Leg Yielding in Dressage: Train Your Body For Better Movement

dressage fitness

How rider position and body control affect leg yielding.

A basic movement in horseback riding is the leg yield. This movement teaches a horse to gain better balance by moving into the outside rein from the inside leg by yielding away from the riders seat. Doing this movement helps a horse gain better balance.

The job of the movement teaches a four-legged animal to gain balance by working the horses inside hind to move more under their center of balance.

You can leg yield in all three gaits, all with the same goal to direct your horse’s inside hind to track under the midline. This is the best place for a rider to sit. A horse that’s balanced is nice to sit. A horseback rider can stay more stable to better balanced their horse moves.

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Rider biomechanics exercises for better lateral movement.

This exercise is specifically designed for the leg yield. Feel the transformation on your horse and see how much easier it is to ride that leg yield. The reverse kick activates some stabilizing leg muscles the connect to the back of your hip. Muscle engagement in this area will increase structural stability and with the kicking action, you’re mobilizing the hip joint.

Rider’s tend to lock the inside hip to create a “deep inside seat” but instead try do this….during the leg yield. Stabilize on your inside leg similar to the grounded leg in the reverse kick. Watch during the exercise and the movement that you grounded-inside leg stays straight. Imagine the the outside leg does a reverse kick. This helps the outside seat to stay mobile during the movement.

The action of raising your arms into a front lift will engage your anterior pectoral and shoulders muscles, helping you stay balanced and centered while performing the leg yield. Hold onto one object instead of two separate weights to ensure the symmetrical of this engagement. In the leg yield, imagine the lifting action in the arms, without lifting your actual arms. This will help you straighten back up above the horse while the horse yields from your leg and seat.