Leg Yield Demystified

[@peggybartlett9699]

I have struggled with this issue for years. We teach our horses to move away from pressure - Leg or weight, so I start my colts this way, but when they understand that that door is open, I change to moving as one in the direction of travel. However, one must be aware that if you get ahead of your horse, you are blocking his direction of travel. I want to thank you so much for sharing your love & experience with all of us. HAPPY NEW YEAR MAY it be a great one for you!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Glad you enjoyed this. Happy New Year!

[@svetlanamaddox465]

This was an AWESOME video! Thank you very much! You are right; if the horse does not move his shoulders to the side, you have to sit on the outside seat bone. However, it is more difficult to control and make the hind legs go to the side. Therefore, it is very important to seat on your inside seat bone and make your own leg more active and stronger, so that the horse responds to your leg yield command! Thank you so very much for this great suggestion!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You are so welcome!

[@stronginthesaddle]

I totally had a lightbulb moment watching this!! I've been putting my weight to the outside and have been having a terrible time with my horse's hind end lagging. I'm definitely going to play with this when I ride today!! Thanks for posting! Keep the awesome content coming :)

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

yay! let me know how it goes!

[@juliafoley6499]

Inside - straight - inside - straight, no question. Pushing is not only easier, but also more controllable. TX for providing such great insight and visuals.

[@gosiabu3523]

Wonderful explataion Amelia! Its all about feeling, timing and especially all abt horse. If too much shoulder then do that, if too less hind legs then do that - do not think too much, just fell it! 🐴😃 The same my great coach is saying. Also is so good to see how "not to do it" and how to do it! Thank you for your great videos! All the best and greetings from Poland 😃🐴😎

[@Lietjesmarket]

So funny I had this discussion with my mother! My instructor said sit on the inside and for me it makes more sense

[@janetfoster230]

The visual with the extremes is so helpful! A very helpful video.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

So glad you found it helpful!

[@meretesrheim4867]

Yes, agree with weighting inside seat one more this also helps to initiate the movement by encouraging the horse to move away from pressure and to facilitate movement by giving him space to move over. Also agree with your general comment to sit balanced above the spine, I.e no crookedness involved

[@kathrynmadeiros5850]

I’m watching your video with leg yielding on a diagonal line. I personally shift my weight “ever so slightly” (keeping my body upright) to the direction of going when asking for leg yielding. The reason being, is to increase the engagement of his inside hind leg. Imagine yourself carrying a heavy bucket of water, most likely you would move your less weighted leg forward first. Similarly, to the canter depart, the hind leg engagement is less weighted due to your outside leg giving the aid. I talk to my horse during exercises till the cows come home, he’s all ears. I’m teaching him English and he’s up to 40 words now 😆.

[@lynnmcenespy8883]

Need to subscribe! Love the answers. Seat, leg, and weight aids are all so varied and different for riders. Our perception is not always correct! "Sitting on the inside" doesnt preclude pressing down on the outside stirrup so we end up doing both and contorting all over the place. Usually, different on each side like our horses. AFTER the horse knows the leg yield well, I like very simple aids, slight flexion, inside leg and a slight sitting to the direction of movement. The ability to have a horse respond to a very slight shift in seat position and/or weight in the stirrup in invaluable to me esp. in more advanced horses. Thank you!!!!

[@briarspillane9782]

Yes Lyn, I have found that in fact I might have to put a bit more weight in the outside stirrup to even up my weight in stirrups as I tend to lean too much one way and my horse crosses over easier if I even up my weight.

[@TeanaGraham]

As always, a brilliant explanation and demonstration Amelia!

[@teebrown3666]

I think neither. Sit balanced. When you leaned each direction you impeded your horse both ways and he struggled with the movement.

[@briarspillane9782]

most excellent explanation.!! makes so much sense thankyou Amelia xxx

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You're very welcome

[@user-qr3mk8zu8j]

Thanks Amelia! As always, everything is fine and understandable!

