How do you know what diagonal your on when trotting?

Question

I have been riding for a long time and i know how to change the diagonal but i dont know how to tell if your on the wrong on. Same for leads at the canter?

Answer 1

You need to glance at the outside shoulder for the trot. I know this has always helped me, but some ppl find it confusing, but if you watch the muscles of the shoulder move it almost looks as if the muscles move in the shape of a raindrop. You should be posting up while the movement is moving down an to the front of the rain drop shape......this is hard for me to explain, but if you really watch the shoulder while trotting around you can see it... i swear lol.

For the canter you look at the inside shoulder, you should see the shoulder moving far forward..an sometimes you can see the hoof. (you should be able to feel the horse's inside leg stretching out farther.

hope this helps an that i didnt just confuse you more.

Answer 2

I have an easy way of remembering the two, I've been riding for 20 years and still use it today! When you are trotting, rise when the outside leg goes forward. When you are cantering, the inside should lead. They are opposites. Trot,outside. Canter, inside. I also like to think about they horse- the horse would be more balanced on a turn with that inside leg to lean on at the canter.

To really learn them, practice one at a time until you always remeber them. Some people can feel the difference, but if you have a horse like mine, he is so balanced on both leads it's near impossible to tell. Look down and watch his strides.

Answer 3

Okay so when your posting/rising trot you should always be out of the tack when the outside leg in up and then sitting down when the outside leg is down. By the outside I mean the leg closest to the gate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqE6Tg3Hd...

Too change your diagonal you need to sit twice.

In the cantering you can see if you are cantering on the right lead by looking at the shoulder and the inside (closest to the middle of the arena) should be leading. When if you are experienced you will be able to feel it.

Answer 4

Trotting-- rise and fall with the leg on the wall

So the front leg on the outside, you move with it.

On cantering, its the inside leading leg.

Until you get the 'feel' of it, you can look.. Eventually you will be able to feel the set up and take off to a canter departure and also on the trotting diagonals.

Answer 5

When trotting i assume you are posting lol. So, when you are up and the leg to the outside of the direction you are trotting you are on the "right" diagonal, if the one on the inside is going forward, you are on the "wrong" diaganal.

When cantering, (and this is the same for trotting) you can look down and see what leg is moving you could try it at the walk first and when you pick up the canter, the INSIDE leg has to be streached further then the outside one,

I hope i helped, good luck with your riding.

this could help too

cantering:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_S5GOYh3...

trotting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNUCdXGxp...

Answer 6

When the outside leg/shoulder moves upwards, you post upward ("rise and fall with the leg on the wall") After a while you will be able to feel it, but for now you'll need to look.  

When catering, you need the inside leg to be moving further in front than the outside.  Usually the shoulder makes more of a circle/ wheel and the outside shoulder just moves up and down.

Good luck!

Answer 7

You have to post when the outside shoulder goes up and then sit when the shoulder goes down. They say rise and fall with the shoulder at the wall! And for cantering make sure the inside leg is the  one  stretching out first.

If the horse is on the wrong lead bring him down to a walk and try again

Hope this helps!

Answer 8

when you're trotting, when you stand up off the saddle it should be when the horse's shoulder closer to the wall is going forward.

Answer 9

You want to look at the horse's outside front leg. It should be moving forward when you rise, coming back when you sit.

For leads, glance down at the horse's shoulders. The inside should be moving slightly farther forward than the outside if you are on the correct lead.  

Answer 10

Here's a little trick I learned:

Rise and fall with the leg on the wall

This means that everytime you post up, the leg closest to the wall (your left) should move forward. To do so, simply look down when you begin trotting, and if the front leg on the left is forward, you should post up, then when it moves back, you should be in the saddle. It isn't the same as canter leads; if the horse is on the right lead for canter, that means that their leg closest to the inside of the ring is moving forward first, as opposed to the leg closest to the wall. I hope this helps! :]

Answer 11

lol, this one took me WEEKS to figure out, but i eventualy got my lightbulb moment :D

What I am assuming you already know, is that when you are trotting, you should be posting with the horses shoulder that is closest to the rail (outside shoulder)

What i do, to make sure i'm on the right diagonal, is when i am posting I look down at the horses shoulder. when you see the outside shoulder go foward (looks like its ahead of the inside one), stand, and when you see the outside shoulder go back (inside shoulder looks more foward) sit down

hope this helps!