How to get more bend!

[@catroy210]

I like your explanation that the release of the inside rein is the test for a proper bend. I knew we weren't supposed to pull, but the purpose of the release was unclear.

[@Vale-nh6ey]

I love mercurio’s name, it fits him perfectly!

[@Genxtravels1979]

He is the goodest boy! This video was super helpful, thanks for posting.

[@roxd8885]

I used to have a long horse - great bend, tougher collection. Now I have a short coupled horse...easier collection but tougher bend. A revelation! Thanks ever so much for mentioning this!

[@julierichardsoncastro838]

Thanks Amelia...makes perfect sense.

[@kbrollins77]

Reviewed this "oldie but goodie" after a train-wreck in my 6 circle exercises! It's always 2 steps forward and 1 step back. (hopefully only 1 step back!)

[@jenniferjones3027]

My Lusitano cross is short coupled and he struggles with bend. I start every ride in hand, leg yielding down the wall, and reverse it as well into haunches in on his difficult side. I give him treats when he gets it right as I know its hard work for him. Its getting better slowly.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Sounds like you are on the right track!!

[@lililin4403]

Love all Amelia's videos, they are all really helpful!!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Glad you like them!

[@karilanham811]

Amelia, I loved this video! It helped me out so much!!!!!!! Beautiful horse too!!!! You break things down so well! Thanks!!!!

[@christinaharmon8778]

I love the way you break this down! Thank you so much! I have 2 short-backed horses that are definitely more difficult to bend.

[@dianag5668]

Excellent demo, thank you!

[@cornbugirl]

Very helpful video. Simply explained and well executed. Really enjoy watching you ride such lovely horses. You make it look so easy. What should I see from the ground that indicates correct bend.

[@loredelore7286]

When I trained in Germany, we were not allowed to to do anything unless we could bend the horse correctly, we also were taught how to ride on circle properly without loosing straightness. There are a lot of trainers who do not know this. In Germany it is a prerequisite to Losgelassenheit, when the horse is supple and gives to the rider.

[@vibeskouenborg6842]

yes, and then you have to ride the horse in front of vertical- even else it is impossible! This looks like a struggle. And then it gets VERY difficult for the horse. With hyperflexion like this, the horse have it very difficult with the balance- because he use his neck for that. Very sad to watch.

[@loredelore7286]

@@vibeskouenborg6842 Riding a horse in front of the vertical before Losgenlassenheit is not classical dressage nor is it modern dressage, this is where people get confused. Long and low is for the purpose of loosening and suppling a horse and building a contact (which has more to do with the entire musculature of the horse and not just the bit and reins) before it is asked to come up. With a young horse this takes almost all of a schooling session and it is what needs to be done properly for the first two years to establish strength in the back which is an ongoing precursor to balance. This is not hyperflexion in this video. It is proper long and low. It is also necessary in order for a horse to be able to bend longitudinally and laterally.

[@vibeskouenborg6842]

@@loredelore7286 why put it into terms, claasical/modern etc instead of looking at the horse? Now a days you NEVER see a horse with poll highest. The 2.-3. vertebrae is always highest when you watch riding- and here it is impossible for the hind end to be engaged. When a horse never is trained in the long shape, nose in front, he will never be able to carry himself. Here in this video you also see a very unsteady head/shape- . A 'Losgenlasshen horse' will be calm, relaxed, show elasticity and work over the back. This horse only use his legs. When vertebrae is bend behind vertical first, they cannot also bend properly in the longitudially. The vertebrae are very limited. You also see that the head of the horse is not straight- the horse rotates in the poll so the muzzle moves obliquely out to the side. BIG mistake. An unable the hindlegs to engage too. And you will never engage the base of the neck this way- and the horse will be on the forhand forever. When the horse is BHV there will also be a broken transition between neck -and chest vertebrae, due to the way the vertebraes are constructed. AND of cause broken transition in the poll and by 2.-3. vertebrae. They are supposed to be straight.

[@loredelore7286]

@@vibeskouenborg6842 Many horses who are not ridden correctly in a long and low manner take some time to learn balance when this type of work is introduced, it takes time for them to to readjust and not all find just giving away the reins solves any readjustment, this horse gets better.

[@sylviamoritz6589]

Now I’m a bit more clear on where my legs should be and what they should be doing. Thank you.

[@heatherstille7477]

Very helpful!

[@mauriciomarques7352]

Thank you for the precious tips that help horses and riders to develop sustainable horse riding and with respect to horses. Mauricio from Brazil. Many thanks.

