How to Change Rein Through the Circle

Change rein through the circle is one of my favorite exercises! It helps your horse become more supple, bend evenly in both directions, and stay balanced inside leg to outside rein. In this video, I walk you through how to ride this pattern correctly and how to use it to improve your horse’s way of going.

Start by riding an accurate 20-meter circle. That means keeping your eyes up and aiming for the correct touchpoints.

As you pass over the centerline of your circle, turn through the middle—cutting the circle in half. Ride your change of direction like a yin and yang symbol, where one arc blends into the next.

The key to this exercise changing the bend in your horse’s body. Most riders instinctively pull on the inside rein when changing directions, but that causes the horse to fall in or turn incorrectly.

Here’s what to do instead:

1. Inside leg at the girth: This creates the bend
2. Outside leg behind the girth: Prevents the haunches from swinging out
3. Outside rein steady by the withers: Supports the shoulder turning and keeps balance
4. Inside rein: Softly flexes and rewards when the bend is correct

What to Avoid

If you rely only on the inside rein and forget your legs, you’ll likely see this:

• Your horse’s head turns, but their body falls in
• The shoulder drops, and the horse cuts the circle
• The spine is not aligned with the arc of the circle

From the saddle or even the drone view, it’s clear when the bend is correct versus when the horse is twisting or stiff. Remember, you want your horse’s entire spine—from poll to tail—curved evenly along the circle line.

Correct bend is essential for creating roundness and softness in your horse. It’s the foundation of straightness, balance, and throughness. If your horse can’t bend correctly, it becomes nearly impossible to develop collection, lateral work, or self-carriage.

Give this change-of-rein pattern a try in your next ride. It’s a powerful tool for improving balance, responsiveness, and flexibility—especially in smaller spaces or early in your warmup.

Happy Riding,

Amelia

P.S. Need more help with bend? Check out my Bend Workshop. Inside this workshop, I help you teach your horse to respond to your leg and rein aids clearly, from the ground up. This training walks you through:

1. Teaching the bend from the ground
2. Fixing common turning and resistance issues
3. Understanding and applying the correct bending aids in the saddle

👉 Click here to sign up for the Bend Workshop.