Ride the HORSE, not the EXERCISE
Walk on a circle with half the circle in true bend and half the circle in counter bend.
The circle is one of the most difficult exercises for a horse to execute correctly, and in my opinion they therefore need our help and guidance most.
Let's start by considering one of the biggest goals of riding = BALANCE.
Vertical, Horizontal, Longitudinal and Lateral Balance.
One of our goals as riders is to help the horse retain and manage his balance, not only to keep his balance with a rider on board, but use his body in the best way to achieve the best possible balance and to sustain balance through each exercise/movement.
What is the most natural factor that affects balance? WEIGHT
When we walk on a circle or a straight line for that matter and we ask the horse to bend in on the circle or arena as in shoulder fore, what happens? We use a rein (whether that be direct, indirect or opening rein is not the point right now) to get the head and neck to bend in on the circle. (we could use inside leg at the girth as well, which is also not the point right now) The moment we use rein to bend the head and neck in on the circle, we displace the WEIGHT. The head and neck of the horse weighs quite a bit and that weight displacement causes the horse to "lose" balance and he wants to "fall" on his inside shoulder.
Young horses do this even at halt, in a halter or cavesson, the first time one asks them to look right or left without moving their feet. They fall onto the shoulder on the side you are asking the bend and they start walking off in that direction. It is natural for them to "follow their noses" so to speak. Through a process of education we teach them that it is possible and desirable to keep their feet in position, then to place a tad more weight in the opposite shoulder from the bend and they soon realise that it is then easier for them to do what you ask, through better balance.
The same is true for under saddle work. Our weight can be perfectly balanced and NEUTRAL, or our weight can HINDER or our weight can HELP. If you ask, through the rein aid for the head and neck to come to the right, you cause a weight displacement to the right. In order to neutralize this and make it easier for the horse to retain balance, shift your weight ever so slightly to the opposite (in this case the left) seat bone. Do not collapse through the hip, rib cage or shoulders. Remain tall and elegant in the saddle. This weight aid should be discreet.
The same applies on counter flexion/bend. If you are riding a circle to the left, and you ask for counter bend to the right, shift your weight ever so slightly to the left to counteract the displacement of weight to the right, thereby also indicating to the horse the direction of movement (for him not to follow his nose).
If we are to do what the official theory suggests, i.e. always have weight on the inside of the horse's bend, we will actually hinder the horse in balancing himself during some movements.
This is how we ride the horse, not the exercise. We do what is optimal for the horse to maintain his balance while executing the movement/exercise.
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