piroettes

[BRAMBLE]

how do you do them?

[ponylover88]

Start at halt next to the side of the menage. If youve got a whip, put it in your outside hand to help ask the shoulders to move over. You then want to move your inside leg back, to stop the quaters from swinging out. Put your outside leg on the girth and open you inside hand a touch to guide the horse thru. :)

[OneStepCloser]

Start by riding a square, off the track. As you get to each corner ensure you have a little inside bend, the outside leg goes back to stop the horse swinging his quarters out, keep the inside leg on the girth to keep the bend. Open your inside rein a little and bring the horses shoulders over with the outside rein, closing it into the horses neck. By starting on a square you will only be doing 1/4 turns to start with. At first it does not matter if the hind legs move from the spot they started on, as long as the quarters do not swing out.

You need to keep the horse forward thinking at all times during the movement, so most definitely do not start from a halt. If the horse gets stuck or doesn't understand, ride straight for a few strides then try again.
When you have mastered the 1/4 turns on a square, you can progress to making 1/2 turns, 3/4 turns and eventually full, 360 degree turns.

It may also help to practise some shoulder-in and quarters-in before you try pirouettes, as this will help you in your control of the horse's shoulders and quarters.

Not sure I've explained very well, but hope this helps.

[Bay Mare]

I was taught it the way that andalucian has described it (sat here in my chair trying it out .... ) and agree that you should definitely do it from walk and as you approach the 'corner' think of collecting the walk a little.

Great avatar andalucian :)