[@nicolalambourne6782]

I have a very short coupled pony and he really struggles to bend. He’s taught me to use my outside leg and not my hands, or he just falls out through his shoulder. Loving your videos.

[@patriciasaul9544]

Thanks once again!!

[@Cmccullen1]

My mare over bends . Especially to the right. She anticipates the bend or leg yield without me asking. To say she knows her job is a major understatement!!

[@fionaobrien3954]

Omg thank you so much for this! I knew how to bend really well, but then one day I just lost it and started only using my reins to try and bend, and of course, it just made him go hollow. Thanks you so much for giving me a refresher on how to ask for my horse to bend!

[@catrionaholyoake2892]

Thanks Amelia this is great! Mecurio is so beautiful!

[@CM-mr4bt]

Would you have any tips for a horse that is ‘stiff’ to one side? My horse is doing perfect in the left lead, but during the right lead he will avoid bend and try to turn his neck and/or hind end to the left. We have already looked at his spine and neck and are doing exercises and stretches that my vet and my trainer recommended and it’s getting better. But because of this I have to be super precise and clear with what I’m asking of him on the right lead (transitions, bends, etc) and I’m neither the best nor have I been training actual dressage for long. Edit: my trainer also told me to use my leg aid a little bit less than the other aids since he gets anxious with it & gets his focus off, so on my way to watch your videos to improve my seat and hands 🙌

[@edenbrown3470]

Loved this video Amelia you do such great explanations!!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you!

[@rajeevbhardwaj8514]

Verily very distinct explanation in all respect

[@myh7569]

So the leg positioning to get more bend is almost like when you're asking to canter?

[@N12S10S]

my horse moves accoriding to where my weight is so most of the time if I put my weight on the inside he will move to the outside where I can then support him with my other leg.. but my biggest issue is that he is fairly new to bending so if my leg to the inside is more strong/active than the foot to the outside he will switch to the other shoulder and think that my inside foot is showing him the direction instead of bend 😹 it's as they say if you push the horse towards nothing he will only lose balance ... so I have started working on my other foot that is less stable/active and switching directions more often 😄 I am quite lucky that my horse is fairly straight so he isn't very different on both sides I just need to activate my other foot as a support/wall/to show direction 😃

[@DancesWifHooves]

Another great video, Amelia, with simple tips I can keep in mind with my ride tonight. I look forward to your answers to Nat's question, below, as I have the same one myself. I'd also be curious if you've done a video about horses that get a little "too squirrely" between your aids when bending, where it feels like he bounces off one wall into the other - just repetition and consistency perhaps until he relaxes? This occurs occasionally with my boy when he gets too eager to move off the aids.

[@barbaranicholson9750]

Another excellent video, thank you Amelia. My question is about your inside leg. Is it basically loose, supple -- and you are aiding with your ankle and spur?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Ideally you are using your inside calf. If the horse does not listen to this then the spur.

[@rajeevbhardwaj8514]

Good, quite informative and useful too. Is it a horse or mare?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you! Mercurio is a gelding.

[@rajeevbhardwaj8514]

Thanks a lot ​@@AmeliaNewcombDressage

[@tanon2703]

It's true that a shorter back horse is a bit of a challenge. Especially when they decide to try to bend at the base of the neck rather than through the body. I find I have to employ the outer leg carefully so avoid inducing a shuffling over of his rump. You really need to learn the correct feel.

[@reneenowicki6859]

Hey Amelia! I loved this video and our bend has improved! The one thing is that as I'm more deliberate with my outside leg placement to help the bend my horses are trying to canter more often when i just want trot with bend. They are forward which is good but any tips to avoid the canter mistakes?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hey Renee! Thanks for watching and subscribing! kzbin.info/www/bejne/faKmiJSKjaepY7M kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKHbZWOKiJdgp9U These two videos might help you, as well as making a significant half halt if you feel them about to break into canter!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Also, if you want to really get clarity, understanding, and progress on your dressage journey, sign up to my FREE webinar on the Dressage Training Scale on March 13th. www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalewebinar I’m also on FB and IG (you might already know all this but I'm being super thorough today!) facebook.com/amelianewcombdressage & instagram.com/amelianewcombdressage/ Also, and this is super helpful too, join Amelia’s Dressage Club on Facebook, it’s a really active and engaged community of riders and no question goes unanswered! facebook.com/groups/ameliasdressageclub/ And finally, there’s my website! www.amelianewcombdressage.com/ And you can also sign up here for weekly dressage tips sent to your inbox www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/subscribe/ Ok that’s the lot I promise. Have an awesome day! 🐴

[@Natalia-nv2ij]

Hi Amelia! As always, great video. When you bend with your inside leg do you do it in a "push-release" manner or you keep pushing with your inside leg? If "push-release" what is the frequency? Same question with the outside rein. Do you just keep it still or do some half-halting?

