# Leg cues for turning



## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I have been taught this, and it seems to work pretty well:
If you want to turn right (for example) then you apply pressure with your left leg and also apply a little pressure with the right rein. 

Horses move away from pressure - so I have always applied pressure from my outside leg and my horses seem to respond pretty well.

To me, when you add pressure with your inside leg - and it being back a little - and apply pressure with your inside rein at the same time, then to me I would be asking my horses to sidepass.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Which way are you wanting to turn?

I usually use my outside leg to turn and if I have to use rein (my horse doesn't need rein) then I use an opening rein until he moves off of leg alone.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Its possible that you have your inside leg further behind the girth than you realize and he thinks you're asking him to move his quarters away from your leg rather than turn around your leg
A lot also depends on how tight a turn you want to make - just a shallow turn as in a change of rein across a large circle or a close turn around something like a cone. If you're riding a normal circle then your inside rein should be only slightly flexed in the direction you're moving in, your inside leg on the girth and your outside leg slightly behind it to stop the back end from wanting to swing outwards. At the same time you should still be asking your horse to move forwards and allowing him to go forwards by having a light hand that he's walking into
If he's side passing you might not be giving him enough rein to understand that he's supposed to be moving forwards


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## WhyAHorseOfCourse (May 28, 2013)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Which way are you wanting to turn?
> 
> I usually use my outside leg to turn and if I have to use rein (my horse doesn't need rein) then I use an opening rein until he moves off of leg alone.


Inside leg meaning that is the way I want to turn. 

Hmm, I'm a bit confused... The trainer teaches every one at the barn I got to to use their inside leg when turning.


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

WhyAHorseOfCourse said:


> Inside leg meaning that is the way I want to turn.
> 
> Hmm, I'm a bit confused... The trainer teaches every one at the barn I got to to use their inside leg when turning.


I've never heard that.... I've always hear if you want to, say, turn Left, you use your outside (right) leg to push them that way. For the same reason as posted above... Horses move away from pressure. I don't even know how using the inside leg would be a clear cue to turn that direction. If anything I can totally see why he's confused and is trying to sidepass!


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## picup436 (Nov 22, 2012)

The way I turn isn't just using the leg. The position of the riders shoulders dictates where the horse puts his shoulders. So my turning aid is a combination of turning my shoulders, which in turn will naturally close the outside leg against the horse's body. My inside leg is quiet but still there to stop the horse from falling in. Reins are not for steering, my coach (dressage) kicks my backside if I turn using my reins!


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## WhyAHorseOfCourse (May 28, 2013)

I'm definitely going to change the way I use leg pressure for turning now! The trainer always said to use the inside leg, and to use it harder if the horse is not turning. I don't remember her telling me to use the outside leg at all when turning! I feel so stupid


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

WhyAHorseOfCourse said:


> I'm definitely going to change the way I use leg pressure for turning now! The trainer always said to use the inside leg, and to use it harder if the horse is not turning. I don't remember her telling me to use the outside leg at all when turning! I feel so stupid


 Don't feel stupid. I didn't even know leg pressure was a thing until I started looking around on the horse forum. I was just like YEP, She turns when I pull on the reins- She's good to go! haha

Does it makes sense why you use the outside leg? That's the biggest thing. Another example - when you're on the ground teaching a horse to, say, yield their hind end. You push them the way you want them to go. So then when you hop up in the saddle, and you touch their left side, they're going to want to go to the right - and the added rein cues are probably just confusing the horse! I could see why that could be taken as a sidepass cue. 

Let us know how it goes using you outside leg


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

WhyAHorseOfCourse said:


> Inside leg meaning that is the way I want to turn.
> 
> Hmm, I'm a bit confused... The trainer teaches every one at the barn I got to to use their inside leg when turning.


I don't see how inside leg tells a horse it's time to turn. That to me either means to either continue going forward or yield, which is why on a circle you have your outside leg just slightly back to ask for the horse to turn and also to keep the haunches from moving away from your inside leg, which reminds the horse to stay out on the circle and not come in via yielding from your inside leg.

