Q&A In the saddle
Our experts
Amy Blount is a dressage rider and coach who competes up to Inter I.
Tania Grantham is a Grand Prix dressage rider and expert in polework exercises.
Photos: Lucy Merrell, Jon Stroud
Free-falling
My horse falls in around turns. Is there a way to try and help him become more balanced?
Alice Sherlock
Amy Blount answers: Falling in typically happens when a horse lacks balance or suppleness. Instead of carrying his weight behind, he might turn his head to the outside and drop his inside shoulder. It’s tempting to try and correct problems like
this with your hands, but it’s important to address the root of your difficulty rather than the symptom – your horse needs to develop his strength.
One way to try and improve your horse’s ability to carry himself is by riding transitions through the turn to create more time to push him round your leg. For example, if you’re approaching a corner in trot, make a downward transition to walk as you come into the corner, push him around the turn with your inside leg, and then trot as you come away from it. Use your half-halts effectively, making sure that for each one you apply, you follow it up with a positive leg aid. As your horse starts to understand that he has to wait and then step away from your leg, you’ll teach him to do this when you just apply half-halts.