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  • Correctly Applying Your Weight Aids

    Correctly Applying Your Weight Aids

    When we begin riding, we are generally told about this almost magical ability that we have to communicate with our horse, known as the weight aids.   However, it soon becomes apparent that we have to master many other aspects of riding before we can hope to use our weight to communicate with our horse…

    Unfortunately for many of us, this takes too much time to achieve, so instead we begin happily throwing our weight around in the saddle and then getting upset when our horse does something completely different to what we ‘asked’.

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/516-Learning-to-Correctly-Apply-Your-Weight-Aids.mp3 Feedback” title=”Learning to Correctly Apply Your Weight Aids” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Learning to Correctly Apply Your Weight Aids in the Saddle” hashtag=”horseriding #equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    So first and foremost, what are your weight aids?  The term ‘weight aids’ refers to where and how you are using your core to distribute your weight in the saddle.  Your weight aids are controlled with subtle movements which shift the pressure and weight of the seat bones in a way that communicates a certain instruction to your horse.

    You use your weight aids in all aspects of riding, from slowing down or stopping, to asking for more energy or moving forward.  Weight aids are an important part of transitions, bending, turning and even just riding a straight line.  Learning how to control your weight aid is a vital and essential part of good riding.

    It is only when we learn to develop a truly independent seat that those aids really can become useful to both us and our horse

    An independent seat is when you can move your legs or other parts of your body without affecting your overall balance & position in the saddle.  An independent seat is also something that is really earned by spending consistent time in the saddle, riding correctly and practicing correct movements and sound techniques.   A rider also needs a certain level of fitness and body awareness, so as to be able to use their muscles, and therefore shift their weight, as desired or required.

    If we do not first cultivate that independent seat, our weight aids can often work against us and our horse.  They can also when applied incorrectly, whether due to lack of knowledge or lack of control, contradict the other aids being applied which leads to our horse not performing as we think he should.

    Applying Your Weight Aids

    Many riders think that they are applying their weight aids correctly, however something as simple as not sitting straight in the saddle is enough to change the application and meaning of a particular movement.  Often riders will sit to one side, or favour one side of their body, when in the saddle and the problem then begins to compound when they begin shifting their weight around, giving a total different feeling to their horse than what the rider thinks they are asking

    Another way that the weight aids can begin to work against the rider if not correctly understood and applied is that often riders get a little ‘over enthusiastic’ in the application of the aid.  So rather than that subtle shift we mentioned in the beginning, they either begin ‘shoving’ or ‘pushing’ their horse, or they begin leaning…  Never Lean!  We can also incorrectly apply the weight aids, particularly when turning, by lifting our outside seatbone off the saddle…

    Keep in mind that both seat bones must remain seated if you want to give a correct and easily understood weight aid!

    The final issue I want to warn you of before we carry on is incorrect timing of the aid.  As with all things riding related, the weight aid being given will only be as good as the preparation leading up to it and the timing of it.  No matter how well-balanced, or finely tuned your seat may be, if you apply the aid at a moment when your horse physically cannot respond to it, the aid will never get anywhere near the result you desire.

    It is when you can combine a true independent seat with correctly applied subtle weight aids & a perfect sense of timing you will begin to master what we call ‘feel’ in the saddle

    To get an idea of just how subtle your weight aids and the ways you affect them are, I suggest beginning off your horse.  Find a firm surface you can sit on, and gently put a hand under each of your seat bones.  Feel how just applying a little more tension to the different muscles in your core, affects the distribution of the weight applied by your seat bones on your hands.

    Move your body as you would when in the saddle performing a half halt; feel how your seat bones would ‘block’ a river of energy that would flow underneath you through your horse’s back when you are in the saddle.  However, then begin to see how, my making slight adjustments,  you can soften that aid or smooth it out.

    Once you can begin feeling these subtle differences, try it with how you would move when you ask your horse to move forward, whether it be to transition up a gait, or within a gait.  Again, imagine the river of energy flowing underneath you and how, when applied correctly, your weight aids will ‘open’ and allow that energy to flow a little more.

    Of course, when you apply your weight aids you are not necessarily ‘blocking’ or ‘allowing’, just rather suggesting this to your horse, who with time, will understand and make adjustments as required

    Once you have a good feeling and understanding of the ’cause and effect’ of your body movements out of the saddle, then you can begin experimenting in the saddle.  Unfortunately however, many riders will experience that their horse is not all that attentive to their weight aids initially.  This is usually due to the fact that the rider has been guilty of literally ‘throwing their weight about’ in the saddle!

    However, all is not lost and you can begin to re-school or retrain your horse to your newly acquired subtle weight aids.  To do this you will have to be consistent and mindful of where you are sitting in the saddle and also that each movement or change is set in motion by applying the correct, subtle, weight aid first.   Your horse will, given time, begin to associate that particular weight aid with that instruction and soon, begin responding to the weight aid when it is applied.

    Really effective communication with your horse through your weight aids will take time and patience, however is really worthwhile in the end.

