So I don’t Understand This

[Laura4543]

This is a bit embarrassing! But when I am on the right rein or left rein in the riding school and my instructor tells me to
change the rein I never know what marker to turn at. I gather that when you are on the right rein or left rein to be kind to the horse
you should turn from F to E or E to F unfortunately I can never remember when to do it. I know it should make sense but it doesn’t!

Could anyone help please by listing the change of reins possible on the right rein and then left rein!

Thank you ☺

 

[PePo]

You can literally change the rein anywhere you like! As long as you've changed direction, that's all that matters.

If you're in a group lesson, for order, the trainer might ask you all to change the rein in the same way so they'll tell you the markers - e.g A to C, B to e and so on.

 

[Laura4543]

I am sorry I don’t understand. My
instructor does seem to think there are certain points in the arena you should turn in.

 

[Jessey]

I can't explain it in words very well, but you don't change the rein generally at a place that causes you to almost double back on yourself, the turn is to tight for the horse to remain balanced unless they are very well schooled, hopefully some pics will help explain what I'm trying to say;
These show long diagonal changes, the red one is the one you avoid, you see how tight that turn at K is, and the one at M, how you almost double back on yourself

The green is a better change of rein, see how the turn is less tight?

so for a long diagonal CoR, on the left rein you could change at H>F or F>H and on the right rein K>M or M>K. I remember it by: you ride the short side then leave the track, never leave the track after the long side, that only applies to long diagonals though. you can do E>B/B>E off either rein.

 

[newforest]

Depending on when it's said I may do down the centre line and change or across EXB.
I like the demi volte for making use of the space, but that needs you to be solo else you have a horse coming towards you.

 

[Laura4543]

I can't explain it in words very well, but you don't change the rein generally at a place that causes you to almost double back on yourself, the turn is to tight for the horse to remain balanced unless they are very well schooled, hopefully some pics will help explain what I'm trying to say;
These show long diagonal changes, the red one is the one you avoid, you see how tight that turn at K is, and the one at M, how you almost double back on yourself
View attachment 98423
The green is a better change of rein, see how the turn is less tight?
View attachment 98425
so for a long diagonal CoR, on the left rein you could change at H>F or F>H and on the right rein K>M or M>K. I remember it by: you ride the short side then leave the track, never leave the track after the long side, that only applies to long diagonals though. you can do E>B/B>E off either rein.

Thank you so much for going to so much trouble to help me. The pictures especially help!

I usually share an arena so any help with short diagonals would help too.

I really appreciated your tip as regards riding the short side and then leaving the track - any more tips like that would be appreciated. Does that work for both reins? And does the same apply for short diagonals. I know this may seek obvious but unfortunately I don’t think in the same way on a horse as when my feet are on the ground!!

 

[Jessey]

Thank you so much for going to so much trouble to help me. The pictures especially help!

I usually share an arena so any help with short diagonals would help too.

I really appreciated your tip as regards riding the short side and then leaving the track - any more tips like that would be appreciated. Does that work for both reins? And does the same apply for short diagonals. I know this may seek obvious but unfortunately I don’t think in the same way on a horse as when my feet are on the ground!!

Yes leaving the track after the short side works for both reins Short diagonals, here is the demi volte @newforest mentions

E>B or B>E, can be done on either rein

Short diagonal, I would generally ride this F>E (it's the same as H>B) so this is a left rein change, if you were going right I'd go K>B or M>E.
I probably do it that way more from habit than for any other reason, because the horse tends to be more collected coming out of the short side/corner and is more able to manage the tighter turn at F, if you went the other way they are more likely to be bowling along the straight between E towards F and then get in a pickle trying to slow and balance for the tighter turn.

Theres probably more combos, but these are the basics for a short arena.

