Answer

By Your Horse

Natural Horsemanship Expert Charles Wilson replies:

It would be a good idea to find out if he has any difficulty bending one way or the other on 10m circles, or if he has any irregularity in his steps. If so, he may have a stiff muscle somewhere, which may need treatment before introducing lateral work. The usual checks of teeth, feet and saddle should also be done if you have any concerns in these areas.
As the aim of lateral work is to make the horse supple, you could continue your walk work and see how things go as his training progresses. There’s always a chance he will loosen up and the problem will sort itself out.When asking for leg yield, it’s important that your position and aids are accurate and clear, so your horse has every chance of understanding what you are asking for.I would ask for leg yield on the left rein (just reverse the aids to work right) by doing the following:
● Ride a 10m circle left in the middle of one of the short sides of the arena. Make sure that your circle is accurate.
● Sit with your weight on your inside (left) seatbone, your inside leg near the girth and your outside leg behind the girth. Your upper body should be slightly turned to the left to bring the horse’s forehand over to the left.
● Your hands should be parallel at either side of the horse’s withers, and you should look ahead between his ears all the time.
● Your inside leg keeps the walk going, while your outside leg prevents the quarters swinging out.
● Your inside rein should be softer than the outside rein if your seatbone and inside leg aid are correct. Your outside rein keeps the horse’s neck in line with his body, so his spine is curved evenly from tail to ears.
● His poll will be the highest point if he is in a correct, rounded outline with his back and stomach muscles working properly.
● Leave the 10m circle from the track at either A or C but maintain the bend that you have. Increase the pressure of your inside leg to ask him to move sideways and to the right, keeping a firmer outside rein. His front and back legs should cross like scissors.
● Be happy with two or three steps at first, then continue straight down the quarter line or ride another 10m circle before repeating a few more steps of leg yield.
● Be careful not to draw the inside leg back to ask for leg yield as your weight could slip to the wrong side.Leave the exercise before your horse begins to struggle with it, and ride on a straight line to let him have a breather and check that he is straight through his body.