In the Academic Art of Riding, the horse is strengthened through logical gymnastic exercises.
In this set of exercises, the shoulder in is an important exercise the horse should learn to straighten the horse.
The shoulder in has great value because it counters the natural asymmetry and makes the horses equally supple to the left and right. The benefit of the exercise lies in the increased bending of the inside hind leg and the increase of shoulder freedom in the outside shoulder...
Shoulder-in was invented by the Duke of Newcastle (1658) and was in those days done on the circle.
The grand master Robichon de la Guérinière (1733) performed the exercise (‘’L’Epaule en dedans’’ in French) on the straight line.
Other masters in history named the exercise the ‘’corner stone’’ of dressage, ‘’pillar’’ of the art of riding, ‘’mother’’ of all exercises and even the ‘’aspirin’’ of riding, because the exercise was supposed to solve all riding problems.
The goal of shoulder in is to teach the horse to step under the point of weight with its inside hind leg.
In the Academic Art of Riding, all side movements are first taught to the horse in hand.
This teaches the horse to move in side movements and find its balance without the additional weight of the rider. Read more »
The rider guides the horse in shoulder in mainly using the inside leg and outside rein, the so-called ‘’versal’’ aids.
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