There are many benefits of riding leg yield, but some horses find it tricker to crack than others. According to international dressage rider and trainer Emma Woolley, the best way to teach leg yield is from the ground first.
- Start by teaching your horse to cross their legs by moving away from the light pressure of a schooling whip held parallel to the stifle.
- Walk on the outside of the horse and on the long side of the arena flex their nose gently towards the wall using the reins.
- Ask their quarters to go in off the track by holding the whip next to the stifle.
- All the while keep the walk rhythm.
- Often you won’t even need to touch your horse with the whip — they will instinctively step sideways.
A sideways movement
Once your horse is happy with this stage, you can move on to doing leg yield from the centre line to the track. Then do it on the diagonal from one corner of the school to the other.
“If your horse does all of this easily and well, you should have no problem whatsoever doing the movement under saddle, as your leg simply replaces the whip and your horse will already understand what you want them to do,” explains Emma.
Above all, remember that leg yield is a suppling exercise that really helps to boost a horse’s strength and body awareness, as well as the rider’s control.
It’s used as the base of all lateral work and is incorporated into training all the way up the levels, helping to develop a quicker reaction to the sideways aid.
Main image: copyright Your Horse Library/Kelsey Media Ltd
