Cavaletti (equestrian sport)
A cavaletti or floor trick is a small obstacle used in equestrian sports , made of an approx. 8 cm thick and 3 m long pole made of wood or plastic with holders attached to the ends. The design of the holder (often crosses or plastic blocks) makes it possible to set different heights between 15 and 50 cm by simply turning the Cavaletti.
Floor tricks were introduced into jumping training by the Italian Rittmeister Federico Caprilli . The Italian term for Bodenricks Cavalletto ( Italian cavalletto for buck, frame, stand , plural cavalletti ) has since been used in German equestrian sport in the singularized form of the original plural. In German, the term Cavalettis is used as plural .
Goal setting
With the Cavaletti work a "muscle training" takes place in the sense of strengthening on the one hand and loosening on the other. The cardiovascular system is strengthened and this is accompanied by "fitness training". In addition, this pole work increases the "surefootedness", the horse learns to "shift its center of gravity quickly and safely" and practices "balancing" through the increased footing. This places increased demands on the attentiveness of horse and rider and the horse trains "appraising", that is, the visual measurement of distances. There is even talk of "intelligence training". In dressage training, work promotes the basic gaits of step and trot , the constant distances improve the beat , the higher footing trains the swing and the sublime expression, the cadence .
The factor 'variety' for horse and rider should not be underestimated either, the work becomes more interesting and consequently increases motivation.
execution
The cavaletti is placed on the ground and ridden over by horse . The rider relieves the horse's back through the light seat, but can also sit out occasionally if he is concerned with the increased gathering of the horse. Cavalettis can also be used for lunging . After the horse has got used to the task with the single bar, several Cavalettis are usually set up one behind the other (row). Depending on the gait in which the Cavalettis are to be crossed, the distances between the Cavaletti are different: In the case of large horses, walk approx. 80 cm to 90 cm, trot approx. 110 cm to 130 cm, gallop approx. 280 cm to 300 cm. The cavaletti work represents an accompanying gymnastics for the dressage in all three gaits as well as a preparation for the jumping training . The horse already makes small jumps while galloping, the cavaletti work can change into the jumping gymnastics at this point. It depends on the objective for the respective riding lesson whether the cavaletti work at canter should serve the later jumping or rather collective dressage lessons; the distances between the obstacles and the rider's seat are based on this. In the jumping lesson, Cavalettis are often set up at the beginning of a series of gymnastics .
literature
- Ingrid and Reiner Klimke, Cavaletti: Dressur und Springen , 3rd, updated, newly illustrated edition, Stuttgart 2011 (Kosmos Verlag), ISBN 978-3-440-12057-6 .