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View Full Version : Leg yield in trot


Keket
17th Apr 2007, 05:32 PM
How the heck do I get it? I've done it on a school-master, so I know the aids, but how do I teach a youngster? Coquette's five now (or will be in ten days), and coming along with leaps and bounds. Riding her is a joy, because we've got each other figured out and there's no more arguments. She's not bucking at the spur, she's not bombing off at the canter, and she's holding a decent outline at the walk and trot. Canter is coming, and we're doing a lot of exercises to help her build up her topline to hold it at the canter. She's moving beautifully off the leg.

We've been doing leg yield at the walk for about two months, and she's gone from me having to dramatically bend her and push her over with my leg, to a slight bend and a nudge from the leg and she'll leg-yield right across the long diagonal, stepping through beautifully. She can sidepass across the short side of the school, and we're working on shoulder-in and travers. She finds these a little more difficult, but she's got the basic idea. In travers, she'll get a little ways, and then the haunches will start to drift back toward the rail. A little tap on the hind end or a nudge from the leg reminds her to move it back out. So she's doing very well.

But we can't seem to get leg-yield at the trot. She's managed it once, for a few very nice strides, and we haven't been able to do it since. I'm introducing it the same way I introduced it at the walk. Turn onto the 3/4 line, pick up an inside bend, but keep contact on the outside rein and move her over with the inside leg. But she can't seem to think "over" and "forward" at the trot. It's just "forward!" Any tips?

emlybob
17th Apr 2007, 08:25 PM
Try not to ask her all in one go, that is quite often when things go wrong. Ask for a couple of steps then ride straight, then a couple more steps then straight again. Always try and leg yield from the middle to the edge of the school as they often try to cling to the boards, so pushing them this way often helps too

Keket
17th Apr 2007, 08:40 PM
Try not to ask her all in one go, that is quite often when things go wrong. Ask for a couple of steps then ride straight, then a couple more steps then straight again. Always try and leg yield from the middle to the edge of the school as they often try to cling to the boards, so pushing them this way often helps too

The problem is getting the first steps. I can't get anything, save for that one time about a week or two ago. Is it just a matter of continuing to try?

Daffy Dilly
17th Apr 2007, 08:46 PM
Will she not do it in trot on a circle? Then she's bending anyway (so one thing less to think about), and all you have to do is ask her to spiral in and out..

Helps if I have something in the middle so I can actually see myself getting closer/further away.

Keket
17th Apr 2007, 08:52 PM
Will she not do it in trot on a circle? Then she's bending anyway (so one thing less to think about), and all you have to do is ask her to spiral in and out..

Helps if I have something in the middle so I can actually see myself getting closer/further away.

Haven't tried on a circle... Maybe that will help... And I've got something to circle around. We have traffic cones marking off the 3/4 lines in the school.

lachlanandmarcu
18th Apr 2007, 12:01 PM
Definitely try doing it off a circle - much easier to get you started. So eg do a 20 m circle a couple of times at A then make the circle 10 m then just as you come round to F head straight up the 3/4 line. Give the leg yield aids just the second before you straighten and your horse should be in a good bend to just keep on going in the bend in leg yield across and forward. Once they've caught on that way a few times, they get the idea much easier.:) I also find verbal commands help a lot, and asking for move over in the stable both sides. It;s worked great with my girl, and she'll only be 4 in May. :D

Good luck!

Keket
19th Apr 2007, 06:52 PM
Made another attempt at it today. Turns out, that she's the exact opposite of all other horses. :rolleyes: If I ask on the centreline, to move toward the rail, she just powers forward. If I ask her to move on the rail, toward the centre, she'll happily do it. Well, not happily. It takes a lot of leg and some interesting rein manouevers that I'm sure aren't in any horsemanship book. She's still not exactly fluid and prancing diagonally, but she'll do it. Which is a start! :D