'Course, I'll be the perpetual training level/first level rider, but I look at the horse's progression in dressage levels as advancing his training in self carriage and collection. In training level, he should go relaxed, forward straight, walk trot and canter, in a soft round frame that looks like a nice softly rounded hunter. I'm currently training my horse in second level, where we've asked her to change her frame and lift more from her neck so her head carriage is higher while she's still tracking well up behind. I then collect and compact more in her gaits when asked. The goal is too that the aids get lighter as the horse's education advances. When he's at the higher levels like prix st. george or intermediare, his collection training and his athleticism now supports his ability to collect for the canter pirouette or piaffe. I picture it as getting the horse to sit in the rear more as he builds his strength and capability to carry himself that way. Ultimately, the horse responds to the slightest cues primarily through seat and leg.

The problem I've seen in the US, and of course, this is from a low level rider, is that horses are pulled front to back to create fake flexion, cranked in through the hand, and force movements that he's not ready physically for. Other problems I've seen in the low levels are horses that are hollow in the back, not tracking up and rigid and inflexible. Their riders think that all they have to do is walk trot and canter a pattern, but the fact that the horse is ridden entirely incorrectly doesn't occur to them. My goal is forward first, working from the back end, up over the back through the bridle. Ok...enough rambling...