Corners

Corners A proper corner is the basis for all good dressage movements. The horse should be bent evenly throughout its body in order to execute a corner that inscribes an arc of a circle.

Position Right or Left  Whenever bending a horse, the rider must first to establish position right or left depending on the direction of the turn or movement. The rider takes back on the flexion rein (remember the flexion rein is a direct rein) back toward the rider's inside hip. The rider moves their outside leg back. This prepares the horse to execute the corner, circle or any movement which requires bend. When the rider establishes flexion, the rider should maintain that flexion until the corner is complete, even though the flexion rein is not the dominant rein aid. If the rider is riding the horse on even light contact, the rider must follow forward with the outside rein when taking flexion, to keep the same light even contact with both reins. The hand and rein movement is similar to that in turning a bicycle's handlebars. One hand and shoulder comes back or the other hand and shoulder goes forward. The horse should never turn on the flexion rein. Turning on the flexion rein prevents the rider from establishing flexion for other movements in which the horse does not turn.

Corner The rider then lowers her inside heel, making the inside leg long, and transfers weight to her inside seat bone. The outside rein is then taken back toward the belly button, or the pommel of the saddle. Flexion and bend is maintained throughout the horse.The rider then gradually straightens the horse and rides forward to the next corner. The rider's inside leg and seat bone and outside rein are the dominant aids for the corner.

Although I have separated the aids into two main parts they really happen all at once. I have separated them so the rider would have a better understanding of what is really required to make a correct corner. As the training advances the rider should try to make her corners deeper and deeper, but should never be abrupt or off balance.