Leg on - bend or move sideways

[bingolittle]

This is going to sound stupid - but how on earth is my horse supposed to know when I put my left leg on say - whether I want him to bend round my left leg - or move away from it and go right.

I can tell he's confused and so am I.

Incidentally - why are so many riding instructors very bad at giving you information beyond 'kick him on'?

[cvb]

not sure I can explain this if I have to get into technical details - but the simple answer is that you are not using the left leg in isolation. Its a combination of ALL the aids that enables the horse to give the right response.

The aids are designed to make it easiest for your horse to do the thing you have asked for. So the aids for the two movements you described ARE slightly different.

[stormbreaker]

i am not the mopst qualified to speak on this but you cant look at any aid by its sef there are many differtn things goign on.

for example to get a horse to move off your leg youll put both legs on not just one.

if i was to just put my left leg on and not my right then my horse will start to leg yield or at least turn to the right.

its the combination of leg hand seat and weight together that gets the horse to do some thing

[cvb]

bingolittle

one small "p.s."

a big element in aids is the "direction" that you indicate through your use of all your aids, legs, hands, weight etc.

so with your two examples, a simple thing is where you are looking. You should always be looking in the direction you want to go. So If I want to leg yield etc sideways, I will be looking in a completely different place then if I was simply going to make a turn from the same place.

This may seem trivial - but its not ! Your whole body atttiude, weight etc, positioning of legs and hands is subtly affected by where you look.

Thats why we all get constantly told not to look down :D

[Rosanna]

To ask your horse to bend around your inside leg you also need to use your outside leg behind the girth to stop her quarters swinging out.

To ask her to move sideways (called a leg yield) from left to right you would very slightly open your left rein, keep a feel on the outside rein to prevent too much neck bend, and push her over using your left leg. It is actually a bit more complicated that that but I am finding it very hard to write simply!

Maybe speak to your instructor and see if he/she can explain it to you actually while you are riding as it will be easier to understand.

[bingolittle]

Thanks for all your replies everyone.

Perhaps I should be more specific. I've now had - erm - 19 instructors over the past 8 years - and I'm quite clearly thick as I don't get it.

Problem is - I did the baby horse, baby rider thing - horse is now 9 but doesn't really understand what's wanted! If I want him to turn smoothly to the left, all I have to do is put my LEFT leg on - he doesn't wait for the right leg to say go left - he assumes that the left leg on means OK - go in the direction of the leg.

How do I split the two different meanings up really really clearly, so that he understands that there are different things wanted.

The problem is now becoming more silly - because he's decided that I don't actually mean canter on a circle - I just mean circle.

He's always been inclined to try and second guess me - mind you - its rather usefull when jumping. Point and shoot!

I know 9/10ths of it is my fault - not helped by an irish cob that's too clever for his own good sometimes - but there has to be a simple solution to this somewhere - I hope!

[cvb]

horses learn by repetition - so you need to find a way to show him that it can mean sideways etc as well.

You also need to clearly distinguish the aids i.e. YOU need to know what you are asking for, and how to ask for each thing...

some thoughts

- do turn on forehand, turn on haunches. If he doesn't know this already start from the ground before you ask from on top !

- then try spiral in on circle and leg yield out.

- have you tried asking for canter with the outside leg ? (also a legitimate aid). Plus the canter "ask" is a nudge in, not a hold. Circle should be more of a hold.

One other thought - UK tends to teach leg yield on a "straight" line e.g. ride up the quarter line and leg yield back to rail/fence/wall.

When I was in Sweden they taught it across the diagonal. Ride as if going across the diagonal from right rein to left. After a few "straight" steps on the diagonal, make a very small change of bend and ask for leg yield right (i.e. yielding away from left leg). This may "click" better for both of you. Your eyeline should be to the end of the diagonal - but your body is facing slightly to the "front" i.e. tending towards A/C. Don't ask for too much bend and crossing over at first, just a little and a couple of steps.

When you feel him starting to lose it, ride a 10m circle, then back on the diagonal, few straight strides, and ask again...

[bingolittle]

Hmmm - thanks I'll give your suggestions a try and see how we get on :)