 

[carthorse]

If you're in a group lesson I would expect the teacher to specify the change of rein particularly in a low level lesson, if they don't and people start making different changes it's going to end up getting messy! From Jessey's diagram & on the left rein I would say the basic changes of rein would be:
- A to C , and vice versa
- B to E and vice versa
- H to F and vice versa
- H to B
- F to E

There are quite a few other options but they are the easiest ones, particularly in group rides. But to give you some ideas you could also do E to F, or start a half 10m circle between E&K then when you get near A ride for either E or H (H is easier). But far better to ride a simple change in a balanced fashion & accurately than make a hash of a harder one. I would say the two easiest are H to F & F to H.

 

[Huggy]

I haven't had a lesson in yonks, but my recollection is that the instructor always said "change the rein at (insert letter)" or "when you reach the corner come down the diagonal and change the rein". I could be mis remembering but I agree with carthorse - in a group lesson it could turn into a bun fight, if everyone's doing their own version!

 

[Laura4543]

Awesome. Thank you so much .

 

[Laura4543]

I haven't had a lesson in yonks, but my recollection is that the instructor always said "change the rein at (insert letter)" or "when you reach the corner come down the diagonal and change the rein". I could be mis remembering but I agree with carthorse - in a group lesson it could turn into a bun fight, if everyone's doing their own version!

I have a private lesson and the instructor now wants me to change the rein at different parts of the school. Unfortunately I am not sure where you can but now it is a little clearer! `

 

[carthorse]

Why not just ask the teacher to be more specific about the rein changes, for instance "change the rein HXF"?

 

[Laura4543]

Why not just ask the teacher to be more specific about the rein changes, for instance "change the rein HXF"?

The instructor feels that I should be able to do this by now and I sort of agree but for some reason I still struggle!

 

[carthorse]

The instructor feels that I should be able to do this by now and I sort of agree but for some reason I still struggle!

Strange, I've seen some very high level dressage lessons - think PSG upwards - and still heard the trainer specify the rein change. The thing is an appropriate rein change well ridden can do so much more than change the direction you're going in, it can help rebalance, change bend or degree of bend, set up the next movement, improve connection . . . I would say he or she needs to get on with teaching & stop leaving you to fumble your way through.

 

[Laura4543]

Strange, I've seen some very high level dressage lessons - think PSG upwards - and still heard the trainer specify the rein change. The thing is an appropriate rein change well ridden can do so much more than change the direction you're going in, it can help rebalance, change bend or degree of bend, set up the next movement, improve connection . . . I would say he or she needs to get on with teaching & stop leaving you to fumble your way through.

Thank you for this insight - are there any books/websites that you could recommend where I could learn more as I am still very much a beginner but would love to become a more capable and proficient rider.

 

[PePo]

What sort of books are you after - horse care? Riding - any specific elements?

You could try looking at people like Heather Moffatt and Enlightened Equitation, Ride with Your Mind for simple explanations to the theory of good riding.

The British Horse Society stage 1 books w
might also be useful

 

[newforest]

Alert.
Don't use this advice.

But I might be tempted to change the rein and run the RI over, next time they may be more specific on the where. Let's face it, even the horse likes to know what your plans are before you do it.

But a useful example is when they say change the rein I would pass two letters and change.

 

[Jessey]

For books, I really liked Cherry Hill's 101 Arena Exercises, but I am not sure you would get the most from it unless you get a period of liberty riding (when you aren't actually being told what to do), it has great diagrams of simple exercises that are progressive.

 

[Huggy]

The simplest rein changes I would think would be corner to corner on a diagonal, or across the centre line of the school. Find 2 or 3 that you're happy to do and can remember, and if she wants you to be more inventive she'll have to jolly well give you some instructions!

 

[fourlegs]

If you are in a private lesson then just change as you feel like doing - either a diagonal, centreline, two loop serpentine or demi volte.

My preference is the demi volte - ride the long side until you are 3/4 of the way down and then ride a 10 metre half circle and head back to the letter at the end of the long side, joining the track a good metre before the letter.

If you know how to leg yield than you can leg yield from the end of the 10 metre half circle back to the track.