What is Lateral Work?
Lateral work is any movement where the horses body moves in a side to side motion or causes the legs of the horse to move more toward its midline. Lateral work encourages the horse to shift its weight from the front end of his body toward the hind end preparing him for a higher degree of collection, freeing up his forehand, and teaching him to shift his balance in a way that allows him to carry himself and his rider more efficiently. Lateral Work includes things like turn on forehand, turn on the haunches, small circles, shoulder-in, haunches-in, sidepass, Lateral bend in the neck, counter turn on the ground and any combination of movements that includes forward and sideways.
When do you begin Lateral Work in a horses training?
A good time to introduce this idea in a horse is when teaching a horse to lead and pick up his feet. I introduce this very early on in halter training. In truth what you are initially teaching a horse when introducing lateral work is to learn to shift their balance to and through different parts of their body.
How does Lateral Work Benefit the Horse?
One real benefit is that to care and handle a horse safely on the ground the horse needs to know how to walk around us and not over us, how to go in a circle, and how to give us their feet. The simplest thing like picking feet requires a horse to shift its weight from leg to leg and from front to back which is why picking feet for horses can be a challenge at first. One concept that lateral work teaches a horse is the idea of our circular body bubble. Since a horse has an oval body bubble they are unaware of other shapes and tend to think in straight lines and not in circles. Lateral Work is challenging because the horse has to learn to organize its feet and move body parts separately from one another. Another benefit is that horses learn to bear weight evenly through their spine, pelvis and hind end which will help maintain good posture in the horse. Lateral Work will help all horses on the ground and under saddle by helping them to become postureally straight and aware of their feet.
How does Lateral Work benefit the rider?
The rider/ handler benefits from this work in several ways on the ground by becoming aware of their horses handedness and improving communication with horse. It also helps riders develop empathy for how hard this may be for their horse to do. Under saddle the rider has to learn to feel where their horses ,feet, weight and balance is. Riders also have to learn to use their legs, hands, and seat bones independently of one another which begins to develop their independent seat and feel of their horse.This will allow the rider to move onto more collected movements and higher level of education with their horses.
