Shoulder-in requires understanding and co-ordination from both horse and rider, so take your time and be patient - both with your horse and yourself. As with all the lateral exercises, preparation is the key to success, so make sure that you set your horse up correctly at the start of your schooling session. Therefore, spend 10 or so minutes at the beginning on a loose rein to allow both of you to relax and stretch.
To encourage greater relaxation and stretching, ask your horse to relax his jaw and ‘round’ (stretch) over his top line. Do this by keeping a steady contact on the outside rein and opening the inside rein away and down a longer in this walk work. On some days this can take 5-10 minutes and on others, 20-25 /minutes. Wait to feel your horse relax. Watch out also for floppy ears (left) in your horse. In Germany, trainers look for this and it’s called the ohrenspiel. or ear play’.
As with all the lateral exercises, preparation is the key to success, so make sure you set your horse up correctly at the start of your schooling session
What is shoulder-in?
It is a suppling and collecting exercise, where the horse’s shoulders are placed slightly onto an inside track - hence ‘shoulder-in’. Ideally, his body should be bent laterally, from head to tail, with the head flexed to the inside away from the direction of travel.
The hindlegs should stay on the outside track (see photo left) and move straight down the track, parallel to each other. The front legs should cross over each other slightly.
With this positioning, the inside hindleg steps forward under the horse’s belly and towards his centre of gravity. This encourages him to flex the joints of the inside hindleg, relax and become more supple through the loins. At the same time, you’re also collecting the inside hindleg and strengthening it by asking it to carry more weight behind.
It is a suppling and collecting exercise, where the horse’s shoulders are placed slightly onto an inside track - hence ‘shoulder-in’. Ideally, his body should be bent laterally, from head to tail, with the head flexed to the inside away from the direction of travel.
The hindlegs should stay on the outside track (see photo left) and move straight down the track, parallel to each other. The front legs should cross over each other slightly.
With this positioning, the inside hindleg steps forward under the horse’s belly and towards his centre of gravity. This encourages him to flex the joints of the inside hindleg, relax and become more supple through the loins. At the same time, you’re also collecting the inside hindleg and strengthening it by asking it to carry more weight behind.