    Happy Riding

    Lorna

    Applying Your Weight Aids

     

  • Diffusing a Difficult or Dangerous Situation

    Diffusing a Difficult or Dangerous Situation

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    Being an equestrian, it is a safe assumption to make that you love your horse.  However, every now and again we will find ourselves in a situation that has the potential to turn dangerous very quickly, whether it be in the saddle or on the ground.

    Depending on your personality and experience, how you deal with this type of situation can vary greatly. Some riders become angry or aggressive, others become anxious or nervous.  While others simply ignore the behaviour and carry on…

    Knowing what to do and how to act when a dangerous situation presents itself is vital to not only your own confidence around horses but also to your horse’s training and wellbeing.

    Why Is He Being so Dangerous?!

    Horses react in ‘dangerous’ ways for many different factors.  The most obvious two are being frightened or in pain.  However, there is a whole other multitude of reasons your horse may react in a way that can become dangerous or unsafe for both of you.

    Some horses are excitable, others are aggressive.  Some horses are reacting to a deep-seated instinct while others are simply following the rider’s lead.  Factors such as your horse’s history or method which he was trained can play a part, his breeding, the food he is receiving, or perhaps an underlying health condition or disease.

    Figuring out what is triggering his behaviour to begin with is paramount to how you will then react to or deal with the situation when it occurs again.  

    Look for patterns in the circumstances.  Also, look at how he then reacts to the different methods that are being used to try to defuse the dangerous actions each time.

    Working With Your Horse

    Working with a nervous, frightened horse is quite different from working with an aggressive or ‘angry’ horse.  The same is true of a horse that is excitable and high-spirited to a horse that is overly sensitive and easily stimulated.

    Once you have figured out why your horse is reacting the way he is, the next question to ask yourself is: “Am I able to deal with this, or is this a job for a professional?”

    Whatever route you choose, time and consistency will be the essential ingredients to learning how to defuse a difficult or dangerous situation correctly and safely, so that type of scenario happens less and less in your riding.  Now, more often than not, you can compromise by hiring a trainer that will have experience of overcoming the type of challenge you are faced with.

    Confidence, knowledge and self assuredness in your abilities is key to being able to deal with a dangerous situation, whether it being asserting authority, or being a human that your horse can trust

    However, the sad fact remains that more often than not, these traits are usually lacking in most pleasure riders, through no fault of their own.  And trying to mask uncertainty and fear is a tough act for anyone to pull off, let alone when in a dangerous situation with a 600kg horse!  This is where working with an experienced professional is priceless.

    Diffusing a Difficult or Dangerous Situation

    Training Yourself First

    I suggest taking a more methodical approach to training yourself to be ready and able to react closer to how you would like in these sorts of circumstances.

        • Identify a ‘comfort zone’, where you feel safe and in control of the situation.
        • Begin leaving this comfort zone, for short periods, each time you work with your horse.
        • notice how your confidence and your horse’s confidence is growing
        • Soon your ‘comfort zone’ will begin to expand; when this happens, push yourself to venture further away from the comfort zone, knowing that you can return at all times.

    This can be a simple as riding in a round pen for a while or just touching your horse’s hindquarters briefly during grooming.

    It will depend on what the situation is. However, growing and deepening the relationship between you and your horse will be key in being able to identify the ‘danger signs’ and defuse the situation before it escalates into a full-blown disaster.

    Developing Your Abilities

    You can also develop your fitness, your ability to balance, and your agility in the saddle by working some basic exercises into your schooling routine.  Another way to increase your ability to react and adapt quickly in the saddle is by riding in the fields or on tracks and trails.  Your horse will constantly have to readjust his footing and balance, which will require you to do the same…

    However, if this is a problem, perhaps look at starting small in a small paddock or field to build confidence in either yourself and your horse.

    Other Options…

    Sadly, sometimes the challenge is too large or the reaction too ingrained. This can be in either you or your horse. When this happens it almost it can be very difficult to work through safely. If this is the case, selling your horse might be the best option.  It is important to do this from a place of integrity and honesty.

    Be mindful that the person who takes on the horse has the necessary tools to begin helping the horse; rather than the cycle repeating itself over again.  

    This might take time, or thinking outside the box, to find the right person. But you will feel better knowing you done all you can for the horse.

    The number one thing to remember throughout is the safety of yourself, your horse, and those surrounding you.  

    Try to not get into situations where things can quickly escalate.  I realize this is often easier said than done. However, if you can take the time to really get to know your horse (and yourself!) will definitely lower the risk factor.

    Happy and safe riding

    Lorna

    Additional Resources on this Topic:-

    Diffusing a Difficult or Dangerous Situation

  • Identify the Habit Holding You Back

    Identify the Habit Holding You Back

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    We all have something, right?  That thing we do that every time we catch ourselves doing it, we feel a tinge of guilt… But without fail, regardless of all the beating ourselves up, we will be back doing it again soon.

