Struggle getting the correct diagonal....

[Rudey]

Does anyone else struggle getting the correct diagonal?

Without fail I always get the correct diagonal from walk to trot on my right rein. My left rein however, 4 times out of 5, I'll go on the wrong diagonal and have to sit and change. Strangely enough, I always get the correct diagonal coming down from canter to trot on whichever rein I'm on!?!

I don't know why I can't manage to get it right on my left. I have tried the trick of watching his outside shoulder. I've even tried sitting a number of strides before rising to prepare, and I still mess up.

Am I over thinking it perhaps? I am right handed, and have always preferred to ride my right rein - could that be it? Funnily enough, my horse prefers the left rein.

I don't know if my physical issues have a part to play. I badly broke my left ankle almost 5 years ago and have a restrictive flexion in it. Due to overcompensating, my right hip has suffered and has caused me problems, and now my left hip is higher.

I have the physio regularly to my horses to ensure I don't cause them any problems. I know that my horses are not one sided, and that it is me that is the problem. The same goes for my tack. Approximately twice a year I have a master saddler look at my saddles. Again, not the problem.

Thoughts?

 

[9tails]

I'm exactly the same, my horse always throws me onto the incorrect diagonal on the right rein though. I now sit (boing) for 3 and get it right most of the time. She doesn't feel off balance if I'm rising incorrectly so I suspect she's stronger on her right side. She almost always strikes off on the correct leg in canter, when she doesn't she feels like the wheels have fallen off. I'm left handed.

 

[Floxie]

I do that - I forget which rein it is but one is more comfortable for me and I always strike off rising on that diagonal. I just have to remember if it's x direction (I can remember which when I'm up there, just not in front of a keyboard!) to sit a beat and then it's right Easier than retraining my automatic response to change depending on the rein (for me).

 

[Rudey]

That's interesting 9tails - seems you also ride your dominant hand rein correctly, and your weaker side is the rein you struggle with. As it goes, I always get my canter leads right, just the walk to trot on my left I have the issue with.

Great to hear I'm not alone! I'm the same Floxie - even though I'm wrong, I still feel comfortable. I think the only reason I instantly realise I'm wrong is because I am so aware and conscious of it. I'll give the sitting a beat a try.

Thanks guys!

 

[Floxie]

Yep, I know that if it feels right when I'm going the 'wrong' way, I need to change diagonal

 

[Rudey]

Ha haaa! Totally! I regularly have lessons, and have concentrated on it. My instructor even went so far as telling me when to rise, and I still got it wrong! #fail!

 

[Sukistokes2]

Due to his issues my horse has a preferred diagonal, he will just put in a skip to make sure you are on it. This has always happened, until the rules changed for dressage tests I used to have to sit for two on the right rein and hope we would stay correct. Once the rules changed I let him choose although hacking out I always made sure to use both diagonals in the hope to strengthen muscles. It never worked and he was as smooth as silk even when I was on the wrong one. Sadly this has now moved up to his canter lead, as his problems have got worse, I have decided that enough is enough and we have retired from competition. He has one more trip out to do a farewell lap and pick up his favorite horse rosette. It was a huge decision but in the end not as bad as I thought. I am still riding under vet direction. This does not mean your horse has an issue, I was just sharing as it happened this week and it is a bit raw.

 

[soulfull]

Suki So sorry about your horse. Hope you both have fun on your last day

I am the same! Started with my first horse who would also deliberately put me on the wrong diagonal. He too had a weakness that in the end causes early retirement

Since then I've been the same on every horse. Only occasionally do I get it right. So now I just presume it's wrong and change it
I think it's to do with having a slight twist to my pelvis and a weak left leg. But who knows. I don't care I just correct it and carry on
It is usually better coming from canter to trot.

 

[Rudey]

I'm really sorry to hear that Sukistokes2, that's a terrible shame. Life just isn't fair sometimes.

Not you too Soulful - I am sorry. Before your first horse, had you ridden many others? Presumably you use to get the correct diagonal and from your first horse the habit was developed.

I managed to get on the correct diagonal first time trying this morning - made my day - it's the little things.

 

[Garnet]

Ok, if I was teaching someone who had trouble feeling the correct diagonal, I would do some work on feeling which of the horse's legs is on the ground at a time, starting in walk and thinking about the sequence of legs in walk without looking down. The sequence of legs in walk is LH, LF, RH, RF, and we will start with feeling when each foreleg strikes the ground. Look down at your horse's left shoulder and say out loud " two" (pause) "two" (pause) "two" and so on, each time your horse puts it's left foreleg down. Then see if you can look up and keep feeling when that leg hits the ground and keep saying "two" out loud in time with your horse's walk strides. Repeat the exercise for the right foreleg, saying "four" out loud at each stride.

