Training Tip
SITTING THE TURN
Its important to remember that how we sit on a horse when we ride has a tremendous influence on how it moves. When asking for a turn, for example, if we want to the horse to pivot on the inside back foot we need to be riding forward while asking for the turn. And if we want the horse to pivot on its outside back foot we will want to ride slightly backward during the turn. In combination with that, if we lean to the inside of the turn it can cause the horse to move its hindquarters to the outside, and effectively shift the pivot point to the center of the horse’s body and away from the back feet. This is called ‘turning on its center” or “turning like a bottle”, as in the game “spin the bottle”. This is a very inefficient way to turn since it takes the horse out of collection.
Its important to remember that how we sit on a horse when we ride has a tremendous influence on how it moves. When asking for a turn, for example, if we want to the horse to pivot on the inside back foot we need to be riding forward while asking for the turn. And if we want the horse to pivot on its outside back foot we will want to ride slightly backward during the turn. In combination with that, if we lean to the inside of the turn it can cause the horse to move its hindquarters to the outside, and effectively shift the pivot point to the center of the horse’s body and away from the back feet. This is called ‘turning on its center” or “turning like a bottle”, as in the game “spin the bottle”. This is a very inefficient way to turn since it takes the horse out of collection.