Performing an excellent 10-meter circle is simply a matter of:
• establishing the correct rhythm, tempo, bend and arc;
• balancing your horse equally and softly between both legs and reins;
• maintaining all of these things until you return to where you started.
Easier said than done, right? That’s why 10-meter circles are such good training tools, no matter what level you ride.
Even if you’re accustomed to nailing these circles, they can become surprisingly difficult as your horse grows more powerful. My Grand Prix partner, Rassing’s Lonoir, scored 8s in his 10-meter circles and 8-meter voltes through Intermediaire I. But the upper-level training transformed his trot into what I call his “fancy trot,” and these circles suddenly became much harder. He started to just power away with me. Even though he was no longer required to perform these movements in the ring, they helped me identify the skills we needed to keep working on at home.
So while 10-meter circles build power and suppleness in First through Fourth Level horses, they also help to keep that power and agility available to you in upper-level horses. I recommend practicing them frequently at home and using them to identify and fix problems in motion (more on that later).
What aspect of the 10-meter circle you need to focus on most depends on your horse. Some horses are better at straight lines; others are easier to bend around circles. Some are so wiggly that it’s hard to maintain the same bend all the way around
