Description

The shoulder in is the foundation for future lateral and collection exercises. During the shoulder in, the horse is:

• slightly bent around the riders inside leg
• inside foreleg passes and crosses in front of the outside foreleg
• looking away from the direction that it is moving
• moving at approximately 30 degrees to the track.

The horse must have the above 4 points to develop the benefits of the shoulder in.

It is a fundamental exercise that teaches the horse to improve its self carriage. When performed with the correct bend. it provides a suppling exercise, and strengthening exercise. This movement is necessary to teach the horse how to move and carry itself with its inside hind leg. During the shoulder in the horse must lower its inside hip and reach under its center of gravity there by holding and supporting its weight.

Prepare, Prepare, prepare.

in the corner before the long side ride a 10 m circle in the corner. As your horse comes out of the corner shift your weight to the outside seat bone, being careful not to collapse at the waist.

1. Your Inside leg acts actively on the girth encouraging the horse to step under himself with his inside leg. Think that the horse is stepping up and forward toward his outside shoulder.
2. bring the horse around as if you were going to continue around the 10m circle again. Support the shoulder with a constant supportive outside rein with your hand just on the outside of the wither.
3. The inside reinsoftly asks for flexion by squeezing quietly on the rein to relax, jaw, poll, neck and shoulder. It supports the inside leg to develop the inside bend. .
4. The outside leg acts passively behind the girth to keep the horses quarters on the track and prevent the quarters from swinging out.

Avoid these mistakes:

1. Too much inside head and neck bend results from riders mistakenly pulling the horses front end off the track with their reins. This results in the horse weighting its front end and causing the hindquarters to drift outwards defeating the purpose of the exercise.
2. No bend throughout the horses body. This results in the horse performing a leg yield in the shoulder in position. The leg yield is a great exercise to develop the shoulder in but does NOT have all the benefits of the shoulder in.

While introducing and riding the shoulder in be understanding and encouraging with your aids. Ensure that the horse understands what you want and take it in stages. If your horse feels that he is becoming trapped the value of the shoulder in is lost. Encourage your horse to develop a strong shoulder in to lead you on to improve and develop collection.