Shoulder Fore/In Top Tips

SaddlePsych'D

SaddlePsych'D

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I've been learning this in my recent lessons. Mainly I want to learn it as a thing which can be useful for hacking or in the school to help concentration but am aware it's a good skill for schooling.

Obviously my instructor is helping me with this and early attempts have gone reasonably well I think. Mostly we end up just turning in at some stage along the long side but there's definitely been some actual steps too!

My sports psych homework is to do some visualisation stuff so I'm looking for technique stuff to integrate into that. Massive bonus points if it includes imagery. Any top tips or things your instructors have taught which helped it to 'click' for you to get the right feel?

I've got Centred Riding book which I hope will help. Also Invisible Riding but not quite getting all of that.

The best I've got so far is imagining the inside hind crossing (even though I know it's not crossing as such) and found a post on here about imagining you/your horse on skis which point across the school (I quite like that!)
 
I didn't get it at all until I made my instructor give me a number. She said "uh...15 degrees?" and I went okay, no problem. I point me at 15 degrees, send the energy down the track and bingo. Engineer. Math brain. Vectors. Or something.

Head up and shoulders down and level is another one that pops up with SI. If I focus too much on the 15 degrees I get sucked downwards looking at the horse, if I focus on sideways I tip sideways so I also have two hedgehogs on my shoulders and I cannot squash them :)
 
smolmaus said:
I didn't get it at all until I made my instructor give me a number. She said "uh...15 degrees?" and I went okay, no problem. I point me at 15 degrees, send the energy down the track and bingo. Engineer. Math brain. Vectors. Or something.

Head up and shoulders down and level is another one that pops up with SI. If I focus too much on the 15 degrees I get sucked downwards looking at the horse, if I focus on sideways I tip sideways so I also have two hedgehogs on my shoulders and I cannot squash them :)
Click to expand...
Love it!
 
I usually explain it that you're about to step on to a 10m circle but then use your inside leg to "pause" the circle. So you set up the circle then say actually not yet.
 
I struggled with all lateral work until I had lessons with a classical trainer. I don't know if this is "classical" or just the way they taught shoulder in but this helped me massively and I hope I can explain it correctly.

Start by riding a moving turn in the forehand, so front legs are walking a small, dustbin lid size or a bit bigger, circle for 90-180 degrees. This will give you a shoulder in position, then walk forwards keeping the position until you begin to lose it. I found it gave me a great feel and it set the horse up for it better than using a corner or small circle. Once we both got the idea it easily translated into going into it from corner and I had always struggled with any lateral work on my green 5 yr old.
 
This may make sense, it may no but I ride up the quarter line and turn my body slightly to look at the marker for the long diagonal on the opposite side (which puts your thigh on, I struggle to do this so the looking is to make sure my mind/body connection is working) and then catch the movement with your inside leg to make it clear you don't want a turn.
 
Roxylola said:
I usually explain it that you're about to step on to a 10m circle but then use your inside leg to "pause" the circle. So you set up the circle then say actually not yet.
Click to expand...

I'm similar but I think the 'pause' idea would make me stop completely! When learning I would think of starting a 10m circle (to get the bend and positioning in mind) then pushing the horse along the wall with my inside leg.
 
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