In dressage, straightness refers to the horse’s correct alignment from poll to tail, meaning its body follows a straight line when on straight tracks and maintains appropriate bend and balance on curves. A straight horse steps evenly, with its hind feet following precisely in the path of the front feet. This alignment is crucial not only for visual symmetry but also for promoting soundness, even muscle development, and the ability to carry weight more effectively, which is essential for advanced movements like collection. Straightness appears as a key component on the training scale, following suppleness, and is a prerequisite for achieving throughness and harmony in performance.

By nature, horses are not born straight; they tend to be asymmetrical, often displaying a stiff side and a hollow side. The stiff side (convex side) is the side where the horse finds it harder to bend, typically leaning more heavily on the rein and pushing the shoulder outward. The hollow side (concave side) is more flexible, and the horse may overbend here, allowing the haunches to drift inward. For example, if a horse is stiff to the right, it may resist bending right, lean on the right rein, and carry the haunches to the left. Correct dressage training focuses on addressing these natural imbalances through exercises like shoulder-fore, shoulder-in, and haunches-in, which systematically develop suppleness and alignment on both sides.

A rider’s role is equally critical in achieving straightness. Any imbalance in the rider’s seat will directly influence the horse’s ability to align correctly. Riders must maintain a balanced, independent seat and evenly distributed aids to avoid encouraging further crookedness. Straightness should be addressed early in a horse’s training to prevent uneven muscle development and ingrained habits. Once straightness is achieved, the horse becomes more responsive, balanced, and physically capable of performing collected, advanced movements efficiently and without strain.

In next month’s newsletter, we will begin to talk about the exercises that will help develop your horse equally on both sides, as well as how to assess your horse’s body and what side is the stiff side and what side is the hollow side. You may be surprised!

dressage lessonridingstraightness