There is so much more to riding a correct circle than you think. This video explains the basic aids I use to help my horse understand what I want him to do. I hope you find it useful 🙂
Thanks, Josie. It is so helpful to hear the way you break things down. As you say, so many of these moves are very subtle but we get yelled at as students ‘Inside leg’ (or whatever) by our instructors which leads me, at least, to overdo the move and not actually be effective. It’s one of the mysteries of learning to ride - understanding what you do to signal your intentions to your horse when it looks like experienced riders aren’t doing anything to get their horses to do the right thing!
thank you for this .. I'm having issues with my horse breaking the circle at the end and switching sides 😅 he has not been thought dressage a lot, and developed this with a beginner... so now he does that any chance he gets 😂
Love those videos you break down step by step! Thank you. Can you indicate at the same time giving leg pressure? Or those two aid shouldn‘t be done at the same time? Also the leg, should always be in a pressure release, or sometimes can be held against the horse for longer time?
Good question. It is always pressure and release no matter what with horses. I use my leg when I need to eg if he is falling in or out otherwise it sits on his side passive. Lets say he is falling in I put it on him and he stops falling in then my leg is in neutral. When I go to come off the track it goes on him to ask him to “give” to it and therefore bend to move onto the circle line. Does that answer your question Maryam? ☺️
I love these videos!! They truly are very helpful, thank you very much for uploading them. I will definitely be using these tips for my lesson tonight. I do find it difficult to not hold the aids for the entire circle or corner but I am working on the timing and finesse of it all 😊
Nice video Josie👍..I’ve heard buck brannaman teaching turns by putting outside leg forward to move the shoulders and the inside leg back, that seems opposite of English/dressage riding…. I know he uses these leg aids so that u can ride one handed, but is there a reason the leg position wud be so fundamentally different between the disciplines?? Confused!😆
When you turn in a circle or even turn while walking straight, should you be using the right leg and right rein if turning right and left leg with left rein while turning left? And, should you be using the calf of your leg? Some videos/books say to use the right rein and left leg when turning right and the opposite for turning left. I'm soooo confused about that. I'm just starting riding lessons and there appears to be conflicting information which doesn't help when you're trying to learn the right way. 🤔🤔🤔
Kari this is an excellent question for a video as it's probably easier to show than explain! I will see what I can do but in the meantime you use what ever aid is needed in the moment. If the horse is falling in you would use your inside leg to say “no stay on the circle line” if he was falling out you would use your outside leg to say “no stay on the circle line” the reins are used to “indicate” the direction you want the horse to go, to control the shoulders and to make sure you have flexion. While you are learning just try to think that you are riding your horse on train tracks and if he is starting to “fall” off the track with part of his body you use the corresponding rein or leg to “put” him back on the track. I hope the helps you Kari 😊
During the trot, are you constantly indicating or just when you state “indicate?” I noticed your legs are pumping with each stride and wasn’t sure if that’s intentional to keep your horse moving forward.
Hey Laura. Only when I say indicate. I think my legs move like that because I am short with short legs and my two boys have VERY broad barrels. This means my legs don’t hang so well from my hip joint on them. They are pushed outward before they can drop down if that makes sense. I don’t do it on my 15:3 narrower mare. 😊
Sandra I do explain this in another video but I'm not sure which one ... maybe this one ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jx7zcS_WVPA.html but I'm not sure. Indicate is me squeezing my inside rein (like I have a sponge in it) and half halt is explained in this video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PABb0MR9DA0.html I hope they help you 🙏
Does anyone have tips for cantering circles in general… my horse is 6 to 7 and refuses to canter circles and even just turning in my arena if we come down one side and get to the corner she stops and walks the corner and then will pick up trot and eventually canter if I ask I would really appreciate some help
