👉 What does "deep corner riding" mean?
One of the fundamentals of the art of riding is the deeply ridden corner. Many riders tend to ride the corners of the arena too early and too shallow, which deprives the horse of the ability to
bend correctly and maintain balance. Gert Schwabl von Gordon used a simple yet effective description to help riders ride the corner correctly: "As if you were going to ride into the wall."
This visual cue is meant to make it clear to riders that they need to ride the horse all the way into the corner before turning. Instead of "cutting" the corner too early, they should imagine an
invisible wall right in front of them, into which they ride, and only then initiate the turn.
👉 Why is deep corner riding so important?
A correct, deeply ridden corner ensures that the horse maintains its balance and can bend correctly. Corners provide a natural opportunity to improve the horse's collection and bending. If the
horse takes the corner too shallow or too early, it often becomes unbalanced and cannot achieve the desired bend. As a result, harmony and responsiveness between rider and horse are lost.
Gert Schwabl von Gordon's "riding into the wall" emphasizes that the rider should ride the horse straight into the corner before initiating the bend. This idea helps prevent the common mistake of
turning too early, which leads to "cutting" the corners.
👉 How does this affect the horse?
A horse that is ridden deeply into the corner learns to engage its hindquarters actively and bend its body correctly. This promotes relaxation and collection, as the horse can develop more energy
from its hindquarters through the corner. It also gives the horse time and space to go through the corner without stress or haste, supporting harmony and balance between rider and horse.
If the horse rides through the corners shallowly or improperly, not only does balance suffer, but also responsiveness. The rider loses the opportunity to properly gymnastically work the horse and
prepare for the next exercise. A deeply ridden corner allows the horse to move smoothly and in control.
👉 How can you train this?
The idea of "riding into the wall" gives the rider a clear visual goal, helping improve the correctness of arena figures. Instead of leaving the corner too early, the rider remains focused and
aware, allowing the horse to fully pass through the corner before initiating the next movement.
Here, the rider's seat and balance also play a crucial role. A rider who is relaxed and balanced in the corner optimally supports the horse. The rider should work with the seat and leg aids to
guide the horse through the corner, while the rein aids serve only for fine-tuning, without blocking the horse.
👉 Conclusion
Riding deeply through the corners is an essential part of correct riding. Gert Schwabl von Gordon’s visual cue, "as if you were going to ride into the wall," reminds riders not to turn too early,
but to ride the corner completely through. This leads to better balance, collection, and responsiveness in the horse, allowing the rider to prepare the horse optimally for the next movement.
A deeply ridden corner is key to harmonious and controlled riding. How do you make sure you ride the corners cleanly and deeply? 💬
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