The next step is to see if you can feel when the left hind leg hits the floor and say "one" out loud. You may need a helper on the ground to see if you get this right because it is tricky to look down and see when a hind leg is hitting the ground without falling off! Then (you guessed it!) say "three" out loud every time the right hind touches the floor.

Next you can get clever and say out loud "two, four, two, four, two, four" in time with the front legs hitting the ground, before trying "one, three, one, three, one, three" when the hind legs hit the ground. Top marks for anyone who can count up to four out loud in time with each beat of the walk!

Now you are feeling how your horse's body feels as each foot touches the floor, it is time to try trot. Get yourself on the left diagonal and say "left" out loud each time you sit when the horse's left leg hits the ground. Repeat for the right diagonal, saying "right" and feel how your horse moves each time. Then, keep looking up and say out loud "left, right, left, right" in time with your horse's trot, firstly on the left diagonal and then on the right diagonal. Can you feel the difference?

Now to test your proficiency, in a straight line (in the arena or on a hack) trot forwards and start rising. Can you guess (feel) which diagonal you are on without looking down? Once you have made your decision, shout out "left" or "right", then look down to check you are correct. Repeat whenever the fancy takes you, or practise competitively with a friend for peals of laughter and fun! If you have a clever horse who shifts you on to their favourite diagonal, then you will have to try the hard route - trot forwards in sitting trot without looking down and don't start rising until you feel you are going to be on the left diagonal or right diagonal, whichever you decided in advance. Once you have started rising, then look down to see if you are correct.

It's all about feeling how your horse's back moves as he/she puts each of his/her feet down at each stride. Once you have separated out how each leg feels as it moves, you will never be able to rise on the wrong diagonal again!

Go forth and practise! Have fun!

 

[Rudey]

Thank you very much for your helpful response Garnet. I will try anything to get this diagonal malarky cracked. I will definitely need some ground assistance! If I concentrate too much on it, the less likely I get it right. I am determined to get this nipped in the bud.

 

[kerrieberry2]

I'm always wrong too, always have to sit sit then go again! I thought I was just because im stupid and haven't had a proper lesson for 20yrs! had to start having them recently as my baby has just been backed and I want to make sure I do stuff right!

 

[Rudey]

Kerrieberry2 I feel your pain! I am in the same situation as you. I have owned Rox since he was 9 months old, had him broken as a 4.5 year old, and advancing his education now that he's 6. It feels like such a huge responsibility to give him the best start possible. He is a very different ride to my other horse I've had for 17 years - believe me, that's a good thing!

 

[fonax]

you are OVER THINKING this ... its a very common thing for most riders to start off on a certain diagonal after walk or canter and then change after a stride or two of trot.. dont worry so much about tryin to get that diagonal straight after canter. just sit and bring your horse back from canter, get a stride or two of sitting trot and then rise and check your diagonal straight away. {eventually it will feel wrong to be on the wrong diagonal) if your are on the correct diagonal continue on and if you are wrong then sit for two and change it. problem sloved in 3 or 4 strides and no worries !

 

[Rudey]

Ha ha haaaa thanks Fonax! I know you are right about this! I get so frustrated with myself for getting something so basic so wrong! I managed to get it right first time again today so I'm chuffed with myself.

 

[Singing Dawg]

Break the rules, look down, watch the shoulder, you won't have to do it more than a. Few times. Ride in an enclosed space with your eyes **** and "feel" your horses limbs move. Become part of that movement and you'll feel great and always pick up robe correct diagonal as you know where every limb is . Enjoy and don't worry!x

 

[Singing Dawg]

those four stars represent the word shut, guess I typoed lol
​

 

[mandwhy]

I am not good at this, I can never even remember which shoulder is supposed to be doing what when I check :-/ is it on the right rein you should sit when the left shoulder goes back? I honestly can't remember now!

I am totally going to do that feeling the walk exercise tomorrow though

 

[Echo24]

For years I used to ride without stirrups during my lesson and would also pick up the correct diagonal. But now I will often rise to the wrong one on both reins! I've gone back to having lunge lessons once a week to work on my position and my instructor has said I overthink my riding too much! We're doing lots of no stirrup work and when I ride my loan horse I hack out or long rein to stop me thinking about my riding too much!

One thing my instructor noticed is that I often rise too quickly from the walk to trot transition. I consciously have to make an effort to sit for three beats before rising and this has helped with rising with the correct diagonal.