[@kshaks1]

Good question about the inside leg. My horse is stiff on one side. So I’ve got into the habit of clamping on with the inside leg, but I’m wondering if he will eventually become dead to it, if I continue?

[@ZingaroXIV]

A basic technique is to apply an aid - such as a bending aid with the inside leg - in the rhythm of the gait. it's the "push release" as you called it, but in the rhythm of the gait. And you apply the aid only until you get a response. You can use it as a reminding aid to maintain or enhance the bend. Keeping contact on the outside rein when asking for bend with the inside leg doesn't preclude the use of half halts while maintaining that steady contact.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Do you have more trouble bending left or right?

[@Vale-nh6ey]

Right!

[@kb2666]

Left

[@DancesWifHooves]

Right!

[@ginaguffey3201]

Left

[@shellygeiger2626]

This is tricky, my horse is A symmetrical in right shoulder. so going to the Left (counter clockwise) he falls out on the right shoulder and going to the right (clockwise) he falls in almost to the point he is leaning on my inside leg. It seems to be hard for him going to the right as he gets really grump towards my leg. Any tips to make this feel better for him?

[@mariamalmqvist4507]

Thank you so much for your excellent videos Amelia! You have such a pedagogical way of explaining things so they become so much clearer than by many of my instructors. I still struggle with the inside leg though; do you push it towards the ground, ie more weight in the stirrup, or more towards the outside hand, ie towards the horse’s body? Do you use the whole leg or only the upper or lower half? And do you use a steady or intermittent pressure? Thank you so much!

[@Miss-Laine]

Hi Amelia! My question is how long do you keep your leg onto create the bend? Is it pressure release or is it you constantly keep your leg on when do you release the aid?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Great question! It's pressure and release, on and off with the rhythm of the gait. Hope that helps!

[@sunshine6616love]

Hi, thanks for the great video! I am a newbie and have a question.....are you applying pressure with the inside leg here? Or just the outside leg? 🤔 ty!!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Bit of both! How much pressure depends on your horse and how much bend you're asking for (ie 25m circle or 10m circle). Hope that helps!

[@jenniferkarlsson1970]

When I tried this, and had my outside leg behind the girth, the horse moved more to the inside of the , so I guess that I have to use the inside leg more than the outside leg?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yes! Play around with it !

[@suepennington861]

I have more trouble bending my horse to the left, he tends to lean on his left front leg, when I leg yield off my right leg this improves his left : right balance, there is also an improvement in the left bend, but still not great. I find it challenging to keep a consistent, elastic right rein contact. Amelia, I'm curious do you change your seat bone position when changing the bend and direction for example when riding the 3 loop serpentine?

[@suzannehansen2828]

I'm a pilot. This reminds me of simultaneously putting control pressure into yoke and rudder so to fly "coordinated", or to keep the ball centered on the turn coordinator. Really cool. Thank you.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You should have slightly more weight on the inside seat bone but do not lean to the inside.

[@CDN_Bookmouse]

Leghand on Thicc Honse is 100% nightmare fuel.

[@jayrich6895]

hoi! ik komm uits de nederlands

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hi Jay! Thanks for watching! Also, I'm having a sale until Saturday on my masterclass on the Dressage Training Scale if you'd like to join the link is here! www.ameliasdressageacademy.com/trainingscalemasterclass/?fbclid=IwAR0VbN0HaZqzSqu5nvCJfeITvoiovRkYxqtPFOrtUKrli3Y1YvRI0R_8_rQ

[@cottoncandy4486]

I love your grey, beautifull .

[@suzannahkolbeck6973]

What a beautiful boy. And I have scrambled eggs on two horses I ride now, and it's miraculous. I need more practice, though.

[@juliaraffa8694]

Ft

[@filhit1]

Amilia, please don't use black gloves on dark clothes, because you can't see the work of your hands!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

I'm sorry! Good point! I’m doing a FREE webinar on Dressage Rider Position - hope you can join! www.amelianewcombdressage.com/rider-position-webinar-june-2022

[@filhit1]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage From what I see, I would notice that your inside leg should be slightly forward to get a better bending result. And the inner hand a little higher than the outside to keep shoulder higher.