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

Boxers

Boxers

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 April 2003
Messages
4,771
Location
Lincolnshire
Visit site
.... 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?
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!
 
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 :)
 
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.
 
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%.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top