Correct way to ask for leg yield ect?

[EmmaB]

I mainly just hack/jump for fun but I want to try some proper schooling and attempt some dressage, I don't have an arena so try and school on hacks, I'm going to get some lessons but it depends on money and transport!

There's plenty of space on our hacks to school, but when I did used to have lessons YEARS ago, I was taught different things by different people when it comes to lateral work.

So say you're going down the 3/4 line, to leg yield to the track I was taught to keep the contact on outside rein, slight flex to inside, weight slightly onto outside seat bone, inside leg just behind girth. But have since been told inside leg should be on the girth instead?

As you can see I'm a total numpty when it comes to this dressage lark so any help with what the correct aids should be will be greatly appreciated!

 

[chachabing]

I alwasy thought the same but have recently been having lessons with someone who is absolutely fab. We have been teaching my mare to leg yield by spirraling into a small circle in walk and leg yielding to move out on to a 20m. Equal pressure on both reins, ask with your inside leg to move over (slightly behind the girth), keep that outside leg on rather than just hanging, instead of putting weight on to your outside seat bone - lift it(take pressure off!) - by lifting the outside seat bone you give the horse a space to move into rather than blocking their movement. After we do a few spirrals we moved on to tear drop shapes- tear drop off the track and then leg yield back.

This is what has been working for me and was a real 'light bulb' moment when I began lifting that seat bone. I do stand to be corrected as I was a teenage jumper who is now older and more sensible and trying to get out and about to do some DR.

 

[Farma]

Just a query how do you put your inside leg on to push sideways and take the weight out of your outside seat bone?

 

[Cowpony]

I was taught to twist my shoulders slightly to the inside, as that puts more pressure on your inside seat bone. If you have a soft chair at home sit on it with your hands under your seat bones, palms up (it's more comfortable). Then try twisting your shoulders and feel what happens to the pressure on your hands. Even an inch or two makes a huge difference.

My problem with leg yield is that I stop moving my hips when I use my legs, so I block the horse's movement.

 

[EmmaB]

That's really interesting actually! I just tried what you said and I can feel it. I'll give that a try when I ride, trying to lift the outside seatbone and see how it feels.

Do you think this would also help getting inside bend on a circle? My horse tends to fall in, I'll give the spiraling outwards a try too! Thanks

 

[philamena]

Do you think this would also help getting inside bend on a circle? My horse tends to fall in, I'll give the spiraling outwards a try too! Thanks

Yep - it's great for suppleness, which is what you need to achieve straightness-on-the-circle ie not falling in. Leg yield in and out on a circle also really helps horses who are a bit tight behind the saddle, and works really well in canter for this.

 

[Fides]

Just a query how do you put your inside leg on to push sideways and take the weight out of your outside seat bone?

My outside seatbone automatically lifts when I apply my inside leg, without even consciously doing it. It's only fractionally, but still enough to allow the horse to move through

 

[EmmaB]

My outside seatbone automatically lifts when I apply my inside leg, without even consciously doing it. It's only fractionally, but still enough to allow the horse to move through

So are you sitting straight, not turning your hips? Should we be turning the hips then?

Also just a thought, for half pass (which I'm know where near yet!) how would the aids change? If we turned slightly to look in the direction we are going, the weight would go into the seatbone on the side where the horse is trying to go? But how do you get the bend? God this dressage stuff is confusing!

 

[Fides]

So are you sitting straight, not turning your hips? Should we be turning the hips then?

Also just a thought, for half pass (which I'm know where near yet!) how would the aids change? If we turned slightly to look in the direction we are going, the weight would go into the seatbone on the side where the horse is trying to go? But how do you get the bend? God this dressage stuff is confusing!

My friend (who is a UKCC coach) said to think of your body like a swivel chair. The top part moves but the bottom (hips) stays put. My seat is level/straight but I have been taught from learning to ride to stretch down slightly into the leg applying the aid as it stops your leg swinging back (I've seen lots of people riding who bring their heel up when applying an aid). By stretching down the leg it does slightly lift you outside seatbone, by a fraction, which frees the horses back up to move through the movement.

As for half pass - I've done it by accident but wouldn't know how to replicate it lol