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Trailing quarters in leg yield and travers...

4K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  Can He Star 
#1 ·
I need a little help. I have state dressage in 5 weeks and tess has a little problem. She trails her hind end in leg yield and travers to the left. Would you dressage people be able to give me an exercise to overcome this? Please... It's much appreciated!
 
#4 ·
Thankyou! I was hoping you or kayty would see this :) how an I move her HQ over more? She doesn't respond to the leg, she gets a little confused... I have been teaching her to move them over by tapping with the dressage whip on the ground but I just have to transfer that to saddle :)
 
#5 ·
Have you tried moving your leg further back? With G Man sometimes I have to make things very clear with him, and that includes using my leg further back than I am comfortable with. Once he gets the idea I can then ease off and use lighter and more subtle cues.
 
#6 ·
If she doesn't respond to the leg, you need to take a step back in your training and go back to basics, to establish the give to the leg aids.
Try asking for a couple of steps of leg yield here and there, on a circle, out of a circle to a straight line etc. Only a few steps at a time, not a full diagonal or half arena.

Feel like you are 'juggling' her between your legs, put your left leg on and expect her to go to the right and fill up your right hand, and vice versa.
Once you get good lateral control of her while asking for only a few steps at a time, then start looking at working mroe solidly on your leg yield. I find that generally when the quarters are trailing in any lateral movement, it is because you have no got enough connection between the inside leg to the outside rein, and have then got no ability to give a half halt to ask the quarters over.

Try riding 2 steps of leg yield, then straight, then 2 steps of leg yield, straight, 4 steps of leg yield, straight.... so on.
Riding a few straight steps will bring the quarters back in line and give you control of the shoulder again.



Same process for tavers, you need to control the shoulders and have a very good connection from leg to hand. Riding dressage is very much a juggling act. You can never rest and 'celebrate', we're always asking for a little more flexion, a little more energy, a little more over the back....
 
#7 ·
^^ Thankyou so much! I'm setting up my arena so I will have a proper place to practice and I'm going to give all yur advice a go :) Thankyou all!
 
#8 ·
i agree with katy.
also remember that sometimes you cant use a dressage whip in comps so it is a good idea to be able to get what you want without the whip. its only pc so i dont think there will be a problem but just keep it as a mental note.

also try going back to a walk and corect her before troting. teach her one step at a time and remember to reward her when she does it. aslo try to have her nice and light in you hands and traveling forward the whole time. not rushing but forward and get her working over her back and engaging her hq. this way she has to work and is less likely to drag her hq behind. also make sure she is warmed up well before you start practicing. and try to pay more attention to training her in the areas she's lacking. try doing something a bit harder like some counter canter, diagonals, different sizes circles, halt and moving off into the trot from your halt. this will help get her mind on the job.also if you work on streching her neck muscles before hand asking for left bend and flexion and right bend and flexion, asking her to do some on and off the circle work and then do straight lines she will be more likely to work for you. remember not to drill her and mix it up a bit. do a little bit at a time so she doesnt go sour.

anyway thats some things to work on
goodluck
 
#11 ·
Yes but it comes up in both movements only every now and then...

Now I rode her today in the arena. And tried a few methods, like mixing the routine up a little (as can he star suggested) and what kayty suggested. She actually improved in the little time we were practicing :) I also have heard that travers is easier for them in the canter so I gave it a to. And she gave me a perfect and very soft travers with a left bend. She was a little stiff in the right side today ( sorry guys, I meant to say right not left in my first post) but a lot of flexing and a long warmup fixed that.

Thankyou for all your help guys :) She has come along well in just one ride. Im going to take it slow with her and hopefully we will see some big improvements!
 
#12 ·
YI also have heard that travers is easier for them in the canter !
That is because of outside leg aids easily creates a crooked horse....especially at a canter.
 
#14 ·
Sorry mate, not sure if you entirely understood Spyder's post.
In canter, it is very easy to lose straightness by just putting an outside leg back, hence you notice in flying changes, often the quarters will swing side to side. So though it may feel easier, as though you have got the quarters in travers, really the horse is probably just crooked with the quarters to the inside.
 
#15 ·
I understood. But she did do travers. I'm not saying she did it perfectly but perfect for her level. I do understand. I have trouble saying what I mean in writing :S I'm really sorry...
 
#16 ·
I dont know whats going on with my iPod, it posted before I finished writing. What I meant to say was that after a little work she did a nice traver in canter.
 
#18 ·
Nope, I can't even post photos. Look , I'm not arguing here. And I have no doubt you are all better riders than me. And I thank you for all your help. And she probably just went crooked in the traver at canter a few times I'm not denying that. But she did do a nice traver in canter once, I know what it feels like to have a proper traver executed (I have done it on an old dressage schoolmaster). But we still do need help. And I'm trying my hardest.
 
#19 ·
No ones having a go mate - just speaking from experience, I'm sure we've all done it - I know I have, more times than I can count. And that's why having eyes on the ground is just so valuable to our riding. Something that we really lack here in Australia as we tend to ride on our own all the time.

Take advice as just that, helpful advice, and not critisism. As a dressage rider, you need to develop quite a thick skin and not take anything personally. DuffyDuck here on the forum has similar stories to me in this aspect - I've been shouted out so much that people have come outside to see what's going on, I've been chased around the arena with a lunge whip on a recently ottb because I wasn't riding forward enough, I've been told that my legs are too short to ever look good on a horse and I should take up cycling because I'm so stocky....
Yep, definitely need a thick skin in this sport!
 
#20 ·
For sure! I am taking it all in. I need the help, there's no point in denying that!
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#22 ·
And I know that no one is having a go. Just helpful criticism, yes :) And as i have already said. Thankyou all!
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