ANSWER:
The inside leg and rein support the bend. The outside leg and rein support the turn. The main turning aid is the rotation of the pelvis in the new direction. The outside knee/thigh and rein frame the outside shoulder and can actually make the shoulder move over, for instance when the outside front leg is in the air. The outside calf prevents the outside hind leg from falling out. It can also make the outside hind leg step in front of the inside one, which can help the turn in some cases.
The inside calf keeps the inside hind leg under the center of gravity and prevents it from falling in. The inside thigh/knee and rein prevent the inside shoulder from falling in. The inside rein furthermore asks the poll to flex to the inside, while the outside rein supports and limits how much of the neck participates in the bend. If the outside rein is too loose, the horse bends too much at the base of the neck and loses the connection between the neck and the shoulders, in which case, neither the impulsion of the hind legs will reach the bit, nor will the rein aids reach the hind legs any more.
The outside rein also helps to regulate the elevation and the tempo (always together with the seat and weight, of course).
The rider's thighs and reins form 2 sides of a triangle (from the hip/elbow to the bit and from the hip to the knee). The third side of the triangle, from the knee forward to the bit, is usually left open. In the middle of this triangle lies the horse's shoulder blade. A little simultaneous lateral pressure from the rein against the base of the neck - without crossing over the withers! - and from the knee/thigh can prevent the shoulder from bulging, and it can make the front leg step sideways. It's a very effective aid. But it requires the rider to carry both hands close together, and low hands usually work better than high hands, so that the reins run as close to the base of the neck as possible.
- Thomas Ritter
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Last Update: February 24, 2007