Begin at the collected sitting trot, tracking right on the long side. Your horse should be straight and balanced.
As you leave the corner, keep the shoulders on the track but bring the haunches to the inside of the arena.
Your outside (right) leg behind the girth actively pushes the haunches inward. Your inside (left) leg at the girth maintains impulsion.
The horse should be on four tracks with the bend in the direction of travel — bent right while moving right.
Maintain approximately 35 degrees of angle from the rail. The horse looks in the direction it's traveling.
Ride haunches-in for the length of the long side, then straighten before the corner.
This is more difficult than shoulder-in because the horse bends toward the direction of movement.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Too much angle causing the horse to lose impulsion and rhythm.
The horse tilting its head instead of bending uniformly through the body.
Losing the haunches as the horse straightens itself halfway down the long side.
Confusing haunches-in with leg yield — in travers, the horse bends toward the direction of travel.
Variations & Progressions
Start with haunches-in at the walk to establish the feel of the movement.
Progress from shoulder-in directly to haunches-in on the long side for a seamless transition.
Use haunches-in as preparation for half-pass: the body position is identical.
Tip: Haunches-in is the mirror of shoulder-in. In shoulder-in, the shoulders come in; in haunches-in, the haunches come in. The bend always follows the direction of travel in travers.
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