LAURIE: Circles & Half Pass

Wow! I can’t believe it is already November! Though we’ve had the coldest October on record, I loved riding outside all month. The footing has been great and the horses have all been forward and energetic. A couple of themes have transcended most of my lessons over the last couple of weeks.

With regard to circles, ride your circles as though you are constantly expanding them. On a 20 meter circle, you should easily touch your circle points on the rail. Do not defend your circle from a horse falling in over the shoulder. Instead, look up and ride proactively toward your circle line, focusing at least ¼ of the circle ahead of where you are.

The second theme of the past few weeks has to do with the flow of the half pass. We all know that a half pass is nothing more than haunches in on a diagonal line. However, in thinking about the haunches in aspect, do not forget about the forehand. Feel that you can influence the inside front leg to reach forward and point toward that diagonal line. Use your inside leg to create the suppleness through the barrel on your turn preceding the ½ pass, and do not put your outside leg back for the half pass until you have achieved the ability to half halt the energy from the inside leg through your outside rein.