So I know shoulder in and leg yield are essentially the same movement, one along the rail, the other across the arena (sorry explaining in very poorly said layman terms! AND correct me if I'm wrong). But i know there is a lot of difference at the canter when leads come into play as opposed to the more even gait of the trot.
For the canter, I can leg yield (as I've called it) tracking on the right rail, bending to the right, moving laterally through the left shoulder, on the left lead (which would be the "wrong" lead if we were along the rail per se). I've been working with my horse to engage his hind end more and balance and lighten the fore, and in the past few weeks (and again today YAY!) we could now shoulder in (as I'm calling it) at the canter, tracking on the right rail, bending to the right, moving laterally through the left shoulder, on the RIGHT lead (which I believe would be the precursor to a half-pass - don't worry we're not even attempting that!).
This is with my jumper, and we're doing this to increase suppleness and my dressage trainer isn't back in a few weeks so I wanted to ask for some technical assistance here please! I believe that the first one is the easier move because the left lead means the left shoulder is already more forward so bending right but cantering on the left lead makes it easier for the horse to move in that direction. The latter, on the right lead, I feel is much harder and took much more work to achieve as the horse has to maintain the right lead, while bending right but moving laterally.
I'm not sure I'm explaining this well sorry! I'm trying!
In all of this, think as if it was a shoulder in at the trot along the rail (haunches to rail, shoulder slightly inward off the rail, horse bent to the inside) but at the canter. It's just the lead (and therefore I believe level of difficulty) that is changing. For the record, I do this in both directions, just choosing one example.
So - clarification - explanation - help - anything! would be greatly appreciated! Am I even calling it the correct thing, and is my understanding of the level of difficulty correct for each? Also please know we are not working towards any level dressage specifically, but rather targeting strengthening my horse's hind end for jumpers, and increasing his flexibility and strength. Thank you!!!!
For the canter, I can leg yield (as I've called it) tracking on the right rail, bending to the right, moving laterally through the left shoulder, on the left lead (which would be the "wrong" lead if we were along the rail per se). I've been working with my horse to engage his hind end more and balance and lighten the fore, and in the past few weeks (and again today YAY!) we could now shoulder in (as I'm calling it) at the canter, tracking on the right rail, bending to the right, moving laterally through the left shoulder, on the RIGHT lead (which I believe would be the precursor to a half-pass - don't worry we're not even attempting that!).
This is with my jumper, and we're doing this to increase suppleness and my dressage trainer isn't back in a few weeks so I wanted to ask for some technical assistance here please! I believe that the first one is the easier move because the left lead means the left shoulder is already more forward so bending right but cantering on the left lead makes it easier for the horse to move in that direction. The latter, on the right lead, I feel is much harder and took much more work to achieve as the horse has to maintain the right lead, while bending right but moving laterally.
I'm not sure I'm explaining this well sorry! I'm trying!
In all of this, think as if it was a shoulder in at the trot along the rail (haunches to rail, shoulder slightly inward off the rail, horse bent to the inside) but at the canter. It's just the lead (and therefore I believe level of difficulty) that is changing. For the record, I do this in both directions, just choosing one example.
So - clarification - explanation - help - anything! would be greatly appreciated! Am I even calling it the correct thing, and is my understanding of the level of difficulty correct for each? Also please know we are not working towards any level dressage specifically, but rather targeting strengthening my horse's hind end for jumpers, and increasing his flexibility and strength. Thank you!!!!