Back in “olden times” (the 1950s) my dressage instructor had us all posting on the inside diagonal–no explanation, just do it. I think that he was originally Austrian or Hungarian. Regional, changes through the years, ??? Anyway, later on learned to use the outside diagonal.
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I am working on the canter with my green horse. Posting to the inside diagonal before asking for the canter is a neat trick that a recent clinician showed me. It works.
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I did this when my gelding was green. I also alternated diagonals at the trot.
Just tried switching to the inside diagonal before doing a leg yield. Worked like a charm–both directions, too. We’ll see how it works on horse #2. Thanks for the suggestion.
I am going to have to try posting on the inside diagonal to get the canter. I have a green five year old, and we are just starting to canter. He has no concept of leads yet, so we’ll see what this gets me. Currently, to the right, we always get the correct lead. To the left, it’s about 50/50.
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Bumping up this old thread because it applies to my horse right now. Man, I love google! I love the ability to find old gems like this instead of having to start a new thread.
I have started working with a new trainer and she hopped on my mare last night to feel her out and give me some more “hands on feedback”. She noticed how much straighter, balanced and stronger my mare felt when she posted the opposite diagonal. She gave me some great feedback and some homework.
So, today when I rode Miss Maresy I made it a point to post to the opposite diagonal. Wow, she really felt like a different horse! She didn’t need nearly as much warm up time and she felt much straighter- she also picked up both leads correctly the first time is asked (which has been a bit of a hit or miss). Of course I had to google this concept to read all about it. So interesting. So glad I have a new tool for my toolbox. I can’t wait until my mare is equally strong on both sides. 
My trainer purposely had me ignore my diagonal and even switch them every so often to be on the “wrong” one to ensure my horse would be equally worked on both sides when we were restarting her.
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If you are on a circle, the inside legs of the horse describe a smaller circle than the outside legs. The inside hind must bend its joints marginally more than the outside hind does because, well, the horse is one piece lol. You rise when the inside hind is unloading to help ease its burden. Jog in a small circle - which leg works harder?
I have always done this with greenies, not because anyone suggested it, but because it really seemed to help.
This thread has been quite interesting for me. Have never given the diagonal that much thought but will try switching diagonal for canter depart on a horse that does find the correct lead difficult in one direction.
Fascinating info. I too have a young horse who is weak at canter departures, among other things. I will use this technique when I’m back riding again (cracked shoulder sidelined me for a bit).
I had a pro have me switch diagonals (on the up of the post) every six strides. This was for a very young, weak and asymmetrical horse. I could and should do this going in both directions, in any figure. The idea was to never spend too long asking for either hind leg to do more pushing; Instead, the plan was to set things up so that the posting changed often enough that the horse came to use both hind legs evenly.
I’ll tell you what, people: It worked.
This is now I tool I have installed in my riding tool box. By the way, it makes you a better rider to have to be strong yet soft enough to stay up for two counts, rather than sit two beats as we usually do to change diagonals. We didn’t talk about why, but what I felt was the horse having room with her back because my weight wasn’t on it often/each time I changed.
I wish I could explain this second part of the “why” better. I am clear on the biomechanical explanation of the first part.
That works. I ride by myself alot, so I have to feel symmetry. I used to do this a lot by riding figure 8s-- I’d take an “inventory” of what I felt in one direction (usually the “good” direction) and then try to duplicate that going the other way. If I forgot about what “good” felt like or the horse began to lose the “good” feel when going in the “bad” direction, I could always take a half-circle lap in the good direction again to fix it, or re-feel it.
But changing the posting diagonal (regardless of direction) has really allowed me to dial my awareness and work into the hind legs specifically.
Ask the endurance riders. Otherwise Equibrit has the right words. In Europe it was the inside diagonal and with the youngsters it was a “straightening” technique that I use to this day…for what it’s worth, I came back to America and wondered why ya’ll posted “wrong.”
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What an interesting thread. I had never put any thought into this. Definitely interesting and I’m currently breaking a youngster so this is valuable information and will get me to test out a few thing with her.
Many riders tend to use their legs more strongly when in the sitting phase of the posting trot. This timing is not as effective if you are trying to activate the inside hind leg.
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I learned to change posting diagonals every couple of steps to help loosen a horse’s back. Sit two, rise two.
As a H/J rider, I usually just lurk over here in Dressage - just to see what the cool kids are talking about ;). I have a 19 yo ISH who I have trouble keeping straight and therefore have trouble getting the right lead from a posting trot (can get it from the walk and the sitting trot all day long). I’ve had him for 11 years and have had the same trouble (but other riders better than me and my trainer have no trouble getting the right lead) since I bought him. I tried posting on the “wrong” diagonal today and asking for the right lead and it worked every single time!!! Amazing stuff I learn over here in Dressage Land!
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I agree with this, and this would absolutely be me.
Interesting thread, thanks to whomever bumped it up. With regards to canter, we are taught to sit a few trot beats into the transition, do you all keep posting into the transition?
Thus far, I post on the outside diagonal in the arena (we do go both directions). On trail rides I make an effort to give each diagonal equal time.
