If you are trying to do lateral work like haunches-in, shoulder-in and half passes, then you have no choice but to get your pony to bend.

To do this successfully, here is an equation that you need to work with: Bend Sideways = Engagement (where engagement means joint bending). As the pony bends his rear legs, his croup goes down while his forehand rises like an aircraft at take off or a seesaw).

To get you going, I have 3 tips which will help define if you are getting your pony to bend correctly deriving the most benefits from lateral work.

1. Shoulder-in

Consider the horse’s hindquarters. Are they parallel to a wall while everything else is normal, as if you’re simply riding down a track? If so, he should be on a leg-yield in this shoulder-in position.

2. Haunches-in

Consider the horse’s forehand. Is your horse’s front feet or shoulders pointed outward towards the wall, whilst everything else is normal like you’re simply riding down a track? If so, he should be on a leg yield in the haunches-in position.

3. Half-pass

Half pass is nothing more than a diagonal haunches-in. Thus, the same principles that apply to haunches-in also apply to half passes. Check yourself by going right across the diagonal like you’re simply changing direction and then go haunches-in over 3 to 4 strides. Go back to straight. The critical point arises as you straighten the pony. See whether he swiveled round his forehand to come back to the diagonal. If he did, he was not actually bending at half pass.

Without a doubt if you desire to advance your riding prospects this type of training is going to have to become part of your regular work out and whilst in the beginning it will be a challenge to some… let me affirm that there is nothing quite so pleasing as you suddenly realising that you have won.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about western clothes