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[RC] Endurance Equitation: The Rising Trot Part4 - Duncan McLaughlin

Diagonals

Endurance competition is mostly straight lines with
the occasional turn. The lateral demands on our horses
are small. It does not really matter which diagonal we
rise on at any given moment, so long as we alternate
diagonals for roughly equal periods of time. However,
when we school our horses in the arena, or practice a
little lateral work, or even if we simply wish to rise
on the ?correct? diagonal while riding through bends
on the trail, then we rise as the hind-leg on the
inside of the bend moves forward. For example, if the
trail turns right, we rise as the left diagonal (right
hind, left fore) moves forward.

This sounds a bit complicated in theory but is easy in
practice. As our horse moves from one diagonal to the
next, his stomach swings from one side to the other.
As the hind-leg on one side moves forward, his stomach
swings away to the opposite side which relieves the
hind-leg of weight and allows it to move forward under
the body. We feel this as our seatbone and thigh on
that side sinking down and our calf swinging across
with his belly. It is that simple.
So knowing which diagonal is moving forward is easy.
As our horse?s right diagonal leaves the ground, the
left hind steps forward, the belly swings from left to
right: our left seat bone and thigh drop down, and our
left calf swings to the right. As our horse?s left
diagonal leaves the ground, the right hind steps
forward, the belly swings from right to left: our
right seat bone and thigh drop down, and our right
calf swings to the left.

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