Introduction
In our courses, we have a mantra for changes of direction: Shift the weight, Change the bend, Turn the shoulders. This is an absolutely essential movement pattern that is repeated many times during a training session and that is critical for carrying out well balanced changes of direction.
Balance is dynamic, not static
Balance is not a static, equal weight distribution of the horse’s weight over all 4 “corners" of his body, but it is the ability, to redistribute the weight quickly and smoothly from any one corner to any other, or from one side to the other, because only then can the horse move smoothly in a small space.
If a horse is not able to redistribute his weight easily, he will become stiff and clumsy and you feel like you’re having to manoeuvre a large ship around a small swimming pool. By contrast, when the horse is truly balanced, you feel like you’re sitting on a ball that you can roll in any direction any time.
Pay close attention into which corner or side of the horse's body the weight has to flow when you’re riding combinations of turns and lateral movements. Good examples are zizags, shoulder-in > half pass/leg yield, shoulder-in > turn on the haunches, Leg yield > turn on the haunches, shoulder-in > counter shoulder-in on a circle.
Ride these exercises as always at first. Then ride them again and emphasise your weight shift and the rotation of your pelvis. Observe your horse’s reaction to them.
Shifting the weight plays an important role in every change of direction, every simple lead change, every flying lead change, as well as in certain combinations of lateral movements. It is also an integral part of functional straightness. A crooked horse will prefer to support himself with the same front leg at all times, which will make all turns, all changes of direction, and all lateral movements more difficult in one direction than the other. He will lose his rhythm in changes of direction, invert or curl up, the flying changes will be late behind at least in one direction, the combinations of lateral movements won’t flow smoothly, etc. When he is able to shift his weight easily from one side to the other and from front to back, he will able to stay round and light in all turns, transitions, and lateral movements.
Rocking the weight back and forth between forehand and hindquarters with the help of stirrup stepping sequences lifts the back and the withers and relaxes the poll and the underneck muscles.
Rocking the weight back and forth along a diagonal pair of legs through stirrup stepping sequences can strengthen and relax the back, as well as improve the diagonal footfall sequence in horses that tend to trot or piaffe in four beats.
Conclusion
Weight shifts occur all the time and are one of the central factors that determine whether a turn, a transition, or movement is performed smoothly and lightly.
Since many horses seem to find weight shifts difficult, it is worth practicing them in a variety of exercises. Often, the underlying issue is a lack of body awareness by the horse. In that case, it makes sense to explore the weight shifts on the ground first, so that the horse only has to support his own weight, not that of the rider.
It also makes sense to study these weight shifts slowly at the halt or the walk so that the horse has time to really think about his legs: which one is next? Where does it have to go? Which leg(s) need(s) to support my weight so I don’t fall down? When the weight shifts become easy for the horse at a slow gait, we can gradually practice them at higher gaits as well.
