Tight Turns, Big Benefits

Try this quick exercise to boost your control while encouraging forward motion.

With this exercise, found in 50 Arena Exercises and Patterns, you can school tight turns. The goal is to ride a small volte inside a square. (A volte is a dressage maneuver in which a horse executes a small circle.) Your horse learns to move diligently forward while making tight turns, and to step up with his hindquarters. For Western riders, this exercise is an integral part of trail courses. You’ll need several ground poles to create the square, plus one cone or other similar marker.