How much shoulder in to do

[Mule]

I prefer shoulder-in to renvers and back to shoulder-in as it's the same concept but more obvious for the horse to stay on the same line but with different bend

That sounds good. It would reinforce keeping his arse away from the inside track too.

 

[milliepops]

Yes, I made sure to bring him straight again after travers to make sure I'm not having the inward pointing arse problem.

I'm only doing travers in walk so far so I suppose I should try the other gaits? He won't trip and fall over if I do it in canter will he
Also your tip about making sure the hindquarters don't fall out on the circle in si was great. I could have seen that happening otherwise.

he won't fall over travers is fine in trot and canter.

 

[Mule]

he won't fall over travers is fine in trot and canter.

Good to know

 

[magicmoments]

When my mare is ridden straight on the track on the right rein, she has a tendency to load onto the left shoulder, so I essentially am bringing that shoulder in slightly off the track and underneath me and asking her to push through more with the right hind.

I've been genuinely trying to understand. Would shoulder in not load the left shoulder more? Would traver, not be better, to move the horse away from left shoulder whilst still maintaining right bend?

 

[scats]

I've been genuinely trying to understand. Would shoulder in not load the left shoulder more? Would traver, not be better, to move the horse away from left shoulder whilst still maintaining right bend?

The shoulder-in is definitely working. If ridden properly, you are actually controlling that left shoulder and putting it underneath you. If ridden incorrectly (with too much bend, for instance) you are allowing the horse to simply fall more onto the shoulder. If that makes sense? So imagine you are trotting straight down the long side, right-rein, and the horse is heavily loaded on the outside shoulder. Next time round, you bring that shoulder-in a little and ride at a slight angle down the long side, ensuring you keep that shoulder under you and they are pushing through with the right hind.
It’s an exercise suggested to me by my trainer but it does have to be ridden properly to work.

 

[milliepops]

Yeah you're not loading either shoulder, if you're "loading " any leg it should be the inside hind as it has to step under the centre of gravity as the horse's forehand slightly bends around to the inside. Hence shoulder in is an engaging exercise, unlike, say leg yield

I'm using shoulder in right for a similar thing, horse leans towards left shoulder naturally. Riding a good shoulder in means she has to lighten and reach around with the left shoulder, engage the right hind and become more through and on the hindleg.

 

[scats]

Yeah you're not loading either shoulder, if you're "loading " any leg it should be the inside hind as it has to step under the centre of gravity as the horse's forehand slightly bends around to the inside. Hence shoulder in is an engaging exercise, unlike, say leg yield

I'm using shoulder in right for a similar thing, horse leans towards left shoulder naturally. Riding a good shoulder in means she has to lighten and reach around with the left shoulder, engage the right hind and become more through and on the hindleg.

You explained it far better than me!