Many of us trot a stretching circle or two to get our horses loosened up at the beginning of a work session. This exercise is a variation on the usual stretching circle because it asks the rider to analyze the shape, size, and consistency of their circles in both directions. Give it a try! Here's how:
Walk your horse on light contact; allow him to stretch forward and down. Make a transition to working trot, also on light contact, stretching forward and down. Begin a twenty meter circle at B or E, attempting to ride a perfect circle. Repeat three times to the left, change rein, and attempt to trot the exact same circle three times on the right rein. Compare your circles left and right. Look at the track that you have left in the sand. With proper execution, there should be a near perfect circle left by the horse's hoof prints. This exercise must be executed precisely to give you and your horse the most benefit. To do this exercise correctly, a horse must remain balanced between the rider's inside leg, which could enlarge the circle, and rider's outside knee and thigh, which could diminish the size of the the circle. The rider must stay very focused in order to guide the horse on the correct line. Horses accustomed to being turned primarily with the reins will struggle though the exercise and the tracks they leave in the sand will not form a smooth, consistent, arc. This exercise requires significant practice, but because it is not highly physically taxing on the horse, it is perfect as a warm up, as a break from more taxing work, or as a portion of the relaxing period at the end of a ride. Enjoy, and post photos of your own circles!
