In chapter 8 we introduced a number of lateral exercises. In that discussion we have included the leg yield, pasade, turn on the forehand, and turn on the haunches. In chapter 9 we also discussed the canter half-pass, and the renvers and travers in the canter circle. Because of the impulsion and flexibility of the horse at the canter, these movements are normally easier begun at the canter than at the trot. Now we can practice the half-pass at the trot, just as described in Chapter 9. Here we continue with lateral work.

This chapter originally belonged with the chapter on extension and collection, but I have decided to artificially separate chapters and stick to one topic at a time. Lateral exercises work symbiotically with the extended and collected work. When work on two tracks, for instance, is followed by extension, then both gain more impulsion and power. When the work on two tracks is executed correctly, it will greatly improve the extensions. The extensions will come from the hindquarter of the horse. A pattern of work on two tracks with transitions into extension (with the use of the drop forward at the moment of transition) and then back to work on two tracks (with the use of the half-halt at the moment of transition) will do much good. The extensions will, in turn, improve the work on two tracks.

Here we will discuss a few additional lateral exercises: the zigzag at the walk, and the travers, renvers, and shoulder-in. We have already discussed the travers and renvers in the canter circle. We will discuss them as executed in a straight line. The correctness of all these movements is established by the ability of the horse to do equally correct and impulsive work to both sides. If difficulty and resistance is encountered to one side the rider ought to go back to work on circles, serpentines, and figure eights, as well as transitions executed in the circle and supplying exercises.

The zigzag at the walk does not introduce any new movements. The rider randomly combines and alternates half-pass and leg yields back and forth across a road or field (Fig. 10-1) . This exercise is excellent for work out on trail rides or on the way back to the stable from the arena, where the horse has more impulsion. This impulsion is especially important at the walk in keeping a correct half-pass, one where the hindquarters do not lead the movement.

Figure 10-1. Zigzag at the walk, with alternating half-passes (HP) and leg yields (LY)

Travers and renvers

The travers and renvers can be executed on the wall, down center line, or along any other straight line. (We have already discussed the travers and renvers on the circle.) On a straight line the travers and renvers are identical movements. In the travers the horse moves with the haunches in (Figure 10-2) while in the renvers the horse moves with the haunches out (Figure 10-3). The haunches are either "in" or "out," however, only in relation to a given wall.

Figure 10-2. Travers or haunches-in (right)

Figure 10-3. Renvers or haunches-out (left) while moving to the right

In the travers and renvers the horse is bent evenly from head to tail. The haunches come away from the line of travel either away from (travers) or toward (renvers) the wall. The forehand stays on the line of travel.

Travers. When working on the travers, the inside of the movement and the inside of the arena are one and the same. When working on the travers to the right, for instance, both reins move out (toward the left) so that the inside (right) rein is placed on the neck (in more advanced training where the head position has been elevated, the inside rein will be off the neck). The outside rein (left) is maintained a at the same level or a bit higher than the inside rein. The outside rein and the outside leg behind the girth work to bring the haunches onto a second track away from the wall. The rider sits with more weight on the inside riding bone (right hip). As the horse's training advances, the harmony of the movement is increased by also placing the inside leg on the girth. The outside leg and rein become a wall against which the inside leg and rein can act. The principal aids are the outside leg (left) and inside hand and hip (right).

At first the travers can be started from the circle (Figure 10-4) as the horse comes back onto the track. As the rider is arriving back to the wall after executing a circle to the right, for instance, he can execute a unilateral half-halt with the outside rein (left) to aid in the placing and maintenance of the hindquarters away from the left onto the inside of the arena.

Figure 10-4. Travers (right) started from a circle

Similarly, the exercise can be started from the corner (Figure 10-5), using the same aids described above. Eventually, the horse may be asked to begin the exercise on the long or on the short side or on any other line or circle, or from a different lateral movement.

Figure 10-5. Travers (right) off the corner

Renvers. When working on the renvers, the inside of the movement is opposite to the inside of the arena. At the renvers, as the horse travels to the right (i.e., the right is to the inside of the arena), the inside of the movement will be to the left. The aids are identical to those of the travers, but ask for a bend to a different direction: when working on the renvers to the left (that is, once again, while we are traveling to the right) both reins move in towards the center of the arena (toward the right) so that the inside (left) rein is placed on the neck (in more advanced training the inside rein will be off the neck as the position of the head is elevated). The outside rein (right) is maintained a at the same level or a bit higher than the inside rein. The outside rein and the outside leg behind the girth work to bring the haunches onto a second track toward the wall. The rider sits with more weight on the inside riding bone (left hip). As the horse's training advances, the harmony of the movement is increased by also placing the inside leg (left) on the girth. The outside (right) leg and rein become a wall against which the inside leg and rein can act. The principal aids are the outside leg (right) and inside hand and hip (left).

At first the renvers can be started from a half circle and reverse as the horse comes back onto the track. For this example, if the horse is traveling to the left and subsequently performs a half circle and reverse (Figure 10-6), the renvers will be executed as the horse travels to the right (i.e., the right is to the inside of the arena) but the inside of the movement will be to the left.

Figure 10-6. Renvers (left) off full or half circle, back toward the wall

As the rider is finishing the circle or half circle he can execute a unilateral half-halt with the outside rein (right) to aid in the placing and maintenance of the hindquarters away from the right onto the inside of the movement and move in "renvers position" until arriving at the wall. The exercise can also be started on the long or on the short side or on any other line or circle.

