No Leg Yield in the Canter

Q:

You once told me that there was no such thing as leg yield in canter. Why not? What about the definition of LY doesn't apply to canter? What about spiraling in/out on the circle, which, BTW is helping 'W' a lot these days in her canter work.

A:

Sue answered the same question for me once a long time ago. I will tell you what she told me: While it IS possible to perform a "leg yield" at the canter, (I believe this statement was immediately followed with "Why would you want to?"), the mechanics of the gait make it likely to be nothing more than a loss of balance out the outside shoulder. While it can serve to loosen the shoulders, it does so by a stepping away of the front leg that produces a loss of support for the torso and subsequently a loss of elevation, rather than producing more engagement and elevation. The answer has to do with the leading front and hind legs being on the same side rather than on diagonal sides as they are in the trot. Remember, the leg yield is an engaging exercise and a disengaging one at the same time. Leg yield at the canter tends to unload the carrying hind leg and opens the front leg away from the midline. So as with our discussion of other lateral work, we have to remember what we are trying to do with balance, engagement and suppleness, as well as what we are NOT trying to do. In canter it is better to ride the shoulder-fore, half pass and the counter canter rather than to push the horse out the outside shoulder.

Spiraling in and out on the circle works (if it is working) because we increase bend and engagement and this causes the horse to step more under with the inside hind leg, which increases jump. As long as the spiral out happens with a straight horse stepping into the outside rein and the spiral in comes from the outside as much as from the inside (also with a straight horse), the exercise develops bend and balance as well as straightness and jump by loading the outside hind on the spiral in and the inside hind on the spiral out.

As with all the exercises, you should maintain what the exercise gave you when you leave the exercise and continue normal working canter. It is here that we see the benefit the exercise had.

Modernists work the "leg yield at canter" because it causes the sideways "flip'n'flash" popular in the competition arena. Classicists do not perform the leg yield at canter because it can cause disorganization and disconnection rather than increase balance, connection and collection, important classical concepts.

• < Prev
• Next >