, elasticity and responsiveness to the aids.”

Again, before you complicate the issue by asking for more than the horse is capable of giving, listen to the wise words of Dr Klimke:

Ingrid Klimke demonstrates with a young Trakehner stallion

‘”Schwung’ enables the horse to move in the most expressive way that nature gave it. Some horses by nature have little expression, ie. have flat gaits. One must remember that one can only ride out of a horse what nature gave it, but what nature gave it, we want to bring out. This means the horse must be able to use all four legs with maximum expression and to do this entails engaging the hind legs through muscling up the hind quarters so it is easy to engage them. Many people forget that the shoulders are also important and should not be stiff. They need to develop free movement. The expression comes from behind, but it cannot go through the back and through the shoulders if the shoulders are stiff, then there is no ‘schwung’.”

Impulsion is the term used to describe the transmission of an eager and energetic, yet controlled, propulsive energy generated from the hindquarters into the athletic movement of the horse. It’s ultimate expression can be shown only through the horse’s soft and swinging back to be guided by a gentle contact with the rider’s hand.

FEI Article 4173 (2003)

 

Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff and Golfstrom at Aachen in 1989

The action of the purely driving leg controls, which are the only influence that can cause engagement of the hindquarters, is manifested by increasing the impulsion of the hindquarters, which begin to carry more of the load and thus relieves the forehand, which now steps out more freely, with longer strides, in harmony with the hindquarters. The neck stretches out forwards and down more and more, corresponding to the extension of the back. This extension is felt in the horse’s reaching out for the bit.

Walter Seunig, Horsemanship

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“When you are working like this you are putting the horse more on the aids. The horse should respond to your seat and to your weight. The driving aid is leg, back, weight – together that makes up your seat. You indicate to the horse what you want to do, then the horse does it without you having to nag every stride.”

“The horse pushes off the hindlegs and goes forward.” 

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Elastic, energetic steps are an indication of a high degree of impulsion. However there are some horses who produce a trot that resembles a passage but in which the forelegs remain unnaturally straight. This type of trot is not normally a sign of impulsion but is a clear sign of tension in the horse. It can often be an evasion or sign of resistance on the part of the horse to the rider’s forward driving aids. The judge must ask ‘is this really going forward?’ A supple back is a prerequisite for transmission of power from the hindquarters into an athletic stride. There should be no apparent tension in the back. There should be longitudinal suppleness shown by the horse’s willingness to shorten and lengthen his frame according to the rider’s requests and the requirements of the differing paces. Engagement of the hindquarters means that the hind legs are willingly stepping forwards underneath the horse and taking his weight. They are not left out behind the horse’s body.”

Wolfgang Niggli: Dressage – a guideline for riders and judges.

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