Horse Training – Shoulder-In On and off the Wall
ByBegin in the walk. Ride shoulder-in on the long side on the left rein; the majority of horses are easier on this side. Come out of the corner with the horse bent around your left leg and ask for a couple of steps of shoulder-in down the track. Now straighten your horse and ride two or three steps forward as if you were going to change rein across the arena.
Bend your horse around your inside leg again and ride in shoulder-in position back to the track. Continue down the track for a couple of steps, straighten, go forward two or three steps, and again ride back to the track in shoulder-in.
The most important part of this exercise is to do the entire movement in the same rhythm and balance. When you first try it, you will probably only be able to do three or four repetitions down the length of the arena. Once you and the horse get the hang of it, you should be able to do about ten repetitions on the long side.
When you straighten the horse, you must straighten by using the outside rein and leg so that the horse’s shoulders remain in the same position relative to the wall.
With practice you will figure out just what it takes for each individual horse to understand and be quick to answer the aids as you change from one mode to the other. You do not want to belabor the point by using this exercise for an extended period; use some relaxing moments in between the demands made by this exercise.
Once you can manage this in walk, you can progress to the trot and then eventually to the canter.
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