Importance Of A Rider's Seat In The Leg Yield 

My keg yield results in a shift in my weight upwards. And yes, it's because I overdo it.

Thanks Jytte for he suggestion. I just purchased a Pixio system (tracking system for a camera) so that I can make more videos in the in coming months. I will add your suggestion to the list of ideas.

@@RossJacobs Great! Thanks for the response

yes, this is interesting. You shift you weight only after he starts moving laterally. If you shift your weight prematurely then you are blocking him. In fact, Ross's logic would seem to indicate you shift your weight slightly to the inside as you ask, and only when he start moving laterally do you shift your weight again but this time in the direction of the movement.

I totally disagree with you. It is a far bigger problem for a horse to carry a rider whose C of G is out of balance with theirs than it is adjust for the ribs. I don't agree that the ribcage is lifted in the bend. This is a myth perpetuated by some people, but it only occurs in horses that are out of balance. Secondly, the leg yield can be performed with or without bend, but in training there is far more to be gained with bend than without because of the potential for a horse to learn to soften to the inside rein. In addition, whether with a bend or without, the principle is the same that the rider's C of G should as closely align to the horses of C of G as possible to help maintain balance.

@@RossJacobs I was referring to subtle weight shifts not extreme shifts or out of balance such that the whole centre of gravity is compromised. If you don't consider a horse lifts it inside ribcage when bending, then stand a naked horse square back engaged and bend it evenly through neck and body, observe ! Dressage today Apr 10, 2017 - "The leg yield is an exercise done at the walk and trot. The horse should not have bend in the body as he moves sideways away from the direction of his flexion. The horse's front and hind legs should cross in relation to the angle of the leg yield." If you have ridden advanced dressage or western reining patterns or can demonstrate correct shoulderin and halfpass without a bridle then I am sure we could have a meaningful discussion about weight aids and body language when riding.

@@jrjibsthe horse does not lift through the ribs, but it does roll the ribs because of the shift in C of G. The reason it does this is because their is almost no bend through the body due to the way the vertebrae are structures. It is another myth that horses bend significantly through their body. They can bend a couple of mm from wither to croup, but that's about all for most horses. So in order to stay balanced a horse shifts the C of G and rolls the ribs. Secondly, I also am not talking about monumental shift in C of G. Even subtle shifts have major consequences for balance because of the bulk and length of the horse. I think you are stuck on the old wives tales of how horses move that are no longer relevant because we now understand the structure/function of horses in a way that the old dead guys did not.

Hi Nicole. If your horse is falling inside the circle you may want to leg yield it back out to re-establish the line of the circle that you had in mind. To do that I suggest you put your weight in the outside seat bone as the horse leg yield to the outside. Once your horse is back on the circumference you wanted, bring your weight back to neutral to maintain the correct line of the circle. I hope that is clear.

Yes that is very clear! Thank you for your quick response.

Gill, it is the same as in a leg yield. That is, the rider should shift their weight a little into the seat bone that is in the direction of the horse's travel. For example, if a horse is flexed to the left, then in the shoulder-in the horse is moving to the right to the direction of bend - even though there is no crossing of the legs. Therefore, the rider should add weight to the right seat bone to align their centre of gravity in the direction of the movement of the horse's centre of gravity. I hope that is clear.

@@RossJacobs Super, thanks! :)

@@strawberrysummerX: a good question, shoulder-in still mixes me up sometimes! :)

@@comesahorseman I'm glad you said that! Misery loves company and I'm the misery. I'm just learning this shoulder-in, shoulder-out technique and you would think that my dumb self would grasp it by now. My instructor works hard with me and so does my poor horse. My horse is a very good boy and doesn't throw me off for all the confusing aids I give him, at least so far, lol. Well, nothing worth having is simple right? I will keep persevering and Ross Jacobs videos are a HUGE help. 😁

Leo, if you are on a left circle, but want to expand the circle by leg yielding your horse to the right, then you should put more weight on the right seat bone until the horse is on the new line you want it to follow, then shift your weight back to follow the circle to the left.

Well, this would negate my comment above. So is the idea, that the initial weight shift encourages the horse to come underneath you? Perhaps with work he would find that answer and then move to come under you but you keep in out there until you're satisfied with the circle@@RossJacobs

A rider should adjust their seat so there is more weight on the side the horse is travelling. Eg, if the horse is moving to the left in a leg yield, the rider should place a little more weight on the left seat bone - visa versa when travelling to the right. This is to help align the rider's centre of gravity to the horse's centre of gravity as closely as possible to make it easier for the horse to carry the rider. I hope that is clear.

Well, he's saying the same concern. When asking for the lateral, if you move your weight it would seem to initially inhibit the shift but I guess you inside leg is designed to get him moving and he will immediately find that a good response feels right to the horse since the unbalanced is fixed by following our direction. @@RossJacobs