How To Get Your Horse To Bend Around Your Inside Leg
You're pretty sure you know how to turn a horse. You pull the inside rein to draw the horse’s nose and shoulder around, right? So why does your trainer keep telling you that is why your horse keeps falling on her forehand?
The reason why is this: Turning a horse means getting the horse to bend around your inside leg, not pulling his nose around with the reins. The illustration above shows the difference. The horse on the left is off-balance because the rider is pulling the inside rein to try to get the horse to turn. The horse on the right is in perfect balance, and is stepping under herself with her inside hind leg. That's because the rider has gotten the horse to bend around her inside leg. Here's how it's done.
Try this simple exercise: Sit comfortably on your horse in the middle of an arena, and ask you horse to walk. Then pull on the right rein. Your horse's nose will pull to the right...and your horse's haunches will swing away from you. Keep pulling and your horse will walk in a wider and wider arc, taking you all the way across the arena.
Why does this happen?
You're pretty sure you know how to turn a horse. You pull the inside rein to draw the horse’s nose and shoulder around, right? So why does your trainer keep telling you that is why your horse keeps falling on her forehand?
The reason why is this: Turning a horse means getting the horse to bend around your inside leg, not pulling his nose around with the reins. The illustration above shows the difference. The horse on the left is off-balance because the rider is pulling the inside rein to try to get the horse to turn. The horse on the right is in perfect balance, and is stepping under herself with her inside hind leg. That's because the rider has gotten the horse to bend around her inside leg. Here's how it's done.
Try this simple exercise: Sit comfortably on your horse in the middle of an arena, and ask you horse to walk. Then pull on the right rein. Your horse's nose will pull to the right...and your horse's haunches will swing away from you. Keep pulling and your horse will walk in a wider and wider arc, taking you all the way across the arena.
Why does this happen?
Look at the woman in the photo. Imagine reins are attached to either side of the pencil a few feet in front of her. If she pulls the right rein, what will happen?
The point of the pencil will turn right, and the eraser end will swing out to the left. The same thing happens on a horse. The nose goes one way, the haunches swing out the opposite way.
Now suppose the pencil was made of foam, and the rider did this: Held the left (outside) rein near the pencil, shifted her left (outside) leg back and pressed it against the pencil, and pressed her right (inside) leg against the pencil right in the middle and gently squeezed her right (inside) hand.
The eraser end can't swing away to the left because her left leg is holding it in place. The tip can't swing out to the right because her left hand is holding it straight. Instead, the pencil would bend around her right leg. If the pencil now moved forward, that bend would allow it to glide smoothly to the right, making a graceful arc.
The same thing happens if you turn (or circle) a horse this way. By creating a "wall" on the outside while applying pressure on the inside, the horse will bend her body around your inside leg. Because the outside rein is holding her neck straight, her neck can't crank too much to the inside and her shoulder can't "pop" to the outside. Because the outside leg is holding the haunches, they can't swing away. And because the inside leg is applying pressure at the girth while the inside rein flexes the jaw (and perhaps pulls the jaw toward the inside), the horse can't do much of anything other than bend gently around the inside leg.
The point of the pencil will turn right, and the eraser end will swing out to the left. The same thing happens on a horse. The nose goes one way, the haunches swing out the opposite way.
Now suppose the pencil was made of foam, and the rider did this: Held the left (outside) rein near the pencil, shifted her left (outside) leg back and pressed it against the pencil, and pressed her right (inside) leg against the pencil right in the middle and gently squeezed her right (inside) hand.
The eraser end can't swing away to the left because her left leg is holding it in place. The tip can't swing out to the right because her left hand is holding it straight. Instead, the pencil would bend around her right leg. If the pencil now moved forward, that bend would allow it to glide smoothly to the right, making a graceful arc.
The same thing happens if you turn (or circle) a horse this way. By creating a "wall" on the outside while applying pressure on the inside, the horse will bend her body around your inside leg. Because the outside rein is holding her neck straight, her neck can't crank too much to the inside and her shoulder can't "pop" to the outside. Because the outside leg is holding the haunches, they can't swing away. And because the inside leg is applying pressure at the girth while the inside rein flexes the jaw (and perhaps pulls the jaw toward the inside), the horse can't do much of anything other than bend gently around the inside leg.
If you turn your horse this way, she won’t fall on her forehand, slow down through the turn, lose her balance, or pop her shoulder out on a circle. Instead, your inside leg will gently drive her into your outside hand (like your left hand on the tube) and your outside leg will be slightly behind the girth to prevent her haunches from swinging away (like your left leg on the tube), and your inside leg will allow her spine to bend and her barrel to yield to your leg.
So let's review how how you turn a horse:
Voila! Your horse will bend her body around your inside leg and will turn in that direction. You can ride a deep corner or a perfect circle that way.
Here are more helpful tips on coordinating hands and legs while riding:
What Happens When You Release The Inside Rein
How To Develop Elastic Rein Contact
How to Hold Your Reins For Maximum Feel and Effect
How To Ride A Perfect Stretchy Circle
Happy riding!
Copyright Denise Cummins, PhD August 5, 2018
So let's review how how you turn a horse:
- Move your outside leg (the leg "facing" the rail) slightly behind the girth, and keep it firmly on your horse's barrel.
- Press your inside leg (the leg "facing" the middle of the arena) on your horse's barrel at the girth.
- Keep a firm feel on your outside rein, which should be level with and just outside the horse's withers.
- Squeeze the inside rein, and, if necessary, pull it gently toward your inside hip.
Voila! Your horse will bend her body around your inside leg and will turn in that direction. You can ride a deep corner or a perfect circle that way.
Here are more helpful tips on coordinating hands and legs while riding:
What Happens When You Release The Inside Rein
How To Develop Elastic Rein Contact
How to Hold Your Reins For Maximum Feel and Effect
How To Ride A Perfect Stretchy Circle
Happy riding!
Copyright Denise Cummins, PhD August 5, 2018
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