Shoulder-in is a useful early form of lateral work for horses, which requires the horse to work on three — or sometimes four — tracks. When ridden correctly it is an excellent suppling exercise and is the first piece of lateral work that appears in British Dressage tests.
What is shoulder-in?
In a three-track shoulder-in, the outside hindleg is on one track, the inside hind and outside fore are on a second track (in line with each other, as per the picture above), and the inside fore is on the third track. When viewed from the front, you should be able to see three of the horse’s four legs when it is being ridden correctly.
The horse should be bent around the rider’s inside leg with equal bend through the body and the neck. As a rider you should be able to see your horse’s inside eye if you glance down. It is easier to ride shoulder-in on the track as the fence/wall helps to guide the direction. More experienced partnerships should try riding it on a three-quarter or centre line to gauge their level of control.
In dressage competitions, a three-track shoulder-in is ridden in trot, but for training purposes it can be ridden in all three gaits. A more subtle version of shoulder-in, called shoulder-fore, is useful for correcting the horse’s natural instinct to move slightly quarters-in while cantering. A four-track shoulder-in, with the horse’s shoulders positioned even further to the inside so each of your horse’s legs is following its own track, can be used for suppling purposes, but would lose marks in a dressage test.
What are the benefits of shoulder-in?
Encourages suppleness
Helps with developing straightness
Aids with collection and balance
Improves response to the rider aids
Encourages hind leg engagement
Correct aids for shoulder-in
In a three-track shoulder-in, the outside hindleg is on one track, the inside hind and outside fore are on a second track, and the inside fore is on the third track
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
The rider’s inside leg is on the girth to create the bend and send the horse along the required track. The outside leg is slightly behind the girth to prevent the hind legs swinging out and maintain bend through the body. The inside hand asks the horse to flex to the inside and keep the jaw soft. The outside hand asks the horse to wait and indicates that the horse is to continue down the track, rather than turning on to a circle. The rider’s body should remain central in the saddle with the inside hip slightly back to mirror the horse’s bend and the weight deeper into the inside seat bone.
Common problems and how to correct them
Problem: Your horse drifts back to the track
Correction: If your horse drifts back to the track, you may be looking in the wrong direction. Check you are looking through the horse’s ears rather than in the direction of travel as your head is a heavy body part, and will affect his balance.
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Problem: Too much neck bend
Correction: If your horse bends his neck more than his body, check you aren’t using too much inside rein. Support him with a firmer contact on your outside rein and by keeping both legs on.
Problem: Hindquarters drift out
Correction: If your horse’s haunches drift out to the outside, your knee and thigh and lower leg are not supporting him strongly enough, resulting in lack of bend through his body. Check your outside leg is correctly positioned behind the girth and against the horse’s side.
Problem: Falling through the shoulder
Correction: The rider crossing the outside hand over the neck is a common cause of the horse falling out through the outside shoulder. A correct contact on the outside rein supports the horse’s shoulders and helps to maintain the angle of the shoulder-in.
Problem: Your horse doesn’t step sideways, but continues going in the direction of the bend.
Correction: This can stem from a lack of preparation from the rider or a lack of understanding from the horse. Use half-halts to maintain the self-carriage of the horse through the exercise and ensure he is listening. If the horse is green, return to leg yield exercises to re-establish the horse’s understanding of moving away the inside leg before trying shoulder-in again.
Problem: Lacking bend through the body
Correction: Sitting on the wrong seat bone, and collapsing through your waist to the inside may cause your horse to lack bend. Try to deepen the inside seat bone, while remaining tall through your upper body.
British dressage rider Joanna Thurman-Baker’s helpful tips
“The biggest problem I find is people looking down the track while riding a shoulder in,” explains Joanna. “Although this does keep you on a straight line, because your head is pointing forwards, your body want to do the same, which can block the horse. If you look through the horse’s ears, your body will follow which allows your pelvis to turn, releasing the horse’s shoulders encouraging a softer bend and easier flow.
“To keep your horse on the correct line, keep giving gentle half halts with the fingers on the outside rein and look where you want to end up out the corner of your eye if you need to. Your outside leg should be gently coming off and on as needed, to remind the horse not to fall onto its outside shoulder.”
Is shoulder-in in any British Dressage tests?
Shoulder-in in trot is found in elementary level and above under British Dressage, while in British Eventing, it first appears at intermediate level competitions.
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
