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Just to (hopefully) clarify - I have been on horses that would do a  
kind of "stutter-step", and voila! - you are now on the other  
(stronger) diagonal.  However, for horses that don't do that, I have  
(also) always thought that the diagonal that "felt" rougher (or less  
smooth) was the weak diagonal.

I've used arena exercises to help even out a horse.  I'll use circles,  
spirals, serpentines, etc.  If there is a big difference in a given  
direction - the horse falls in or out on the circle, turns aren't as  
smooth, etc., then I will work that direction more, and will be more  
careful to set up the horse and help him balance through the turns on  
the weak side.


On Nov 11, 2009, at 12:35 PM, Diane Trefethen wrote:

> Which is higher? Which is stronger? Why not just let your horse tell  
> you?
>
> If your horse is unevenly developed enough that he is uncomfortable  
> on one
> diagonal, he will work to throw you off it onto the other one.   
> Anytime your
> horse wants you off a diagonal, you know he is more comfortable with  
> the other
> one.  So switch back to the one he "doesn't like".  Conversely, if  
> he is going
> along happily on one diagonal, switch.  See if he accepts it or  
> tries to put you
> back.  If he accepts it, he's even enough to be happy on either  
> diagonal.  If he tries to dump you back on the first diagonal, then  
> the one he "doesn't like" is the one that needs work.
>
>
>
>
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