do you happen to have anything addressing leg yielding? I am having a tough time keeping my mare balanced especially leg yield right and looking for any help.
Thanks so much, really enjoying receiving your issues.
Lynn
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Lynn.
ReplyDeleteHere are a couple of things to consider...
Are you practicing your leg yields in the walk or trot? If you are working at the trot, you may want to slow things down to a walk to allow time for your horse to understand your aids. And also for you to evaluate the correctness of the aids you are using. You can slow your tempo by growing taller through the upper body. This slower pace is generally easier for the horse and helps them to keep their balance.
Is your horse more supple and strong on one side versus the other? Horses do tend to show more strength and suppleness going to one side (often the left). Whereas most people tend to be stronger and more supple with their right. You may find that your mare is not as supple when traveling to the right. That would require a little extra work to that side to ensure that she is equally strong and supple on the right as she is on the left.
Are you maintaining your contact equally in both reins? Your mare should remain straight through the body with a slight flexion away from the direction she is traveling. If you do not provide enough contact, your mare will lose her ability to stay balanced. Be sure to apply more contact in the rein that is too light. Use your inside rein to maintain flexion by staying a little away from the neck and forward toward the bit. The outside rein stays against the next and controls the tempo, bend and roundness. The half halt is a good tool also for re-balancing.
Where are your legs? Eventhough you should be sitting straight, the inside leg should be farther back asking the horse to step over. The outside leg (the side you are moving towards) should remain in a neutral position at the girth ready to move back if needed to prevent the hindquarter from leading.
Are you traveling too steep? In order to perform the leg yield properly, the horse must maintain forward movement. Traveling sideways too much eliminates the horse's ability to maintain connection. If you find that your mare is traveling more sideways than forward, apply your driving aids. Don't be afraid to pull out of the leg yield to gain forward momentum. Once your mare is moving forward again, then ask for a few more steps of leg yield.
Remember that this is a process and that your horse may not be ready to complete the leg yield completely across the diagonal. Repetition will help her to get it. Be sure to reward the small victories. If she performs 3 or 4 good strides of leg yield, reward her by going straight. The next time ask for 4 or 5 strides. Before you know it, you'll be leg yielding the entire diagonal like a pro and your horse will be much happier to do it for you.
We do have a small article in our schooling tips section regarding leg yielding. You can view that information by visiting http://www.dressage-academy.com/schooling-tips/leg-yield.html. If this does not answer your question or you are still encountering trouble, please let me know. If you would like to provide more information about what your mare is doing specifically or a video clip (if you would like), I would be happy to help.
Hope this helps. All the best.
Sarah