Introducing Riders to Lateral Work: The Smart Sequence for Success

Ready to Help Your Horse Find Suppleness?

Lateral movements are the building blocks of advanced riding. They improve suppleness, balance, and communication between horse and rider. But for many riders, laterals feel intimidating—where do you start, and how do you know what to do with your body?

Let’s break it down step by step.

Why Learn Laterals in This Order

Starting with simpler movements and gradually increasing complexity helps both horse and rider develop confidence and coordination.

1. Leg Yield

   • What it is: Moving sideways and forward with slight flexion away from the direction of travel.

   • Why first: It teaches the horse to move off the leg without demanding collection or high-level balance.

   

   
   
   

2. Shoulder-In

   • What it is: Horse’s shoulders move slightly inside the track while maintaining bend.

   • Why next: Builds straightness and engagement of the inside hind leg.

   

   

3. Counter Shoulder-In

   • What it is: Same concept as shoulder-in, but with opposite bend.

   • Why now: Improves lateral flexibility and rider coordination.

   
   

4. Travers (Haunches-In)

   • What it is: Hindquarters move inside the track with bend toward the direction of travel. Neck and shoulders of the horse are straight in the direction of travel.

   • Why later: Requires more collection and control of the horse’s body.

   

   

5. Renvers (Haunches-Out)

   • What it is: Similar to travers but with hindquarters to the outside. Neck and shoulders of the horse are straight in the direction of travel.

   • Why here: Adds complexity and tests rider’s ability to maintain alignment.

   

6. Half-Pass

   • What it is: A true lateral movement with bend toward the direction of travel, combining forward and sideways. It's shoulder-in with travers. I always set this up with the horse travelling straight first, then shoulder-in and then ask for renvers.

   • Why last: Demands engagement, balance, and harmony between aids.

Common Rider Challenges

• Overusing the inside rein instead of riding from the leg and seat.

• Collapsing through the torso, losing alignment.

• Confusion about where hips and shoulders should be.

• Over gripping with legs due to concentrating. Try to check in on your body too and build your rider shopping list!

Off-Horse Exercises for Rider Awareness

Before you saddle up, practice these:

✅ Mirror Drill: Stand in front of a mirror and mimic shoulder-in and travers positions. Check your own alignment—shoulders and hips should match the horse’s bend.

✅ Resistance Band Exercise: Place a band around your thighs and practice stepping sideways while keeping your core engaged. This builds awareness of leg pressure without gripping.

✅ Chair Simulation: Sit on a chair and rotate your hips slightly while keeping your upper body tall. This helps you feel how to influence bend without collapsing.

✅ Walking Patterns with Pool Noodles: Walk in a straight line, then introduce slight shoulder-in or travers with your own body. Notice how subtle shifts change direction. Or use a pool noodle (like in the photos above) to see whether your body position gets the horse in the right place.

Why This Matters

Laterals aren’t just for dressage—they improve every horse’s balance and responsiveness. Teaching riders the correct sequence and body awareness sets them up for success and prevents confusion for the horse.

Ready to Master Laterals? 

At Lagoballo, we break down complex movements into simple steps—on and off the horse.

Book a lesson today:

Private Lesson: Laura Ushay

A$80.00

1h

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