Building a Partnership with Your  

Young Horse
"Communicating with Your Aids

Keys to Success, Part 10    

    by Lynn Palm   

   The goal for both the bending and turning aids is to control the horse's body position and his balance. In this article, we'll learn how to correct the two most common problems - falling out and falling in - that occur when trying to keep a horse straight through a turn. Many horses have a natural tendency to fall out or fall in when turning, and it may be more of an issue when turning in one direction than the other. It is the rider's responsibility to anticipate this and know how to correct it using the turning aids.

Correcting Falling Out

   Start at the walk and prepare to bring the horse onto a large circle to the right. Always keep in mind this "golden rule" of riding-to turn correctly, the rider must get the horse bending correctly first. Before the turn, bend the horse using the bending aids (the inside leg and open inside rein) while supporting the bend with the outside leg slightly further back on the horse's barrel than the inside leg. Also support the bend by using an indirect rein against the neck to position the horse. Use the turning aids, the outside leg and outside indirect rein, to direct him through the turn and then follow the circle.