The shoulder-in is a fundamental and highly beneficial exercise in dressage, offering a multitude of advantages for horse and rider. It serves as a crucial suppling movement, a powerful straightening tool by aligning the shoulders in front of the hindquarters, and the initial step towards collection. This article delves into the intricacies of executing a correct shoulder-in, its common pitfalls, and practical methods for training this essential movement.
Understanding the Shoulder-In
A correctly executed shoulder-in is performed at the walk or trot. The horse’s hind legs remain on the line of travel, while the shoulders are displaced inwards. The horse’s legs should track on three distinct lines, creating a stable, angled posture. Specifically, the outside hind leg follows the wall, the inside hind leg and the outside foreleg move on a parallel track to the wall, and the inside foreleg steps on an inner track parallel to the wall. This movement can be initiated along the arena wall, which is ideal for beginners, or on other lines such as the centerline. The horse must be supple and bend around the rider’s inside leg, with the poll flexing inwards, away from the direction of travel.
The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) defines the shoulder-in as a movement performed in collected trot. It involves a slight but uniform bend around the rider’s inside leg, maintaining cadence at a consistent angle of approximately 30 degrees. The horse’s inside foreleg crosses in front of the outside foreleg, and the inside hind leg steps forward, following the track of the outside foreleg, with a lowered inside hip. The horse is bent away from the direction of movement.
This exercise teaches the horse to yield its shoulders to the inside. By bending the horse around the inside leg, the rider facilitates greater engagement of the inside hind leg beneath the body, which is essential for collection as it allows the hindquarters to carry more weight. Collection also necessitates mobile and light shoulders, a quality the shoulder-in cultivates.
Common Faults in Shoulder-In Execution
One of the most frequent errors observed is a fluctuating angle throughout the movement. Another common issue, particularly on the horse’s stiffer side, is the absence of correct flexion. In this scenario, the shoulders may be displaced inwards, but the poll remains flexed outwards. If the horse is not positioned against the wall, the hindquarters might drift outwards, causing a loss of bend. This often results in a four-track movement that resembles a leg yield rather than a true shoulder-in.
How to Ride a Correct Shoulder-In
To effectively ride a shoulder-in, the horse should possess a rhythmic, relaxed, and connected demeanor with adequate impulsion. Crucially, the horse must already understand the aids for leg yielding and be capable of bending correctly on a 10-meter circle before attempting the shoulder-in.
Establish the Bend: Begin by ensuring your horse can bend correctly. Start with a 10-meter circle or ride the bend of a 10-meter circle within a corner.
Initiate the Movement: The inside rein guides the shoulders and neck away from the wall. Simultaneously, the inside leg encourages the ribcage and inside hind leg to move towards the outside rein, which provides a “catch” for the shoulder and aids in performing a half-halt. The outside leg positioned behind the girth prevents the hindquarters from falling out.
Maintain Balanced Weight: It is vital for the rider to maintain equal weight distribution on both sides of the horse, as the horse naturally follows the rider’s weight. Sitting excessively to the inside can cause the horse to drift in that direction, moving away from the wall.
Rider’s Position: The rider’s shoulders and hips should be subtly turned inwards, parallel to the horse’s shoulders. This allows the outside hip and shoulder to move forward, mimicking travel along a diagonal line away from the wall.
Concluding the Movement: At the end of the shoulder-in (e.g., before entering a corner), the shoulders should be returned to the wall with the aid of the inside leg. Avoid holding the shoulder-in for extended periods. In dressage tests, this movement is rarely ridden for more than half the long side (approximately 30 meters).
Training Progression for Shoulder-In
When introducing the shoulder-in to a green horse, it’s often more effective to start away from a corner or circle to avoid confusion. Initially, a leg yield can be used to teach the horse the concept of moving sideways off the inside leg. This simpler exercise logically progresses to the more complex shoulder-in.
You can begin this exercise at a medium walk and gradually progress to a working trot. For instance, when tracking left, approach the centerline at ‘A’ and execute a leg yield to the right, moving towards ‘B’. This encourages the horse to move sideways away from your inside leg. Approaching the quarterline, begin to introduce a slight bend to the left. As the horse nears the wall, gradually increase the inward bend of the shoulders. The wall acts as a support, preventing the hindquarters from falling out, allowing you to maintain the shoulder-in for a few strides along the wall. At this point, you should have the correct bend, the horse should be responding to your inside leg, and you can use the inside rein to guide the shoulders inwards for a few steps.
The process can be visualized in steps: first, initiate a leg yield; second, begin to bend the horse near the quarterline; and third, as the shoulders move inwards and the wall supports the hindquarters near ‘B’, continue with the shoulder-in for a few strides before straightening. Once the horse understands not to turn in the direction of the displaced shoulders, you can then practice transitioning from a 10-meter circle or a corner onto the wall to refine the bend. Don’t be overly concerned with the degree of bend initially; it will develop with practice. If the horse loses the movement by turning inwards and the hindquarters fall away from the wall, straighten the horse and perform another leg yield back to the wall to re-establish a few more steps of shoulder-in.
Remember to adhere to the fundamental principles throughout this exercise. If rhythm, bend, connection, or impulsion are lost, disengage from the shoulder-in, correct the issue, and attempt again. It is far more beneficial to practice the shoulder-in for short, successful durations, allowing for positive reinforcement, rather than attempting to ride the entire long side and facing difficulties.
Janet Foy, an FEI 5* judge and USEF “S” dressage judge, has a deep passion for dressage that began in England. She is also a USDF bronze, silver, and gold medalist and conducts clinics across the United States. Her students have also achieved numerous USDF medals. Foy is the author of two best-selling books on dressage. This article was originally published in the January 2018 issue of Dressage Today.
