Shoulder-In Explained
Understanding Horseback Riding Lateral Movements
What is a Shoulder-In?
A shoulder-in is the the very first stride of a 10 meter circle carried straight down the wall.
Shoulder-In Video
FEI Rider, Trainer, & Instructor, Eliza Sydnor Romm, explains the shoulder-in.
View From Above
The horse seen from above performing a shoulder-in
An Interactive Example
Click on the green flag, then click the arrows to see the horse do a shoulder-in.
Did You Know?
In a Shoulder-In, the horse moves at approximately a 30 degree angle to the track.
Aids for the Shoulder-In
Rider Aids for a Shoulder-In:
The inside rein asks for flexion.
The outside rein controls the bend.
The inside leg is at the girth.
The outside leg is behind the girth.
The rider’s weight is slightly to the inside.
Harry Boldt
World Renowned Dressage Rider / Author
The Dressage Horse/Das Dressurpferd (English & German Edition)
With two gold and two silver medals at both the Olympic Games and the World Championships, and with five gold, four silver and two bronze medals at European Championships, Harry Boldt was one of the greatest competitive dressage riders in the world for over two decades. Very few riders have a comparable wealth of experience in both producing dressage horses and riding internationally. Harry Boldt passes on this experience in his book The Dressage Horse.
Incorrect Examples of Shoulder-In
Some common errors when doing a shoulder-In
The horse on the left is over bent to the inside due to too much inside rein. The horse on the right is too straight and the haunches swing out, similar to doing a leg yield along the wall.
When to Do a Shoulder-In
Before you attempt a shoulder-in, you should ensure that you have warmed up your horse and have the supervision of your trainer or an adult if needed.
Make sure your horse is responding to your aids and moving forward with impulsion from his hind end.
Where to do a shoulder-in…
Use the corner of the riding arena to create the bend and continue down the wall while maintaining the bend.
Think of it as a 10 meter circle carried straight down the wall.
Shoulder-In & Shoulder-Fore
The horse’s legs travel on three tracks in shoulder-in and four tracks in shoulder-fore
A shoulder-in that has an angle less that is less than 30 degrees is called shoulder-fore. In the shoulder-fore, the horse’s inside hind leg can be seen in between the 2 front legs when seen from the front.
Young or green horses begin training for shoulder-in with the shoulder-fore. Usually a young horse will not be supple or strong enough to have enough bend and angle for a proper shoulder in, so they begin with learning shoulder-fore. Over time, the angle and bend is increased until the shoulder-in happens. The shoulder-fore is also used as a straightening exercise in the canter.
Benefits
Why Perform a Shoulder-In?
For the Horse
Shoulder-fore and shoulder-in are both excellent exercises for developing engagement, suppleness, and throughness in horses at all training levels. It supples the shoulders, strengthens the hocks, and improves both the horse and the rider’s the inside leg to outside rein connection.
For the Rider
Riding the shoulder-in is a useful tool for riders to learn how to isolate control of the forehand from the hind end while maintaining control of the horse’s shoulders. Having control of the horse’s shoulders when going around turns makes the horse more enjoyable to ride because it helps the horse stay balanced and more organized during turns and direction changes.
Brief History of Shoulder-In
In the seventeenth century, Antoine de Pluvinel used the basic shoulder-in exercise to increase the horse’s suppleness and to get the animal used to the aids, especially the leg aids. He felt the exercise helped to make the horse obedient.
Independently, the Duke of Newcastle developed the exercise. In the eighteenth century, the French riding master Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere adapted the movement for use on straight lines. (source)
Eliza Sydnor Romm Dressage
FEI Rider, Trainer, & Instructor
Eliza Sydnor Romm is a classically trained dressage rider and instructor. Her goal is to successfully train horses and riders with an emphasis on partnership and harmony.
Leaderboard
| Rank | Quiz Name | User | Correct Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shoulder-In Quiz | lyndsee | 22 |
| 1 | Shoulder-In Quiz | lyndsee | 22 |
| 3 | Shoulder-In Quiz | 88 | |
| 4 | Shoulder-In Quiz | Deb | 100 |
| 5 | Shoulder-In Quiz | Deb | 88 |
| 5 | Shoulder-In Quiz | Kelsey Benum | 88 |
| 5 | Shoulder-In Quiz | Kelsey Benum | 88 |
| 8 | Shoulder-In Quiz | REESE | 33 |
| 8 | Shoulder-In Quiz | REESE | 33 |
| 8 | Shoulder-In Quiz | REESE | 33 |
| 8 | Shoulder-In Quiz | REESE | 33 |
| 12 | Shoulder-In Quiz | Jen | 100 |
| 13 | Shoulder-In Quiz | Susan | 100 |
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