# How to determine a diagonal



## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

It comes in time, and depends on the horse you're on. Ive ridden horses where their diagonals felt identical, whereas the horse I ride now feels really off on the wrong diagonal. Usually, rising to the wrong diagonal is more uncomfortable, or feels off, you just need to develop a feel for it. 
Ive never done it, but ive seen people on here suggest getting lunge lessons focusing on diagonals.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Posting is when the horse's forward momentum causes you to "rise" and then gravity brings you back down. Allow your body to post. If you force posting, then you won't have a clue if you're on the correct diagonal.

It's all about feel, and timing.


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

No tricks. It's all feel, which comes with more time in the saddle.

Pick up a sitting trot and take a quick glance down to see which of the horse's front legs is moving when - look back up and continue to sit the trot, thinking left-right-left-right in time with each stride. Really focus on feeling the difference in strides, how the horses shoulder slightly raises as he extends each leg, how your hip rocks slightly forward & back or almost side to side with the stride, how your legs gently close around one side then the other in time with each stride (this feeling is super prominent at a walk, so it doesn't hurt to start there just to get some feel.) Once you can feel the strides from a sitting trot, you'll be able to feel which stride to post on without looking down.

As you advance in timing and feel, you'll be able to feel which hind leg a well collected horse is stepping into the trot with, and know the diagonal immediately. But it's easier to learn by thinking about the front end.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

On most horses I've ridden (hundreds) both diagonals feel exactly the same. You'll find one here and there that do have an obvious difference but you can't count on it.

You can learn to pick up the correct diagonal straight out of the walk once you learn the flow of the shoulder but that does take more time and practice. The first thing you need to memorize though, is what the rising shoulder looks likes when you are correct. Bear in mind that there is fraction of a second between the shoulder rise and your actual posting rise. (the shoulder mechanism is pulling the leg up.) Once you are correctly posting, study the shoulder movement. Once you learn what it looks like when you're correct you can instantly know by glancing. You need to learn this by looking down just with your eyes, not your whole head. Keep your head up-no one can really see your eye movement.

Then you can work on training your mind to know where each leg is at the walk and pick up the correct diagonal when moving into it. This all takes time so don't worry-you'll get better and better at it!


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## BugZapper89 (Jun 30, 2014)

Many hours in the saddle with many different style horses and great trainers! There is no quick fix to learning.


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## Cimarron (Oct 8, 2014)

Cynical25 said:


> Pick up a sitting trot and take a quick glance down to see which of the horse's front legs is moving when - look back up and continue to sit the trot, thinking left-right-left-right in time with each stride. Really focus on feeling the difference in strides, how the horses shoulder slightly raises as he extends each leg, how your hip rocks slightly forward & back or almost side to side with the stride, how your legs gently close around one side then the other in time with each stride (this feeling is super prominent at a walk, so it doesn't hurt to start there just to get some feel.) Once you can feel the strides from a sitting trot, you'll be able to feel which stride to post on without looking down.


Really helpful advice, thanks so much!!
I can feel which shoulder movement at the walk and would try to keep track of which leg was moving as I was going into trot, but I couldn't ever keep track. My 'determining diagonal' work was all done on a lunge line and I would really try and feel for the shoulder movement, but I feel like I couldn't really feel anything because I was posting. I will definitely try feeling during the sitting trot; that seems like a really sensible place to start. 



Chasin Ponies said:


> Bear in mind that there is fraction of a second between the shoulder rise and your actual posting rise. (the shoulder mechanism is pulling the leg up.) You need to learn this by looking down just with your eyes, not your whole head. Keep your head up-no one can really see your eye movement.


Your remark about the timing difference is helpful!! 
I will see if I can look down without moving my head cuz that would be super helpful. 

Now I'm really excited to try this tomorrow. 
Thank you SO much guys!!!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Honestly, it's just time xD You'll begin to feel it with more experience--particularly if you spend a lot of time on one mount.


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## Gossalyn (Sep 12, 2013)

for me, i realized that depending on which shoulder was forward, i would feel pressure near my leg on one side.. i think the person who said sit the trot and try and feel the shoulders sway back and forth probably gave the best advice. it's harder to tell at the posting trot - i can tell you while sitting which leg is going forward without asking, but sometimes while posting i get it wrong.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

My horse that I have now is very even and I test myself when out hacking to tell which diagonal with out glancing down and can do it most of the time. Some horses are easy to tell and it comes easier with time and practise.
When I want a particular diagonal, I just glance down (no head movement) and see what shoulder moves ahead when the horse takes the first stride of the trot, if that shoulder is the one I want, I rise, if not, I rise with the next stride. Sometimes I think after all the years of riding I have done, I shouldn't even need to glance down but I am sure of my diagonals if I do it that way.


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## aeosborne2002 (Jan 30, 2012)

^ What Gossalyn said. I can usually feel my diagonal based on the pressure against my leg. To help you identify that, try to focus on the feeling against your legs when turning. The sharper the turn/smaller circles, the easier this will be. Doing this while sitting the trot is easier, too. Eventually, you'll hopefully be able to feel this against your legs, even while going straight.

- Adrianne


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