As you start lateral movements your In-Hand work becomes more clear on the horse’s understanding of pressure and release. To get the best from your horse with ridden work it’s all about the rider understanding correct rider alignment and biomechanics. When horse and rider are in correct balance together, the lightest of aids are needed and will barely be seen. Harmony and elegance!
I sometimes use a recorder as an example. When playing, you need to cover the holes to get a nice tune without making marks on your fingers. With ridden work you need to know what holes you leave open or over squash.
Understanding how your 'natural position' compares against 'correct alignment' can improve tremendously how you and your horse perform.
Teaching your horse to step his hind leg under and across, keeping the front end still.
Transferring In-Hand to Ridden: Gradually replace use of the whip aid on the quarters, linking use of the leg just behind the girth before discontinuing use of the whip completely.
The In-Hand work allows the horse to understand this giving the rider a chance to feel the horse’s hind quarters moving one step at a time without the horse moving off in front.
For me having a horse that understands the start of lateral work on the ground gives the horse and rider a much better experience when it come to transferring this into ridden work. This movement is the start of the lateral work but can also be really practical in situations such as opening gates when hacking.
Teaching your horse the first steps to abduct one front leg away from his midline, while keeping the hindquarters still.
Transferring In-Hand to Ridden: Substituting use of the whip down the horses shoulder by introducing your leg forward of the girth on the same side, supported with a little outside rein connection. This encourages the horse to abduct the opposite leg and step the shoulder away from your thigh.
I like to use this to help lighten the horse in front. When horse and rider have this communication together it makes steering and stepping the shoulders so much easier.
Teaching your horse to side step (moving the shoulders and quarters together) in a slow controlled way.
A fantastic tool for breaking the leg yield down for the horse and rider helping you learn balance and control.
Transferred to ridden:
Side pass
By now you and your horse should have a good understanding of how to step the shoulders and the quarters.
Side pass is about putting the two together. You should have a light rein and leg aid so the horse should step away from this with ease. Correct rider alignment and balance really starts to come into play here!
Great to be able to side step your horse when you want to take your coat off and hang it on the fence. This avoids the need to throw it hopefully across the gap, praying it doesn’t land on the floor and causing you to spend the next 30 mins dodging and spooking at it!
Leg yield
Leg yield is allowing the horse to travel forwards and across, permitting the shoulder more freedom. When ridden correctly this requires the lightest of aids and the rider should look like they are simply sitting there, without blocking or unbalancing the horse with their body. Learning how to use your body to enhance this move is a super feeling.
So many of us struggle to get the horse to cross without losing the shoulder or simply not making it across the arena.
