Outside Rein Epiphany

The other day I told you about the butt kicking of a lesson that we had a week ago. What I didn't tell you was that I had a major epiphany about the outside rein. There are only two reins. How is it that I still can't use them correctly?

Struggling with an outside rein connection.

When Speedy struggles with something, it is 99% of the time because I am doing something wrong. My aid is applied incorrectly, my seat is off balance, my timing is off, something. Everything. Anything. It's not you, it's me is a fact of life around here. Poor Speedy.

Somewhere amidst all of the you're doing it wrong but said in a very positive and constructive way, I heard Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, say something about opening the outside rein to move his haunches. It was as though I'd been hit with a stupid stick. Huh? was all I could think to say.

I kid you not. I do not know how to use my outside rein. Since we started doing both trot and canter half passes, I have been pulling my outside rein straight back in an obviously feeble attempt to get Speedy to move his haunches over.

How he is able to decipher my crappy aids to move his haunches over is a mystery to me.

Apparently, if I were to simply open my outside rein instead of pulling it straight back, I would be able to draw Speedy's shoulders into the opening created by the rein which would have the effect of moving his shoulders over which would in turn allow him to move his haunches in. Palm to face moment right there, folks. Rider of the year.

Just for fun - flying change.

Oh, and it works. I've been using the idea on both Izzy and Speedy this past week, and it is shocking how much easier it is to get the haunches to move when you open the outside rein. Try it. It really does work.

And while I was solving that problem, Chemaine offered me one more little tip. In the trot half pass, when Speedy is finally bent and my outside rein is open, and he still can't quite get it, think about piaffe. If he can't keep the forward, he has to stay in that box I've created and still work hard. Piaffe is harder than just going forward. Even though it's not actually a piaffe, just by me thinking piaffe he has to work harder than if he just went forward.

"Expressive" walk to canter moment. That's what happens when you have to "stay in the box."

So the next time you're opening your outside rein to move the haunches, try thinking about piaffe, too. Who knows how many problems you'll be able to solve? My ineptitude is your gain. You're welcome.