The first of a lateral work series by Sara-Jane Lanning, List 1 judge, and international rider and trainer.

What is lateral work? Simply put, its where a horse moves in a direction other than just straight on. It can be from the ground as well as part of ridden work. The most basic being a horse being asked to move over in the stable, or more complicated like half passes. Any horse who understands the basics is easier and nicer to handle! I like mine to be ‘polite’ in the stable and they all move away from my voice, no other aid required!

Lateral work is the most useful tool for helping your horse develop suppleness. Its part of basic schooling of any horse and much more than just dressage test movements.

Lateral work increases reactions to the aids, engages the hind legs and when done correctly improves and enhances the paces. This engagement improves the balance, strength and expression.

To be done correctly however our aids need to be clear and correct. The basic scales of training for the horse need to be in place, ie working in a rhythm, with suppleness and be through to the contact. This all needs a certain level of impulsion and straightness. The collection will develop along this journey but is certainly not required at the start.

As a judge and trainer, I see so many incorrectly ridden leg yields and shoulder ins! The aids are actually very straightforward and logical when you think about it. To be clear to a horse your inside leg in always at the girth helping the bend, just as it would be on a circle or corner.

Let’s start with the most basic exercise when ridden, the leg yield. To teach a horse start by coming down the centre line from A (or the three quarter line) on the left rein, keep the horse supple around your inside leg (your left leg) and move them away from that inside leg towards the B marker, keep your weight in the middle of the horse to help it stay upright, and keep your outside leg (right leg) just behind the girth. The horse should remain straight in a leg yield with inside flexion away from the direction in which it is moving. I use my leg on and off to get a reaction. This can be done in walk, trot and canter. In a dressage test you often have to go the other way from the direction you have turned from, so a left turn then leg yield away from your right leg (towards E). But don’t complicate matters when teaching a horse or rider!

Hope that helps, shoulder in up next!