[@caroledavis9362]

I find I naturally put a bit more pressure on the inside seat bone, but I do not lean, because I am activating that inside leg, but not standing on that inside foot at all. It's kinda like stretching that inside leg down just a bit, because now that leg is having to curve around the ribcage, this then causes a slight extension of the leg, and causes the seatbone on the inside to drop down into the saddle more... that's the feeling I get anyway😊

[@sunmeadowranch]

Great video! So easy to understand the movement!

[@kathleentow8848]

Love this! Dressage is all about balance and feel, things may change with the next step so we have to be aware . It’s not a lean yield, it’s not a weight yield, it’s a leg yield!!😅🎉😊

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Love this!

[@alfie8953]

Thank you very much, very good demonstration. (you had me really worried the first couple of minutes!)

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Haha!!

[@siljaeriksson6002]

This was very helpful!

[@morassmy9610]

Great demonstration. Thank you! Gosh! Awesome dressage horse!

[@spiridoulaathanasopoulou9244]

You are the riding queen.

[@annbhiking2000]

You are so helpful!!! Thanks

[@christinecreeney4207]

For me weighting my inside seat bone works best also I feel Amelia’s demo horse appears more comfortable this way but I guess each horse/rider could be different.

[@Jim007baker]

The horse goes much better when you weight the inside seat bone for sure. It is very obvious when you watch the video he moves smoothly and in balance.

[@nwart4773]

Very insightful. I thought I was sitting evenly for the most part but always having a hard time crossing hind legs over. I just learned by your tip about my inside leg curling up told me that I was sitting too far on outside. I had a hip surgery a few years ago and sometime my own seat proprioception is a tad off. OMG. Give me my horse. I can't wait to try this tip.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

hehe! Can't wait to hear how it went!

[@nwart4773]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage It worked!!!

[@narelletelling8214]

Great explanation Emelia , at first I thought this was going to confuse me but I do just as you have explained. My horse is not as supple off the right leg (neither is this my strongest leg) so I find I need to stretch into my right stirrup to get my leg on. But on the left rein, he will bulge out on his right shoulder so I use less left leg and more right rein to stop the right shoulder bulging . My point being all horses and riders are different 💞🤔

[@spaziocasainterioare1656]

Beautiful and beautifully explained 🌹🦄🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks for liking

[@helenmacnab9306]

Great video Amelia! Thank you

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Glad you liked it!

[@JT-yp1bu]

I think that we are taught to weight the inside when on a circle, so it might be confusing for horse to go opposite during leg yield . However. Sitting on outside seems like you are putting weight on the areas which you want to move freely. I think inside seat is better because at least your taking the weight off of the outside hind

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Technically, the flexion is opposite of the direction of the yield, so it is the inside leg --the one the horse is bending around. it's the outside seat bone, but the horse is flexed that way in the yield

[@katelist8367]

​@@AmeliaNewcombDressageok .... I was with the above comment as I was confused because you shift ahead with your inside seat bone in the direction of the circle when circling. However you are right with h0the jeg yield you are actually bending TOWARDS the outside with a leg yield SO it makes sense to weight the outside seat bone with the leg yield. Thank you Amelia! Now I just gotta get my inside and outside reins straight ... think opposite from legs ... hmmmmm 🤪 ... I will get it eventually🙃, Sometimes i think it works better if i just put it on autopilot and not think so hard.. Hope your back is getting and feeling better!😊 Leo is such a gorgeous good boy!❤

[@loredelore7286]

Classical texts say weight to the direction of movement regardless of whether it is leg yield shoulder in half pass. The seat in walk and trot and canter must be able to move on a forward and lateral plane unhindered by shifts in "weight" or any other aid. As leg yield has no bend only flexion both seat bones should remain on their lateral plane otherwise there is a danger the horse does not remain straight. I find the leg aid should be given in time with the inside hind leg and if anything the inside seat bone does not become heavy! Purists would add the inside contact and riders inside shoulder should be lighter as a result of the flexion it creates, and is what "points" in the direction of thr movement ie obliquely.

