Inviting My Horse To Be ON THE BIT (7) Transitions From Walk Leg Yields To Trot On Circular Line

In this part of my ‘On The Bit’ video series, Thana and I will show you how you can use a few steps of leg yielding in the walk on a small circular line as a perfect setup to invite your horse into a soft, supple transition into the trot. This technique requires you and your horse to be reasonably familiar with the leg yield in the walk on the straight line and an awareness of how to apply the diagonal aid system to this exercise. It will also be helpful if you have been practicing some of the exercises shown in the previous videos of this series.
As with all of our endeavors in Dressage, developing a feel for this type of movement with your horses will enhance their ability to stay relaxed, engaged and straight through their body while maintaining a more consistent, elastic contact to the bit.
In this video you will find answers to the following questions:
1. What type of rein, seat and leg aids will help my horse stay on the bit when riding walk-trot transitions on circular lines?
2. How can riding leg yields on circular lines help my horse stay supple and connected during our walk-trot transitions?
3. Which sequence of movements will help my horse become lighter and softer in the contact?
Watch, experiment and take your time with this sequence of movements as it can be a bit tricky in the beginning. Plus, you may also find these videos helpful:
Inviting My Horse To Be ON THE BIT (1) ‘The Circle Of Aids’ & Riding In ‘Shoulder-To-Shoulder Mode’ - • Inviting My Horse To B...
Inviting My Horse To Be ON THE BIT (2) Understanding And Building A Vocabulary With My Horse - • Inviting My Horse To B...
Inviting My Horse To Be ON THE BIT (3) Introducing Counter Flexion On Curved Lines In The Walk - • Inviting My Horse To B...
Inviting My Horse To Be ON THE BIT (4) Walk-Trot Transitions On Curved Lines - • Inviting My Horse To B...
Inviting My Horse To Be ON THE BIT (5) Walk-Trot Transitions On Straight Lines - • Inviting My Horse To B...
Inviting My Horse To Be ON THE BIT (6) Introducing Diagonal Aids In The Trot - Watch the full-length video at • Inviting My Horse To B...
Happy riding! :)
PS: Get your free Arena Pattern Guide at www.katjaelk.c....
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Horse: Thana, 19 year-old mare, Oldenburg/WB; Background: Imported from Germany; formerly ridden and competed as an upper-level jumper; Health: Carefully rehabbed and trained after a neck surgery to treat Wobbler’s syndrome in 2015, eye surgery in 2020, and arthritis; Training: Careful Dressage and ground training. Temperament (0 being extremely calm/laid-back, 10 being highly excitable/hot): 7; Personality: Alpha mare; reacts to pressure by either pushing back or becoming overly forward, with a tendency to run and grind teeth when feeling stressed; Sweet spot: Loves to have an open two-way conversation; learns best when new things are presented in small, digestible pieces and likes to collaborate when no one asks too much too soon.
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Note: Viewers should consult a professional before adopting any of the training techniques shown in this video. Any activity you do with your horse is at your own risk and may produce varied results.
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California-based Dressage trainer, instructor, clinician and life coach, Katja Elk, provides gentle training solutions for riders and horses of all backgrounds.
“Over the course of my life, I have been fortunate enough to learn from many amazing human and equine teachers. In my videos, I share tips and pointers with people interested in expanding their knowledge about foundational Dressage and different types of groundwork. You will see me work with my clients’ horses of various breeds, levels and backgrounds, highlighting parts of the journey we call work/play-in-progress with our equine partners. None of the shown clips are flawless. In fact, they all show the many imperfections an active, aging rider faces who entered the professional field as an instructor/trainer later in life and who keeps on striving to show that Dressage can be an activity we all can enjoy with our horses at most stages of our lives and at varying levels of expertise. The videos are honest, heartfelt attempts to show you ways to nurture a kind, joyful and productive relationship with your horses as you are exploring and expanding on the many facets of Dressage and groundwork.”
Katja applies the concept of a friendly, trust-based, two-way communication system to riding Dressage, work-in-hand as well as groundwork such as halter-work, longeing/lungeing and longlining.
Additionally, Katja, a Martha Beck certified master life coach, works with people who are looking for relief from anxiety, depression and/or other challenges in their lives.
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Music by lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

[@simonshusse]

This is spot on what I need to do regularly for some time with the horse that I ride. He's a 9 year old show jumper and I do dressage work on him a couple of times per week or more. Being on the bit is more the result of the work for us than the purpose, which is engaging his hind end and make him want to lift his back. But this exercis will suit us perfectly, thank you!

[@katjaelk]

Thank you so much for your comment! I love to hear that you're incorporating regular Dressage work with your jumper. And so happy you find this exercise helpful. It's one of my favorites and also really useful for walk-canter departs. :)

[@elizabethkiener9220]

What an interesting exercise to do 👍, will introduce this in-hand first (above all the leg-yielding part around a circle on the ground), then try to translate it into saddle afterwards. I guess this is an excellent exercise to supple the horse & even collect it a bit (?). Anyway, love hearing about the "lightness of aids", is actually what I'm constantly striving for (an ongoing process I find 😉). Thanks for sharing ❤

[@katjaelk]

Thank you for your kind feedback, Elizabeth! Great idea to start with the leg-yielding on the ground before trying it under saddle. And you're so right, all of this is in service of creating a more balanced, supple horse and therefore a lighter feel for the rider as well. So nice to see that these things came across. Thank you again! :)