The shoulder-in is quite different from the renvers and travers because it is the hindquarters that stay in the line of travel and the forehand that moves away from the track to perform the lateral work. In the shoulder-in, the horse does not face the direction of travel. When traveling on the wall to the right, the forehand would come into the right (Figure 10-7). Unless otherwise specified, the inside of the movement and the inside of the arena are one and the same on the shoulder in. Right after the shoulder-in, I like to drive the horse out in a vigorous extension toward the center of the arena. The horse may be asked to do a shoulder-in on an imaginary line, such as down center line.

Figure 10-7. Shoulder-in to the right

The principal aids in the shoulder-in are the inside leg and outside hand. When moving to the right the inside leg on the girth (right) drives the horse onto the outside rein (left). The inside rein (right) bends the horse's neck so the horse is bent evenly from head to tail. The outside leg (left) behind the girth assists in the bending of the horse and prevents the hindquarters from falling out (left). The inside hip (right) acts on the horse. If the hindquarters fall out, the shoulder-in would degenerate into a leg yield. It is a mistake to bend the neck more than the rest of the body.

The shoulder-in can be executed as three tracks or four tracks, and the rider should eventually be able to ask for the one or the other. What is more important than whether the execution is on three or four tracks in a dressage competition, is the consistency to both sides. In the three track movement the horse's diagonal (formed by the inside hind and outside fore) move in the same line. In the four track shoulder-in, the horse would be more collected and the requirement for engagement of the inside hindquarter is greater (Figure 10-8).

Figure 10-8. Shoulder-in to the right: left is three track and right is four track
 

The shoulder-in can be first executed from the circle (Figure 10-9).

Figure 10-9. Shoulder-in (right) off a circle

In the three track shoulder in the horse leaves the circle one step before he would in the four track work (Figure 10-10a and 10b).

Figure 10-10a. In the four track shoulder-in, the horse takes one more step into the circle before departing

Figure 10-10b. In the four track shoulder-in, the horse takes one more step into the circle before departing

Either way, the rider executes a unilateral half halt with the outside rein (left) when executing the shoulder in to the right. Later the shoulder in can be started from a corner (Figure 10-11) or at any point on the long or short side of the arena or any other straight or curved line.

Figure 10-11. Shoulder-in (right) off the corner

The execution of transitions from shoulder-in to half-pass, and from shoulder-in to extended trot are especially effective supplying exercises. So are transitions between renvers and travers, and between these and shoulder-in. As a reward for the correct execution of these transitions, I have had horses who naturally offered a few steps of passage.

Lateral exercises work symbiotically with the extended and collected work. There is special power and beauty in the extended trot as it comes out of the renvers, travers, and especially the shoulder-in. The extensions come from the hindquarter of the horse.

In the travers (haunches-in) both reins move out so that the inside rein is placed on the neck (in more advanced training where the head position has been elevated, the inside rein will be off the neck). The outside rein is maintained a at the same level or a bit higher than the inside rein. The outside rein and the outside leg behind the girth work to bring the haunches onto a second track away from the wall. The rider sits with more weight on the inside riding bone. As the horse's training advances, the harmony of the movement is increased by also placing the inside leg on the girth. The outside leg and rein become a wall against which the inside leg and rein can act. The principal aids are the outside leg and inside hand and hip.

The renvers (haunches-out) is identical to the travers, but the haunches are turned toward the wall, instead of toward the inside of the arena. When working on the renvers, the inside of the movement is opposite to the inside of the arena. Both reins move in towards the center of the arena so that the inside rein is placed on the neck (in more advanced training the inside rein will be off the neck as the position of the head is elevated). The outside rein is maintained a at the same level or a bit higher than the inside rein. The outside rein and the outside leg behind the girth work to bring the haunches onto a second track toward the wall. The rider sits with more weight on the inside riding bone. As the horse's training advances, the harmony of the movement is increased by also placing the inside leg on the girth. The outside leg and rein become a wall against which the inside leg and rein can act. The principal aids are the outside leg and inside hand and hip.

The shoulder-in is different from the renvers and travers as it is the hindquarters that stay in the line of travel and the forehand that moves away from the track to perform the lateral work. In the shoulder-in, the horse does not face the direction of travel. The inside of the movement and the inside of the arena are one and the same on the shoulder in. The horse may be asked to do a shoulder-in, the renvers, and the travers on an imaginary line, such as down center line.

The rider executes a unilateral half halt with the outside rein to prepare the horse. The principal aids in the shoulder-in are the inside leg and outside hand. When moving to the right the inside leg on the girth drives the horse onto the outside rein. The inside rein bends the horse's neck so the horse is bent evenly from head to tail. The outside leg behind the girth assists in the bending of the horse and prevents the hindquarters from falling out. The inside hip acts on the horse.

The shoulder-in can be executed as three tracks or four tracks. It is important to be consistent. In the three track movement the horse's diagonal (formed by the inside hind and outside fore) move in the same line. In the four track shoulder-in, the horse would be more collected and the requirement for engagement of the inside hindquarter is greater.

The execution of transitions from one lateral movement at the trot to another, and to the extended trot, are especially effective. As a reward for the correct execution of these transitions, I have had horses who naturally offered a few steps of passage.