Why are circles important?
Riding a circle is a valuable exercise for nearly all equine sports/disciplines. On a circle, essentially a prolonged turn, the inside hind-leg has to come farther under and carry more weight, and the outside hind-leg has to push harder to make the turn. The smaller the circle, the more potent these effects.
Well-ridden circles will help your horse lengthen his tight side and strengthen his weaker side. They will also help your horse develop a consistent bend through his body, learn to control his shoulders, and improve balance, rhythm, and the ability to move forward off the leg while maintaining softness and a swing through the back. These skills help your horse become a more balanced, supple, ambidextrous, and efficient athlete. Circles are also a gateway to improved engagement and collection as lateral suppleness precedes longitudinal suppleness.
As an effective training tool, circles provide a valuable opportunity to tune your horse into your aids. They challenge your horse to listen and respond to your seat and leg aids, so that you can accurately establish your line, pace and rhythm. Accurately establishing your line, pace and rhythm helps you fine tune your communication with your horse and enhance your horse’s understanding of the aids.
How to:
Every horse has a circle size that is challenging but not so difficult that the quality of the gait is compromised. 20m can be a good place to start, although many young or stiff horses may need to work on a larger circle to begin with, while more advanced horses may benefit from the bigger challenge of a smaller circle.
Choose your circle size and place 4 sets of cones equidistant apart around the circle, with one cone inside the circle and one cone outside the circle so that you have a “gate” to pass through. The cones will act as a visual marker for both you and your horse – your horse will learn that you want him to go through the 2 cones and will begin to “aim” for them.
Starting in walk, pick a front leg and count each time it’s on the ground to count your strides between each cone. This will help establish your rhythm and tell you if each 1/4 of the circle matches the rest. For example, if you count 8 steps or strides between each cone then your circle is going to be pretty circular. Counting out loud will help focus both you and your horse to establish a consistent rhythm, which will help you develop relaxation and swing.
Let your horse go straight for a bit and then try the circle on the other rein. If you chose to count on the inside leg in the first direction, count on the new inside leg again (this will help you develop your own feel and timing). Try to practice the exercise an equal amount on each rein.
Let your horse go straight for a bit and then try the circle in trot. Count every time you post and try to get and the same number of strides on each 1/4 of the circle. The faster the gait, the earlier you’ll need to plan your turn. Ideally, each step on a circle turns the same amount. In reality, you will be asking your horse to turn a little bit more or a little bit less to stay on your circle. These little corrections fine-tune your communication with your horse and help develop a detailed language together. After 3 circles, go straight for a bit and then try the exercise on the other rein.
If your horse feels very different on one rein than it does on the other, or finds it very difficult to turn, please consult your vet and if necessary include a ridden examination in the work up. Once your vet gives the green light for circles, try changing your diagonal every 10 strides while practicing the circle. This can a good way to help your horse build strength evenly on both sides.
Mastering a well-balanced circle in canter is typically most challenging. Big strides mean that you have to be actively organizing and turning every stride to make it around. Keeping your eyes 1/2 a circle ahead can be very helpful. If necessary, practice cantering on a bigger circle first.
Important Note
⭐️ To be fair to your horse and reduce the risk of over-stressing him, mentally or physically, ride 3 circles before taking a break to go straight and do something else before trying the circles again.
The number 3 is important:
1. The first repetition tells your horse what you’re working on.
2. The second gives him a chance to practice and refine his understanding of what you’re doing.
3. The third gives him a chance to show you his best try. ⭐️
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