    Now, I could have been talking about anything there… any number of bad habits that you have cultivated (yes… cultivated) over the years, however today I am referring specifically to the habits we form in the saddle that are less than helpful to us as riders.

    As with anything in life, the more time you spend riding, the more opportunities you have to become complacent about the little things.  Things which, initially might not count for much but that compounding effect can be a real nightmare once it gets going in the wrong direction!

    Consistency will bring you results, regardless of what you are being consistent with.  Meaning that the old saying that practice makes perfect is definitely not always the case.  Rather ‘perfect practice make perfect’ when it comes to consistently improving your riding skills.

    Identifying the Habit Holding You Back

    However, where do we begin?  What do we start with?

    Identify the Habit

    Identifying what you are doing in the saddle is the first step to breaking the habit and overcoming the issue.

    However, before we proceed, a word of caution… Very often what we perceive as riders to be the problem is actually not really the issue at all.  It is merely a symptom of a greater flaw that is manifesting itself as the more obvious thing you are seeing.

    The quickest and easiest way to identify the root bad habit is by asking a professional riding instructor or trainer to evaluate your riding for you.  They should pick up pretty quickly what is happening to cause your problems and then also, give you pointers or exercises on how to improve this aspect of your riding.

    But, I realise that you may not have access to a trainer or instructor to help you solve this.  If this is the case, there are a few ways you can locate the core habit yourself.

        1. Firstly, find a rider that is doing what you want to do correctly.  Keep in mind that a lot of riders, while successful, may not be the best person at that particular thing… So choose wisely!
        2. Once you have found this person you are going to begin comparing yourself in similar situations to this person.
        3.  Photographs or videos of yourself riding will help you, but in order to be really successful, you will have to take quite a few over a period of time in different situations.  Compare them and begin looking for patterns in your riding.
        4. Using the photographs or videos, along with a riding diary which will record how the ride went, you can then begin to find the pattern you are looking for.

    Identify the Trigger

    So, once we have become aware of the habit, we then need to begin working backwards to identify the trigger. This is the circumstance that begins the sequence of events which leads to you falling into this pattern that you want to break in the first place.

    This will involve working backwards a little. From the point where you notice you are indeed doing it again. This is so that you can find the exact point where you transition from a correct way of riding to where you are doing the thing you wish to put a stop to.

    Is there a particular horse, or a particular movement that seems to trigger the habit more so than others?  Does riding in a certain area or with a certain person attribute to your downfall?! Or perhaps the trigger has nothing to do with riding itself and everything to do with the food you ate last night, the glass of wine you drank, the argument you had before you left the house for the stables?!

    As pleasure riders, our emotions and moods are tightly woven and integrated with our riding and time in the saddle, so don’t forget to have a look at this aspect of your life as well.

    What causes the trigger to happen?

    Just like everything else in life, your bad habits in horse riding can probably be traced back to either a perceived fear (or stress) or a lack of knowledge.  It’s hard to know you are doing something wrong if you don’t know what you don’t know!

    With regards to the knowledge aspect, this can be rectified by simply researching the subject, having lessons or classes on the topic and just finding out more about how to do it correctly.  The part that will take time is then reprogramming your habit. It involves removing the wrong way and inserting the correct way for doing that particular thing.

    If you realise your trigger is more fear-based, this may take a little more work on your part.  

    A lot of the time when we feel stressed, whether in the saddle or out of the saddle, we learn to react in a certain way that we think will benefit us.  The downside to this is that our mind is a wee bit clouded by the ‘fear’, so it may not really be the best way at all.  Identifying what is causing your fear and then thinking logically and rationally about it will help to uncover this.  Also, working on how you react in day-to-day life will also help.  Very often merely learning more about the subject that is stressing you will help to shift your mind from fear to more of healthy respect…  Which will allow you to begin acting differently.

    Cultivate awareness in the saddle

    So once you know what your habit is and what is causing you to react this way, you need to begin noticing those points in your ride!  This is easier said than done.  Remember the habit or behaviour is your ‘go-to’ action.  Noticing you are doing it or about to do it will be difficult at first.   However, it can be done.

    By consciously thinking about what you are doing and when you are doing it you will soon be able to notice little things that previously you were unaware of.

    Be aware of your body at all times in the saddle and ride the movement you are riding at that moment.  Stop thinking about 10 steps ahead and what will happen during dinner tonight!

    Instead, for the coming weeks, make your intention for each ride to be really present and in the moment throughout.

    Focus on how you want it to be

    This is where a lot of us get caught up.  We know what we don’t want to do, but ask us what we want to do….  We draw a blank!

    Just like when riding a naughty horse, rather than focusing on the bad habit or behaviour, focus your attention on the opposite.  The good action or behaviour that you want to replace it with.

    By placing your attention here, you will have a far greater chance of making this happen, repeatedly, and thus becoming your new habit.

    Use visualisation to see yourself succeeding

    Did you know that your brain does not know the difference between what you think and what you do?  Use this to your advantage by continuously visualizing yourself successfully riding the way you want to ride.

