How do you 'ride' circles?

[chickflick1066]

During tonight's lesson my RI asked me to ride circles in walk on a long rein to encourage flex and bend...only thing is, I felt I struggled to get her flexing and to get her to bend round the circle. My RI helped me as much as poss but I'm just after as much help as poss.

When riding I felt she was very stiff. Our circles weren't very accurate and they were often rather square. I had to use my rein a lot to get her to follow the circular pattern. Can you see where this is going?

Hmm?

[Afellpony]

If she isn't very supple at the moment, it will be a job for her to bend correctly on a circle. When you ride a circle you have the outside rein for support but dont pull back on it. As you ride the circle, you want to have her slightly looking inwards. )To do this, dont hold the outside rein so tight that she cant bend so slacken off a bit. Squeeze (sponge) the inside rein with your fingers to encourage her to bend and look inwards slightly, if she's stiff you wont get this immediately but in time, she'll supple up and probably drop her head a bit. Sorry if I haven't explained this very well. Good luck.

[domane]

A-ha! Welcome to my world!!!! Another ironing board neck!!! :p

I have limited knowledge, someone far more informative than me will no doubt fill in the gaps in my info, but as far as I am aware you are trying to bend your horse "round" your inside leg... you should just have enough flexion to be able to see their eye and you have your inside leg on the girth and your outside leg behind the girth. I believe you can also bring your inside rein outwards rather than pulling backwards on it ....

What have I missed everyone??? :D

[friedegund]

Sounds like all have it covered, I too struggle to ride an accurate circle, my coach tells me to bend her around my inside leg, ouside leg slightly behind girth to keep her from bulging out, no loops in outside rein, keep outside rein contact and give and release with inside rein, pulling back towards hip, take and when she gives and bends, give back with inside rein, however do not loose outside rein around circle.

I often ride "squarcles"

Oh...and most important look around your circle, look to where you want to go!

[vimto92]

With difficulty....

:cool:

[summerguest]

Think of riding a diamond with 4 tangent points to aim for. ( if you think of a clock face it would be 12 / 3/ 6 /9 o clock).

You don't need nearly as much bend as you think....you want to see both sides of your browband if poss. the flexion is from the poll not thru the whole neck. so you do need to use your outside rein to help keep the neck straight. Turn your shoulders to the inside and look where you are aiming for, inside leg on girth outside leg slightly behind.

hope that helps.

[Wally]

I think of a hexagon! stops you falling in,