Wednesday 19 October 2016

Inside Leg

So we've covered how I need to work on inside bend with Kachina and let go of my outside rein. In conjunction with that, I need to be able to use my inside leg, because if I have a loose outside rein, and I'm asking for inside bend, I need a way to keep Kachina out and not turn on tiny circles. However, I've discovered another hole in our training: I can't apply inside leg without outside rein or Kachina will take it as an aid to go faster.

Kachina used to think that using any bit of leg in any situation meant faster. I did a lot of lateral work with her to get her to realize that one leg on meant that I wanted some part of her to go sideways rather than forward. We start every warmup with exercises to isolate and move her hip, ribcage and shoulder in both directions. We've done leg yields at walk and trot. Basically, I thought we had this issue solved.

Unfortunately, I guess all of past my leg yielding work was done while using outside rein (because I apparently always use outside rein). I don't need to put much pressure on the outside rein, but if it's there at least slightly, I can get Kachina to yield sideways with my inside leg as much as I want and she will stay relaxed and in the same rhythm. However, if I let go of my outside rein while I put on my inside leg, we get an instant trot instead.

In the grand scheme of things, I don't need to go around with a floppy outside rein. However, this hole in what we can do shows a gap in Kachina's understanding, and that needs to be addressed. Also, right now I need to exaggerate release of my outside rein so that I stop relying on it and so I can keep the aid for inside bend clear.

I need some advice though: How do I avoid teaching Kachina to blow through her outside shoulder if I am asking for lateral movement without my outside rein? Any suggestions?

P.S. Sorry for lack of media, I need to rope someone into take pictures of me riding someday soon.

9 comments:

  1. I have a similar problem with Stinker. I actually use more seat bone than leg and just think about that whole side swinging over. I haven't had anyone tell me this will create future problems nor have I noticed any issues with it. It works well for him because he likes seat contact and direction where as legs make him more anxious and nervous about things.

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    1. How do you isolate between moving his hips or ribcage then?
      I totally get what you're saying, but I feel like I need to teach Kachina that leg doesn't mean she needs to get anxious or nervous about things. There's a quote (can't remember from who) about how hot horses need to be ridden with more leg (to learn it's okay), and dull horses need to be ridden with less leg (to make them more sensitive, no nagging). That concept is so so hard for me to apply but I think it does make sense and I can't give up on using leg just because Kachina reacts to it.

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    2. Found it, the quote was from Charlotte Dujardin (who can argue with her?), and is:
      "Hot horses have to learn to be ridden with your legs on. Lazy horses have to learn to be ridden with your legs off."

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    3. I am totally going to muddle this explanation but this is my best shot. I have my leg on, but I don't increase anything to get the step over with my leg. If his hips are trailing I slide my leg back a little farther and use my outside thigh to slow the outside shoulder so the hind can catch up. I just don't use the leg for the actual over cue if that makes sense.

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    4. Okay, I think I get it, that makes more sense to me than what I thought you meant before. Maybe I should try that with Kachina. I'm curious to try slowing her outside shoulder with my outside thigh, that's something I've always been taught to do with my outside rein, but if I can do it with a leg aid that should help me to be less reliant on my outside rein.

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  2. With Irish I had to let go of the outside rein too but not completely- so if his shoulder came too fast I would close it briefly to show the shoulder down and then relax. So for him it wasn't an either or thing but more of making adjustments as needed.

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    1. That makes a lot of sense. Maybe I am being too extreme with trying to release the outside rein completely, but I'm not sure I can trust myself to not use it if it's there!

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  3. I have no idea, as I am the opposite of you...I love my inside rein too much XD

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    1. We clearly need to just combine our powers to make two normal riders lol

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