    Include in there all the good habits you wish to cultivate, all the skills you want to learn.  When you are visualising yourself doing it, don’t just see it, feel it as well.  

    Perhaps you can just sit on a chair and imagine your body moving as you want it to move.  Spend your time travelling to and from the stables thinking about how it will feel to ride that movement correctly and with confidence.

    If you are struggling to even imagine yourself changing your current habit, imagine someone you know of who can easily do what you want to do.  

    Once you have this person in mind, visualise yourself copying or mimicking how they react in a situation or ride a particular movement.  Slowly, it will become easier and easier for you to picture yourself doing the same.

    Safety and Success in Numbers!

    Things are always more fun when done with a friend…  Breaking a habit is no different!  Get a partner or a friend to help you overcome your bad habit, either by pointing it out each time you do it or working on a habit or behaviour of their own that they wish to change.

    Hold each other accountable, support each other and when either of you slips up or revert back be there to offer support and motivation to try again tomorrow.
    Identifying the habits holding you back

    Change the circumstances or situation

    Finally, if you are still struggling to overcome your bad habit I suggest changing things up a little.  Get out of the arena or paddock you usually ride in.  Try that movement in a different place in the arena.  Build up to it with a different exercise.

    The choices are endless with regards to how you can make differences in your ride and often just changing one small circumstance is enough to form a crack that will eventually break the habit.

    Time… Oh, Time… Time…

    Remember not to overdo it at the beginning… It will take time to replace the pattern that you are currently doing with a new and better way, but remember that you can do it.

    Also, what will seem difficult at the beginning will soon become second nature to you as you soon make your new habit the go to one when that trigger occurs.

    Go easy on yourself and acknowledge that you will have some slip-ups along the way.  When they do happen, remember the fact that you are now noticing them happening is half the battle to changing your patterns.

    Then simply set a new rule about how you will react in that situation going forward.

    Happy Riding

    Lorna

    Additional Resources on This Topic

     

  • Solving Leg Yield Problems

    Solving Leg Yield Problems

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/SFA491-Correcting-Your-Leg-Yielding-Problems.mp3″ title=”Solving Your Leg Yielding Challenges” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    How many times have you asked your horse to leg yield, moving forward yet sideways, only for it to become frustratingly obvious a few steps into the moment that what is happening underneath you is definitely not what you had in mind?!

    Asking our horses to leg yield is one of the first introductions they will have to lateral movement.  It introduces our horse to the concept of not just going in straight lines and moving forward, but also adding in some lateral or sideways movement as well.

     

    It is a wonderful exercise for supplying our horses and has the added benefit of being easy enough to introduce to younger or less schooled and developed horses who have not yet achieved collection in their gaits.

    What is Leg Yield?

    A true and correct leg yield happens when your horse moves forward and sideways, along a diagonal line, keeping their back straight with a slight flexion of the poll away from the direction you are travelling.

    So, if we were traveling down the center line and wanted to leg yield to the right, back to the track…  Your horse will flex his poll to the left. Your left leg and hand will be your inside. While your right leg and hand will be your outside.

    Leg yield is when your horse is moving forwards AND sideways.  While maintaining rhythm, tempo, balance, and forward impulsion or energy in a consistent way throughout the movement. No change…

    Solving Your Leg Yielding Challenges

    What Can Go Wrong?

    While the leg yield is seen as a basic movement and, as mentioned, an introduction to more advanced and challenging lateral movements, there are many factors that can go wrong both before, during, and then after the movement.

          • Your horse’s hindquarters may trail or lead the shoulders
          • Too much bend through his neck or back
          • Loss of rhythm and tempo
          • Loss of forward movement or impulsion
          • Lack of preparation by rider before the movement
          • The rider leaning or ‘shoving’ the horse using shoulders or hips
          • The rider’s reins being too long

    Does Your Horse Understand?

    Before we get into how to solve each of these problems, I think it is important to first make sure your horse understands what is being asked of him as he is performing the movement.  You can do it on the ground. Simply ask for sideways movement.

    For example, in the stable, while grooming, you will ask him to move ‘Over’. As you ask, apply pressure with your hand on the area that you will later apply similar pressure with your leg while riding.

    You can also take your horse into the arena or schooling area and again, using pressure from your hand with the simple ‘Over’ command, ask him to move away from that pressure.  This then translates well into the saddle, when you can again ask for ‘Over’ and apply the pressure with your leg where you have been training your horse to move away from with the same voice command using your hand.

    I have a full program Groundwork for Riding that teaches you how to do this and more HERE

    Improving the Quality of the Leg Yield

    Once your horse begins to recognize and understand what ‘Over’ is and what you require of him to perform the movement, you can then begin focusing on the quality of the movement.

    As mentioned, one of the big challenges is keeping your horse straight throughout the movement.  Simply put, his shoulders must remain square in front of his hind quarters throughout the leg yield.

