March 14th, 2008
Diagonals Demystified
If you are new to riding, chances are you’ve heard the word “diagonal” bandied about. But what exactly is a diagonal, and how does it pertain to your riding? Keep reading and you’ll find out!
Basically, “diagonal” means opposite corner. When a horse trots, his legs move in diagonal pairs. Think about it. When your horse’s left front leg is forward, so is his rear right leg. When his right front leg is forward, so is his left rear leg.
When the left front and right back legs are forward, this is called the left diagonal. When the right front and left back legs are forward, this is called the right diagonal.