by Joe Thauer
Start riding in a 35 degree angle towards the long side of the arena wall. Come to a halt in the same angle. The horse has to stay straight, but slightly flexed and bent away from the direction you intend to leg-yield. Try to make the horse step in this angle side-ways, step by step. Do not let the horse change the 35 to 45 degree angle. Stop the horse immediately if he is drifting, to correct the angle and proceed patiently step by step for a short distance. Give your horse a rest, repeat it again. It is a good idea to come to a halt to stop the exercise in the same angle. After you get experienced doing this you can make a partial turn on the forehand, change the flexion and leg-yield back in the other direction. Practice this exercise first on the outside track facing the wall. This will help you to prevent the horse stepping forward. Stop immediately, come to a halt and start again.
When the leg-yielding improves, you can do the same exercise farther away from the wall.
There are many ways of leg-yielding. Decreasing and increasing of a rectangle is done in a forward and sideways manner. Coming through the corner on to the long side, give the horse outside flexion and bend. Leg-yield diagonally toward the centerline. The forehand should be slightly leading but do not allow the shoulder falling out. Avoid the horse from only drifting sideways. Ride halfway down the long side. Change flexion and the bend. Leg-yield back to the outside track.
Do not worry if you did not make it to the centerline. The importance is the correctness of the leg yielding. Aim to reach eventually the centerline. Practice the exercise in both directions.
Another leg-yield exercise is on a 15 metre square. Leg-yield up the square facing inwards, until you come to the corner. Make a turn on the forehand without losing the rhythmical steps around the corner. Continue the exercise around the entire square. Do it in both directions.
Practice leg-yielding in a trot as well, but only on a straight line or going diagonally. Practice the more difficult side not longer, but more often. The rider has to learn to give the aids to the horse with feel and precision and in harmony with the horse.
One more way to practice leg-yielding in a circle is to imagine a big wheel with a 15 metre radius, with the spokes during inwards to the hub of the wheel. Leg-yield around the wheel facing the hub. It is very important that the horse should always be in the correct leg-yielding position. If not, stop and correct it. As long as you are unable to achieve this, your horse is still crooked, tense and moving with braced muscles. Practice this exercise in both directions. If you and your horse are getting very supple and sensitive, you can change flexion and bend smoothly and proceed in the opposite direction.
Doing leg-yielding facing inwards the quarters travel in a larger radius than the forehand. The same exercise can be done with the quarters facing the hub. In this case the forehand travels the larger radius than the quarters. All types of leg-yielding are excellent gymnastic exercises for the horse. The rider will develop refined skills and feel to give the aids very artfully and precisely.
Start riding in a 35 degree angle towards the long side of the arena wall. Come to a halt in the same angle. The horse has to stay straight, but slightly flexed and bent away from the direction you intend to leg-yield. Try to make the horse step in this angle side-ways, step by step. Do not let the horse change the 35 to 45 degree angle. Stop the horse immediately if he is drifting, to correct the angle and proceed patiently step by step for a short distance. Give your horse a rest, repeat it again. It is a good idea to come to a halt to stop the exercise in the same angle. After you get experienced doing this you can make a partial turn on the forehand, change the flexion and leg-yield back in the other direction. Practice this exercise first on the outside track facing the wall. This will help you to prevent the horse stepping forward. Stop immediately, come to a halt and start again.
When the leg-yielding improves, you can do the same exercise farther away from the wall.
There are many ways of leg-yielding. Decreasing and increasing of a rectangle is done in a forward and sideways manner. Coming through the corner on to the long side, give the horse outside flexion and bend. Leg-yield diagonally toward the centerline. The forehand should be slightly leading but do not allow the shoulder falling out. Avoid the horse from only drifting sideways. Ride halfway down the long side. Change flexion and the bend. Leg-yield back to the outside track.
Do not worry if you did not make it to the centerline. The importance is the correctness of the leg yielding. Aim to reach eventually the centerline. Practice the exercise in both directions.
Another leg-yield exercise is on a 15 metre square. Leg-yield up the square facing inwards, until you come to the corner. Make a turn on the forehand without losing the rhythmical steps around the corner. Continue the exercise around the entire square. Do it in both directions.
Practice leg-yielding in a trot as well, but only on a straight line or going diagonally. Practice the more difficult side not longer, but more often. The rider has to learn to give the aids to the horse with feel and precision and in harmony with the horse.
One more way to practice leg-yielding in a circle is to imagine a big wheel with a 15 metre radius, with the spokes during inwards to the hub of the wheel. Leg-yield around the wheel facing the hub. It is very important that the horse should always be in the correct leg-yielding position. If not, stop and correct it. As long as you are unable to achieve this, your horse is still crooked, tense and moving with braced muscles. Practice this exercise in both directions. If you and your horse are getting very supple and sensitive, you can change flexion and bend smoothly and proceed in the opposite direction.
Doing leg-yielding facing inwards the quarters travel in a larger radius than the forehand. The same exercise can be done with the quarters facing the hub. In this case the forehand travels the larger radius than the quarters. All types of leg-yielding are excellent gymnastic exercises for the horse. The rider will develop refined skills and feel to give the aids very artfully and precisely.