The turn of the haunches is a

lateral movement Lateral movements or lateral flexions within equestrianism, have a specific meaning, used to refer to movements made by a horse where the animal is moving in a direction other than straight forward. They are used both in training and in competitio ...

performed at the halt and walk, used in

horse training Horse training refers to a variety of practices that teach horses to perform certain behaviors when commanded to do so by humans. Horses are trained to be manageable by humans for everyday care as well as for equestrian activities from horse ra ...

. It requires the horse, while bent in the direction of the turn, to move his forehand around his hindquarters so that he makes a very small circle with the inside foreleg. The horse should pivot around a hind-leg, as seen in the spin. Additionally, the horse should continue to display basic requirements of

dressage Dressage ( or ; a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training") is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined by ...

, such as an even and regular rhythm, relaxation, acceptance of the

aids Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...

, balance, and freedom of movement.

Uses

The main purpose of the turn on the haunches is to introduce collection to the horse, as a movement to build collection, and as a stepping stone to the move advanced

pirouette In dance and gymnastics, a turn is a rotation of the body about the vertical axis. It is usually a complete rotation of the body, although quarter (90°) and half (180°) turns are possible for some types of turns. Multiple, consecutive turns are ...

. It may also be used as a training movement to help with other problems, such as transitions into the

canter The canter and gallop are variations on the fastest gait that can be performed by a horse or other equine. The canter is a controlled three-beat gait, while the gallop is a faster, four-beat variation of the same gait. It is a natural gait p ...

, when used right before the transition. For the dressage horse, the movement is first asked for in the second level tests. The turn on the haunches is also important for jumping horses, before beginning the more difficult rollback turns. For the rider, the turn on the haunches can teach coordination of

, as the rider must balance both the driving and restraining aids, as well as maintain the correct bend using the inside leg pushing into the outside aids.

Asking for the turn

The turn on the haunches is usually performed as a turn that is 90 (quarter turn), 180 (half turn), or 360 degrees (full turn), although as a training movement to improve other work, the rider may adjust the number of steps as needed. Before asking for the movement, the horse should be forward and on the bit, maintaining rhythm and relaxation. When first introducing the turn to horse and rider, the aim should not be to perform it on the spot, but simply to maintain the rhythm of the walk and correct bend while keeping the horse active with his hind legs. Additionally, the rider should first begin with a few steps, such as on a quarter turn, rather than asking for a full 360 degrees right away. If the rider asks for too much too soon, it is likely that the horse will begin to lose important qualities as the turn proceeds, such as rhythm, bend, or activity behind. The rider should never sacrifice quality for quantity. To ask for the turn on the haunches, the rider must coordinate several aids at once. The outside leg prevents the hindquarters from swinging out, the outside rein maintains a correct bend to the inside, and helps to regulate the driving aids, telling the horse to turn rather than walk forward. The inside leg asks the horse to bend to the inside, pushes the energy into the outside aids, and keeps the activity of the hindquarters. The inside seatbone should be engaged, again to ask the horse to bend in the direction of the turn, and the inside rein should help lead the forehand around and also remind the horse to bend in the direction of the turn.

Problems

Common problems with the turn on the haunches include pivoting on one leg, backing through the turn (it is a much lesser sin for the horse to be moving slightly forward and make a wider circle), and loss of rhythm, as well as an incorrect turn (such as doing a

turn on the forehand Turn on the forehand is a lateral movement in equestrian schooling that involves moving the horse's hindquarters around his front legs. Although a basic movement, it is an important training tool for both horse and rider. Movement made by the hors ...

or a turn on the center if the rider allows the hindquarters to swing out). The horse should also remain straight (i.e. correctly bent) through the turn, rather than overbent in the neck or tilting the head. If the horse steps backward, the rider should apply more inside leg, and may need to decrease the restraining aids. Horses that make a turn around the center, instead of the hindquarters, do so because the rider did not prevent the hindquarters from swinging out, and therefore more outside leg is needed. Horses that overbend in the neck and pop out the outside shoulder may do so because the rider is trying to pull the horse through the turn using the inside rein, rather than using the inside leg to keep the energy and the outside aids to push the energy around the circle.

Variations

The turn on the haunches may also be performed in motion at the walk, trot, or canter. In this case, the hind legs produce a small circle. When the movement is made on a half-volte (6 meter circle) it is called a ''passade''. This movement is usually used as a step before the horse is asked for a

, and also to improve turns for jumping courses.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Turn On The Haunches Riding techniques and movements Dressage terminology