Striding out a dog leg

[ann-jen]

Can anyone advise me how to stride out a dog leg? Do I do it as 2 straight lines with an angle in the middle or as one straight line between the 2 fences if you know what I mean.
Thanks,
AJ

 

[Bossanova]

On a smooth curve, as you'd (hopefully!) ride it

 

[ann-jen]

Ok thanks - this is my exercise plan for tomorrow morning!

 

[Romansmum]

Depending on how sharp a dog leg it is sometimes it's worth sriding out both sides to work out how many strides you'd like to put in or take out. There is usually at least one stride difference sometimes more if there's more room.

my mare would always like an extra stride so i always stride a slightly curvier path. Hope that makes sence!

 

[ann-jen]

Thanks - yes that makes perfect sense! I'm doing the exercise mainly to perfect changes of bend so I don't think it needs to be too tight just yet. Jen tends to take strides out rather than put extras in - the key to stopping her rushing appears to be insisting on correct bend on corners - which is why we are trying this exercise tomorrow.

 

[Peanot]

Also a good tip for rushing horses is canter poles before and after the fence. This works. Good Luck

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Stride out a nice steady curve between the fences. You can make your curve greater or straighter to accomodate the number of strides you want to take. You definately do not stride a straight line then angle in the middle & stride on to the fence. Horses don't have hinges in the midle & cannot accomodate that kind of manoevre. A nice smooth curve so you can maintain the regular stride & rythmn in your canter to arrive at the fence & in the correct point to take off.

 

[FRESHMAN]

Stride the fence riding from centre of first fence to centre of second fence. Then depending on how well you know your horse you can alter this with a quick alteration of inside line (shorter distance) or outside line (longer distance) usefull in jump offs, either way ride centre to centre.

 

[ann-jen]

Peanot - thanks - yes we have been doing this a lot too - and yes it is very helpful

But I also have a lot of problems with her falling in round the corner on the approach and then firing into the jump from there. My instructor put me 2 dog legs up last lesson and I had to do a shoulder in down the short side of the arena to insist she was bending to the inside, do a deep corner before turning across the diagonal and then make an obvious change of bend after the jump and into the next one. It worked really well until I let her get away with falling in one time and then she got a bit het up after that.
I still do canter poles and grids the majority of the time but just wanted to have another stab at the dog leg thing before my next lesson.

 

[ann-jen]

Unfortunately I think Jen's hinge is faulty and it bends the wrong way.

 

[ann-jen]

Thanks thats exactly what I will do.