[@lindabonds8655]

Seems so obvious to me. We teach our horses to move away from pressure so if we want them to move to the left we push with the right leg AND seat bone. Taking weight off of the seat bone in the direction they are moving is like opening the door and allowing them to slide over that way.

[@elitehptrim]

I Tend to sit slightly in the direction of the movement

[@pamelahodgson5]

For me it depends on the horse. For my less wide super sensitive horse outside seat bone. For my wide body less sensitive Hanoverian, inside seat bone.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Interesting!

[@juliadianebeckert5794]

Wonderful video and very helpful!!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

So glad!

[@tinadye1072]

I just sit in the middle and look where I want to go. Slight flexion, inside leg asks for sideways, outside leg keeps it from getting too much sideways or asks for more forward with outside rein half halts. It works for me.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yes! Pretty much! Good for you!!

[@melk3498]

I sit straight with about 65-70% of my weight on the inside. The horse will move away from the weight. If you don’t sit straight than the leg yield won’t be straight, either the front or back end will be left behind a bit. Sit straight, little shift of weight. 👌

[@sarahwhite3434]

Inside

[@user-pd8lj1qf2l]

Great explanation!! We worked on leg yielding in my dressage lesson today but it is so educational to actually see it. Where do you purchase that jacket?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You can buy them through my store! www.dressagebyamelia.com/ Glad you liked the video!

[@terrygriggs5785]

Very helpful thanks

[@janefelber4052]

Excellent

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you so much 😀

[@debraedavis8942]

Very helpful as usual!! Question for Amelia: I noticed you kept the same diagonal during the leg yield. A clinician had me switch diagonals and it did seem a little easier and balanced that way. Any thoughts about that?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Great question Debra! You definitely can and sometimes I do change diagonals, just depends on the horse, balance, etc.

[@aminabdelhalim3949]

Thank you so much 🥰

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Welcome!! Please check out my Giving Tuesday Compilations www.amelianewcombdressage.com/giving-back-now.../

[@laurieannburdock98]

I really liked that you said stay balanced. I weight the outside leg, the idea is most training is a form of move away from pressure so I want the horse to move away from pressure so the weight or pressure is from my outside leg. Interesting though that you broke the movement down; hind dragging outside leg. I was told many years ago that what we teach now, how we aid/cue now needs to be compatible with how we will want to cue years down the road doing advanced movements. Do you see either style affecting any upper level movements?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

That is a very good question! I think that’s a good conversation piece, I’ll add it to my weekly Q&A

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks for watching and subscribing Laurie, I'm hosting a FREE webinar on contact and connection that will really help you level up your performance and connection with your horse! You can sign up here! www.amelianewcombdressage.com/free-webinar-contact-and-connection I'm not sure if you know this but, I've been lucky enough to qualify BOTH of my horses (Harvey and Kensington) to compete in the Dressage Festival of Champions in Chicago, if you are willing and able, even the tiniest donation to my GoFundMe would make a massive difference. You can read more and, (but only if you'd like to and have the capacity!) donate below! gofund.me/2989323b Finally, if you love my content, I’d LOVE it if you left me a review on google! g.page/r/CYIGmCINXFOQEAo/review Thanks so much for being on my page! I appreciate it so much! 😀

[@traceymiller2038]

very interesting yes a good horse will want to stay under neath the rider and so weighting outside will cause him to step under and leg yield but that's more of a balance issue and though correct its novice A well trained horse always moves off your leg and into your outside rein so yes rider must stay balanced above and move with their horse but one is asking from inside seat and leg for higher discipline not just basic balance

[@mariannelee2890]

I weight the inside seatbone

[@deniseclark1211]

I use inside seatbpne

[@martazambrzycka9309]

I am working on my leg yields at the moment, my trainer has never said anything about putting more weight on any of the seatbones and I try to be as balanced and centered as in the straight line trot. I will try to observe my seat though, as my trainer only gave me hand and leg instructions I've never really paid attention to my seat.

