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Flatwork / Dressage Advanced 25 min

Renvers (Haunches-Out)

Focus: Lateral Work, Collection, Suppleness

Equipment: Standard dressage arena or rail

Arena Diagram

Arena diagram for Renvers (Haunches-Out)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Begin at the collected trot, tracking left on the long side.
  2. Instead of bringing the haunches in (travers), you will move the haunches to the outside — toward the rail — while the shoulders move slightly inward.
  3. Your inside leg at the girth creates the bend. Your outside leg behind the girth is passive, allowing the haunches to swing outward.
  4. The horse is bent in the direction of travel, just like travers, but the position relative to the rail is reversed.
  5. Maintain the bend and angle for the entire long side. The horse should be on four tracks.
  6. Straighten before the corner and ride forward for several strides.
  7. Practice on both reins. Renvers is the hardest lateral movement to coordinate, so be patient.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Confusing renvers with shoulder-in — in renvers, the horse bends toward the direction of travel.
  • The horse losing balance because the haunches drift too far to the outside.
  • Over-using the inside rein to create bend instead of using the seat and inside leg.
  • Not maintaining enough collection, causing the horse to fall onto the forehand.

Variations & Progressions

  • Chain shoulder-in to renvers on the same long side for a bend-change exercise.
  • Use renvers to prepare for half-pass toward the center line.
  • Practice renvers on a circle for advanced control of the haunches.
Tip: Think of renvers as travers on the other side of the arena. The horse's body position is identical; only the relationship to the wall changes.