Half pirouettes

[Irishcobs]

For this week I have the ride on a Warmblood that has done all the the dressage movements just not for a long time.
Today I was trying half pirouettes which we were doing but in half 10m circle size.

I have never done pirouettes before.
To ask for the pirouette to the left, I put my left leg back to hold the quarters and push him round with the right leg, holding the front end with the right rein and guiding him with the left. Is the right or should I be doing things differently?
Horse is 17.3hh Rhinelander.

 

[Booboos]

I'm not an expert by I use the outside rein as bit of a rein of opposition, use the outside leg to bring the shoulders round, inside rein slightly open to lead the way and inside leg maintaining the bend and suppleness. Also, the preparation and the quality of the collected walk are quite important. You may find it easier to do a 20 m square with quarter pirouettes at each corner, before trying half-pirouettes. Another nice exercise is a 10 square, the sides in shoulder-in, the corners a couple of steps of pirouette - gets the horse really listening to the leg and mobilises the shoulder.

 

[Bossanova]

Inside leg should be on at the girth and the right leg shouldnt need to come back too far, it should nudge in time with the rhythm. Most of the turn comes from the positioning of your shoulders to the inside, an opening and guiding inside hand and pressure down your inside seat bone.
Were you doing it in walk or canter? Definitely get the feeling in walk first but if the horse is well trained then the canter wont be much more difficult- you need to be able to ride the canter almost on the spot first. Quarters in should be easy to ride before and you can often sneak them onto a pirouette by riding 1/4s in on a small circle and just reducing the size.

 

[horseywelsh]

ditto above, and i have always been told just to glance over your shoulder too at the start

 

[Irishcobs]

Thank boss that makes sense. Will have another go tomorrow. We are doing them in walk first and once we get the hang of it try in canter.
Horse was well trained but has forgotten most of it. His owner only SJs him.