Cavaletti training: purpose, structure and frequency

What cavalettis actually train

Cavalettis encourage your horse to look at the ground more consciously and adjust its footfall. That sounds simple, but the effect on the muscles and nervous system is considerable. The horse learns to relax the withers, allow the back to swing freely and distribute the power from the hindleg more evenly. In addition, proprioception improves: the body awareness that supports balance and coordination. For horses that stumble or load one side more heavily, cavaletti work can be a valuable addition alongside veterinary guidance.

Distances and heights per gait

The correct distance between cavalettis is key to achieving the desired effect. Use these guidelines as a starting point:

• Walk: approximately 80–90 cm between poles (one walk stride)
• Trot: approximately 130–140 cm (one trot stride)
• Canter: approximately 300–330 cm (one canter stride)
• Height for beginners: poles flat on the ground or a maximum of 15 cm
• Height for advanced: up to 40–50 cm for more leg action and flexion

A logical progression in four phases

Always start with a single cavaletti before introducing a series. This allows the horse to learn the concept without being overwhelmed by stimuli all at once.

• Week 1–2: one pole in walk, both directions, focus on relaxation
• Week 3–4: series of 3–4 poles in walk and trot, fine-tune distances
• Week 5–6: introduce higher cavalettis or a double series
• Week 7+: add combinations with poles, ground lines and a small jump

How often cavalettis fit into your schedule

Twice a week is a good guideline for most horses. More than three times a week is rarely necessary and can be counterproductive if the horse becomes mentally saturated. Schedule cavaletti sessions preferably after a rest day or light work, so your horse is fresh enough to stay focused. A session lasts on average 20 to 30 minutes including warm-up and cool-down. Log your training data in the EquiSight horse profile so you can recognise patterns and match the workload well to other training sessions.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Going too high too quickly: only increase the height once the rhythm at the lower setting is stable
• Not adjusting the distance to your horse: measure the natural stride of your own horse, not an average
• Always working in the same direction: alternate left and right to prevent one-sided loading
• Riding without focus: cavaletti work requires an active rider who steers for balance
• Overtraining: if in doubt about frequency, build up to one session per week before going to two

Combining cavalettis with lungeing

Cavalettis also work excellently on the lunge, especially for young horses or horses in rehabilitation. Place one to a maximum of four poles in a fan pattern on the circle track: the outer pole is positioned further from the centre than the inner one, so the distance automatically matches the arc length of the horse. The advantage of lungeing is that you can observe the horse without the weight of the rider and assess the movement of the back and hindleg clearly. Use the video feature in EquiSight to compare movement before and after a training block.

Equipment: what you need

You don't need to buy professional cavalettis straight away. Plastic pipes of 3 metres, scaffold poles or wooden rails of approximately 10 cm in diameter work perfectly well. Do pay attention to the surface:

• Sand or rubber mat: ideal, absorbs concussion well
• Grass: usable but slippery in wet weather, poles can slide away
• Hard surface (concrete, asphalt): avoid this, too much strain on the joints
• Anti-slip end caps or sand cushions: keep poles in place under pressure