Groundwork peeps....forleg behind or in front ?

[Gingerwitch]

Am I mad but do some trainers want the nearest leg to trainer to cross behind the other fore leg, whilst some seem to be happy with the nearest leg crossing in front of the other foreleg.

And is there any difference and or reason ?

 

[holeymoley]

Surely you’d want it to cross in front of the other. I can’t see how you would get anything productive with it crossing behind. If its crossing the front its taking the rein forward, even if it’s going completely sideways.
Maybe I’ve mis-understood your description though.

 

[AUB]

Tristan Tucker for instance has two exercises in his patterns, one where he moves the back end and the nearest hind steps in front of the other, and one where he guides the front end where he gets the front leg to step behind the other.

He shows it in this video, back end around 11:10 and front end around 13:15.

Is that what you’re thinking of?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Hind leg in front. Foreleg behind.

 

[canteron]

If you are looking at TRT - I think it’s because he is trying to encourage the weight onto the hindquarters (foreleg behind).
Quite an ask for a chunky type (his are all quite fine) so it takes time to teach.
....... unless anyone knows better?

 

[planete]

I was always told that the horse should be going forward or be forward thinking at all times, including during lateral movements and movements on one spot. For me, this means all moving feet going in front of stationary ones. The exercises in the video above are supposed to improve the horse's awareness of her body and balance. It seems a lot of messing around to me when correct classical training could achieve it all very simply, including getting the horse to take more weight behind with carefully progressive in hand and mounted exercises. It would probably be less potentially confusing for the horse if the in hand exercises were planned as building blocks for the ridden work and did not contradict it.

 

[TPO]

In front

 

[Mahoganybay]

I’m currently doing the TRT Method with my mare and teaching the foreleg to go behind when stepping to the side. Tristan explains it that it encourages the horse to sit slightly behind to lift the shoulder.

My horse has picked it up very well, I will be interested to see if she does the same when we come to do it ridden.

 

[Gingerwitch]

I’m currently doing the TRT Method with my mare and teaching the foreleg to go behind when stepping to the side. Tristan explains it that it encourages the horse to sit slightly behind to lift the shoulder.

My horse has picked it up very well, I will be interested to see if she does the same when we come to do it ridden.

Okay so without giving the info for free was it a difficult teach and did your horse understand?

 

[Mahoganybay]

Okay so without giving the info for free was it a difficult teach and did your horse understand?

it’s all broke down into patterns, she picked each one up quite quickly. Initially crossing her feet in front but in my personal space/pushing into me.

Once I had taught her the pattern that involved being in her own space and back it clicked. I would say it took about two sessions.