When you're hacking, do you ....

[Boxers]

.... change the diagonal you are sitting on in trot?

I have noticed that I seem to mostly sit as the left fore comes back, and I wondered if it makes much difference to change the diagonal sometimes when you're trotting in straight lines along the road or bridlepath?

 

[Megibo]

i never really noticed! I just trot....

though if i trot down a road i rise to whatever side theres a hedge/which way the corner goes/whatever is comfortable if that makes sense!

 

[WetandMuddy]

Yes, I always change - every 20 or so strides. As I don't do much schooling, I feel this keeps him even. It means that he is happy to canter on either leg when out hacking, too.

 

[monkeybum13]

Yes. I make a conscious effort to alternate between diagonals.

 

[Ella19]

I do now after I and physio noticed my ponies left shoulder was getting much bigger than the right despite schooling. She favours that lead in canter as well. I now make her canter on different leads and alternate my trot diagonal whilst out hacking. We hack alot so it does make a difference.

 

[hcm88]

I do. I rarely trot for lengthened periods of time anyway but I will alternate which diagonal I ride on for each time that I trot.. if I remember. But it's habit to glance down anyway so I usually adjust accordingly. Depends how much you hack and school as to how much of a difference it makes.

 

[emma.is]

Not really, I'm too busy being bolted with usually!

 

[Rosie Round The Hills]

Yes, I always change - every 20 or so strides. As I don't do much schooling, I feel this keeps him even. It means that he is happy to canter on either leg when out hacking, too.

Me too.

 

[Jesstickle]

Yep.

My mother is old fashioned and told me I had to change every 15 strides and so that is what I do

 

[Hen]

Yes - every 15-20 strides usually, I'm not sure why, I think it's one of those things that was drummed into me at Pony Club or something!

 

[Bess]

Yes - every 15-20 strides usually, I'm not sure why, I think it's one of those things that was drummed into me at Pony Club or something!

Yes me too.

 

[ReggiePerrin]

I've just started doing this too as noticed I was nearly always sitting as the left fore came back. We haven't been doing much schooling but due to start our flatwork lessons next week so all our bad habits will be exposed!

 

[Pedantic]

I alternate if trotting in a straight line,and rise on the correct leg for bends, I do the same for cantering, if I am going to canter across a field with a bend I ask for the correct lead, in fact I tend to use hacking as a bit of a schooling session, real bad habit I have though is riding one handed as he neck reins brilliantly

 

[ArabianGold]

I change my rise every now and then but not strict with it.

 

[Ashleigh_]

Not really, I'm too busy being bolted with usually!

Hahahaha

 

[Apercrumbie]

I do change but I'm not religious about it.

 

[spotty_pony]

Yes I always do, but don't have a set time to do - just when I feel like it. I thinks it makes a difference as it ensures even build up of muscle.

 

[wil24702]

I've never thought about it! I just trot and the same with canter (or speeding as we call it) just do it

 

[fidleyspromise]

Yes.

I didn't used to and I struggled last year to get pony working correctly as she was so used to this that she kept throwing me onto the left diagonal.

A LOT of corrective work later, and she's better but still not 100%.

 

[Hexx]

Me too, and change the canter lead each time we canter.

 

[MissMistletoe]

Definately, yes.
ALso if i am cantering down a long length of verge, I will start off on right lead, then down into trott for a few strides and back into canter left lead.

 

[YorksG]

I do every 15 or 20 strides as well, makes sense to me as we use our hacks as schooling sessions. I also change the length of the stride during the trot, keeps her listening and stops her dropping onto the forehand.

 

[JustKickOn]

Yep, I make an effort to change which diagonal I am on when trotting.

 

[madmav]

I noticed that we almost always went into rising trot as if on the left rein (his favoured side). And that his trot felt less comfortable as if on a right rein - this is trotting in a straight line on hack, not same problem in school. So I now automatically switch to sitting when right fore is striking ground. He seems more balanced for it, I think.

 

[starryeyed]

I do!

 

[shadowboy]

Me too. Helps keep a young horse even...

 

[PucciNPoni]

I definitely do. We have a lovely wiggly path in woods that I use to change bend and change diagnol. I also vary the trot (collected, working, medium) and often will do sitting in all. Change canter leads as well especially on straightaways so I can feel how straight he is (or not as the case often is).