    It will be your horse’s natural inclination to rather have his hindquarters trailing his shoulders, which will mean that he is either bending through his back or that he is falling out through his outside shoulder.  Keep in mind that your horse must remain straight through his back at all times.

    One of the easiest ways to keep focused on where you are going is to keep your horse’s shoulders square to something while keeping his back parallel to another marker.  This way, you have a reference point of sorts by which to measure the quality of the forward and sideways movement.  

    I suggest beginning on the quarter line, shoulders square to the end of the arena, and then asking for a leg yield back to the track, all the while keeping his back parallel to the outside track while the shoulders remain square to the end.

    Begin in Walk

    Start your preparations in the walk, as like many riding movements, it is easier to perform the leg yield in the walk first and then work up to trot.  Focus on establishing a rhythm that has your horse moving forward in the walk.   Pay attention that you are moving with your horse, following the movement and that you are sitting correctly in the saddle, weight equally distributed across both seat bones.

    As you ask your horse to yield to your leg, keep this phrase in mind…  “Leg yield, not rein yield!”  

    Often we become so focused on our horse moving sideways that we forget it is primarily off the leg rather than the hand or rein. Remember to use your inside rein to merely ask for a slight bend through the poll, a small flexion to the inside (which will be in this case the side your horse is yielding to).  For example, when leg yielding from the left to the right (a leg yield to the right), your left side will be your inside.

    Engage Your Outside Rein

    Also, remember that your outside rein is there to help regulate the rhythm. And also ‘gather up’ the movement created from your inside leg.  Very often when riders are asking their horse to leg yield, they overuse the inside rein. This creates too much bend to the inside, while at the same time completely forget about the outside rein.  This results in a loss of rhythm, perhaps even a break in the gait, and generally allows the energy to fall out through the outside shoulder.

    Your outside rein will help hold the work you have put in during the preparation all together while your horse leg yields

    Another important point to keep in mind is the reason you are asking your horse to leg yield, to begin with.  It is not just a means to an end, but rather an exercise which when ridden correctly will improve your horse’s overall way of going.   This means that while the quality of the leg yield itself is important, so too is how your horse finishes the movement and, even better, if it has improved his overall way of going afterward.

    Your Outside Leg

    Correct use of your outside leg will ensure you reach the end of the leg yield movement with the same impulsion and energy you had created and prepared while going into it.  Very often riders are so focused on their horses yielding to their inside leg, that they completely forget about the outside leg. They only apply it to ‘end’ the leg yield and the sideways part of their horse’s direction.

    Your outside leg is much more than this.  It should be used to make sure your horse’s outside back leg remains engaged, pushing off and creating energy.  

    The inside back leg will cross over in front of the outside back leg each stride if the leg yield is being performed correctly.

    However if the outside back leg is not then coming forward and underneath the horse with each stride, the horse will begin to move more exclusively sideways, rather than forward and sideways… Which is what’s necessary for a true leg yield

    Rhythm; Step by Step…

    Focus on riding the movement step by step.  Rather ride two or three strides of correct leg yield than ten steps of mediocre or even bad quality.  Make sure you are carrying your body, your hands and that your hips and pelvic area are relaxed and supple enough to allow both you and your horse to move.

    Finally, make sure you are not leaning to one side or the other.  

    You should aim to remain perfectly upright, poised, and light in the saddle.  Therefore allowing that improvement in your horses’ way of going that the leg yield will cultivate when prepared and ridden correctly.

    Happy Riding

    Lorna

    Additional Resources on this Topic

    Solving Leg Yielding Challenges

  • The Correct Diagonal In Trot

    The Correct Diagonal In Trot

    Finding the Correct Diagonal in Trot

    There you are, happily trotting around the arena, delighted at the fact that you can ‘post’ correctly; until someone goes and bursts your bubble by pointing out that you are on the wrong diagonal…  “Sit for two” they shout your way…  And you’re thinking ‘Come again?’!

    [smart_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/SFA486-Finding-the-Correct-Diagonal-in-Trot.mp3″ title=”Finding the Correct Diagonal in Trot” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Struggling with your diagonal in the trot? This will help (no looking required!) ” hashtag=”trotting #horseriding #equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    What is the Diagonal in the Trot?

    Being on the correct diagonal is to do with rising or posting to the trot.  We know that when our horse trots, his legs move in diagonal pairs, the front inside with the back outside and the front outside with the back inside.

    Your horses way of travelling, in diagonal pairs, is what creates the two-time beat that we experience in trot.  The 1,2,1,2,1,2…  or, when we rise or post to the trot, the up, down, up, down, up, down.

    Posting or rising on the correct diagonal in trot is when you are sitting or down when your horse’s outside shoulder (and inside hind leg) are on the ground.  This means that you are rising or posting when the same outside shoulder and inside hind leg and moving forward.

    There is a well-known ‘rhyme’ to help riders remember which diagonal pair is the correct one to post.  It goes ‘Rise and fall to the leg by the wall’.  This pertains to the front leg closest to the wall, or the outside shoulder, which when we are first being introduced to a diagonal, is the easiest way to establish if you are correct or incorrect.

