This week I wanted to make a video on a movement that is the butt of many rider frustrations, it’s haunches-in..(terrible pun intended! 🙊). Haunches-in isn’t a simple move and I often find myself struggling with it, so this week I want to share some helpful ways of introducing it to you and your horse.
Firstly, your horse needs to have a very clear understanding of leg yield. I like to start this with the head to the wall at walk.
Come across the short side of the arena and cut the corner at a 45-degree angle, then start leg yielding at that angle up the long side with the neck flexed slightly to the rail (so if moving right, flex left.)
To turn this into haunches-in, we just need to change the bend!
- Use the right rein to flex left
- Bend the body around the right leg at the girth
- Sit on the right seat bone
- The leg yield helps you get the correct angle.
- We want to see 4 tracks in haunches-in.
- Once you’ve mastered it at the walk, move up to the trot.
- Another way to introduce haunches-in is with the 10m circle.
- Make a 10m circle off the rail to establish the correct bend.
On the last quarter of the circle, ask the horse to continue up the rail in this bend.
Some important points to remember!
- Once you get some good steps, praise your horse and give him a break
- Make sure you stay sitting on the inside seat bone (the one directing the bend)
- Haunches-in is like yoga for horses as they’re moving their bodies in a new way so be sure to teach it in bite-sized increments and give lots of breaks and praise, (this can’t be overstated!).
- It’s very important never to let the haunches get to the rail when you’re setting up for the movement, ask for the haunches-in in plenty of time.
