Improving lateral flexion?

MuddyMonster

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I'm currently dabbling in low level dressage - horse & I are enjoying it & have been pleasantly suprised with our scores. It helps I had low expectations & isn't necessarily reflective of truly quality tests :D

I've had a similiar comment crop up a few times on my test sheets in regards to needing to improve lateral flexion.

I've no doubt this is a fair comment, but I'm not too sure what it means? Or how to begin improving it?!

It's on my list of things to go over with my instructor when I see her next in a few weeks, but thought I'd see if anyone on HHO can shed some light?
 

be positive

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I suspect the horse is failing to bend around your inside leg, is rather stiff generally and that the judge is picking up on this when you go around corners, turn onto the centre line as well as on the circles during your test, to start with ask for the horse to soften slightly to your inside rein, just enough so you feel him give and relax then release, you can do this in halt initially then in walk, be careful you don't ask for too much and just get the neck bending at the top or them tilting the head, your instructor should be able to work on it with you until you get the feel and know how much to ask for without losing straightness or them falling out through the outside shoulder.
Once you get the correct feel and contact you will be able to ask for him to flex laterally, remain moving forward and straight in all paces then he will be moving towards self carriage, be really supple and you will be able to ride more from your seat using less hand,

There are plenty of exercises you can do to improve lateral flexion, ensure he is in front of your leg, ride accurate circles to encourage him to bend throughout them, use spirals to bring him onto smaller circles then leg yield out keeping the inside bend being careful he doesn't drop out through his shoulder, make sure everything is easy do he can bend and become more supple, if you push too far they tend to become tense and that will prevent them bending freely.
 

Pearlsasinger

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Make sure that your body has the correct bend in it, don't just turn your head to look in the direction that you want to go. If you get your body right, it will help your horse to get his body right.
 

Jnhuk

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Anything that encourages your horse to step his inside hind up further and also across will help improve lateral flexion - turns, circles, leg yield on a circle - spiraling in and out, lots of lateral work. Try to avoid the horse falling onto his inside shoulder and ensure that horse is looking to the inside and not out. Think of lateral flexion as the horse making an arc with his whole body not just neck bend

Hope that makes sense
 

MuddyMonster

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Thanks all - it's much clearer & definitely a valid comment from the judges based on your descriptions :)

Lots to work on, but it makes perfect sense & what we are working towards anyway!
 
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