Diagonals

[Miss Shy]

I ride a wonderful horse but am having problems getting him on the correct diagonal which ever rein you are on he always favours his left one. He'll change onto the correct one when asked but only holds it for a few strides and then throws you back up onto the wrong one. Also is there any other way of changing the diagonal other than sitting for the extra beat?

[Sonia]

Hi

I presume that you're talking about being in trot and doing a rising trot? If so then it's up to the rider to make sure that they're rising on the correct diagonal

Sonia

[Miss Shy]

Yes I am talking about rising trot. I do put him on the right diagonal as soon as we go into trot, but after only a couples of strides he throws you up onto the left one, even when he should be on the right.

[Allie]

You say your horse is on the left diagonal even when he should be on the right. It is the RIDER that is on the diagonals, not the horse. The trot is a two beat gait, so the horse doesn't have to lead with a particualr pair of legs, like he would at the canter (hope that made sense). You are the one that has to be on the correct diagonal. The horse shouldn't be able to force you on to the wrong one, as far as I know. If you are losing the correct diagonal on cirles or other turns, it could be that you are turning too tightly and that is throwing you off. Otherwise, you just have to switch back and concentrate on staying with the horse's tempo so you don't get behind or ahead of his motion.

Allie

[cheney]

Mike talks about this on this website under Riding Basics - Paces. See the menu bar. He talks about the horse "throwing" a rider on to the dominant diagonal. He also mentions that the rider should strive to work both diagonals evenly. Reading that page might help the situation be clearer.

[random2]

The same thing happened to me. Just keep trying and move your outside leg back while kicking with the inside.

[Sarah]

hello!

Horses often have a stronger diagonal - like we are left or right handed. If you put your horses saddle on and stand infront of him, is one of his shoulders larger than the other? That shows that he has been working unequally and throwing you onto his favourite side.

Try working your horse on the weaker side - either by circels in the school (but don't just go round and round the same way or he will die of boredom) and by hacking out and making sure you are ont he weker diagonal.

If after a week or so of this he is still trying to throw you ontot he other diagonal, it could be worth getting him checked over by a physio, just to check that he isn't favouring one side through pain. Your saddler may also need to add more flocking to the side of your saddle with less shoulder muscle to balance it better on your horse (then he will need to sort it out again when your horse is levelled up).

I hope that has helped.

bye!

[Miss Shy]

Thanks for all the help.