Use of renvers

[soloequestrian]

Had an interesting (though brief) conversation with a dressage trainer - that renvers is a really good exercise to use just before asking for medium trot. I've never really used renvers, though use travers quite a lot, mainly either to help lift the front end a little or as preparation for half pass. Interested to know if others use renvers, when and what for?
Thanks!

 

[AdorableAlice]

I use both to simply train the horse to listen and move wherever asked. If you think about it all you are doing is asking the horse to bend around your leg, the end result being a supple and moveable horse. The last time I went buying I was shocked at how many horses had no lateral flexion or bend whatsoever, just like sitting on a plank.

I am a nervous rider and cannot bear to ride something that is set and plank like. The simple supplying exercises of shoulder fore, shoulder in and traver/renver are very important regardless of the discipline. Plus they are all exercises that can be done without the need for a school.

 

[j1ffy]

We did a lot of renvers in my last lesson. My horse is weaker and less supple to the right and tends to drop the left rein. Renvers really helped me to use the outside aids more effectively, we also did renvers to shoulder-in to improve suppleness then renvers on a circle to improve the canter transition. I'm now a renvers convert

 

[Kelpie]

My trainer has a fabulous suppling exercises of a figure 8 going from shoulder in to renver to counter shoulder in, to travers, all on the same bend. In walk and trot.

I love renvers on the left rein for my mare for addressing her natural crookedness.

Ultimately it can also be used to help flying changes.

I think just because dressage tests don't use renvers it gets overlooked, but it's such a shame, it can be very useful.

 

[gunnergundog]

Used to do shoulder in and then straight into medium trot across the short diagonal....a good test that the horse is truly engaged and in front of leg.

Renvers I only ever used to address lack of straightness, though preferred to move shoulders rather than quarters generally, but depended on horse and reason for crookedness.

 

[ihatework]

A good proportion of my warm up in both trot & canter is spent moving between SI & Renvers. Primarily for straightening but with the added benefit of suppling

 

[JFTDWS]

The last time I went buying I was shocked at how many horses had no lateral flexion or bend whatsoever, just like sitting on a plank. I am a nervous rider and cannot bear to ride something that is set and plank like.

I'm not an especially nervous rider, but I've discovered recently I feel the same way - I really, really don't like riding the planks that some people think are acceptable riding horses.

I've been using SI-renvers a lot recently - certainly seems to be helping his engagement

 

[dibbin]

We've used it with Jazz to soften him up and get his attention. He tends to lose focus sometimes and get a bit "set" but as soon as he's got something to think about he comes back really well.