    So, Why Worry About Which Diagonal You’re On?

    Remembering which diagonal is the correct one is important.  However, understanding the reason you ride on one diagonal or the other will help you move forward in your riding training.

    It actually has little to do with the outside front leg, or shoulder.  It has more to do with the inside hind leg, the other half of the diagonal pair to the outside front leg, which is creating the energy and impulsion in the trot.

    As your horses inside hind leg comes onto the ground, this is the point where he is most balanced.  

    Your being ‘down’ at this point will help to maintain this balance, particularly around turns, bends and circles.

    Using Diagonals to Help with Equal Development

    The other consideration or factor with riding the correct diagonal is that you are equally conditioning or working your horse’s back and hind end.

    As your horse trots, his hind legs are constantly pushing him forward.  If you were to always ‘sit’ or be in the ‘down’ part of your rising trot on the same hind leg, that constant one sidedness would begin to show itself over time in a lack of suppleness through your horse’s back.

    Therefore, while you are in an arena or an enclosed space and assuming you are working your horse equally on both sides, you can use the wall or fence as your ‘outside’ reference.  

    However, as soon as you leave the arena and perhaps are on the trail or the road, there is no ‘outside’ or ‘inside’.  When posting to the trot along a long straight road, it can be easy to forget about diagonals.  This can potentially be an issue for your horse.  This is because your outside and inside may not change for long periods, if ever.

    Therefore it is important that you are consistently changing your diagonal periodically throughout the ride.

    Learning to Feel which Diagonal You Are On

    Learning to feel which diagonal you are on at any given time takes consistent effort and focus on your part.  You should aim to eventually be able to literally feel which diagonal you are riding on at any given stride.  I will explain more about that later in this post.

    However, initially I recommend using  your eyes to make sure you are indeed riding on the correct diagonal.  Seeing is much easier than feeling initially. And you can use your sight to ‘train’ your feel over time. 

    I suggest beginning in walk where you can learn to distinguish, using a glance of your eyes, where your horse’s outside shoulder is at any given time.   The term glance is an important one here/  This is because if we begin to lean or even tilt our head down to see what is going on with the shoulder, it changes our weight in the saddle.  This will, in turn, unbalance our horse.

    So, while you are walking, glance down at the outside shoulder and notice it going back and forward.  Many instructors will recommend noticing the forward and coupling this with your ‘rise’ or ‘post’.

    In my experience it is far easier for you as a rider to notice the ‘back’ part of your horse’s stride.  Once you have that pinpointed, you simply couple this with the ‘down’ or ‘sit’ part of your rising trot.

    While in the walk practice your posting or rising to correlate or synchronise with your horse’s outside shoulder position in every stride.  It also helps to say it out loud; “back,    back,    back,     back” and again, match this with your ‘down’ action.

    Putting This into Practice in the Trot Itself

    From here you can begin to pick up working trot.  However, this time, before you give any notice to your horse’s shoulder, I recommend you say “back” each time you are down or sitting as you are going through the motions of your posting or rising to the trot.  Saying it out loud, will help as well.  Once you have been repeating this for a few strides, where it becomes almost like a rhythmical mantra of sorts, you can then begin to glance down and see where your horse’s shoulder is.

    The reason I suggest repeating your new ‘back, back, back” mantra out loud is that you may find it difficult to keep paying attention to what you are doing, while also figuring out where your horse’s shoulder is!  It all happens quite fast when actually working through this.

    So, while you are repeating “Back” each time you sit, you can begin to see if this does indeed align with your horse’s shoulder being back at the same time.   If it does, fantastic, you are on the correct diagonal.

    Changing Your Diagonal

    However, if you see that you are rising on the incorrect diagonal, you can simply sit for two.  This means that as you are going up, down, up, down, up, down with the trot, you will put two downs in there.  Your sequence will be up, down, up, down, down, up down, up, down.  

    By sitting for two beats, or indeed any even number (four, six, eight etc) you will swap your diagonal and when you go ‘up’ again, it will be on the opposite diagonal.

    Developing Your ‘Feel’ For Your Diagonal

    Once you are able to tell which diagonal you are on with just a quick glance, you can begin to develop your ability to feel the correct diagonal.  Again, I am going to suggest beginning in the walk.

    First notice how your seat bones move backwards and forwards.  It can initially feel like they are moving together, but try to isolate this a little more; they are actually moving individually.

    Then begin to take notice of how they move up and down as well.  For example, as your left seat bone moves forward, it will have ‘dipped’ lower than your right seat bone. As this is happening, your right seat bone will also be on the move.  It will be moving backwards, and will be higher than your other seat bone.

    This backwards, forward, up and down feeling you are noticing is happening because your horse is moving.  His hips are moving your hips and seat bones.  What is important is to recognise that his hips are moving, because his hind legs are moving.

