FLATWORK FEBRUARY #14: THE FOUR-LOOP SERPENTINE

Serpentines are a great way of improving your horse’s suppleness, balance and rhythm as well as your own coordination. It can also be beneficial for horses who struggle to concentrate as the rapid direction changes keep them thinking.

The key to serpentines (whether three-loop or four-loop) lies in making your loops the same size as each other. In the four-loop serpentine, these loops are tighter and there is an extra direction change. This makes the four-loop more of a challenge for a greener horse, so it is best to first get the hang of the three-loop serpentine before moving on to the four-loop. Use markers such as cones if necessary, and accept that this exercise may take some time to get right.

Once you and your horse are comfortable with the four loops and can ride them accurately, you can add transitions over the centre line and ride each loop in a different gait.