Topline is the term used to describe the muscle coverage over the top of the horse’s neck, withers, back, loin, and croup. Because topline is muscle, a horse with a good topline will be stronger and more athletic, and will present a more pleasing appearance. What should we feed to develop the perfect topline? First we must understand that the shape of the back can vary greatly from one individual to another, and so the topline will vary in length and in curvature, with some relationship between the two. Horses with toplines that are sunken in over their withers, concave along the back and loin, or dished in around their hip bones and hindquarters will have diminished strength in those areas.

With Karen Pavicic - Impulsion is best defined as the channelling and controlled release of the energy in the horse's body which is created by the engagement of the hind legs. A horse that moves with impulsion gives the impression of contained power, with steps that can be described as lively and expressive, while maintaining total relaxation and softness through the body for overall elasticity.

With Claudia Cojocar - Collection is the state of the horse in which he lightens his forehand and changes posture by engaging his hindquarters. When you have correct collection, you feel generous impulsion contained by your completely accepted hand, a hand that the horse is not afraid of but is totally confident with. The horse feels like two-thirds of his body is in front of you, slightly uphill, light in your hands and ready to go forward immediately when asked.

At some point, most riders have wished for something like a magic pill, a solution that will instantly alleviate nagging training issues. Since that is impossible, the next best thing is an arsenal of arena routines whose execution will improve your horse. The exercises in this article will give you a looser, more balanced horse, and will create engagement without excessive effort.