    Therefore, if you start to become mindful of how your seat bones are moving and where they are moving to, you will know exactly what is happening with your horses legs.

    Feeling the Movement in the Sitting Trot

    Once you can feel this movement in the walk, you can begin working in sitting trot.  Many riders think of sitting trot as being a purely up and down movement, however, this will change when you begin to focus your attention on your hips and what they are doing as you ride the sitting trot.

    You will feel that at each ‘bounce’ (beat one) of the trot stride, one of your hips will be higher than the other one.  The next bounce (beat two) will produce the same result, but on the opposite side.

    This is caused by the diagonal pairs of your horse’s legs in the trot moving underneath you.  From here, you can begin to isolate what your outside hip is doing.  When it is up, you can begin to rise at that point in the trot.  This will be the posting part of your trot.

    You rise as your horse’s inside hind leg is moving forward underneath you and as his outside shoulder is moving forward.  You will then ‘sit’ as your horse’s inside hind leg and outside shoulder are on the ground and your horse’s body is moving over them.

    The Correct Diagonal Impacts Your Horses Development

    As mentioned, when you are riding on the correct diagonal, your horse more balanced on turns and circles.  However, the correct diagonal will also affect your horses way of ‘going’.

    When on the correct diagonal, as his inside hind leg moves up and forward, you are rising along with it out of the saddle.  This literally frees up more ‘space’ for your horses inside hind leg to move into.  

    The more developed both you and your horse become, the greater the importance of this ‘space’.  As riders, we want to give our horse instructions, aids, when they will be most effective for our horse to take action on.

    How our horse engages or uses his inside hind leg is one of the biggest factors in the quality of the gaits our horse produces.  The balance, rhythm, tempo and just overall performance.  Therefore knowing where your horse’s hind legs are at any given time, regardless of the gait you are in, will help you to begin timing the application of your aids more effectively. 

    Developing Your Ability to Ride the Correct Diagonal in Trot

    Effective application of aids and timing of aids leads to clearer communication between horse and rider.  It has a direct impact on the overall quality of the conversation in the saddle.

    Therefore it makes sense to take the time to begin learning what is moving when underneath you; and then implementing that in your day-to-day riding.

    Happy riding!

    Lorna

    Links to related content & freebies:-

  • Working Long and Low

    Working Long and Low

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/SFA481-Working-Your-Horse-Long-and-Low.mp3″ title=”Working Your Horse Long and Low” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    So often when we are riding, relaxation for both ourselves and our horse is one of the goals for the ride.  This being so, you may have tried working him long and low. And probably during warming up or cooling off.

    However, you may also have noticed that asking your horse to work long and low can be pretty hit and miss…  He might get faster and faster as he becomes really unbalanced and begins falling onto his forehand…

    What is Long and Low?

    Working your horse long and low involves stretching and elongating his topline, from the tail to the poll.  

    It helps to build his topline, strengthening the ‘suspension’ muscles underneath you and also, create more longitudinal suppleness, which will benefit your horse greatly while being ridden.  So often when riding we think of suppleness as bending and flexing from left to right and while this is true, this is lateral suppleness.

    Working your horse long and low helps with his elasticity and flexibility from tail to poll, along his back, which is essential to his correct development.

    Riding your horse long and low

    Increasing Flexion with Long & Low

    When riding your horse in a long and low frame, you will feel his hindquarters swinging underneath you.  This is due to the muscles in his back becoming more supple and loosening up.  This can only happen when your horse relaxes enough through is back, allowing the energy to flow and connect.

    This results in your horse developing an increased range of flexion and movement in his joints, which will allow for a bigger, more flowing, step or stride. And a more sound horse!

    Your horse should remain balanced, in rhythm and have a consistent forward movement while he is working in the long and low way, whether in walk, trot or canter

    Riding ‘the Rainbow’

    When you are correctly working long and low, think of your horse’s back as being a rainbow. And you’re perched on the top of that rainbow!  And just like with a rainbow where the ‘colour stripes’ begin at one end and follow through right to the other end, your horse’s energy should do the same.

    From the hindquarters, right through the back and to the contact with your hand in front.

    First Forwardness…

    First and foremost, there must be forward energy or impulsion happening in the gait.  This must come from the horse’s hindquarters coming in underneath him and ‘pushing’ off with each step.  It is also vitally important to maintain contact with your horse’s mouth.

    As your horse reaches forward and stretches down, your hands must follow.  Otherwise, you restrict him and may cause him to lean and get on his forehand.  

    Your job is to help keep the impulsion and the contact consistent while the horse is working long and low, all the while being light in the saddle. This is so his back can rise up and almost ‘arch’ underneath you.

    However, often riders do not understand the mechanics behind this frame and this generally results in a few different ‘variations’ of the movement. A lot of these ‘variations’ will result in your horse failing to maintain the balance, rhythm and forwardness that is required.

