Introducing Your Horse to Lateral Work

with lateral exercises? Use a tenmetre circle test.
When you can ride him at trot around a tenmetre circle with perfect geometry all the while maintaining an absolutely steady footfall rhythm and an inside bend through his spine and he stays round over his topline and consistent in his body posture then you are ready. If there are small hiccups at all in rhythm bend or posture you will want to wait before jumping in to lateral work. Be especially patient to start lateral exercises if your horses body posture gets unsteady or he gets sluggish on the circle.
Keep the Balance
Little is gymnastically gained from the exercises if the horse travels in an incorrect posture. A horse that is prepared for lateral movements needs to be comfortable and secure moving in a markedly uphill balance meaning his topline remains rounded and he carries his poll fluidly arched slightly higher than his withers. Should the horse abandon these qualities when you perform a shoulderin do not carry on just for the sake of doing the exercise.
Practice Short
Riders often find it so much fun to ride and occasionally elusive that they drill these movements too repetitively. When this happens the horse begins to brace up his body and get dull nullifying any potential gains. Resist the temptation to ride around the arena stuck in shoulderin or haunchesin. Treat them as an interval format ride ten strides then straighten the horse out for several seconds then repeat ten strides of shoulderin or haunchesin. 
Mind the Footfall
Most of us become so fixated on the contortions of the exercises themselves that we stop guiding the horse forward in a clear rhythm. In this case his footfalls become erratic or they slow down to a sluggish crawl. Lateral work only serves as bodybuilding when the horse approaches