But it's not just leg that initiates the turn. Your outside shoulder blade always leads, and your inside one comes back a bit.


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## WhyAHorseOfCourse (May 28, 2013)

^^ If I've got it straight, the trainer felt the horse was supposed to bend around the inside leg therefore turning *shrug* 

Yes, shoulder wise, I'm pretty sure I understand that part.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

WhyAHorseOfCourse said:


> ^^ If I've got it straight, the trainer felt the horse was supposed to bend around the inside leg therefore turning *shrug*
> 
> Yes, shoulder wise, I'm pretty sure I understand that part.


Well yes the horse does wrap around your inside leg but the inside leg is there to support or yield, not turn. 

The basis of horse training is yielding from pressure  the horse turns by yielding from pressure caused be the ouside leg.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

You use whatever leg you need to use to make a good quality turn where you want the horse to turn.

First of all, most people pull too much when teaching a horse to turn. 

Then, if the horse turns too sharply, does not keep a shoulder up (drops a shoulder), does not make as 'round' a turn as the rider wants, the rider needs to use more inside leg to make the turn round and honest.

If the horse over-bends, (bends its neck too much) or drifter toward the outside shoulder, the rider should use less inside rein, more outside rein to steady the horse and prevent over-bending and more outside leg at the girth to make the horse follow its nose.

When the horse does not bend throughout its entire body or lets its hind feet track outside of its front tracks, the rider needs to use outside leg behind the girth to keep the horse's hip where it belongs. [If you do not do this at the walk and the jog, the horse will throw its butt out and crossfire at the lope.]

It is like there is a constant 'dance' or 'balancing act' between inside rein and outside rein, and inside leg at the girth, outside leg at the girth and outside leg behind the girth.

They are all necessary but in different amounts at different times to keep the horse between the rider's reins and between the rider's legs. An observer should see nothing other than complete, willing compliance when in reality, the rider is busy putting a little pressure here, a little there, a little pull here, a little release there. A good rider just makes it look so easy and 'automatic'.


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## howrsegirl123 (Feb 19, 2012)

I use outside leg and inside rein.
I've done so much leg work that my horse now turns on just leg alone (and some seat pressure)


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## As You Wish (May 22, 2013)

jaydee said:


> Its possible that you have your inside leg further behind the girth than you realize and he thinks you're asking him to move his quarters away from your leg rather than turn around your leg
> A lot also depends on how tight a turn you want to make - just a shallow turn as in a change of rein across a large circle or a close turn around something like a cone. If you're riding a normal circle then your inside rein should be only slightly flexed in the direction you're moving in, your inside leg on the girth and your outside leg slightly behind it to stop the back end from wanting to swing outwards. At the same time you should still be asking your horse to move forwards and allowing him to go forwards by having a light hand that he's walking into
> If he's side passing you might not be giving him enough rein to understand that he's supposed to be moving forwards


 
:clap:This is the best explanation I have see and is completly accurate. Inside leg on the girth helps the horse bend around your leg while he is turning, outside leg back slightly helps him to not move sideways but forward into the turn.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

^^^^Thank you
I think its etched into my brain from the number of times it was screamed at me by a pony club instructor - and then the number of times I screamed it at the people I was trying to instruct !!!!


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## WhyAHorseOfCourse (May 28, 2013)

Thanks every one for the helpful comments! 
I rode Jasper bareback today(just walking) and tried doing what you guys said to. He seemed to respond the way I wanted and pick up on the "new" use of leg fairly well. Next time I ride(in a saddle) and do some trotting work it will be interesting to see how he'll cope with the turns.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I know this doesn't really have anything to do with the thread - but I have a cat named Jasper!!


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## WhyAHorseOfCourse (May 28, 2013)

^^ Lol. Want to talk on horse chat?


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