My husband, Germán LOVES the shoulder-in to renvers exercise because it supples your horse. This movement is first seen in Third Level Test 2. While this exercise is very difficult to ride well, it improves your horse’s straightness, suppleness, balance, and overall control. It will enhance your horse’s ability to respond to subtle aids, isolate and control their body parts, and smoothly transition between movements.
In this video, I asked my husband, Germán, to break down the shoulder-in to renvers movements and my assistant Caine is demonstrating the exercise as Germán coaches her though it. Before you watch the video, here’s a breakdown of this important exercise:
Understanding Shoulder-In
The shoulder-in is a lateral movement where your horse’s shoulders are brought in off the track with bend in the horses body. This puts the horse on three tracks: one for the outside hind leg, one for the inside hind leg and outside front leg, and one for the inside front leg. This exercise not only improves balance and suppleness but also helps in developing the horse’s engagement of the hindquarters.
How to Ride Shoulder-In:
- Start by positioning your inside leg at the girth and your outside leg slightly back.
- Use your outside rein to bring the shoulders off of the rail and your inside rein to help with flexion and positioning.
- The shoulders should be slightly off the track while the hindquarters remain on the track.
Understanding Renvers
An easy way to remember renvers is to say “renvers = shoulder-in, ‘wrong bend.’ ” Renvers, or haunches-out, is the same positioning as shoulder-in but you change the bend. In renvers, the horse’s shoulders are brought in off the track and the horse is counter bending towards the rail. Renvers is performed on four tracks. This movement further challenges your horse’s balance and engagement by requiring a shift in bend and positioning.
How to Perform Renvers:
- As you transition from shoulder-in to renvers, switch your leg aids: your outside leg (which was previously back) moves to the girth, and your inside leg moves slightly back to push the haunches toward the wall.
- The bend should now be towards the outside of the arena
The Importance of the Shoulder-In to Renvers Transition
Practicing the transition between shoulder-in and renvers helps to isolate different parts of your horse’s body, improving control and flexibility. This exercise requires your horse to change the bend while maintaining forward movement, which is crucial for more advanced Dressage work, such as half-passes and flying changes.
By mastering this exercise, you develop the ability to move your horse’s body fluidly from one side to the other, ensuring that your horse remains balanced and responsive throughout. The shoulder-in to renvers transition also sets the foundation for more complex lateral work, making it an essential exercise for any Dressage rider.
I hope this explanation of this exercise helps you and your horse! Give it a try, and don’t hesitate to revisit the basics as you and your horse progress.
Happy Riding!
Amelia
P.S. Not ready for this exercise yet? Check out my Free Patterns and Figures PDF Guide. Inside are my top five exercises and patterns for all levels!