Lateral Work as "Medicine" For the Dressage Horse

Description

Many riders tend to think of the lateral movements as something that you need to be good at to show the judge as you perform them in the Dressage ring. But riders should actually be thinking about using the various lateral exercises as tools, used judiciously to make improvements in the way the horse is moving and carrying himself. 

Much like treating an illness with exactly the right medicine to resolve that specific illness... A rider needs to know exactly what specific lateral movement their horse NEEDS at any particular moment - to improve alignment, straightness, throughness, engagement, and evenness in the reins. Here are 10 examples of problems that you might encounter with your horse, and the specific lateral exercises that you can use to help fix them!