    Front-Wheel Drive Verus Rear Wheel Drive

    If the hindquarters are not stretching in underneath him, your horse will quite simply be in ‘front-wheel drive’. This is when he is pulling himself along using his shoulders rather than ‘rear wheel drive’; pushing from behind.  Horses that are in front-wheel-drive cannot then elevate their back due to there being no real support behind for the ‘suspension’ to happen.  They also cannot elevate their front end, which must lighten if true connection and suspension are happening.

    Simply put, if there is no forward energy or impulsion coming from the hindquarters to keep pushing that energy through, the ‘rainbow’ that is your horse’s back will cease to exist, making long and low impossible.

    Dropping the Contact

    Another incorrect method of the long and low movement being ridden that is often seen is the rider literally throwing the reins at the horse and hoping this will result in the horse stretching himself.  The rider completely fails to keep contact with their horse’s mouth.

    When asking your horse to transition into a long and low shape, the contact with your horse’s mouth is essential at all times.  Your horse must stretch into and reach for that contact.

    Even though your horse’s head and neck are much lower than where they are usually positioned when working, maintaining a consistent contact is essential if you are to contain the energy that is being created behind.  

    Your horse will reach down and almost stretch into the contact, which will see you lengthening your reins gently, stride by stride, as your horse stretches more and more.  However, your lengthening of the reins must happen in unison with your horse stretching, and most certainly not before!

    Blocking with Your Body

    One of the other, often seen ‘variations’ is the rider leaning forward with their upper body. They somehow think that if they themselves stretch long and low, their horse will follow suit!   Not only will this inevitably unbalance both the rider and the horse, but you are also literally ‘blocking’ your horse’s back from rising up to meet you.

    Remember, part of your horse working in the long and low frame comes from him engaging his tummy muscles to lift himself.  

    You must rather think of your riding position as lightning up with your horse. However, it is more of an up stretch, allowing for your horses back to then come up and meet you there than a forward lean.

    Start when Cooling Down

    I suggest that if you and/or your horse are new to this way of going to rather try after you have finished working your horse and are cooling down.  This way your horse is more inclined to want to stretch his back into the long and low shape and also, you will more likely to be working nicely in a balanced, rhythmic movement.

    While you can ask your horse to work like this in walk, trot and canter, I personally think trot is generally the easiest gait to ask in.

    This is due to the walk often not moving forward enough (with a great potential to get sticky and choppy) and the canter going the opposite way and moving too forward initially!

    When you are asking your horse initially, begin by doing something ‘different’ with how you ride, so your horse can see a difference.  One way of creating this difference is by positioning your hands differently.

    Try keeping your hands wide and lowered, but again, only as your horse reaches down into the contact.

    Maintain Forwardness & Flexion

    Remember to keep the forward energy happening throughout the movement.  Use a circle or bend to help with the flexion and suppleness, which even though more lateral, will help him also loosen up longitudinal as well.  You can begin to encourage this by using your inside rein to ask for some flexion through his poll towards the inside of your circle.

    Only ask for  3 or 4 strides of long and low initially, as your horse will have to develop himself to carry this frame for any length of time.

    Maintain Your Posture

    Keep in mind that you must be sitting up and allowing him to arch his back and bring it up. This is as his hindquarters come underneath him and as he stretches his head and neck down.

    If you are heavy or collapsed in the saddle in any way, you will block this energy resulting in your horse hollowing his back rather than lifting or arching it.

    Stay in rising trot rather than sitting trot.  This is because if you tend to bounce, the sitting trot will cause you to ‘dig’ into his back and encourage him to duck and hollow his back away from you, not lift his back up underneath you

    Maintain Contact

    Focus on keeping an unbroken line from your elbow to your horse’s mouth.  As your horse lowers his head and neck, you too will have to lower your hand to maintain this line.

    However, equally as important to remember not to completely straighten your elbows as this will cause a jarring effect on your horse’s mouth and again, result in him becoming hollow along his back and trying to evade your contact rather than trust it.

    When he has begun to drop his head and neck and stretch down, focus on your position.  Feel his back rising or growing in height underneath you and use this to remind yourself to continue to sit tall in the saddle and stay light.  Focus on balancing your shoulders above your hips, not leaning forwards, backwards or to either side.

    You’ll Know When You Feel It…

    Finally, remember to enjoy the amazing sensation when your horse correctly works long and low.  If you are wondering if you got it right or not, trust me, it is one of those things that once you achieve it, you will definitely feel it :)

    How long it takes your horse to understand what you are asking will really depend on your horse.  Some horses have become so used to leaning on the rider’s hands. Travelling on the forehand like this will take some time for them to build up the trust and strength to work long and low.  Other horses love it and almost naturally transition there after work to ‘stretch out’ their muscles.

    Either way, you must remain consistent through your aids and patient while asking your horse.

    Your horse must first learn to accept your contact before you can begin asking him to work in a long and low frame.  

    From there, it is up you to maintain the impulsion and forward movement that is necessary to maintain the balance and rhythm, that will result in your horse reaching for the contact and truly stretching his topline.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources on This Topic

    Working Long and Low