[@hadleetowne4145]

I feel like the second one looks better but the first one works better 😅

[@kathleentow8848]

Ok! Today I explored this big question and for my horse, it feels like when I want to leg yield off my right leg, the right leg weighted works better. I think about skating.. When I leg yield off the left leg the outside leg (right leg again) needs weight! So, his right leg needs the encouragement in both directions! 🎉 I guess there is no absolute correct answer! So it’s “feel” that wins the argument and every horse is unique?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Great reflection! Yes, feel is key!

[@sheilambuschette9330]

I sit on my inside sitting bone but do not lean . My upper body stays in the middle. Then i lengthen my inside leg.

[@myh7569]

Where did you get this jacket?! I need to get one for when I'm training 😅

[@user-pi8ii6cm4p]

your way

[@marisarogers9530]

Great information thankyou! Only thing I cant see the actual leg yield cos the black box with the text covers his legs

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You can turn those off! click the "CC" button :)

[@aminabdelhalim3949]

I think the 2 complet each other!

[@hayleyma1985]

where I can buy the awesome shirt?😂 May I get the brand name? The shirt will be helpful.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

@kasteldenmark

[@hayleyma1985]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage thank u!

[@lauca6969]

Would it not make sense to open up the door where you want the horse to go? I mean we teach our horses to move from pressure. (Negative reinforcement) great video.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Do you mean by 'open the door' would be an opening rein? If that is what you mean, yes you can use that to direct the horse to go if they are moving in a straight or bending line, but in a lateral movement, it wouldn't work because we want the crossing effect of the legs as the horse moves forward and sideways. :)

[@lauca6969]

@@AmeliaNewcombDressage no I meant the seat bone. To me it wouldn't make sense to sit on the side that the horse is moving toward. It goes against every principle we teach our horses... for me anyway in my discipline.

[@simons1543]

Thank you Amelia. Just back from Montana :) Still working at my riding skills here in London. Now have to readjust back to English style. I did manage to get my horse to side-pass is this the western equivalent of leg-yield or are there differences?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Leg yield has more forward tendency than the western side pass.

[@simons1543]

ok yes I see that... makes sense 😀

[@saratylosky1044]

inside seat bone bc it;s the inside leg that pushes the horse over

[@yvonnekiwior9633]

I thought its the leg that does the work

[@wajidlohar2184]

i love u

[@lindacarter4726]

I think I stay mostly evenly weighted, but when I rise, I rise slightly in the direction I am moving. If moving to the left, I cue the hind to move over with my right leg as I sit. My question is this: some people say it is easier for the horse to rise on the “wrong” diagonal when leg yielding. Do you have an opinion? Seems to me you would want to be rising when the back leg is crossing, especially if the hind gets behind the shoulder. So I stay on the “correct” diagonal. That way when I sit and ask to move over, his next hind step crossing comes as I rise. Thoughts?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

I do use that trick! I don't ALWAYS train it like that, just if a student or horse need a bit of help with their balance

[@debracarter7680]

I definitely don't do plan a or plan b those look ridiculous The correct way to move a horse sideways is with your leg pressure to move him off the pressure towards the opposite direction.b

[@lolahudson1702]

what is the timing of your inside leg in the leg yield? do you push with the outside forelimb/inside hind limb or opposite? or is this another "it depends"

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Push when you rise out of the saddle / outside forelimb/inside hind limb are rising. :)

[@terriwallace5188]

Neither leaning is good and looks bad. You need to sit up and if anything just a slight weight either direction

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yes! That was my exact comments when I got to my thoughts about it :)